VHB Installation Tape

Tape Use and Installation - READ FIRST!

What is Surface Energy, and Who Cares?

Good question and important too! The simplest way to think of surface energy is in terms of the hardness of the surface. Harder surfaces have stronger bonds between the molecules and therefore more “excess energy” on the surface of the material. This excess energy is what increases the bond to the tape. A softer material has weaker bonds between the molecules, and therefore less excess energy available to bond with the tape. As such, surfaces/materials with low surface energy require tape that will bond more thoroughly with the surface. Meaning the tape will interact with more molecules, and will bond more fully with those molecules, on the surface.

Surfaces/tape are typically classified as High Surface Energy (HSE) and Low Surface Energy (LSE). Latex paints, powder coat paints, etc are considered LSE surfaces, while glass, metal, and other smooth, hard surfaces are HSE. An HSE tape (less expensive) will not have long-term holding power on a LSE surface because it's not engineered to bond with the molecules as well. However, a LSE tape will work fabulously on a HSE surface, meaning you should use our tape to bond anything to anything else, almost.

What is VHB Tape?

VHB tape simply means "very high bond" tape, and it's typically considered a high performance product for critical applications where your general tape just won't work. For example, vehicle manufacturers utilize tape instead of spot welds or bolts on various body panels. On skyscrapers, windows are often held in with tape. Point is, we're not talking about the junk you purchase at a big box store. What you think of as "tape" is actually a permanent fastening solution superior to fasteners and welding since it can better withstand temperature fluctuations and provides a larger "gripping" area if you will.

We offer VHB tape to you, so you have the best possible solution for your project. It is absolutely overkill, but we know that you can install our products anywhere, and if the surface prep is done correctly, it will not fail. In a house, office building, gym, school, factory, warehouse, Mars?, you name it.

Our VHB tapes can be compared with any manufacturer and will perform, at a minimum, on par with any other brand.

Installation Guidelines - IMPORTANT!

The long-term reliability of any tape hinges on good surface preparation. This is not a complicated process, but if you don't follow the guidelines, you will have a subpar installation that may require rework, or may fail.

The most important thing is that your surfaces are clean and dry. No grease, dust, oil, loose particles, etc are allowed. Installation tapes are pressure sensitive, meaning you must apply a certain amount of pressure to ensure the best possible adhesion. This is 15lb per square inch, and is easily doable by using a small rubber roller or by wrapping your hand in a towel and running it over the surface.

Which Tape Should I Buy?

A210 - 3/4in x 1/8in x 18yd VHB Installation Tape?

Typical uses: Backsplash Panels with Hemmed Edges

The A210 LSE tape is a high performance, double-sided acrylic based LSE adhesive tape. It is especially designed for a variety of materials with low surface energy like latex paint, powder coat paint, exterior paint, and many plastics. The A210 tape has a high temperature resistance, and features a long-term 212F temperature rating. The tape has very high initial tack and also works well on thin and/or textured surfaces due to the capability of absorbing the thermal expansion properties of differing materials (e.g. metal + installation substrate).

This dedicated LSE tape is proprietary and you will not find another 1/8in thick installation tape with this performance and price. We use this tape mostly on residential backsplash panels to ensure a PERMANENT installation that will not fail. You must prep your walls correctly, which means they need to be clean, and free of dust, debris, grease, etc. There is NO need to back up this tape with any adhesive.

A220 - 3/4in x 1/16in x 36yd VHB Installation Tape?

Typical uses: Corner guards with winglets

The A220 LSE tape is the ultimate product for almost any material surface you might find on a jobsite. Specifically engineered for low surface energy materials, the aggressive acrylic adhesive system is designed to bond to latex paints, powder coat paints, plastics, coated glass, and other smooth or slightly textured surfaces. We utilize the A220 LSE tape on corner guards so that installers do not need to use any adhesive, providing the surface is clean and dry and installation instructions are followed.

A230 - 3/4in x 1/64in x 36yd VHB Installation Tape?

Typical uses: Corner guards with straight legs, kick plates, backsplash panel with no hems.

The A230 is in the same family as the A220 and A210 and is a high performance LSE tape that won't let you down. The A230 LSE tape is the ultimate product for almost any material surface you might find in a school, office building, cinema, jailhouse, warehouse, jobsite, or even your home. Specifically engineered for low surface energy materials, the aggressive acrylic adhesive system is designed to bond to latex paints, powder coat paints, plastics, coated glass, and other smooth or slightly textured surfaces. Utilize the A230 LSE tape on kick plates, straight corner guards, and unhemmed backsplash panels, so that installers do not need to use any adhesive, providing the surface is clean and dry and installation instructions are followed.