
You want to eliminate anything that can get between the surface and the tape in order to create direct contact with the adhesive.
#DOUBLE SIDED VELCRO TAPE FOR UPHOLSTERY FREE#
Tape works best when the surface area is clean, meaning 100% free of dirt, oil, and debris. If you’re struggling with duct tape that doesn’t stick, or any other type of tape for that matter, there are a few steps you can take. Could It Be You?Īre your hands clean, or could you be inadvertently causing contamination? For example, if you recently worked on a car engine or used hand cream, you could be adversely affecting the surface. If you don’t have good pressure, you won’t have a good bond. As the name ‘ pressure sensitive adhesive’ implies, there needs to be an application pressure across the entire width to get the contact necessary for a good bond.
#DOUBLE SIDED VELCRO TAPE FOR UPHOLSTERY HOW TO#
It may seem simple, but knowing how to apply tape properly plays a huge role in whether or not the adhesive sticks. Learn more about cold weather issues here. Most tapes won’t stick if the roll or the surface is too cold. Does your problem disappear when a fresh roll of tape is used? If not, it’s time to toss out that old tape. Like most products, adhesive tapes will deteriorate over time and lose their adhesive properties. You may need a tape that is designed explicitly for recycled cardboard. If so, remember that cardboard is sometimes made from recycled material, which tends to have many small fibers on the surface that break away very easily. If it sticks well, chances are the problem is the surface and not the tape.

Or as described above, try the tape on a flat, clean glass or metal surface. A tacky tape will help, but if not, try a different roll and see if the trouble persists. Some surfaces like polyethylene or PVC or concrete are especially hard to adhere. If so, your problem may be a rough surface. Was It The Surface Texture?ĭo you have a flat, smooth surface that makes good contact with the tape’s adhesive? Or do you have a rough surface that leads to minimal contact and requires a thick adhesive? Try testing the tape on a flat, clean surface (metal or glass always works well), and see if your tape adheres well there. When in doubt, wash the surface with rubbing alcohol and dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth. Ideally, the surface must be clean, dry, and oil free. Visit The Complete Technical Guide to Adhesive Tape to find a downloadable infographic on the subject. If the tape is new and it isn’t sticking, it might be the wrong tape for the job. This should be the first step in diagnosing why your tape isn’t sticking. Are the conditions different – colder, wetter, hotter? Did you apply it differently? If you used the same type of tape before and it worked, but now it doesn’t, then consider what has changed.

Since there are so many factors that go into the effectiveness of tape, we created a checklist to help you troubleshoot your sticky issues. Temperature, weather, surface conditions, chemistry and application all play vital roles in sticky success - or failure as the case may be.” Usually, the wrong tape is being used – be it one that is not engineered to adhere in extreme temperatures or remove easily from stucco. “Nine out of 10 times, when customers say, ‘Your tape is not working,’ the problem is not the tape. Why Your Tape Doesn’t Stick – A ChecklistĪccording to Risa Edelstein, ECHOtape’s Director of Marketing: Here’s why your tape doesn’t stick, and a checklist to help you troubleshoot your sticky issues No matter the situation, “it won’t stick” is the single most common complaint we hear about any adhesive. And the tape gets all the blame.īut after four decades of investigating tape complaints and perfecting sticky formulas for many applications, we’ve found that the problem is rarely the tape alone.
