The invention of butyl tape was first felt when there was a high demand for materials with high adhesive properties. Butyl tapes are made from a chemical named butyl derivate and these types of tapes are self-adhesive. They are used for joining composite surfaces together.
The properties of the adhesive rubber that are present on the back of the butyl tape make it work wonders for glass and metal surfaces. They are mainly designed for technical purposes and come with improved resistance to different temperatures. That means you can use the tape in any extreme weather conditions be it too hot or too cold.
Common household uses
Apart from being used by the technical housing specialists, you can also use butyl tape being a common household owner.
Butyl tapes come with waterproofing and insulation properties. That makes the tape ideal for use in underground joints and pipes. Such areas are prone to corrosion due to excessive humidity. Butyl tapes work wonders to save the joints. Insulation of water pipes, sealing the ventilation system, and flashing applications work well when combined with butyl tape.
You can also use butyl tape to seal the damaged corrugated sheets of the water system and for seal guttering. You can also seal areas like sliding doors, chimneys and the air vents with the help of butyl tape.
You can carry a roll of butyl tape in your car while driving. The practice will save you in several situations until you reach the service centre. The best use of butyl tapes on the car is to seal any leaks and make the vehicle function temporarily.
Types of butyl tapes
Butyl tapes are of several types with the most common being double-sided and single-sided butyl tapes.
- Double-sided butyl tapes come with a strong adhesive layer on both sides. They are non-toxic in nature and contain no shrink and no solvent. As it can resist high temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius, it is also termed as high-temperature resistant adhesive tape. Such butyl tapes are used extensively for engineering roof waterproofing, in drainage works, water supply, tunnels, and underground waterproofing. It also finds its uses in sedimentation tanks and treatment tanks.
- Single-sided butyl tape works wonder on material surfaces like steel structures, colored steel plates, wood, cement, PVC, CPE, PE, EPDM materials and waterproof coiled materials. They are also termed as self-adhesive sealing tape. They are perfectly suited for sealing external steel pipelines, pollution discharge, petroleum drainage, cable joints and industries like chemicals and others.
In conclusion, butyl tape is easy to use. To make sure your application is perfect; you need to clean the joint position with a small roller. You then need to begin from one side and finish on the lap joint. As a finishing touch, you need to press the tape gently to make the bonding strong. Lastly, you need to tear off the isolation paper and press it once again.
