Tape2go Tape Tips

Stuck on how to stick?

This basic guide is just a small part of our vast knowledge, if you need more in depth information do not hesitate to get in touch

Tip 1 - Know your application

To identify the correct tape you firstly need to know the surfaces you are looking to use it on. For example if you are sticking to paper you wouldn’t require the same product as when bonding to plastic.
Easy surfaces to stick to would include paper, untreated card, wood and plastic, it becomes a little more tricky when you want to adhere to rubber, powder coated metals, certain fabrics like ribbon, concrete, polypropylene and high varnish board. Any surface with a siliconised finish can also be difficult so evaluate your surfaces carefully before hand.

Tip 2 - Understand the environment

What stresses will the tape have to endure during its life span and what environment will it be expected to perform in?
Will it be subjected to high temperatures, left in direct sunlight or exposed to the elements? Will it be under physical duress such as being pulled, peeled or stretched? All of these factors can have a detrimental effect on the lasting performance of your adhesive tape, and therefore need to be considered when choosing the product to use.

Tip 3 - Tape Selection

Once you know your application and what is expected of your adhesive tape. It's time to narrow your selection by budget, there's no point choosing a high spec adhesive tape when a middle of the road product will do nicely. Adversely don’t be fooled into thinking that a general purpose double sided tape will be adequate for mounting signs over the M6 toll road.
It's a fine balance but a general rule of thumb can be applied:
For immediate tack levels at fairly reasonable prices choose an adhesive tape with a rubber resin adhesive. If you’re looking for an adhesive tape which will still be performing in the next decade opt for a tape with an acrylic adhesive (it may cost more but will give longer lasting performance). Another factor which could sway your final selection could include how easy the adhesive tape is to use (see tip 5 for more on this).

Tip 4 - Tape Application

Common sense tells us trying to stick to a dusty or greasy surface will cause no end of problems. So always ensure your surfaces are clean, wipe down with white spirits or isopropanol wipes, you can even use nail polish remover (obviously not suitable for skin preparation prior to the use of our Gravitape® fashion and toupee tapes – we suggest a good bar of soap for this).

Cleaning thoroughly will prove invaluable for long lasting results. The next thing to bear in mind is you will need to apply pressure to your tape, hence the term “pressure sensitive”. Applying pressure ensures the adhesive beds onto your surfaces properly and gives the time required to reach its ultimate bonding strength.

Tip 5 - Tape presentation

We all want any easy life, how your tape is presented can deliver this much sought after ease.

The format in which you receive your adhesive tape can have a dramatic impact on your working day:

Fingerlift - An over sized liner likely to assist in your end user application speed.
Rewind - A smaller roll length can make life easier or fit your final packaging better.
Crackback - A split liner to avoid costly man hours trying to expose an adhesive?
Diecut - A bespoke die cut shape or pad to match your product or enhance the aesthetics?
Packaged - Individually wrapped and labelled (with your own company logo) for retail appeal?