Clear Powertape Banner Tape Manages The Negative Impact of Wind Slits In Banners

It’s a common sight — torn banners fluttering in the wind at all kinds of venues after organizers have given up trying to fight a very powerful enemy: the weather. It’s difficult working under some conditions and, sometimes, banner tape or metal grommets simply aren’t enough to deal with the force of nature. Wind slits are often used to counter this, but there are a number of reasons why they are not the perfect solution. This is where products like mesh banners and Clear Powertape come in.

Understanding The Math

There’s a bit of math and science involved in why wind slits or vents exist on banners. A lot of people damage their banners with these holes assuming that they can significantly reduce the wind load on their banners. Some manufacturers and cities even publish regulations, stating that wind slits need to be spaced at approximately 3m intervals. However, scientists and mathematicians studying these vents have concluded that, while perforations make the air flow more stable, there is usually only a comparatively small reduction in drag coefficient, unless the porosity is large. Let’s say we have a 36”x96” (3456 sq/ft) banner and cut four 12” long wind slits. The winds slits estimated wind stress reduction is only about 6%. That’s not that much, in order to achieve greater wind reduction we would end up cutting triple the amount of holes. Needless to say, this effectively ruins the banner’s look as well as drastically affects its ability to convey a message effectively.

Other Reasons To Avoid Them

It’s easy to see how wind slits affect the look of a banner almost instantly. They make them look bad, ruin the design and message, and also weaken the strength of the banner, reducing the possibility of its reuse. All of this makes little economic sense too. This is why more and more users turn to mesh banners or products that help strength banners without cutting large holes in them.

Why Clear PowerTape Works

Banner Ups Clear PowerTape is a single-sided banner hem tape made of a super strong film. Unlike ordinary double-sided banner hem tape, it eliminates the need to fold a hem to reinforce banner edges. Instead of turning your banner into Swiss cheese with wind slits, simply apply Banner Ups tabs on the corners, strip the tape along the top and bottom edge of the back of the banner, and then punch holes. Clear PowerTape works great on mesh banners as well.

For Mesh Banners and More

There are a lot more options to plastic grommet tabs when it comes to working with mesh banners in all kinds of conditions. For information on clear Powertape banner tape or other products, contact Banner Ups today.