Retro reflective films that are typed by ASTM D4956 Standards are specified that way because they are used as sign sheeting. (backgrounds for highway and road signs) These include ASTM D4956 Type I – XI. There are some crossovers such as V82 School Bus tape that can be used as Type 5 sign sheeting, or…
ASTM D4956 Type 1 “Flexible” Engineer Grade Reflective Graphics film is a unique version of EG made by Nikkalite. It is very similar to standard Type 1 engineer, only more conformable. It performs like standard EG when at a room temperature, but when warmed, it softens and becomes more moldable. Flexible engineer grade is thin,…
ASTM D4956 Type 1 Reflective Tape is the first retro reflective tape created and remains the most popular. Its use for highway signs has been phased out over time by brighter prismatic films. However, EG has found extensive use in the graphics industry. Basic engineer grade is thin, made in a single layer, flexible, and…
Oralite 5600 Type 1 Fleet Engineer Grade tape is designed for fleet graphics. It is a repositionable material that also has a special adhesive backing with air channels that allow air to release from under the reflective vinyl during application. This makes applying the film to vehicles and other objects much easier. Repositionable means that…
Oralite Type 1 Fleet Engineer Grade tape is designed for fleet graphics. It has a special adhesive backing with air channels that allow air to release from under the reflective vinyl during application. This makes applying the film to vehicles and other objects much easier. Oralite 5650 RA (rapid air) is also brighter than other…
Our Type 1 Fleet Engineer Grade Oralite 5700 is similar to our 5650 Rapid Air, but without the air egress feature. It cuts the same, and has the same 7 year outdoor life. It is more affordable than the higher priced 5650. With a small amount of heat from a hair dryer, it is moderately…
ASTM D4956 Type 2 Super Engineer Grade Reflective Graphics film is similar to standard Type 1 engineer, but twice as bright at night when reflecting. It performs like standard EG and looks the same with the exception of a faint star watermark that designates it as Super Engineer. SEG is thin, CAD cuttable, made in…
ASTM D4956 Type 3 High Intensity Grade Glass Bead Reflective Sheeting is three times as bright as standard engineer grade films. Type 3 is made with highly refractive index glass beads that are uniform in size, with a high percentage of perfect roundness. Each bead is coated on half of its sphere with 100% pure…
ASTM D4956 Type 4 High Intensity Micro Prismatic Retro Reflective Sheeting. Type 4 reflective films utilize man made prisms for reflectivity. More efficient micro prisms make the films twice as bright as high intensity glass bead films, and 7 times brighter than engineer grade. Type 4 films reflect out further than lower typed glass bead…
Type 5 films are primarily used for delineators and channelizers on highways and streets. It is a unique film in that it is brighter than all other reflective sheeting, thinner, more rugged, made in a single layer, and CAD cuttable. Type 5 is used extensively for non signage applications. Things like DOT tapes, marine applications,…
Type 6 is a non adhesive, air backed, prismatic, flexible sheeting that is used for traffic control signing in temporary work zones, utility, and incident management applications. It has a Class 5 backing which simply means no adhesive. This material is used almost exclusively for roll up temporary signs. These may be used in work…
This material has been “discontinued” and is no longer manufactured. It has been replaced by Type 5 for Delineators and Channelizes, and Type 8 or 11 for Highway Signs. Therefore, no spec sheets are available for it, however, I have posted candela ratings below. Photometrics for Type 7 Sheeting (minimum coefficient of reflection in candelas)…
Type 8 film is manufactured using high clarity acrylic film and an air backed micro prismatic array. It is similar to type 4 sheeting, but brighter. Type 8 Highway sheeting is very bright at long distances and also very rugged. Its primary use is permanent traffic signage where long sight distance is needed. Sign applications…
Type 9 prismatic sheeting is designated as wide observation retro reflective sheeting because it reflects a wider cone of reflectivity. This allows the film to be observed at wide angles from the light source. It has the highest retro reflectivity characteristics at short distances and is used for ground mounted highway signs, barricades, bollards, buildings,…
This material has been “discontinued” and is no longer manufactured. It has been replaced by Type 5 for Delineators and Channelizes, and Type 8 or 11 for Highway Signs. Therefore, no spec sheets are available for it, however, I have posted candela ratings below. Photometrics for Type 10 Sheeting (minimum coefficient of reflection in candelas)…
Type 11 Ultra Brilliant Wide Observation Sheeting is the newest type of retro reflective film on the market. It combines long sign distance reflectivity with wide observation technology. The resulting film can be seen from farther away than comparable films, and is visible at wider observation angles. (higher angles from the light source) In the…
For decades, Reflective Tapes have been a mainstay in the United States for transportation and marine safety, particularly in dark and stormy conditions. Reflective tape prevents accidents, shows due diligence, and reduces liability in the case of an unfortunate event such as a collision. Making dangerous objects visible at night is not only the right…
Our article on the NFPA 1901 recommendations for striping fire trucks covers the widths and types of reflective tape that should be used on the backs, sides, doors, and front of fire trucks. Reflective stripes can be applied to trucks in a few different ways, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages. First, you…
Reflective Tapes for Work Zones or Temporary Traffic Control Zones In work zones or temporary traffic control zones, reflective tape and sheeting are utilized for a variety of purposes. This article focuses on those applications. A “Work Zone” is a designated section of a traffic thoroughfare where construction, maintenance, or utility work operations are marked…
FMVSS 131 & 217 School Bus Reflective Tape Requirements – Online Reflective Tape Store FMVSS stands for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. It is a comprehensive set of standards with parts of it dealing with school buses. FMVSS 571.131 and 571.217 are subsections of federal regulations dealing with standards for school bus safety as they relate…
Vehicles that stop and start, or park near heavy traffic, need to be clearly visible. Reflective striped panels that are highly visible in the day, and reflective at night easily accomplish this goal. However, oftentimes, vehicle owners also wish to convey a message to approaching traffic. For example, a reflective message panel that said “FREQUENT…
