TL;DR: Indigo Supplies' clear double-sided acrylic VHB foam tape delivers an exceptionally strong, invisible bond that replaces traditional fixings like screws, rivets, and glue. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, available in 14 standard sizes, and custom-slittable to any width, it's one of the most versatile acrylic foam tapes on the market.
There's a quiet revolution happening on building sites, in workshops, and on production lines across the UK. Drills, rivet guns, and tubes of adhesive are being set aside — not because the job doesn't need doing, but because there's a cleaner, faster, and frankly smarter way to bond materials together.
That way is VHB tape. Very High Bond tape, to give it its full title. And when it's crystal clear and cut from a precision-slit acrylic foam, it's arguably one of the most useful adhesive products available today.
At Indigo Supplies, we've been supplying industrial-grade adhesive tapes since 1998. We know what works. This clear acrylic VHB foam tape is one of our best sellers — and once you understand what it does, it's not hard to see why.
This guide covers everything: what the tape is, what it replaces, what it can handle, what sizes we stock, and who it's best suited for. By the end, you'll know whether it's the right product for your application — and if it is, you'll know exactly where to get it.
What Is Clear VHB Double-Sided Acrylic Foam Tape?
Double-sided foam tape in the VHB category is engineered for permanent, load-bearing bonds. The "foam" element isn't there for softness — it's there because the acrylic foam core gives the tape conformability, allowing it to bond across slight surface irregularities, and resilience, allowing it to absorb stress, vibration, and thermal movement over time.
What makes Indigo's version particularly appealing is the clarity. The tape is crystal clear throughout, which means it creates what's effectively an invisible bond. No sealant residue. No visible fixings. No marks. Just two surfaces, held together with serious strength.
The adhesive itself is acrylic-based, which gives it properties that rubber or solvent adhesives simply can't match — particularly when it comes to temperature resistance, UV stability, and long-term holding power. This is the same fundamental technology used in products like 3M VHB and 3M VHB foam tape, trusted by manufacturers and fabricators worldwide.
What Does VHB Tape Replace?
This is where it gets interesting. Very strong double-sided tape at the VHB level isn't just a convenient alternative to mechanical fixings — in many applications, it's genuinely superior.
Here's what it replaces, and why the replacement makes sense:
- Screws and bolts: Mechanical fasteners concentrate stress at a single point, which can cause cracking or fatigue in thinner materials. VHB tape distributes load evenly across the entire bonded surface — a much more structurally efficient approach.
- Rivets: Riveting requires drilling, which creates holes, weakens the substrate, and takes time. VHB tape bonds in seconds, leaves no holes, and provides a weatherproof seal in the process.
- Glue and liquid adhesives: Liquid glue is messy, unpredictable, and often requires clamping or curing time. VHB tape bonds on contact, applies cleanly, and delivers consistent results every time.
- Welding: In many fabrication settings, bonding with VHB tape eliminates the need for welding entirely — no heat, no distortion, no specialist equipment.
- Nails and pins: For display, signage, and interior fit-out work, nails leave marks and damage surfaces. A strip of clear foam tape achieves the same result invisibly and without damage.
The practical upshot? Faster installation, cleaner results, and no tools required.
Key Features of Indigo's Clear VHB Acrylic Foam Tape
VHB — Very High Bond Strength
This isn't ordinary double-sided tape. The VHB rating refers to the tape's capacity to form a structural bond — one that holds under shear force, peel force, and tensile load simultaneously. Once properly applied to a clean, dry surface, this tape bonds with the kind of grip that makes you question whether you'll ever need a screwdriver again.
Crystal Clear Bond
Because the tape is completely transparent, it works brilliantly wherever aesthetics matter. Bonding glass panels, acrylic displays, polished metals, or decorative surfaces? The tape disappears into the joint. You see the result, not the fixing. This makes it a favourite in signage, glazing, shopfitting, and any application where a clean finish is non-negotiable.
Suitable for Extreme Temperature Changes
Acrylic adhesives are well-regarded for their thermal stability. Indigo's clear VHB foam tape performs reliably across a wide temperature range, maintaining its bond through hot summers, cold winters, and the kind of rapid thermal cycling that would cause lesser adhesives to fail. This matters enormously in applications involving metal substrates, outdoor installations, or environments near heat sources.
Indoor and Outdoor Applications
The tape is fully weatherproof. UV exposure, moisture, and environmental contaminants won't degrade the bond over time. That makes it equally useful indoors — on furniture, displays, and interior fittings — and outdoors on signage, cladding, vehicle graphics, and architectural elements.
Custom Width Cutting
Every roll is slit from a log roll, which means Indigo can cut to any width you need. If none of our stocked sizes match your application precisely, give us a call on 01268 768 768 and we'll sort out a custom slit for you. It's one of the advantages of working with a supplier that actually knows its products.
Available Sizes
We stock 14 standard sizes to cover the widest possible range of applications:
0.5mm Thickness (33m rolls)
- 9mm x 0.5mm x 33m
- 18mm x 0.5mm x 33m
1mm Thickness (33m rolls)
- 6mm x 1mm x 33m
- 9mm x 1mm x 33m
- 12mm x 1mm x 33m
- 18mm x 1mm x 33m
- 25mm x 1mm x 33m
- 50mm x 1mm x 33m
2mm Thickness (16.5m rolls)
- 6mm x 2mm x 16.5m
- 12mm x 2mm x 16.5m
- 18mm x 2mm x 16.5m
- 25mm x 2mm x 16.5m
- 50mm x 2mm x 16.5m
3mm Thickness (16.5m rolls)
- 18mm x 3mm x 16.5m
As a general rule: thinner tapes (0.5mm) suit smooth, rigid surfaces where conformability is less of a concern. Thicker tapes (2mm, 3mm) provide greater gap-filling and vibration-damping capability, making them well-suited to uneven surfaces, outdoor applications, and dynamic environments.
