We have heard this question usually as “what’s the strongest tape you have” or I need a heavy duty tape. And the response is always the same: “That depends. What’s the application?”
If you’re looking for a double-sided tape for your wall for example, then you probably want a thicker tape (foam tape, specifically). But not all foam tapes are made alike. What kind of adhesive, adhesive thickness, what type of foam carrier (sandwiched between the upper and lower adhesive layer). So make sure you let your tape professional know all about the surface you’re working on. Acrylic High Bonds (3M VHB, the inventor of this family of tapes) are generally the strongest foam tape on paper, but may not work well for your application.
Acrylic High Bonds are the strongest tape for easy to stick to surfaces (high surface tension). For example, bonding metal together and you won’t be able to separate them by hand after a couple of days.
But try using Acrylic High Bond on a low surface energy corrugated foam board, and it will be pretty weak.
Best to use a rubber based adhesive foam tape on that corrugated foam board.
The strongest tape depends on the adhesive and the internal structure of the adhesive, which is called a carrier. And on the other side of the equation is the surface characteristics that it is being bond to (the substrate).
Acrylic High Bonds have an acrylic adhesive and an acrylic foam carrier. Unlike acrylic adhesives on a polyethylene carrier foam, in an Acrylic Very High Bond, the adhesive is not coated or laminated onto the acrylic foam but is part of the internal structure of the acrylic.
You will notice that Acrylic High Bond tapes aren’t very tacky, which many people interpret as the tape’s strength. Tackiness is the tape’s ability to initiate contact with a surface. An extremely tacky tape might actually be very weak when a force is applied to it.
Just keep this rule of thumb for best adhesive for the job. If the surface is a hard to stick-to surface, choose a tackier adhesive.
There are many other factors for choosing the best adhesive, and the best practice is to give your adhesive professional as much detail on the application and the important tape features you are looking for (removability, holding weight over time, etc) to get the best tape for your job.
contact Guardia Industries for a tape recommendation for your project. Advice and samples are always free. Sales@guardiaindustries.com