Investigation of the suitability of adhesive tapes for sealing building structures of various surfaces

Adhesive sealing tapes play an important role in ensuring the air tightness of the building, affecting the indoor microclimate and efficient energy use. However, there is still a lack of objective indicators that would demonstrate the ability of the sealing tape to ensure the long-term air tightness of the sealing joints of various building structures. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to investigate the indicators demonstrating the suitability of adhesive sealing tapes for sealing building structures of different surfaces and deformation, to provide detailed analyses of the results, and to propose practical recommendations. The investigated self-adhesive tapes differed in backing (nonwoven material, plastic reinforced film, paper, metal foil) and adhesives (acrylic and butyl). The materials of the sealed structural joints were plywood, OSB, plasterboard, cement sawdust board, plastered board, and plastic. The thickness, deformability, peel and shear adhesion of the self-adhesive tapes were used to determine its suitability for sealing of different structural joints. It was determined that tapes with higher deformability are more versatile, as they are suitable for sealing joints subjected to small and large deformations. The higher peel adhesion is typical for tapes of an air-permeable non-woven material backing and a thin adhesive layer. Tapes with a thicker adhesive layer are most suitable for sealing complex-shaped joints. Tapes with acrylic adhesive have a higher peeling force from smooth and moderately smooth surfaces, whereas butyl adhesive creates better contact with uneven surfaces in highly deformable joints.