VHB tape by 3M – a great bonding experience

One of the unsung heroes in Elevated Industrial Solutions, formerly know as Lane Supply Company’s, cadre of products is a tape – VHB Tape by 3M. It’s quick bonding and versatile making it a great tool for a variety of industries. Although it’s certainly gaining popularity, some trades are learning more about it and how to take advantage of it, showcasing their designs without unappealing fasteners.  

In this brief article, we cover what VHB Tape is, a few tricks about it, and why you may want to use it. 

What is VHB Tape? 

VHB stands for Very High Bond. It’s two-sided tape that holds things together securely.  

The tape was created in 1980 by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M). According to 3M’s history, it was first used to secure panels to ambulance frames.  

This tape is used for a variety of reasons and on myriad surfaces, including … 

• Plastics  
• Metal (coated and non-coated) 
• Glass (coated and non-coated) 
• Polyolefin (HDPEs and some LDPEs) 

It comes in various sizes, colors, and can be die-cut into custom shapes too.  

Why use VHB Tape?

The primary reasons most people use this tape are convivence of application and structural bonding (application-specific). But it does more than just stick – it’s … 

• Perfect for areas where screws or rivets aren’t ideal 
• A sealant, enabling products to be waterproof 
• Chemical- and corrosion-resistant (application-specific) 
• Mess-free, unlike glue 
• Durable
• Able to reduce production time needed to assemble  
• Easy to use 
• Cosmetically appealing (because you can’t see it – it’s seamless) enabling you to showcase your design 

It’s why OEM equipment, custom vehicle, metal fabricators, electronic part manufacturers, etc., use the tape on things from construction projects to showerheads to mobile devices (such as the cell phone shown on the left).  

Why not use the solution?  

No solution is absolutely perfect for every job. And for VHB Tape there are lots of options. Contact Elevated for help in determining which tape is right for your project, including whether VHB Tape can be used. 

How to apply the tape  

Since one of the biggest issues is securing the tape, we wanted to share with you some ideas about how to ensure a better (more secure) fit. There are a variety of things you can do to ensure the tape is applied correctly, providing a longer-lasting bond. 

• Clean the surface with 50/50 alcohol and water mix or use 3M’s VHB Tape Primer. Using 3M’s Tape primers provides an extra benefit of working as an adhesion promoter on difficult to bond substrates like ABS, PET, Polypropylene, and others.
• Use tools to add the tape and pressure for more accuracy. Some of the tools that help the most include:
  • Hand-tape applicator 
  • Laminator  
  • J roller 

Which industries use VHB Tape? 

You’d be surprised. Because the tape is so versatile, it’s used by many different industries. In fact, businesses that need to adhere a surface to another might want to include VHB Tape for their projects.  

As an example, the logo of the car manufacturer (e.g., Ford) may be on your car using VHB Tape. Your horse trailer or your kiddo’s scooter may be using VHB tape. You may even have VHB Tape adhering things in your plant, house, or office right now. 

How do you know if VHB Tape is right for you? 

At Elevated, we specialize in helping companies understand the products that can help save time and money while improving quality. In fact, we’ve been doing so for more than 60 years.  

Contact us and let’s help you bring your ideas to life.