Did you ever stop and think about the many different

The many uses of adhesive tapes in construction are more than well known by professionals. Installation of the air conditioner you use in the summer, or installation of the ventilation and air conditioning ducts, requires the use of aluminum tape (also known as reflective or foil tape). Another type of product called FSK insulation tape (otherwise known as reinforced tape) comes in handy whenever insulation facing joints need to be sealed or glued. Reinforced tape is actually a common name because there are many different types of reinforcements. It is usually made of a layer of aluminum foil supported by fibreglass mesh or paper. Adhesive tapes consisting of a layer of aluminum foil supported both by fibreglass mesh and paper are called FSK reinforced tapes, and are the more popular type of insulation tapes. Another material used for reinforcement is fibreglass fabric. A combination of aluminum foil and fibreglass fabric creates a very high quality flame retardant tape. One more crucial component of all tapes is adhesive. The properties of the adhesive define multiple characteristics of the product, such as the length of time that the tape will stay in place, its service and application temperature, and the general convenience with which it will be applied. As a result, different adhesive tapes behave differently: some tapes melt before the boiling point, some produce a heavy black smoke when they burn, and yet others withstand 250oF or more and do not support burning at all. In conclusion, quality tapes require the combination of a good adhesive and a good backing material (like aluminum, for example). The resulting product has many diverse uses in construction, personal use, and just about anything else you can think of.