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About Us

At Reflective Incorporated, we are more than just a Reflective Tape Retailer, we strive to be a trusted partner for all of your Reflective Safety needs.

Our goal is to provide our customers with the best products and service at the lowest prices possible. We have been in business for 24 years and are experts in the area of retro reflective safety applications. As a family owned business we are able to give personal one on one service to our customers. We like to say that we are in the problem solving business.  We  carry Oralite and Nikkalite reflective tapes and also manufacture our own reflective safety products such as reflective chevron panels and reflective shapes for diamond plate.

We take great pride in our company, our commitment to customer service, and in the products we sell. Our online store is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment to browse our product catalog.

Steven Cole – 24 years experience in the safety industry.  (Economics, MBA – University of West Florida, Innovation & Entrepreneurship – Stanford University) (linkedin)

Staci Cole – 24 years experience. Office Manager.  Specializing in reflective tapes and preformed thermoplastic applications. (BA Education – University of West Florida)

To Contact Us just email me at steve@reflectivestore.com or call me at 850-934-3157.

Reflective Tape Application Instructions

Instructions for Applying Reflective Tapes

Reflective Tape adhesive performance is dependent on surface preparation. Adhesive tape products should only be installed when it is dry outside. Applications should not be attempted on a rainy day or when dew is forming on the ground or other surfaces. A dry sunny day is optimal. The temperature should be between 32 and 100 degrees. Room temperature is best. Never attempt to apply reflective tape in below freezing temperatures and do expose the tape to below freezing temperatures until it has cured for at least 48 hours. The reason is that the tape contracts in extreme cold and if it sets in a contracted state it may buckle later on when the temperature increases and the tape expands.

CLEAN SURFACE

The surface that the tape will be applied needs to be clean, dry and free of any contaminants such as dirt, grease etc.. Hand washing the application area is best.

To insure that the area is clean, a rag wet with rubbing alcohol should be used to wipe down the surface. Before the alcohol dries wipe it down again with a separate rag. This will help clean and also help dry the surface.

APPLYING THE MATERIAL

Note-practicing with a small piece of tape is often helpful.

Peel the backing off the the tape or Peel as you apply. Do not peel off more than you can work with at one time. Also, try to avoid touching the adhesive side of the tape as this can contaminate the adhesive and reduce its effectiveness.

Lay the material down using your fingers to press it onto the surface. Avoid laying the tape down and then pulling it up and applying it again as this tends to damage the adhesive. (Also, we have a picture below of a hinge application process that can help keep the tape straight during application.)

Squeegee the tape down to the surface. Gently at first and then with more pressure. Wrap the squeegee in cloth if necessary to keep from scratching the material. If a squeegee is not available use a soft cloth to press the tape firmly to the surface. Cut the material with a razor blade at any seams or joints in the surface that you are applying it to. Go over rivets and then after application (if necessary) cut around the rivets with a razor blade or exacto so that the material lays flat all the way around the rivet. Note – This is not necessary with our flexible engineer grade since it will conform over the rivets in most cases.

Our Flexible Engineer Grade Reflective Tape and Flexible High Intensity Reflective Tape WILL go around corners and fold around the edges of doors, etc. Our other reflective tapes are stiffer and WILL NOT stretch and are not designed to wrap around sharp corners or be folded over 90 degree edges. If you go around a sharp corner cut the tape and begin a new piece around the corner. The edges of the tape should be kept about 1/4″ from the edge of the surface that you are working on. If you bend the tape around a sharp corner it will stick at first but will eventually come up. The material is designed to be applied to generally flat surfaces.

When more than one piece of tape is needed to form a continious line, it is recommended that you butt splice the material instead of overlapping it. Note – Flexible engineer grade can be overlapped since it is so thin.

Special Instructions for Flexible Engineer Grade tape –
Application Temperature – 59 – 77 degrees fahrenheit. When the temperature is above this range the flexible engineer grade material becomes very soft and pliable. When the temperature is below this range the material becomes stiffer. (The material is designed this way so that if necessary it can be heated with a hair dryer during application to make it conform to complex curves, rivets, etc..) The material can be installed in temperatures above and below the recommended range, however, it is easier to install in the recommended temperature range.

If installing outside in hot or cold temperatures it helps to keep the tape inside an air conditioned or heated vehicle until you are ready to install it. In the summer, installing in the shade is helpful and in the winter, installing in direct sun is preferable. Also, we have posted some pictures of how a masking tape hinge can be used to position the tape and apply it. In warmer weather this method will help in the installation of the flexible engineer grade tapes.

Service Temperature – Once installed the tape can handle temperatures from -22 to +176 degrees fahrenheit.


reflective tape application instructions
 

FAQ – Can I use my own FEDEX or UPS number for shipment?

We have a daily UPS pickup so we are not able to ship Fedex.  Unfortunately, our shipping software does not let us use other companies shipping account numbers.  When a buyer would like to use their account, one solution we often used is to have a label sent to us in a pdf format.  UPS is preferred when we do this.

 If you need a shipping estimate for a Purchase Order simply go to our shopping cart ( i.e. www.tapefinder.com) and add the items you want to the cart, enter your address and then go to the next page.  Your shipping amount will be listed.  Write down this number for your PO and then exit the cart. 

FAQ – I have a Florida Resellers Certificate. How do I buy sales tax free.

If you are in the State of Florida and have a resellers certificate and you are not the end user of the product you are purchasing you can remove sales tax from your order by doing the following –

  • Fax your resellers certificate to 888-789-5422
  • Run your order normally and when you put your city in type in YOUR CITY, FL.  For me I would put Gulf Breeze FL as the city instead of just Gulf Breeze.  Then change the state to GA and finish your order.  The sales tax should be removed. 

