How to choose the right
heavy-duty double-sided tape…

Regardless of the weight of what you are mounting, there are a few considerations when choosing the right double-sided tape. Let’s break it down into sections: the liner, adhesive, and backing. But first, let’s establish the most important questions you need to know before you begin.

Filmic double-sided tapes are thin, dimensionally stable, and ideal for bonding smooth surfaces. They are typically used in electronics and automotive applications.  What’s more, they can be removed without leaving residue behind.

For those challenging applications where your bond needs to stay resilient, even in high-vibration sites. Acrylic foam mounting tape (opens in a new window or tab) is ideal for meeting the extreme demands of industrial settings. Automotive, construction, and personal electronic devices - this is your go-to tape. 

This lightweight and versatile, yet highly dependable tape is ideal for the replacement of screws, nuts, bolts, and messy liquid adhesives. Acrylic foam mounting is the right tape choice when you need ultimate flexibility without compromising aesthetics.

Ultra-thin acrylic foam mounting tape

There are applications where your mounting needs are so precise that the adhesive must be as discreet as possible. Complex geometries and designs that must sit flush with the surface need high-performance mounting tapes that won’t compromise design integrity. This selection of ultra-thin acrylic foam tapes is specifically designed for such scenarios.

Polyethylene (PE) foam has a closed-cell structure, making it water-resistant. It is the ideal mounting tape for insulation, cushioning, sealing, and protection against moisture and dust. Some of the main advantages of using PE foam mounting tape (opens in a new window or tab) are the excellent shear strength in all directions and adhesive strength even with limited pressure. 

PE foam mounting tapes are commonly used in the automotive industry. They are the go-to solution for mounting emblems and trims, displays, and components. PE foam tapes are also used to mount solar panel modules and frames, and in the electronics industry for batteries, lenses, and touch panels. 

Popular in the engineering industry, structural adhesive tapes (opens in a new window or tab) support heavy loads and are stress-resistant. In tape form, these adhesives have the edge over liquids due to their limitations. For example, liquid adhesives transgress bond lines and can be difficult to achieve even coverage after curing. The application can be complex, time-intensive, and messy to apply, requiring clamping until the bond is set. 

Our range of structural adhesive tapes comes with a choice of covers:

Heat-activated film

The thermosetting adhesive system used in tesa® HAF creates strong bonds. Initiated by pressure and heat, it has an irreversible cross-linking reaction starting from 230F/110C and above. 

Low-temperature activated film

Designed for soft-goods assembly with low processing temperature requirements, tesa® LTR and tesa® LTC are reactive films that bond at lower temperatures. The cross-linking reaction process starts at temperatures from 167F/75C and above.

Light-curing tapes

tesa® L-tapes and tesa® UV epoxy cure at room temperature. Both offer high initial tack and immediate holding strength, while achieving much higher bonds compared to PSAs. 

Consisting of a thin, backing-free adhesive layer,transfer mounting tapes (opens in a new window or tab) allow a secure bond without bulk or impact on the appearance of your product. Adhesive transfer tapes are ideal for when you need a clean, precise bond. This category of mounting tape is lightweight and flexible. Adhesive transfer tapes are suitable for use on paper, plastic, metal, and textiles. 

Typical applications include foam lamination, textile mounting, and prefixation in leather fabrication. Adhesive transfer tape is also ideal for lightweight mounting needs - such as small signs and point-of-sale displays. 

The electronics industry is reliant on adhesive transfer tapes for extra-thin membrane switches on appliances. This is due to their suitability for die-cutting and durability bonding. 

Characterised by their fabric backing, cloth mounting tapes (opens in a new window or tab) include duct, gaffa (opens in a new window or tab), and other premium tapes. This category of tapes is typically high tensile, heavy-duty, and resistant to weather, water, and temperature extremes. 

Cloth tape is highly versatile, thanks to the broad spectrum of tapes in its range. It is typically used for temporary masking, bundling and colour coding, sealing, wrapping, protecting edges, and repairs. 

Cloth, gaffer, or duct tape?

