Double sided tapes offer adhesion to a wide range of household stuff. If you want to stick your carpet to the floor or mount that picture on the wall or any other two surfaces you want to stick together tightly, then double-sided tape is all you need.
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However, with a wide range of double-sided tapes in the market, it may be really confusing to decide which tape is suitable for you. This article reviews the top-5 tapes to help you make the right decision.
1. VERSAF Double Sided Tape – Editor’s Choice
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Double Sided Tape Heavy Duty-1/2"10' Acrylic Strong Adhesive...
- √ Extreme strong...
- √ High transparency, acrylic...
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If you’re looking for an affordable, removable heavy-duty double-sided tape, then you might want to consider the heavy-duty. It is transparent, highly sticky, water-resistant as well as weather-resistant hence giving you the advantage of working in varied weather conditions.Pros
- Leaves no residue when removing
- Transparent, can be applied on glass
- Resistant to heat & solvents
- Has no odor
- Environmental friendly
- Suitable for multiple mounting functions: indoor & outdoor
Cons
- Works only on smooth, even & clean surfaces
2. Scotch Brand Double Sided Tape – Best for Crafting
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This is an ideal tape for light attaching and mounting. It comes either as permanent or removable. You can use it to seal envelopes, repair papers, label containers, as well as hang pictures and decorations on walls, among other light-duty indoor tasks.Pros
- A no-mess alternative to glue
- Easy to apply
- Easy to remove
- Photo safe
Cons
- Only suitable for light duties
3. 3M Scotch Exterior Mounting Tape – Best for Outdoor
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Scotch-Mount Outdoor Double-Sided Mounting Tape 411H, 1 in x 60...
- Weather Resistant - High...
- Intended for outdoor use -...
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This is one of the best mounting tapes for outdoor signs, especially when you don’t want to use nails. It is weather-resistant and is adhesive to almost all surfaces including bricks. The scotch exterior mounting tape is also compatible and conforms easily to a variety of surfaces.Pros
- Stays strong despite heat waves during summer & frosts during winter
- Mounts to any surface
- Lasts long
- Easy to mount
- Can be used both indoors & outdoors
- Suitable for joining dissimilar materials such as metal & plastic
Cons
- Might not work on a wet or unclean surface
4. XFasten Double Sided Carpet Tape – Best for Carpet
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XFasten Double Sided Carpet Tape for Area Rugs, Residue-Free,...
- RESIDUE-FREE AND SURFACE-SAFE....
- STRONG ADHESIVE. It's time to...
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This is a great tape for sticking carpets and mats to the floor. It sticks both rough and smooth surfaces such as marble, stone, hardwood floors as well as carpet to carpet. It is made with high technology and quality material, which ensures it provides the strongest adhesion to surfaces. It is recommended for sticking carpets and rugs to floors.Pros
- Easily removable
- Doesn’t leave any residue when removed
- Can be used both indoors and outdoors
- Moisture-proof
Cons
- Can stick to scissors while cutting it
5. Scotch Indoor Mounting Tape – Best for Smooth & Rough Surfaces
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Scotch-Mount Indoor Double-Sided Mounting Tape 314H-MED, 1 in x...
- Ideal for Painted Surfaces
- Intended for indoor use -...
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This permanent tape is ideal for indoor tasks such as mounting pictures and decorations to the wall. It works on a variety of wall surfaces ranging from ceramic to tile and wood. If you want to organize your indoor space more quickly and easily, then this might be the ideal mounting tape for you.Pros
- Delivers a strong, permanent bond
- Easy to apply
- Ideal for use on finished/painted surfaces, metal, tile & more
Cons
- Only suitable for indoor use
Scotch Indoor Mounting Tape – Time to organise your kitchen?
Buyer’s Guide: Tips on How to Get the Best out of a Double-Sided Tape
Double-Sided tapes have pressure-sensitive adhesives on both of its sides. It mounts two surfaces together without it being visible. Unlike other ordinary one-sided tapes that have adhesive only on one side and overlay surfaces, double-sided tapes stick between two objects which makes the objects neat and presentable. Permanent tapes can permanently join two surfaces together, making them suitable substitutes for nails.
However, choosing the best tape for the right application is always a daunting task. Here’s what you need to consider for you to choose the best and right tape from the multiple varieties available.
Making The Best Choice
The main factors to consider when choosing which double-sided tape to buy include:
● The type of materials you’re sticking together. Different surfaces require their unique adhesive strength. For example, mounting an object to a rough surface requires strong adhesive tape than just attaching a picture to a smooth wall.
● Weather conditions. Some tapes only work during summer or spring but cannot work during winter. Before you settle on tape to buy, consider its tolerance to heat, ice, dirt, rain, and moisture.
● The effect after removal. Do you need a clean surface when removing the tape? If yes, then you should go for temporal tapes that have weaker adhesive strength.
