What is aluminum tape?
The tape is produced in rolls - approximately the same as those in which traditional household tape is sold. This is a modern material, actively used in all kinds of construction and installation work, in the production of household appliances, furniture and other products and equipment.
Aluminum tape, when used in everyday life and in industrial environments, has high thermal insulation characteristics, resistance to high temperatures, and resistance to moisture. Therefore, it can be used to perform work outside and inside buildings.
Types of tape
Aluminum adhesive tape can be produced from various components and raw materials. It depends on the manufacturing plant and the intended use of the product. Its most common types are:
- Aluminum foil tape. The traditional option, which is widely sold in construction stores. It is resistant to ultraviolet radiation and provides high insulating characteristics when used. Recommended for household use, when sealing small seams and joints.
- Aluminum reinforced tape. A more “professional” option, usually used for sealing ventilation, pipelines and other similar systems. It is also used to protect machine tools, computing equipment and other production equipment from contamination.
- Scotch tape with fabric fibers and a polypropylene base. Important characteristics of this product: high degree of wear resistance, resistance to tensile loads. Adhesive tape is used when carrying out critical work that requires precision and high-quality performance.
On video: Reinforced adhesive tape
Properties of adhesive tape
Resistance to moisture, solar radiation and chemical influences are the best features of heat-resistant adhesive tape. It can be used for external and internal work. This advantage is due to the characteristics of the product.
Foil adhesive tape is different :
- thermal insulation;
- moisture resistance;
- heat resistance.
Regardless of the manufacturer, all such products have the above properties.
Thanks to the aluminum coating, the tape is able to reflect the sun's rays. This makes it possible to protect structures from changing shape.
Using tape
Regardless of the type, aluminum adhesive tape in the form of adhesive tape finds its wide application in household and industrial areas. It does the following:
- Installation of pipelines, installation of refrigeration systems.
- Manufacturing of household appliances and many different devices.
- Installation of ventilation systems, air conditioners.
- Repair work during which it is necessary to isolate or seal areas, areas, equipment.
- Repair of automobile components (for example, sealing a leaking gas tank).
Features of use
Manufacturers produce adhesive aluminum tape of different sizes: 50x50, 75x50, 50x40, 75x40, 100x500 mm, etc. Therefore, there is always the opportunity to purchase a product that is most suitable in terms of dimensional characteristics.
When working with adhesive aluminum tape, you must ensure that the following rules are followed:
- It is not recommended to reuse the tape unless absolutely necessary (the adhesion to the surface will be poor).
- Do not touch the adhesive layer with unprotected hands.
- It is necessary to ensure that the adhesive layer is not contaminated before starting work, otherwise adhesion to the surface will deteriorate.
- Also, before carrying out work, it is recommended to dry, clean and degrease the surface on which the tape will be applied.
- If you plan to carry out work in rooms with high humidity, then you should choose a different method of sealing or insulation. Because aluminum adhesive tape will lose most of its performance characteristics.
Which manufacturers should you pay attention to?
Today, foreign and Russian manufacturers are engaged in the production of adhesive aluminum tape. There are several companies that have proven themselves in the market:
- Raychem. The company produces adhesive tape made of aluminum ATE-180. You can purchase standard tape and products with increased adhesion. Recommended scope of application: fixing sensors and various devices to vessels and pipes. Product cost: from 3500 to 4500 rubles.
- Unibob. Aluminum adhesive tape Unibob can be used when performing all kinds of thermal insulation, installation, and repair work. Aluminum foil is used as its basis in production. Density is 70 microns, permissible operating temperature range: from -20 °C to +120 °C. Prices: from 100 to 600 rubles.
- Aviora. The Russian manufacturer produces Aviora adhesive tape 50 mm by 50 m, the purpose of which is to seal technological seams and joints when installing various utilities, ventilation and air duct systems, reflective insulation, and when constructing roofing structures. The product is resistant to moisture, high temperatures, and ultraviolet radiation. Can be used to work with different materials: wood, metal and polymer surfaces. Cost: from 180 to 1300 rubles.
- FIT. The company offers heat-resistant, frost-resistant tape, which is used to perform insulation work, create ventilation ducts, and connect parts to a metal surface. The tape is produced in the size of 50 mm by 50 m. Prices for the company's products: from 400 to 500 rubles.
