There is often confusion when shopping for carton sealing tape about which type of adhesive is needed. Most people have always just taken for granted that tape is sticky, and have not needed to choose a specific adhesive type. In commercial and industrial applications, however, the type of adhesive used is dependent upon what surfaces are being taped, the tension in the package, the environment in which the tape is being used and the cost of the products being secured, along with other factors such as personal preference, availability, etc.. Although there are several types of tape adhesives, the two most common associated with package sealing tape are Acrylic and Hot Melt.

When you are looking for extreme holding power, also known as shear, hot melt is the right tool for the job. A high shear is needed to secure packages with high tension, such as over-stuffed boxes and heavy board boxes. This type is also ideal for covering thermal barcodes and fine text, since it does not distort the image like an acrylic would. Holt melt adhesive does not perform as well in extreme temperatures or humidity levels as acrylic. Being the more costly of the two, consideration should be given to whether or not the package in question would justify the higher price tag for hot melt adhesive.

Other than the temperature range, the main advantage that acrylic adhesive holds over hot melt is the lower price point. For most packages, acrylic adhesive tape will serve its’ purpose just as well as hot melt while costing less to use. One area that neither adhesive type excels in is packages with UV coating or varnish, as well as those containing large amounts of printing. These types of jobs are better suited for natural rubber backed tapes.

Taking the above strengths and challenges into consideration when choosing a packaging tape adhesive will allow consumers to purchase the tape that best fits the job and their budget.