Single-sided tape vs. double-sided: How do they differ?

Most people think of tape during one of two situations — wrapping a gift or making a temporary fix for a household project. Yet tape is used in countless other residential, commercial and industrial circumstances. To understand the full impact of tape on everyday life, you'll first want to learn the basics of single- and double-sided tape.

Kinds of Single-Sided Tape and Their Uses

Single-sided tape tends to be the most familiar. Single-sided tape has an adhesive on one side and a nonadhesive side, which is called the backing. Though the backing can be smooth or textured, manufacturers often treat it with a substance so it doesn't stick to the adhesive when the tape is rolled up for convenient transport, storage and access.

Single-sided tape is useful when you want to secure two objects, such as pieces of paper. Typically, single-sided tape works best when it's applied to even surfaces. Some single-sided tape varieties include super-strong adhesive for textured surfaces.

The types of single-sided tape extend far beyond electrical or masking tape. Contractors and craftspeople use special types of single-sided tape to permanently hold objects together.

Kinds of Double-Sided Tape and Their Uses

Like single-sided tape, double-sided  — or double-faced — tape features adhesive. With double-sided tape, the adhesive is on both sides of the tape. All rolls of double-sided tape include a smooth barrier strip between the tape so it doesn't stick to itself.

Double-sided tape is a go-to when you want to bond materials to one another seamlessly and smoothly. For instance, many car manufacturers rely on powerful double-sided tape to keep a vehicle's parts together and in place. Construction engineers frequently employ double-sided tape when building. Even the Hollywood red carpet is held down by long strips of double-sided tape that can be removed after the event.

Single-Sided vs. Double-Sided Tape: The Verdict

Now that you have an idea of the applications possible with both types of tape, you'll want to make the right choice for all your future tape-related needs.

To figure out the right tape for the moment, ask yourself:

• What do I need my surface bonds to look like? Decide if a single-sided tape will be enough to carry your project throughout the day.

• What type of material am I trying to bond? A material resistant to bonding may require a thick adhesive, whether you choose a single- or double-sided tape brand.

• What conditions am I trying to prevent? A good example of a condition would be moisture. Many professionals use double-sided tape to create a moisture barrier between surfaces. With the red carpet, the condition is to prevent the carpet from moving around, which is why double-sided tape makes sense. 

Schedule a tesa Tape Consultation

Even after understanding single-sided and double-sided tape, you may still wonder which would work best on your project. We'd be happy to help! Contact tesa today so we can help you determine which of our world-class products you should "stick" to using!