● Thickness and width of the tape. Light tasks like picture mounting on a wall require thin and narrow tapes.
● Surface energy. This is the ability of a material to attract force. Materials such as glass and tile have high surface energy hence require low adhesive strength to bond. In contrast, those with low surface energy like silicone rubber or powder-coated metals require strong adhesive to bond together.
● Are the surfaces you’re joining coated or treated? Painted or coated surfaces can potentially weaken the adhesive of your tape in contrast to the uncoated ones. Choose a tape with very strong adhesive for coated surfaces.
● What is the texture of the surfaces? Is it rough or smooth? Tapes with weaker adhesive only work best on smooth surfaces. But if the materials you’re mounting together have a rough and rugged surface, then tapes with extremely strong adhesive will be suitable.
● After the joining is done, will the joint be supporting any load? If you’re considering using the joint to hang other stuff, then you need to use a tape with stronger adhesive.
● What is the environment in which you want to use the tape? Is it outdoors or indoors? For outdoor tasks, you might want to consider tapes that are weather-proof and waterproof to ensure durability despite varying weather conditions.
● Are you joining the surfaces permanently or just temporarily? Use removal double-sided tapes for short-term joints. This will make easier the removal process. But for long-term bonds, permanent tapes with strong adhesive are recommended.
● Weather conditions. Some tapes only work during summer or spring but cannot work during winter. Before you settle on tape to buy, consider its tolerance to heat, ice, dirt, rain, and moisture.
● The effect after removal. Do you need a clean surface when removing the tape? If yes, then you should go for temporal tapes that have weaker adhesive strength.
● Thickness and width of the tape. Light tasks like picture mounting on a wall require thin and narrow tapes.
● Surface energy. This is the ability of a material to attract force. Materials such as glass and tile have high surface energy hence require low adhesive strength to bond. In contrast, those with low surface energy like silicone rubber or powder-coated metals require strong adhesive to bond together.
● Are the surfaces you’re joining coated or treated? Painted or coated surfaces can potentially weaken the adhesive of your tape in contrast to the uncoated ones. Choose a tape with very strong adhesive for coated surfaces.
● What is the texture of the surfaces? Is it rough or smooth? Tapes with weaker adhesive only work best on smooth surfaces. But if the materials you’re mounting together have a rough and rugged surface, then tapes with extremely strong adhesive will be suitable.
● After the joining is done, will the joint be supporting any load? If you’re considering using the joint to hang other stuff, then you need to use a tape with stronger adhesive.
● What is the environment in which you want to use the tape? Is it outdoors or indoors? For outdoor tasks, you might want to consider tapes that are weather-proof and waterproof to ensure durability despite varying weather conditions.
● Are you joining the surfaces permanently or just temporarily? Use removal double-sided tapes for short-term joints. This will make easier the removal process. But for long-term bonds, permanent tapes with strong adhesive are recommended.
With advancing technology, adhesive technology has also improved greatly. Double-sided tapes are quite useful in the construction industry. The tapes are majorly used to mount carpets and floorboards to protect the surface while construction is ongoing.
Why Use Double-sided Tapes?
1. They offer a wide variety of uses and come in handy when other products like glue or pins are impractical to use.
2. You can permanently join two materials together without leaving visible marks on the surface of the materials.
3. Tapes are economical to purchase compared to other bonding solutions available
4. Unlike other tapes, double-sided tapes have the ability to bond dissimilar objects whose texture and surfaces are uneven.
How to Apply the Tape
● Preparing the surface
Ensure the surface on which you want to apply the tape is clean and dry, free from dust, oil, and other contaminants. Wipe the surface using a cloth and an appropriate solvent.
For materials with low surface energy, consider using an adhesion promoter just before you apply the tape.
● Applying the tape
After preparing the surface, apply the tape by following these steps:
1. Peel off the tape carefully, avoiding any contact with the adhesive surface.
2. Using a roller, apply some pressure to the tape. The time taken in applying this pressure depends on the type of tape you chose.
3. Peel of the release liner
4. Place the second material in the right position and apply pressure on the joint area.
Ensure the surface on which you want to apply the tape is clean and dry, free from dust, oil, and other contaminants. Wipe the surface using a cloth and an appropriate solvent.
For materials with low surface energy, consider using an adhesion promoter just before you apply the tape.
● Applying the tape
After preparing the surface, apply the tape by following these steps:
1. Peel off the tape carefully, avoiding any contact with the adhesive surface.
2. Using a roller, apply some pressure to the tape. The time taken in applying this pressure depends on the type of tape you chose.
3. Peel of the release liner
4. Place the second material in the right position and apply pressure on the joint area.
Note that most adhesives take up to 72 hours after application to form optimum bonds. Within 20 minutes, the tape will have achieved about 50% of its strength at room temperature. If the 72 hours are too long for you to wait, you can fasten the bonding by exposing the joint to high temperatures, like 70 degrees, for approximately an hour.
