What do barricade tape and lumber have in common?
Quite a lot actually… Lumber is measured in inches and known by names like 2×4, 2×6 or 1×3. Barricade tape is measured in MIL thickness and has names like 2 Mil, 3 Mil, and 4 Mil.
These names, although industry standards, are not accurate, nor are they meant to be. Just as a 2×4 is actually measured at 1.5×3.5, the nominal measurement of tape is different than the actual measurement. So, a 2 mil tape is actually measured at 1.5 thousands of an inch (mil) and a 4 mil tape would actually be measured at 3.5 mil.
It’s o.k. not to know this, I knew about the 2×4 as a kid because my dad was a builder and roofer. I had however completely forgotten this little bit of trivia in adulthood until I was reminded of it recently. While it is o.k. not to know this as the average person on the street, if you are in the industry of marking products this is something important to know this moving forward. Are their any questions you have that we might could cover in an upcoming Presco Quick Fact? If so leave a comment on this blog post or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.
If any of this comes as a shock to you then your are not alone. 5 counties in California attempted, unsuccessfully, to sue Lowe’s for false advertising. This has been a Presco Quick Fact so now you know and knowing is half the battle. I learned about 2×4’s from my dad. I learned about MIL thickness only after coming to work at Presco.