Adhesive Backing

Our adhesive of choice is a high performance, high temperature film made by 3M. Rated at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, this adhesive will easily withstand the heat demands of most applications.

We like this adhesive for its clean, easy application. It comes with a two-sided paper backing – just peel off one side of paper backing and apply it to your carbon fiber. Peel off the second side and apply it to your application. Done.

If you order a sheet with adhesive, we’ll send you enough to cover your entire carbon fiber panel. The adhesive will be shipped to you unattached with instructions so you can cut and form the sheet and adhesive to your liking.

Other Adhesive Alternatives

Some customers prefer to use other adhesives for reasons including pricing, convenience and application requirements. In those cases, we recommend the following alternatives:

• Contact cement
• Water-based epoxy resin
• Any standard laminate countertop adhesive

It’s important to be sure the adhesive substance has dried thoroughly before applying the carbon fiber to your application. Trapped moisture will react with the resin and cause the carbon fiber to bubble over time.

Applying Adhesive

When a customer orders carbon fiber with adhesive, we send a two-sided sheet of 3M adhesive to cut to size and apply as they wish. Although it’s deceptively simple looking, it can go wrong. Here are some tricks we’ve learned to making it easy and painless:

• First, pull the protective paper off the back (non-printed) side of the adhesive sheet.
• Lay the sticky side down onto the back side of the carbon fiber sheet and press into place. Apply it carefully – the adhesive is really strong. You won’t have a second chance to reposition it.
• Gently heat the adhesive sheet with a hair dryer or hot gun.
• When warm, firmly press the adhesive onto the carbon fiber with your fingers or a tool.
• Carefully peel off the remaining paper. If the adhesive starts to pull up from the surface, lay the paper back down and apply more pressure, rubbing the adhesive onto the carbon fiber. When you pull the paper up, there should be no bubbles or separation.
• Apply the carbon fiber to the desired surface and press into place.

That’s it! Pretty simple. The heat’s the real secret to creating the best possible bond. Just be careful not to overheat.