What if The Tape Fails to Work?
At times, double-sided tapes may not bond materials as you would desire. Here are some reasons why this could happen and how to solve them;
● Extreme temperatures. The tackiness of the adhesive tape is dependent on temperature. The cooler the temperatures the weaker the resulting bond. On the other hand, high temperatures will lead to the melting of the adhesive, making it lose its strength.
● Improper storage. Proper storage of double-sided tapes entails putting them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The adhesive can deteriorate if the tape is stored in a dirty, moist or extremely cold/hot place.
● Adhesive strength. If you also bought the tape and didn’t test it to know its adhesive strength, it may eventually disappoint you when using it. It can either fail to bond or may bond too aggressively that it damages the surfaces of the bonded materials. It is recommended that you test it first before applying it.
● Dirt. A dirty surface, either due to dust, grease, or moisture will compromise the bond between the two surfaces. Be sure to rub the surfaces with alcohol and dry them before applying the tape.
● Wrong calculations. The tape may fail to work if the weight and surface ratios of the two materials exceed what the tape can support. Broader surfaces require a wide and thick strip of tape to effectively support the weight of the material.
● Improper storage. Proper storage of double-sided tapes entails putting them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The adhesive can deteriorate if the tape is stored in a dirty, moist or extremely cold/hot place.
● Adhesive strength. If you also bought the tape and didn’t test it to know its adhesive strength, it may eventually disappoint you when using it. It can either fail to bond or may bond too aggressively that it damages the surfaces of the bonded materials. It is recommended that you test it first before applying it.
● Dirt. A dirty surface, either due to dust, grease, or moisture will compromise the bond between the two surfaces. Be sure to rub the surfaces with alcohol and dry them before applying the tape.
● Wrong calculations. The tape may fail to work if the weight and surface ratios of the two materials exceed what the tape can support. Broader surfaces require a wide and thick strip of tape to effectively support the weight of the material.
How to Remove Double-Sided Tape
Should you opt to remove the tapes, you can use one of the methods below:
● Using a hairdryer. The hot air from the hairdryer weakens the tape’s glue and makes it easier to peel the tape off. Plugin the hairdryer to a power source and then switch in on to a medium to high setting. Hold it a few inches from the tape to allow the hot air to blow over it then focus on the edges and the corners.
After a few minutes, try to peel the tape using your fingernail of a knife. Repeat this until the tape comes off. If the tape leaves a residue, you can rub the surface using a scouring pad soaked in warm, soapy water.
You can also remove any residue by buffing using a mixture of water, vinegar, and liquid soap. This mixture can also be sprayed on the tape to remove it from the glass.
● Use commercial residue cleaners. Products such as Goo Gone are effective in removing double-sided tapes. Pour some of it on the tape and let it settle for a few minutes and then scrub it off. These chemicals work by dissolving the sticky adhesive on the tape, making it easier to remove. They are most effective when removing the tape from glass. However, note that these residue cleaning products can potentially damage plastic surfaces.
● For plastic surfaces, you can consider using food-grade oils that work the same as the commercial residue cleaners but have no harmful effects on the surface.
● Nail polish remover. On the unpainted surface, acetone or nail polish remover is effective in removing the tape. They dissolve the adhesives in the tape making it easier to remove it. These elements can potentially dissolve paints from surfaces; that is why they are recommended for unpainted surfaces only.
After a few minutes, try to peel the tape using your fingernail of a knife. Repeat this until the tape comes off. If the tape leaves a residue, you can rub the surface using a scouring pad soaked in warm, soapy water.
You can also remove any residue by buffing using a mixture of water, vinegar, and liquid soap. This mixture can also be sprayed on the tape to remove it from the glass.
● Use commercial residue cleaners. Products such as Goo Gone are effective in removing double-sided tapes. Pour some of it on the tape and let it settle for a few minutes and then scrub it off. These chemicals work by dissolving the sticky adhesive on the tape, making it easier to remove. They are most effective when removing the tape from glass. However, note that these residue cleaning products can potentially damage plastic surfaces.
● For plastic surfaces, you can consider using food-grade oils that work the same as the commercial residue cleaners but have no harmful effects on the surface.
● Nail polish remover. On the unpainted surface, acetone or nail polish remover is effective in removing the tape. They dissolve the adhesives in the tape making it easier to remove it. These elements can potentially dissolve paints from surfaces; that is why they are recommended for unpainted surfaces only.
Conclusion
All the double-sided tapes reviewed have their Pros and Cons depending on what they are used to join together. You should always read the guidelines for any tape you would like to use for it to work effectively. Some are meant for a specific purpose while others have multiple uses. Be careful to choose one that is suitable to your task and which will give you the best results.