Mounting tape makers repeat a few things: a flat, clean, dry surface and firm pressure, and T-Rex and Loctite add a wait before you load it. They differ on surfaces. Gorilla and T-Rex rule out polyethylene and polypropylene; Loctite Power Grab names polypropylene. Every limit below is the maker’s own line, not ours.
Each tape, in its maker’s words
| Tape | Surfaces the maker names | Apply at | Outdoor | Maker’s stated limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gorilla Heavy Duty Mounting Tape | Plastic, metal, wood, glass, brick, ceramic, stone | Above 50°F | Yes | “holds up to 30 pounds” |
| Gorilla Max Strength Mounting Tape | Painted walls, mirrors, plastic, metal, wood, glass, ceramic | Above 50°F; in use 40 to 120°F | No, indoor only | “HOLDS UP TO 45 LBS: For 3lbs use 4 in. of tape” |
| Gorilla Invisible Hold Mounting Tape | Plastic, metal, wood, glass, brick, ceramic, stone | Above 50°F | Yes | “holds 1 pound per 4 inches of tape” (Gorilla’s pro tips: up to 15 lbs) |
| Gorilla Clear Invisible Hold Mounting Squares | Plastic, metal, wood, glass, brick, ceramic, stone | Above 50°F | Yes | “holds 1 pound per 4 squares of tape” |
| Gorilla Multi-Purpose Mounting Tape | Painted drywall, wood, plastic, metal, acrylic, ceramic, glass | Above 50°F | Spec says yes; description says indoor | “Holds up to 15 lbs.” |
| Gorilla Multi-Purpose Mounting Squares | Painted drywall, wood, plastic, metal, acrylic, ceramic, glass | Above 50°F | Spec says yes; description says indoor | “1 lb use 4 squares, 6 lbs use 24 squares” (the same page also prints the tape’s 15 lbs) |
| Scotch-Mount Indoor Double-Sided Mounting Tape | Painted drywall, finished wood, metal, acrylic, tile, glass | 50 to 100°F (spec table: to 105°F) | Indoor | “HOLDS UP TO 15 LB”; “To hold 1 lb use 3 inches” |
| Scotch Indoor Double-Sided Mounting Squares | Painted drywall, finished wood, metal, acrylic, tile, glass | 50 to 100°F | Indoor | “Holds up to 8 lb” (spec table: 5 lb) |
| Scotch Clear Double-Sided Mounting Tape | Glass, tile, acrylic, metal | 50 to 100°F (spec table: −25 to 110°F) | Indoor | “Holds up to 15 lb”; 1 lb per 4 inches |
| Scotch-Mount Multipurpose Gel Tape | Metal, tempered glass, tile, painted wood, smooth stone, brick, vinyl siding, acrylic | Spec table: −25 to 110°F | Yes | “holding up to 20 lbs” |
| T-Rex Extreme Hold Mounting Tape | Metal, glass, wood, concrete, brick, tile, ceramic, plastic | 50 to 100°F | Yes | “hold up to 4 lbs per 4 in of tape”; its FAQ: a 60 in. roll “will hold 50 pounds” |
| T-Rex Strong and Clear Mounting Tape | Metal, glass, wood, concrete, brick, tile, ceramic | 50 to 100°F | Yes | “hold up to 2 lbs per 4 in of tape”; its FAQ: a 60 in. roll “will hold 30 lbs.” |
| Loctite Power Grab Mounting Tape | Tiles, metal, wood, stone, glass, plastics including PVC, polypropylene and nylon | 50 to 100°F | Yes | Page: “Holds up to 110 lbs (50 kg) per roll”; data sheet: “One roll can hold up to 100 lbs.” |
From each product’s page, data sheet or FAQ. Gorilla’s Max Strength page shows brick and stone icons, but its written surface list doesn’t include them. Gorilla says its weight limits may vary with the surface’s texture, porosity and flatness, and that both surfaces must be completely flat. Loctite’s data sheet is from 2015; the page is current.
What they won’t stick to
- Gorilla mounting tapes: not on freshly painted walls, wallpaper, delicate surfaces, polyethylene and polypropylene plastics, Teflon or other non-stick surfaces. Gorilla adds that they don’t work on certain rubbers with high oil or plasticizer content.
- T-Rex mounting tapes: “Will not stick to all grades of plastic, including polyethylene and polypropylene plastics.”
- Loctite Power Grab: not for PTFE (Teflon), silicone, wallpaper or other unsound surfaces, and not for water immersion. Its data sheet says more tape is needed on irregular or rough surfaces.
- Scotch-Mount Multipurpose Gel Tape: not recommended for delicate surfaces such as painted drywall or wallpaper.
How the makers say to apply it
- Clean: Gorilla’s Max Strength, Invisible Hold and Multi-Purpose pages say to clean with isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, T-Rex with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water, Loctite with acetone or rubbing alcohol.
- Press: Gorilla says to press firmly for 60 seconds; Loctite gives a press time of 10 seconds.
- Wait: T-Rex says its adhesive reaches full strength after 24 hours, and Loctite says to wait 24 hours before weight loading.
- Depth: Gorilla’s Max Strength and Multi-Purpose pages say objects over 0.75 inch deep have an increased chance of failure, and Loctite says holding power drops for thicker objects.
Gorilla and T-Rex call their mounting tapes permanent and say removal may (Gorilla) or will (T-Rex) damage the surface. Gorilla says to take the object off first, then stretch the tape slowly parallel to the surface, and its pro tips suggest sawing behind the tape with fishing line or floss.
What about VHB?
Many people search for 3M VHB. The VHB 5952 page says it is “For industrial/occupational use only. Not for consumer sale or use.” Its data sheet says most porous materials, such as wood and concrete, need to be sealed first, and that it reaches about 50% of its bond strength after 20 minutes, 90% after 24 hours and 100% after 72 hours. We found no consumer VHB in 3M’s US Scotch range, so we compare consumer tapes above instead.
VHB 4910 is a clear VHB tape, and its data sheet says the clear tape “is good for bonding transparent or translucent materials.” That sheet says 3M’s industrial and occupational products are intended for sale to trained industrial and occupational customers for workplace use, and “are not intended, labeled, or packaged for sale to or use by consumers” unless the product’s own packaging or literature says otherwise.
Gorilla and Loctite both say not to use their mounting tape where injury could result if the mounted item fell. For anything heavy, or anything that could hurt someone if it fell, we’d use a fastener instead: see choosing a masonry anchor and choosing a wall anchor on our drill bit site.