There was a time when you would rarely, if ever, see adhesive tapes used for mounting functional objects, decorative and building materials to walls, ceilings, or floors. If so, this was particularly in retail or commercial spaces. The go-to solution instead would have been hardware such as nails, screws and wall anchors.
However, today that is changing. New adhesives are engineered to mount more, heavier objects, and mount them quickly and easily with long-lasting durability. And the great news is this trend means business opportunities may be all around your room — literally.
Here are just a few examples of applications where adhesive tapes are being chosen instead of mechanical fasteners.
Soap and hand sanitizer dispensers
More soap dispensers are being mounted to bathroom walls and mirrors with adhesive tapes, as an alternative to screws and anchors. These tapes generally consist of a polyethylene (PE) foam carrier with double-sided acrylic adhesive. The PE foam allows the tape to conform to gaps on the wall or dispenser. The foam also acts as a shock absorber to dissipate stress. Acrylic adhesives are preferred in this application for their moisture resistance.
Tile mats and backsplashes
In kitchens and bathrooms, tile mats and backsplashes can quickly and easily be mounted to walls with adhesive tapes. Similar to those used with soap dispensers, these are double-sided foam tapes with a moisture-resistant acrylic adhesive. So, rather than to deal with messy, traditional glues, mastics, and mortars, the products come with the adhesive already coated, so the contractor or property owner can just remove the liner then mount the tile mat. Such tile mats and backsplashes are available to consumers through home stores and online. Aside from their use with backsplashes, the tapes are also popular for DIY/craft projects.
Engineered planks for tiles for walls
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and tiles (LVT) can be adhered to walls to bring a decorative touch to a room. They typically come coated with adhesive. Once a liner is removed from the adhesive they can be mounted with a double-sided foam tape similar to that used in the soap dispenser and tile mat applications.
Decorative acoustical panels
Acoustical panels are becoming more common in commercial and retail spaces. They offer properties such as sound or echo deadening, while sometimes adding pleasing aesthetics. The sandwich of layers common in these panels is often held together by a low VOC acrylic, pressure-sensitive adhesive that is suitable for water jet cutting. Panels can also be mounted to walls with pressure-sensitive adhesives.
Flooring
Adhesive tapes can be used with carpet tiles, LVP and LVT flooring products, as well as with flooring underlayments. These double-sided tapes typically feature a heavy adhesive mass to help securely bond to irregular surfaces, such as concrete. High Performance Acrylic (HPA™) adhesives are preferred for their high holding power and plasticizer resistance , with tear-resistant liners for easy installation.
The bottom line? New opportunities for tape converters might be right in front of your eyes and right under your nose — quite literally! And Avery Dennison Performance Tapes offers the adhesive technologies to help you take advantage of these opportunities. To learn more about these applications and what we offer, contact your Avery Dennison account manager.