Not sure which thickness to choose? Call 01268 768 768 or email hello@indigosupplies.com and we'll point you in the right direction.
What Are the Best Applications for Clear VHB Foam Tape?
The honest answer is that the list is long. Here's where this tape performs particularly well:
- Signage and display: Mounting letters, panels, and printed graphics without visible fixings
- Glazing and window installation: Bonding glass, acrylic, and polycarbonate panels
- Vehicle and marine fabrication: Attaching trims, panels, and badges to metal or composite surfaces
- Interior fit-out and shopfitting: Fixing mirrors, shelving, and feature panels cleanly and quickly
- Electronics and appliance assembly: Bonding components where screws or rivets would damage housings
- Facade and cladding work: Securing decorative panels to structural substrates outdoors
- Exhibition and events: Fast, damage-free bonding for temporary and semi-permanent displays
If your application involves smooth, clean surfaces and a need for a strong, permanent, invisible bond, this tape almost certainly has a role to play.
How to Get the Best Results from VHB Tape
The tape will do its job — but you need to give it the right conditions to work with. A few simple steps make a significant difference:
- Clean the surface thoroughly. Dust, grease, and moisture all reduce bond strength. Use isopropyl alcohol and a clean cloth before application.
- Apply firm, even pressure. Press the tape firmly across the full bonded area. A roller is ideal for larger applications.
- Allow time for the bond to develop. VHB adhesives continue to build strength over 24–72 hours after application. Avoid loading the joint immediately if you can.
- Apply within the recommended temperature range. Application in cold conditions can slow the initial bond. Room temperature application gives the best results.
Why Buy from Indigo Supplies?
Indigo Supplies has been supplying businesses across the UK with industrial-grade materials since 1998. We're not a catalogue company with a drop-shipping arrangement — we're a proper supplier with stock, knowledge, and people who can actually answer your questions.
A few reasons customers keep coming back:
- Price Beater Guarantee: Found the same product cheaper elsewhere in the UK? Call us. We'll do our very best to beat it.
- Custom Slitting: Need a non-standard width? We can cut to size from our log rolls.
- Fast Delivery: Stock items typically ship within 1–2 business days. Orders over £200 qualify for free delivery.
- Genuine Support: Call 01268 768 768 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:10pm. You'll get a human.
We stock a broad range of double-sided tapes, sticky tape products, and double-sided tapes across multiple adhesive technologies — so if the clear VHB acrylic foam tape isn't quite right for your application, there's a good chance something else in our range will be.
Ready to Ditch the Screwdriver?
Clear VHB acrylic foam tape is one of those products that, once you've used it properly, you wonder how you managed without it. Stronger than most mechanical fixings in many load scenarios. Completely invisible. Weatherproof. Available in a wide range of sizes. And custom-slittable to any width you need.
Click here to buy now and explore the full range of clear VHB foam tape at Indigo Supplies. Or, if you'd like to talk through your application before ordering, call us on 01268 768 768 or drop us a line at hello@indigosupplies.com. We're happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VHB tape and how does it differ from ordinary double-sided tape?
VHB stands for Very High Bond. VHB tape is engineered to form a structural, load-bearing bond rather than a light-duty surface attachment. The acrylic foam core provides conformability and resilience, while the acrylic adhesive delivers long-term bond strength across a wide temperature range. Ordinary double-sided tape typically uses rubber-based adhesives and is not designed to bear significant loads or resist temperature extremes.
Can clear VHB foam tape be used outdoors?
Yes. Indigo's clear VHB acrylic foam tape is fully suitable for outdoor applications. The acrylic adhesive provides strong UV resistance and weatherproofing, maintaining bond integrity through seasonal temperature changes, moisture exposure, and environmental contaminants.
What surfaces does VHB tape bond to?
Clear VHB acrylic foam tape bonds well to a wide range of clean, smooth surfaces including glass, acrylic, polycarbonate, painted metal, stainless steel, aluminium, and many plastics. For best results, surfaces should be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol prior to application. Very porous, dusty, or oily surfaces may require primer for optimal adhesion.
How do I choose between the 0.5mm, 1mm, 2mm, and 3mm thickness options?
Thinner tapes (0.5mm, 1mm) are best suited to smooth, flat, rigid substrates where a thin bondline is preferred. Thicker tapes (2mm, 3mm) provide greater gap-filling capability and improved vibration damping, making them better suited to outdoor applications, uneven surfaces, and dynamic or high-stress environments. If you're unsure, call Indigo Supplies on 01268 768 768 for a recommendation based on your specific application.
Can Indigo Supplies cut the tape to a custom width?
Yes. All tape is slit from a log roll, which means Indigo Supplies can cut to any width you require. Contact the team on 01268 768 768 or at hello@indigosupplies.com to discuss your requirements.
How long does it take for the VHB bond to fully cure?
Initial tack is achieved on application, but VHB adhesives continue to build strength over 24–72 hours. Where possible, avoid placing the bonded joint under significant load immediately after application to allow the adhesive to fully develop its holding power.
What is the delivery time for clear VHB foam tape from Indigo Supplies?
Stock items typically ship within 1–2 business days. Orders over £200 (excluding VAT) qualify for free delivery. For urgent requirements, call 01268 768 768 directly to confirm availability and lead time.