Which adhesive tape to choose. The guide to make the correct choice
How long do a PPL/PVC adhesive tape grip and glue last for? Which adhesive tape should you choose considering storage duration and actual use? When choosing an adhesive tape, you must take into account many different factors.
For example, the width of the tape, its price, its material, its colour, its noise level, its sustainability and so on. But you must also think about its durability: no tape is eternal, guaranteeing endless stability.
The passage of time and other external factors can undermine the strength of the adhesive, gradually making the double-sided adhesive tape less effective.
Because of this, when buying adhesive tape, it is good to first think of the timing of its use: how long will it remain in stock before being used and finished up?
And, above all, once applied, how long will it need to last? Let’s consider, for example, a company which needs to store goods that could remain in a warehouse for more than 12 months, reaching even up to 3 years of storage time.
In this case, those boxes must be closed with double-sided adhesive tape that – under those temperature and humidity conditions – can guarantee a long life for the packaging, in order to avoid ending up with a warehouse full of open boxes, or packages ready to burst! So, let’s have a look at which adhesive tape you should choose according to its durability.
What affects the durability of adhesive tape?
What affects the durability of adhesive tape?
Obviously, the materials used for the support and the type of adhesive determine its resistance over time. But external factors, such as temperature, humidity, exposure to atmospheric agents and, of course, the surface on which the tape is placed, also play a decisive role.
A rough surface, in principle, will offer less adhesion to the tape, which in itself will have less resistance, with less grip. But what about other external factors?
Well, in some cases, exposure to ultraviolet rays could even make the adhesive ability of double-sided tape stronger, with the side effect of making it difficult to remove.
However, it is important to consider the fact that too high or low temperatures can, respectively, harden or soften the adhesive, making it less firm overall: in the first case, it will break, in the second case, it will melt.
So, it is best to think about the context in which the adhesive will be used: will it have to withstand a drying tunnel with temperatures above 150 degrees after painting metal parts?
Or maybe it will be used outside, in areas where the temperature often drops below zero, and endure it for months or even years?
Based on these considerations it is possible to choose the best adhesive tape: in some cases, it will be necessary to choose specialized tapes, while in other situations it will be enough to use PVC and PPL adhesive tape. Let’s outline how long the grip and glue of a PPL/PVC adhesive tape roll can last!
How long do PPL/PVC adhesive tape grip and glue last
PVC adhesive tapes
Let’s begin with PVC adhesive tape, with elastomerised polyvinyl chloride backing. Basically, there are natural rubber glue and natural and hydrocarbon resins on this tape: to make these PVC rolls, the adhesive substance is dissolved and distributed evenly on the tape itself.
PVC rolls are practical to use, they can be broken with just your hands, and they offer excellent adhesion on a wide range of surfaces; however, they have the disadvantage of working effectively only at medium-high temperatures.
Before using PVC rolls it is, in fact, advisable to keep them for a day in environments at a minimum of 18 °C (64,4 °F). In any case, the durability of PVC tapes is not very high, with the first issues arising after 6-10 months from application, depending on the conditions in which the industrial double-sided adhesive is exposed.
PPL adhesive tape
Onto PPL adhesive tape: again, it is made with rubber glue and resins. It is a fairly cheap, shiny, and noisy adhesive tape which needs a blade or dispenser to be cut.
It must be used without any pulling (being elastic it tends to return to its original size, detaching from the surface it is placed on). Industrial double-sided tape is less susceptible to temperature changes than PVC tape but should not be used at extremely low temperatures. The durability is similar to that of PVC tape.
Silent PPL adhesive tape
Those needing to choose between PVC and PPL adhesive tape for long-term storage should aim for silent PPL rolls with water-based acrylic glue.
Perfect for use on kraft paper, it must be used with a dispenser or cut with a blade; it has a longer life than the other two models both at a storage and a usage level, with a duration lasting well beyond a year.