- Folsen. High-quality aluminum tapes from a European manufacturer. The plant offers various types of tapes: standard, reinforced, for high-temperature use. Product width: from 50 to 100 mm. Winding: from 25 to 50 meters. The cost ranges from 190 to 700 rubles (depending on the type).
Peculiarities
Heat-resistant tape consists of an adhesive side, which has high adhesion, and a thin layer of aluminum foil. Thanks to the special composition of the glue, the strip adheres perfectly to any surface: plastic, metal, glass. The adhesive base can withstand severe frosts down to –30° C and heat up to +60. Particularly worth highlighting is Kapton heat-resistant tape, which shows excellent functionality even at temperatures of 400 degrees.
What to look for when choosing a product?
The parameters and selection of aluminum adhesive tape are extremely simple. You need to focus on the following indicators:
- Length. The length of the roll can be 10-50 m. For household work in a home or office, you should not buy a long roll - 10-20 m will be enough. If you plan to perform constant and frequent work using adhesive tape, then it will be more profitable to purchase 50-meter rolls.
- Width. If aluminum adhesive tape will be used for sealing seams or repairing/insulating pipes, then you should choose products with a width of 50-60 mm. For gluing the corners of thick thermal insulation, when attaching roofing material and similar work, you should give preference to aluminum adhesive tape with a width of more than 75 mm and a length of 50 m, which allows you to ensure the most reliable connection.
You can easily choose the appropriate version of adhesive aluminum tape - similar products are sold both in large construction stores and in small specialized sales points.
Aluminum tape. Aluminum tape (2 videos)
Types of aluminum adhesive tape (15 photos)
What is remarkable about aluminum tape?
When purchasing such adhesive tape, you need to decide for what purpose you are going to use it, that is, keep in mind the temperature range at which the insulation will be used. If we are talking about aluminum foil, then the range here is from -40°C to +170°C, which is quite enough for a chimney, bathhouse, heated floor and the like, in addition, manufacturers usually give a 15-year guarantee. I want to make a reservation right away - if 170°C is not the limit for you, then use Kapton tape, which can withstand up to 600°C.
How pipe insulation is carried out
Source aqua-rmnt.com
I don’t even know why, but aluminum foil tape is mainly used to seal the joints of metal conventional and coaxial chimney pipes, although it is suitable for many areas. However, given the 15-year warranty this insulation comes with, this is how it is most often used. But to create good adhesion to any material, you need a clean surface. Since we are talking about metal pipes, the seal area must be wiped with any type of solvent. This liquid destroys grease stains that remain even from the touch of hands when installing the chimney.
Of course, if you do not treat the metal surface with the same white spirit, the tape will definitely stick to it, but we are talking about service life here. That is, the manufacturer gives a fifteen-year guarantee for a reason, but under certain conditions, which include temperature conditions, the degree of mechanical impact and the absence of grease/dirt stains. This means that if you complied with all the requirements, then the joint will last for 15 years without any problems, although in practice it turns out much longer.
Note: in addition to chimney pipes, aluminum tape can be used to seal leaks in plumbing and heating. Here’s a fact: in the middle of winter, ten to twelve years ago, my neighbor’s Ø 25 mm pipe on the inlet to the heating radiator began to leak. I wound a strip from a bicycle tube around the fistula and secured it with knitting wire. This measure temporarily stopped the leak, but he came to me in the summer and asked if it was possible to leave this rubber band permanently. I know that it would have lasted for several years, but I removed it, stripped the pipe of paint, wiped it with solvent and wrapped it with two layers of aluminum tape. It's still standing.
For foil insulation
Source ecoteploiso.ru
Aluminum tape is very convenient and practical to use for foil insulation of walls and underfloor heating systems. For example, when installing a water system, a lower concrete screed is poured to level the base and, in order not to waste heat calories, it is covered with foil foam. This material is laid end to end, therefore, a tape made of a homogeneous material is ideal. This sealing insulation is used when installing steam rooms, joining foil, which simultaneously wicks moisture away from the insulation layer and reflects infrared radiation.
