verar21•1mo agoTop Commenter

That Home Depot job in Phoenix taught me a lesson about seam tape

I was installing carpet in a new build out in Phoenix last summer, like 110 degrees outside. The homeowner wanted this thick plush carpet in the master bedroom, and I had to do a seam down the middle. I used my usual seam tape and iron, but the heat in the house was insane from the AC being broken. The tape just would not stick right, kept peeling up as I pressed it down. Finally I called an old timer I know, and he said to let the room cool down overnight and try again in the morning. Next day at 6am, same tape stuck perfect. Now I always check the temp before doing seams, especially in summer jobs. Has anyone else had glue or tape fail because of heat in a house?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_charles1mo ago

Respectfully, operator error there more than the tape's fault since temp control is part of the job.

hayden_butler271mo ago

Temp control is part of the job sure but these tapes are supposed to handle a range. Most cheap tapes stop sticking around 140 degrees. But this specific one is rated for 200. The real issue nobody talks about is humidity. High moisture in the air makes adhesive fail way before heat does. Had a buddy with the same tape in Arizona zero problems. Same tape in Florida fell off in a week.

sageross1mo ago

Yeah, "the real issue nobody talks about" is spot on hayden_butler27. I remember reading something from an adhesive chemistry blog a while back that said a lot of tapes actually form a stronger bond when they set up in lower humidity, and high humidity basically makes the glue "wet" again before it cures. Plus, @the_charles has a point that temp control is part of the gig, but I've seen seasoned guys get burned by this too. Like that old timer you called, sometimes it's just knowing the tape's limits in real world conditions, not just on a spec sheet.