A simple characteristic such as post-forming peel strength can have a profound affect on the productivity of a fabrication department. There are five steps to determining the proper masking for fabricated parts, and among these base price may actually be the least important. However, it is important to first understand the basic terminology of masking in order to apply these five easy steps.

There are currently four types of masking used to protect and add value to premium acrylic sheet. Paper masking, poly masking, adhesive-backed poly masking and paper masking replacement (sometimes referred to as PMR), all have very specific applications. Some of these products have been used for decades, while other products such a PMR - complicated, multilayer, engineered masking - are new to the market but all have very specific jargon and properties which, once understood, can help purchasing managers make informed decisions.

Paper Masking
This product has the most history protecting acrylic sheet and is often the default masking of choice for many distributors and fabricators who want to ensure protection. However, not all paper masking is created equal and there are several characteristics which need to be considered when evaluating the quality of this product.