Roger Bisby tries out a waterproof tape from T-Rex.
The building industry badly needs an effective tape that can be stuck over leaks to seal them, it has been tried a number of times with products such as Flashband, but in the end they all peel. Is this T-Rex waterproof tape any different? Well, the answer is yes and no. For a start it is fairly thin, and the edge is bevelled, so there is hardly any lip and, therefore, it is less likely to lift and peel. So far so good, but the American manufacturers are still hedging their bets by describing it as a ‘temporary repair’.
The question is how ‘temporary’? How long you can leave it there before you get around to something more permanent is anyone’s guess, and they certainly aren’t foolish enough to put a number on it. The point is that it will get you out of trouble and buy you time. I would say that a repair done in the winter will probably last until the spring, and maybe the summer.
It depends on what you stick it to and how well you apply it. Provided you aren’t trying to stick it to dust or something loose it adheres very well and the more you rub it with a bit of rag the better it sticks. Even if the surface is a bit rough you can work it in. I think the bit of heat generated by rubbing helps but I wouldn’t put a hot air gun on it because it might shrink. There is a release backing on the tape and it is best to put the first couple of inches on and then peel it away as you go. If you know the length you need you can cut it first rather than use it off the roll.
The thing that really surprised me about this T-Rex Waterproof tape is that it sticks under water which, in my book, shouldn’t be possible. Obviously the adhesive dissipates the water. It is also UV resistant which suggests that you could leave it there for months rather than just weeks. I am going to use it in a couple of places and see how it gets on but first impressions are good. It seems to work, which is not always the case with adhesive tapes.