We will send the package to the correct state because FL is in the same blank as the city and because the zip code will be a Florida zip code.  Thats all there is to it.

 

Product Order Form & Credit Card Authorization.

Fax Credit Card Authorization / Product Order Form

Many customers prefer to let us know what they would like to purchase and then have us run the order for them.  This can be done by secure fax via our product order form.  To have us run your order via a faxed order simply download the form below, fill it out, and fax it to 888-789-5422.  After you have submitted the form feel free to email us at steve@reflectivestore.com to confirm the order.  Also, if you would like us to securely store your form for future order just let us know.

The form is self explanatory.  Make sure to clearly outline the products that we are to send.  Also, include your full address and phone number for shipping.

To download our Credit Card Authorization / Order Form CLICK HERE.

FAQ – How do I get Expedited Shipping? Next Day, Second Day…

To have a package shipped 3 day , Second day or Next Day Express you can follow these steps.

Email us at steve@reflectivestore.com with your request.  Let us know what product you are buying and how quickly you need it.

We will email you back with product availability information and the additional cost for expedited shipping.  This will be a dollar amount over and above what the online system calculates for standard shipping. 

Once you have the additional shipping amount you can put the items you need in the shopping cart and then click on the Custom Order button at the bottom of the left hand menu.  You will then enter the amount we gave you for the additional shipping using the Custom Order choice.  

Then just check out as you normally would and on the page where your credit card goes there will be a Special Instructions box that you will enter in ALL CAPS the type of shipping we discussed.  For example, if we discussed next day shipping via Fedex you would put SHIP NEXT DAY VIA FEDEX in the box.

If you would like to email us after the transaction goes though to confirm that is fine.  Our email is steve@reflectivestore.com .

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 5.33.04 PM

CUSTOM ORDER BUTTON AT BOTTOM LEFT.

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 5.37.01 PM

ENTER AMOUNT FOR EXTRA SHIPPING.

Screen Shot 2016-05-14 at 5.43.19 PM

FINAL PAGE SHOULD LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

 

FAQ – Do you ship to Canada?

3. Do you ship to Canada?

Answer – Yes.  We can ship with a Fedex label that you provide to us.  Here is how it works.  

First, you will need to email us with your order request so that we can let you know the total price and availability.  If you are satisfied you can then call us or we can call you for credit card information.  Our number is 850-934-3157.  Once the order is paid for we will email you the box weight and dimensions.  

You will then go to www.fedex.com/returns and click on the “How to create a label” link.  On that page there is a video and written instructions.  You can either create an account or do a one time credit card transaction.  

You will want to create an email label that we can print at our location.  Make sure to check the box that says the receiver (you) will pay duties, customs and fees.  You will also want to make sure that the Fedex online system creates the label PLUS all the  necessary documents for customs.

Our email address for the label to be sent to is steve@reflectivestore.com .  

FAQ – How to create your own quote

2. How can I create my own Quote?

Answer – To create your own quote simply put your items in the shopping cart and go through the checkout process like you were going to pay. When you get to the page where payment is made simply choose “Print and Call”. In the special instructions box put in ALL CAPS the words QUOTE ONLY. After you click “Place Order” you will see a link that says “Print Invoice”. This process creates a very nice quote.   This invoice or quote can be mailed in with a company check to –

Reflective Inc.
1610 Guam Lane
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

You can email me at steve@reflectivestore.com to let us know an order is on its way via the mail.

(NOTE- For our www.colebrothers.com site you would choose “Generate Mail In Order Form”)

FAQ – Which tape do I need for my application?

1. Which reflective tape do I need for my application?

Answer – We carry a wide variety of reflective tapes.  They vary in brightness, flexibility, color and cuttability.  The brightest tape is not always the best tape for your specific situation.  For example, the brightest tape, SOLAS, would not work for a traffic cone because it will not stretch.  

The first consideration should be the type of surface the tape will be applied to.  If you have a flat and smooth you can use any of the tapes we sell.   If your surface has compound curves, tight radiuses, an uneven surface or a flexible surface (traffic cone) then you need to use either our flexible engineer grade or flexible high intensity grade tape.  For slightly uneven surfaces you can also use our V98 Conformable Prismatic.   For example, if you wanted to wrap a very tight radius like a small tube or a fiberglass rod you would want either a flexible engineer grade or a flexible high intensity tape because both are thin, stretchable and will not lift at the edges when placed on tight curves.  Of these two tapes, the flexible high intensity is the brightest.

For close up applications a glass bead tape tends to light up quicker because it disperses light out at a wider arc.  Our flexible high intensity or standard high intensity tapes are especially bright at close distances. (within 200 feet)  So for an application where a car may round a corner and need to see bollards or a gate that is 200 feet away, a high intensity or engineer grade tape would be ideal.    Glass bead tapes are also less expensive.

For long distance applications, where viewers are over 500 feet away, a prismatic tape works best.  Prismatic tapes shine light back to the light source in a tighter arc so the light goes farther much like a spotlight.  Glass bead tape reflects back at a wider arc so it is easier to see close up but does not shine as far out.  Much like a flood light.  We carry several types of prismatic tapes.  All work well on flat, smooth surfaces.  Our V98 tapes also work well on slightly uneven surfaces since it will conform to a degree.  V98 is what you would see on the back of a fire truck.  SOLAS tape is for marine applications but can be used for other purposes. V92 is our affordable prismatic and V82 is a brighter version.

Your specific application will have a huge bearing over which tape you use.  How close will the viewer be to the tape when they need to see it?  Is the surface the tape will go on smooth, uneven,  round, etc..?  What color tape will send the correct message to the viewer?   This link will take you to a chart that shows the different types of tapes and their characteristics.  This link has more information about tape brightness.