The adhesive tape is a very practical packaging for closing cartons boxes, mail boxes or packets. Its effectiveness is no longer to prove in the eyes of professionals e-commerce or moving. But what is the adhesive tape made of? Are there different models of adhesive? And if so, what are the characteristics of each? What criteria to take into account to make your choice?
White PP adhesive tape
1) The composition of the adhesive tape
The adhesive tape, more generally called " tape ", consists of two elements: glue and a support film. The adhesive is what allows the adhesion of the support film on a surface. It must therefore be strong enough to stay on the surface as long as it is necessary. There are three types of glue:
the acrylic adhesive that adheres to all surfaces except the plastic does not contain a solvent and UV-resistant as well as moisture;
the glue Hot Melt which is water-based, resistant to temperature fluctuations and moisture, membership is instantaneous;
the solvent cement is made from natural rubber dissolved in solvent, has instant and durable adhesion on all surfaces (ideal for long storage), is resistant to cold and moisture.
The support film corresponds to the plastic film which is coated with glue. It can be made from two plastics:
The polypropylene (PP) is compatible with three types of glue and requires manual application, it is noisy but resistant to harsh conditions (temperature change, humidity);
the PVC is only compatible with the glue solvent for manual application, the application is silent and regular raises but can only be used at room temperature.
2) Different models of adhesive tape
Classic adhesive tapes
The so-called "conventional" or "standard" adhesive tapes correspond to adhesive tape used only for closing packaging such as cardboard boxes. To distinguish them, we therefore use the support film and the glue of which it is composed (see explanations above). Here is a table summarizing the different models of our range:
PP Hot Melt Transparent Tape
PP adhesive tape
with Hotmelt glue White solvent adhesive PP adhesive tape
PP adhesive tape
with solvent adhesive PVC adhesive tape Havana Solvent Glue
PVC adhesive tape
with solvent adhesive
Advantages Instant hold, ecological glue Instant and durable hold,
ideal for long storage Regular and instant installation
Humidity Moisture resistant Moisture resistant Moisture resistant
Temperature Resistant to
temperature changes Resistant to
temperature fluctuations Use at room
temperature
Application Noisy Noisy silent
Dimensions (L xl)
available Rolls of 66 mx 4.8 cm
or 100 mx 4.8 cm Rolls of 100m x 5cm
or 100m x 7.5cm Rolls of 100 mx 4.8 cm
or 100 mx 1.9 cm
Available colors Transparent, havana Transparent, white, havana Transparent, havana
Technical adhesive tapes
The adhesive tape is so successful that it has been declined in many technical models each having a use of its own. We present them below!
The kraft adhesive tape : the support film is made of kraft paper instead of plastic, it makes the inviolable since once opened it can no longer be closed. It uses Hot Melt glue, which makes it eco-friendly since it is biodegradable and recyclable. It is mainly used for closing cartons and parcels;
The double-sided adhesive tape : the PP carrier film is coated with hot melt adhesive on both sides, so it can bond two surfaces together;
The masking tape : the support film is made of semi-creped coated with glue Hot Melt or solvent paper, it is used for masking surfaces during painting or insulating glue and because it takes off very easily;
The tape reinforced thread by thread : it is composed of son fiberglass, making the tear in the lengthwise direction. That is why it is used to reinforce the packaging, to ensure a high resistance strapping or to repair the sails of the boats;
The magnetic tape : the support film is a magnetic tape whose one side is coated with adhesive to secure it to a wall or other surface. It allows to hang small metal objects.
Magnetic tape
Advantages Tamperproof (can not be glued
in an invisible way) and ecological Glues two surfaces together easily,
exists in classic or canvas version Mask and protect surfaces
that should not be painted Effectively repairs
boat sails Magnetic force of 55 g / cm²
3) The criteria for choosing your adhesive tape
There are several criteria to consider when choosing the best adhesive tape for your needs. We are dealing here with criteria for standard adhesive tapes, but most of them can be applied to technical adhesive tapes.
1) The breaking strength of the support film
The breaking strength is defined as the maximum force applicable on the adhesive tape before breaking. It is very important to know it in order to use a sufficiently strong adhesive for the task at hand. In this case, for the closure of a carton, it is necessary to know the total weight of the carton.
2) The adhesive power of the glue
Depending on the type of glue chosen, the power of adhesion will not be the same. Indeed, the acrylic glue does not adhere to the plastic. It is therefore better to opt for an adhesive with solvent cement or hot melt glue , both adhere to all types of surfaces.
3) Weather resistance
Another important element to consider is the resistance of the tape to weather such as rain or a sudden change in temperature. This is all the more important as you do not necessarily know the conditions of storage and / or transport of your packages. So, make sure they stay closed! All of our adhesive models are moisture resistant, but only Hot Melt tape can withstand temperature fluctuations.
4) Packaging: length + width
The adhesive tape is packaged in roll which can reach 66 m or 100 m long as well as 4.8 cm or 5 cm wide. These are the most common dimensions but there are also much larger rolls of tape, for example 7.5 cm wide. These wider rollers allow better grip of the adhesive on the surface.
5) The color of the adhesive tape
The adhesive tape roll can be colored in two ways: either at the glue or at the support film. Staining the glue means adding pigments to it, so you get a tape tan (brown) or white. For all other colors, it is necessary to color the support film directly.
Good to know: The transparent tape has a better adhesion since it contains no pigment on the glue or dye on its support film.
6) The ability to print a message
It is possible to personalize the adhesive tape by adding a safety message concerning the rules of handling or by promoting its brand and affixing its logo. If you pack and ship many packages each day, this may be the best way to give your business more visibility. On Embaleo, you can make your own adhesive tape by clicking here .
4) An indispensable accessory: the adhesive reel
Finally, to finish this guide, it seems to us essential to deal with the adhesive reel . Indeed, it is an essential accessory to roll out the tape quickly and efficiently, especially if you make many packages each day.
It usually has a width of 5 cm , which allows you to place the most popular adhesive tapes because their width is between 4.8 cm and 5 cm. Regarding the material, it can be made entirely of plastic or be made of metal parts to extend its life. Finally, it can be quiet to reduce the noise of the unwinding of the adhesive, which is convenient if you have many boxes to pack.
