How to Store Adhesive Tape

When it comes to food, refrigeration protects the items from spoilage and “use by” dates help guarantee freshness.  If only all products came with such clear guidelines, right?  While your metal tools or hammers might be impervious to the elements, building materials like latex paint and adhesive tape can, and will, degrade over time.  Tape storage is a key element in longevity. Why? Well… it all comes down to how tape is made.

A Closer Look at Adhesive Tapes

Pressure sensitive adhesive tapes are only possible by chemistry, which in and of itself is always vulnerable to physical and environmental stressors.  (We explain more about the chemistry of tape here.) Materials like natural rubber used in the adhesive, or certain resins utilized in pressure-sensitive adhesives, can have their bonds broken by the effects of oxygen, as well as exposure to extreme heat, and from natural and artificial light sources. These reactions organically continue over time which can often cause changes to the tape’s adhesive properties.  

But that’s just one example. Adhesive tape degradation comes down to four simple causes:

• Applied Stress: mechanical, electrical, radiation, or other stresses.
• Temperature: the higher the temperature, the more rapid the change.
• Environment: can be the gases, liquids or solids that come in contact with the object.

The overall effects of these three types of changes are governed by how long each condition exists. In other words, they are all dependent upon Time, the fourth controlling factor. For tape, aging is particularly impactful as chemical changes gradually occur between the several components of the tape itself.

Makes sense, right?  

While tape manufacturers may add antioxidants in addition to heat and light stabilizers into their various formulas to offset the effects of aging, these do not protect a tape’s reliability indefinitely. Like using sunscreen at the beach, these are temporary measures. Only longer-term solutions will deter the degradation process.

To avoid the natural course of chemistry undermining the integrity of any tape, the first step is to always follow the manufacturer’s suggested storage and use. Proper storage not only extends the shelf life of your tape but ensures its effectiveness and gives you the best value for your dollar.  

The Best Tape Storage Tips

So how can you keep your tape inventory at the same optimal quality as the first day it is delivered to the job site?

• First, you should store tape somewhere away from the light, particularly windows. Ultraviolet light can even penetrate the packaging with time.
• Then, you should store the tape in a cool place; the cooler the better, preferably 60°F/15°C or cooler.
• Also, make sure to keep it dry. Even the presence of moisture in the air can contribute to a chemical reaction. Just take it out of storage a day or two before you need it to let it recover to room temperature.
• You should also store your tape in such a way that you know when each lot was delivered so that you can use the oldest tape first.
• Find out from your supplier what a safe height would be to stack the cases of tape and the skids on top of one another. Certain tapes can be crushed and badly damaged when the boxes are overloaded. Ideally, the storage should be on racks and take up just one skid.
• Besides proper stacking and cool, dark, and dry storage, best tape storage practices dictate rotation of stock to yield the best value out of your adhesive tapes.

In conclusion

If you want to buy all weather adhesive tape or buy fiber fix adhesive tapes or bulk fiber fix adhesive tapes, we will be your best choice.