Heat Shrinkable Tape

Flexclad Heat Shrink Tape

     Whereas coating a girth weld at the field joint can be a very simple thing (as long as you are selecting the correct coating for the application); coating a pipe bend or a fitting of some kind can be a lot more challenging.  Cold applied tapes can be very simple to install; but you're going to sacrifice some performance.  Heat shrink sleeves are proven to be reliable long term coatings, but will not work on a pipe bend without some customization by your crews (which can be quite risky).  So why not combine the simplicity of a cold applied tape with the proven technical reliability of a heat shrink sleeve?  That is exactly where Flexclad was born.

Installed Flexclad on a 90

     Flexclad is spiral wrapped around the cleaned and preheated substrate, overlapping itself according to coating specifications; then shrunk down with a propane torch to form a contiguous coating.  As the Flexclad is shrunk down, the adhesive layer flows, filling all cracks and potential voids as it does.  As the shrink tape cools, the adhesive returns to its tougher, harder, original state though it will now be fully bonded to the substrate (bare steel and adjacent factory applied coating). 

     This product can also be installed on fittings and other abnormal substrates.  Generally available in 2", 3" and 4" widths all rolls are supplied in 50 foot lengths.  Full nomenclature for each size is:

2" = Flexclad 50-15000/165
3" = Flexclad 75-15000/165
4" = Flexclad 100-15000/165

     All sizes are regularly stocked at my warehouse in Conroe, TX and can be available for immediate shipment.

Flexclad, Heat-Shrinkable Tape Wrap Installation Guide

Flexclad Installation Guide

Follow the below Guide to help with install process of FLEXCLAD. Heat-shrinkable tape wrap for pipe bends.

Before you begin, please carefully go through each phase of the entireinstallation instruction. Then execute them step by step.

Equipment:

Supplies and FLEXCLAD

 

 

 

Installation Process:

 

Flexclad: Heat Shrinkable Tape

 Flexclad:  Heat Shrink Tape

Flexclad 100-15000/165 - a 4" x 50 ft roll of heat shrink tape

Flexclad heat shrinkable tape is used to coat small diameter pipe (less than 2"), bends, 

some fittings and occasionally, girth welds.  It offers all of the convenience of a cold applied

tape, with the technical superiority of a heat shrinkable sleeve.

Flexclad is available in rolls that are 50 feet long and in standard widths of 4", 3" and 2".

The Flexclad is shrunk around an already cleaned (and preheated) substrate.  The shrink tape

is then shrunk using a propane torch, forming what essentially becomes a continuous coating.  

We recommend that:

 2" Flexclad be used for pipe sizes under 8"

3" Flexclad be used for 8" and 10" pipe

4" Flexclad be used for pipe sizes 12" and larger

The truth is that any width Flexclad can be used with any substrate diameter.  They would all work 

fine, but the tape might not be used as 'efficiently' as it could be.  What I mean

by this is that using a 4" wide Flexclad on a 2" pipe will almost certainly result in 

a greater than necessary overlap (which means some material is "wasted").  

At the same time, using a 2" Flexclad on a 20" pipe would waste a LOT of material

as you'd get such a little amount of coverage per lap.

In any case , it is a great product with a long successful use history.