Carpet Tape

[KS63]

I wanted to line my workbench top with outdoor carpet and use double sided carpet tape. Picked up a roll of tape at Home Depot that's kind of like silicone/rubber. Well, it won't stick to the carpet and it's pissing me off. Any tips on a better brand/style/type of tape or another adhesive? I want to be able to remove and replace the carpet at some point, so the installation can't be permanent. Thanks.

[Wulf202]

Its heat activated glue. Similar to hot glue but you use a specific iron.

Spread out some carpet glue. Let it get tacky then put the carpet on or use a stapler.

Another option would be to nail some trim over the carpet all the way around

[KS63]

Wulf-Is this available at Home Depot? Could I use my heat gun as a substitute for the iron? I can't staple the carpet as my bench too is covered with galvanized steel.

[Irving]

Can you just use 20 c-clamps?

[KS63]

Can you just use 20 c-clamps?

Smart Ass!....Only have 2 c-clamps.

[TheGrey]

Phone books placed on top. Lots and lots of phone books. Or dictionaries.

[gnihcraes]

i think the tape works best with pressure, after sticking down, it wants foot traffic on it. Maybe just use some dollops of regular silicone every 12 inches and let that sit over night. you can still remove it later on when needed as it won't permanently stick to the workbench. ?

attach the carpet to a thin piece of plywood? Set it all on top of the workbench. can remove when needed then.

[Bmac]

Cut the carpet 12" larger than the total perimeter of the bench. Assuming it's a rectangle, start at the left, or right, side and unroll the carpet long way over the bench. When you start overhang the carpet 6" over the end and 6" to the right and left. Bend the end piece down and place a staple, or 2,(or a piece of metal strapping and metal screws through into the table) in the overhung corner. With that corner firmly in place pull taught and even the rest of the carpet. Where you are on the table at that point staple/screw that entire end off. Fold down the corners and work each long end back to the beginning. Finish off by taking wrinkles out by using the starting 6" to adjust stuff around. The corners will be dog eared. Staple/screw tight to the corners on each side and use scissors, or a razor knife to trim the excess.

[crays]

I wanted to line my workbench top with outdoor carpet and use double sided carpet tape. Picked up a roll of tape at Home Depot that's kind of like silicone/rubber. Well, it won't stick to the carpet and it's pissing me off. Any tips on a better brand/style/type of tape or another adhesive? I want to be able to remove and replace the carpet at some point, so the installation can't be permanent. Thanks.

Its heat activated glue. Similar to hot glue but you use a specific iron.

Spread out some carpet glue. Let it get tacky then put the carpet on or use a stapler.

Another option would be to nail some trim over the carpet all the way around

Sounds like he's using double-sided adhesive tape, not hot seam tape. I doubt hot tape would stick to the metal, anyway.

Stupid questions first KS...you are peeling the backing off the tape, right?
Why, in your opinion is in not adhering to the carpet backing, which leads to the next question: what kind of backing does your carpet have?
Lots of variables here. A lot of the backing on outdoor carpets loos like a grid if you look at the back, and the synthetics they use to manufacture it aren't really all that stable. There isn't a lot of surface area for the adhesive to bond to, and what it does bond to isn't really all that stable. Most outdoor carpet is designed to be loose-layed, or put down with 100% spread flooring adhesive.

ETA: Let me guess, it's not adhering to the carpet and when you look at the tape, it looks like your dropped the tape on a really dirty floor?

[Irving]

If you have a nice steel top, I really like the idea of securing the carpet to a piece, or a couple of pieces of plywood that can be removed. That way if you need to grind, torch, solder, or perform any other hot/fire/chemical activities, you can switch to the appropriate table top.