Selecting and Using Foam Backed Pressure Sensitive Tapes Pressure sensitive tape can be manufactured with a foam backing and a pressure sensitive adhesive on either one or both sides of the foam. These products are generally known as mounting tape, double backed foam tape, or "very high bond (VHB) tape" - a term used by 3M Company, one of the major suppliers of this product. The most recognizable applications are for securing objects such as pictures on walls and attaching plastic body side molding to automobiles. Foam tapes have unique physical characteristics that make them appropriate fasteners in semi-structural applications as well. These important applications include shear wall construction for housing and replacing mechanical fasteners in appliances. Many other sensible structural applications are also possible. Foam backed tapes with PSA on only one side can be used as a cushioning gasket for sealing and insulating objects such as window frames on residential homes and automobiles. They are often found in the do-it-yourself section of local stores for home weather stripping. Whether adhesive is on one or both sides of the foam, these products must have special physical property requirements both for the adhesive as well as for the foam backing. This article will review the various types of foam tapes that are commercially available, their main applications, and considerations that need to be taken into account when using these products. Double sided foam tapes generally consist of four components as shown in Figure 1. These are: The carrier material, which is a foam, A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on one side of the foam, A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the second sid...