All types of cloth tape, but not interchangeable. People mistakenly refer to cloth tapes as duct or gaffer tape (opens in a new window or tab). The difference between these tapes is down to the weave of the mesh, tensile strength, and top coat materials. 

Don’t be fooled by the insinuation that tissue tape is flimsy. This thin, fibrous non-woven tape features high-performance adhesive coats on a lightweight tissue carrier. The advantage of the thin profile means it can be used in delicate, detailed work, and yet it is robust enough to be used in industrial applications. 

Tissue tape, also known as non-woven tape, can be used on curved and textured surfaces. It forms an even bond consistently, and especially where other tapes might not stand up to the job. Non-woven tape can also be removed without leaving a residue behind, which is another advantage.

Typical applications for non-woven mounting tape include floor laying: carpets, skirting boards, trims, and temporary coverings. And leather mounting and lamination. 

Over the years, engineers have been switching from traditional mechanical fasteners to specialist mounting tapes (opens in a new window or tab). The benefits? Permanent adhesion without affecting the underlying structures and surfaces. 

What makes a specialist or high-performance tape different from the average? The ability to offer strong bonds to low surface energy (LSE) substrates, like plastic, glass, and metal. These extra-strong double-sided tapes are resilient and stand the test of time under extreme weather, temperature, and humidity, as well as chemical exposure. 

These robust tapes are by no means rigid. Specialist mounting tapes come in all varieties, some flexible enough to conform to angles, shapes, and uneven surfaces smoothly without losing adhesion. 

Ranges such as tesa® ACX^plus tape assortment are relied upon globally in demanding situations from electronics and appliances to construction and automotive. 

Just because a bond isn’t permanent doesn’t mean it should be subpar. Removable heavy-duty double-sided tapes are ideal for temporary fixtures and have been designed for residue-free removal. This is ideal for signage, point-of-sale displays, markings, and events, where damage to surfaces can be costly. 

Over the years, we have developed several ranges of removable tapes. Most notably, our patented tesa Bond & Detach® technology. This selection offers heavy-duty double-sided tape with specialised removal systems. These include thermal, infrared, laser, or stretch debonding methods.

How do I choose the right heavy-duty double-sided tape…

In general, the right mounting tape will depend on a number of factors. These include:

• What environment are you using the adhesive in?
  Indoors, external, temperature swings, machinery with temperature changes, moving parts, does it need to be weather resistant?
• What surfaces and substrates are you bonding?
• How long does the bond need to last?
  Is this something that might require maintenance, replacements, and reworks over time, or is it something that you will essentially ‘set and forget’?
• What are you mounting? Do you need to consider the weight of the load?
• How will you apply the tape?
  By hand, machinery, tape dispenser, etc.
• Do you need to consider aspects like meeting safety regulations (opens in a new window or tab)?
• Are you looking for a more sustainable tape (opens in a new window or tab)?

Whether you decide to choose for yourself or ask for our help in finding the right tape (opens in a new window or tab) is your choice. Our team of adhesive experts is situated around the world, so time and geography aren’t an issue when you need help.

How do I choose the right extra-strong double-sided tape for mounting heavy objects?

You’ll need to be equipped with the information above before narrowing down your selection of the right double-sided tape for your application. This is the starting point for all projects. 

The next set of considerations to identify the right double-sided tape for mounting heavy objects starts here. We will talk about your requirements for the following, or be able to make recommendations if you are not sure:

• Backing
• Adhesive (polarity of the surface)
• Liner

Heavy-duty double-sided tape hero products and ranges:

How do I choose the right removable, heavy-duty double-sided tape for delicate surfaces?

The future of removable mounting tapes is the ability to debond on demand. These specialist tapes have built-in technologies to enable the cleanest and easiest removal methods, while maintaining a secure and strong bond until then. When choosing a suitable mounting tape for your application, you need to first specify the environment and surface of the bonding site and the materials. 

Ready to choose your heavy-duty double-sided tape?

We hope you found some helpful tips on choosing the best heavy-duty double-sided tape for your industrial projects. Here’s our concise breakdown of what you need to consider ahead of deciding what works best