Insulation tape

NBR foam tape with adhesive and reinforcing mesh, for closing joints, wrapping bends and insulating irregular fittings where a tube cannot follow the geometry. Black is the standard colour; red, blue and other colours are produced to order. Two adhesive versions are produced: a mesh-reinforced adhesive that raises tensile and tear strength at a higher cost per metre, and a standard adhesive for the lower-cost option where strength is not critical.

Standard 50 mm × 3 mm × 10 m
Mesh-reinforced adhesive or standard adhesive
Width, thickness and length to order
For joints, fittings and bends

Colours available

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Products — Insulation tape

Property	Class B	Class 0 same values
Cell structure	Closed cell	—
Material	NBR + glue + mesh	—
Density	65 kg/m³ standard · 55–90 kg/m³ to order	—
Thermal conductivity λ at −20 / 0 / +40 °C	0.030 / 0.032 / 0.037 W/(m·K)	0.030 / 0.032 / 0.037 W/(m·K)
Water vapour permeability	1.96 × 10⁻¹¹ g/(m·s·Pa)	—
Moisture resistance factor μ	≥ 10,000	—
Oxygen index	≥ 32 %	—
Flammability / smoke density	Self-extinguishing / smoke density 25–50	—
Water absorption	≤ 5 %	—
Service temperature	−57 °C to +125 °C	—
Flexibility / ozone resistance	Excellent / no crack	—
Standard roll	50 mm × 3 mm × 10 m
Adhesive types	Mesh-reinforced / standard
Custom	Width, thickness and length to order

Values are nominal production figures, tested per batch. Density, wall thickness and colour are produced to the customer's specification.

— means the value is identical for Class B and Class 0.

Inner diameter 6–89 mm (1/4″–3-1/2″) · wall thickness 6–50 mm (1/4″–2″). Intermediate sizes produced on request.

Where the tape is used

Tape is not a cheaper tube. It exists for the geometry a tube cannot follow, and for closing the joints that decide whether the rest of the system performs.

Closing butt joints between tube sections

Every 1.83 m length creates a joint, and every joint is a place where vapour can enter. The tape is wrapped over the glued joint to keep the vapour barrier continuous.

Bends, tees and fittings

Where three directions meet, tube cannot be cut to fit cleanly. Tape is wrapped in overlapping turns to cover the fitting and blend back into the tube wall on both sides.

Valves, flanges and strainers

The parts that are usually left bare because they are removable. Wrapping them in tape means the insulation can be opened for maintenance and closed again without losing the vapour seal permanently.

Irregular and small-bore work

Instrument lines, capillary tubes and connections where a moulded tube section does not exist. The 3 mm thickness wraps a small radius without splitting.

Colour coding and identification

Black is standard; red, blue and other colours are produced to order — useful when a plant room uses colour to distinguish services.

How to choose the adhesive version

Two adhesive systems are produced from the same foam, and the difference is cost against strength:

Mesh-reinforced adhesive — A reinforcing mesh in the adhesive layer raises tensile and tear strength. Choose it where the tape has to hold under tension — wrapping a tight bend, or where the joint will be disturbed during commissioning.
Standard adhesive — Lower cost per metre, adequate where the tape is laid flat over a joint and is not pulled. Choose it on straight runs and on joints that are wrapped rather than stretched.
Width, thickness and length to order — Standard roll is 50 mm × 3 mm × 10 m. Wider or thicker rolls and longer lengths are produced to order, which matters when a project wants a single pass over a flange.

The tape has the same closed-cell NBR formulation and the same moisture resistance factor (μ ≥ 10,000) as the tube — so a system taped with it keeps a single vapour barrier rather than switching materials at every joint.

How the wall thickness is calculated →

Installation points that decide whether it works

Glue the joint faces first, then tape over the closed joint. Tape is not a substitute for adhesive on a butt joint.
Overlap each turn by about half the tape width, and press the overlap down — an unrolled, unpressed lap is where air gets in.
Wrap in the direction that sheds water and follows the pipe fall, so the laps overlap downhill.
On fittings, work from the middle outward and keep the tape under light tension only. Stretching it thins the foam and pulls it off the surface within weeks.
Finish the ends by pressing the last 50 mm flat against the tube wall, not by tucking it under another layer.

Questions buyers ask before ordering

Tape or adhesive for tube joints — which one?

Both, in that order. Adhesive bonds the two cut faces so the joint is closed; tape then covers the joint so the vapour barrier is continuous. Taping an unglued joint closes the gap visually but leaves a path for vapour.

What is the difference between the mesh-reinforced and the standard adhesive?

Strength and cost. The mesh-reinforced adhesive raises tensile and tear strength and is the right choice where the tape is pulled — tight bends, fittings, joints that will be disturbed. The standard adhesive is the lower-cost option for flat, wrapped joints where strength is not critical.

What temperature range does the tape work in?

The foam is rated −57 °C to +125 °C, the same as the tube and sheet. The adhesive is the part to check on very cold work: contact adhesives need a surface above the dew point and a sensible ambient temperature to bond, so on cold rooms apply and cure warm, then put the system into service.

Which colours are available?

Black is the standard colour and is normally in stock. Red, blue and other colours are produced to order, with the lead time confirmed at quotation. Minimum quantities for a colour run depend on the roll size, so ask before planning a colour-coded plant room.