User Guide

FAQ
Q1. What happens if I leave 3M
™
Performance Plus Duct Tape on
longer than 6 months?
A. It will continue to hold very well indefinitely indoors. After
6 months, it is possible that you may start to see some residue
when the tape is removed. That may vary depending on the
surface, the temperature, humidity, and other conditions such
as foot traffic.
Outdoors, 3M Performance Plus Duct Tape should hold
very well for up to a year. After a time, the sunlight will begin
to penetrate the backing and cause the adhesive to transfer and
eventually dry up. This is common with conventional duct tape
after only a short time.
Q2. Will it come off cleanly from everything?
A. We have tested it on more than 20 types of opaque surfaces. We
tested at 40ºF, 70ºF, and 120ºF.
There are some surfaces from which it does not remove cleanly
like highly anodized aluminum (a very active surface) or EPDM
rubber (rubber surfaces tend to hold on to rubber adhesives). There
may be other surfaces from which you will not get clean removal.
If clean removal is critical, we recommend testing the surface first.
Q3. What is an opaque surface?
A. Opaque surfaces are those that don’t let light through. For instance,
steel and wood are opaque surfaces. Glass or clear Lexan
®
plastic
are not opaque surfaces; they are transparent or translucent. We
recommend use on opaque surfaces only, because rubber adhesives
are changed by their exposure to light. Typically, tape will not
come up cleanly when the adhesive has seen light for a time.
Q4. Does “clean removal” mean it won’t damage the surface?
A. Not exactly. “Clean removal” means that there will not be any
visible adhesive residue left on the surface after the tape is
removed. “No surface damage” means that the surface is not
harmed by the application or removal of the duct tape.
Duct tape adhesive is designed to be very tacky and stick
very well to most surfaces. When you apply duct tape to some
surfaces such as wallboard, wallpaper, fresh paint or varnish,
weathered finish, or weathered wood, the tape may adhere so
well that part of the surface or the finish comes off with the tape.
If you are in doubt, we recommend testing the tape in a
non-critical, or inconspicuous area or on a test panel.
Q5. What if there is residue on the surface? How can I clean it?
A. If you do get some residue, usually you will find it much easier
to clean up than residue from conventional duct tape. It tends to
remain soft rather than drying hard. 3M
™
Citrus Base Industrial
Cleaner is a great choice for removing any residue that might occur.
Q6. The tape sticks so well, how do I get it started to take it off?
A. Where it is practical, an easy way to get a good start is to fold the
tape over on itself to leave a tab. This gives you something to
hold onto when starting the removal and insures that it will come
off in one piece.
If a tape tab is not practical, and the tape seems to be holding
too tight, you can use a straight edge to get under the tape and
get it started.
Q7. How is 3M Performance Plus Duct Tape 8979N different from
3M Performance Plus Duct Tape 8979?
A. The only difference is that 3M Performance Plus Duct Tape
8979N is tested by an independent laboratory to insure that it
meets the low leachable halogen and sulfur levels required by
nuclear regulating agencies. We report the results on a certificate
of compliance and include a copy in each case of 3M
Performance Plus Duct Tape 8979N. The certificate lists the
lot and date code. Customers can check the date code on the
certificate against the date code on the core of each roll of 3M
Performance Plus Duct Tape 8979N to be assured that they are
using the correct tape. The testing and certification process does
add cost. The added cost is reflected in the higher price of 3M
Performance Plus Duct Tape 8979N.
Q8. What about chloride or halogen content for nuclear grade?
A. Usually when people ask this question they are talking about
leachable halogens and sulfur. Leachable halogens (chloride,
fluoride, bromide) and leachable sulfur content is <250 ppm
(the allowable limit for the test) for 3M Performance Plus Duct
Tape when tested according to Mil Std 2041D.
Halogen and sulfur content are regulated for the nuclear
industry. They are also of interest to metal fabricators who are
concerned about corrosion. Each lot of 3M Performance Plus
Duct Tape 8979N is tested to insure that it meets these low
limits. A copy of the certificate of analysis is included in
each carton.
Q9. It gets really hot here; will 3M Performance Plus Duct Tape
still come off cleanly?
A. Our testing was done on stainless steel panels in both Arizona
and Florida. The test period included the month of July or an
equivalent length of time to simulate the intensity of July heat
and sun. (July in Arizona is the most intense heat and sun angle
in the U.S.) We did get clean removal at those test conditions.
However, because the edge of the tape is exposed, we did see an
outline of the tape.
Even though you may not be in Arizona in July, you may
have more severe conditions such as a more active surface than
stainless steel, a surface that does not dissipate heat, or you may
be using a bake cycle in your process. Conditions such as these
may cause some adhesive residue on removal.
Q10. Will it stick in cold?
A. If you apply the tape at 50ºF or above before exposing it to the
cold, it will stick very well.
3M Performance Plus Duct Tape, like other tapes on a roll, is
made with pressure sensitive adhesive. This means that you have
to apply pressure to the tape to get it to stick. In some sense,
applying pressure is a way of warming the adhesive and allowing
it to flow more easily into the surface texture.
When either the tape or the surface is cold when it is applied,
you may need to use extra pressure or rub over the tape several
more times to get a good bond. If both the tape and the surface
are cold, it is more difficult to get them to bond.
Q11. Will it stick to wet surfaces?
A. Like other conventional duct tapes and pressure sensitive tapes in
general, it is difficult to get 3M Performance Plus Duct Tape to
stick to a wet surface. The most promising strategy is to dry the
surface as much as possible and apply the tape with as much
pressure as possible to squeeze out the water at the interface.
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