Selecting the correct adhesion level for PE protective film directly determines residue-free removal, preventing premature delamination and surface damage. It is a key selection factor for purchasing teams from foreign-trade factories, profile & panel manufacturers, home appliance and electronics industries.
We use 180° peel strength as our evaluation standard. Adhesion is classified into seven grades: ultra-low adhesion, low adhesion, medium-low adhesion, medium adhesion, medium-high adhesion, high adhesion and ultra-high adhesion. Below we detail suitable applications, matching substrates and usage restrictions for each grade to help you make the right choice.
1. Ultra-low Adhesion (Micro-tack) PE Protective Film
Peel strength: ≤5g/25mm
Key features: Extremely gentle adhesion, clean peel-off, zero adhesive residue and no surface marking
Suitable surfaces: Optical glass, mirror-finish acrylic, high-gloss plastic panels, instrument display screens, screen-printed nameplates, precision electronic housings
Typical applications: Short-term display protection, clean-room processing, protection for high-gloss scratch-prone surfaces
Recommended protection period: ≤30 days
Restrictions: Not for rough surfaces, outdoor exposure, or scenarios under wind pressure / stacking load
2. Low Adhesion PE Protective Film
Peel strength: 10–30g/25mm
Key features: Stable conformability, easy removal, no adhesive residue
Suitable surfaces: Mirror-finish stainless steel, polished aluminum profiles, glossy PC / PMMA, ceramics, polished stone
Typical applications: Factory-finish protection for metal sheets, building-material transit, temporary indoor installation protection
Recommended protection period: 30-90 days
Compatibility: Ideal for smooth, high-surface-energy substrates. Not suitable for deep matte or rough surfaces
3. Medium-low Adhesion PE Protective Film
Peel strength: 30–50g/25mm
Key features: Balanced adhesive performance, best-in-class versatility
Suitable surfaces: General stainless-steel sheets, aluminum profiles, furniture panels, ceramic tiles, engineered stone, fine matte surfaces
Typical applications: Doors & curtain-wall systems, decorative panels, hardware fabrication, general-purpose packaging protection
Recommended protection period: 60-180 days
Advantage: Most widely-used adhesion grade for export orders; compatible with most metals and smooth building materials
4. Medium Adhesion PE Protective Film
Peel strength: 50–80g/25mm
Key features: Reliable adhesion, good resistance to edge lifting and film shifting
Suitable surfaces: Metals, matte aluminum profiles, PVC / ABS sheets, general plastic components, coated panels
Typical applications: Cutting & machining, stacked warehousing, long-distance sea freight, on-site construction-site protection
Recommended protection period: 90-240 days
Note: Works well for moderately textured surfaces, balancing secure bonding and clean removal
5. Medium-high Adhesion PE Protective Film
Peel strength: 80–120g/25mm
Key features: Strong gripping power, firm lamination, resistant to mild friction
Suitable surfaces: Textured aluminum profiles, grained panels, rubber surfaces, certain low-surface-energy plastics
Typical applications: Heavy-duty building materials, machinery component protection, temporary outdoor covering, extrusion / bending processing
Recommended protection period: 120-360 days
Caution: Always verify coating compatibility to avoid paint damage after long-term lamination
6. High Adhesion PE Protective Film
Peel strength: 120–200g/25mm
Key features: Heavy-duty adhesion, resistant to wind load, stacking pressure and shifting during handling
Suitable surfaces: Rough-finish metals, natural stone, precast concrete elements, composite panels, hard-to-bond substrates
Typical applications: Infrastructure components, outdoor storage, long-haul land & sea shipping, fixed-position protection for rough surfaces
Recommended protection period: 180-360 days
Critical reminder: Validate residue-free peel performance before mass production
7. Ultra-high Adhesion PE Protective Film
Peel strength: ＞200g/25mm
Key features: Maximum bonding strength, custom-engineered grade
Suitable surfaces: Carpet-type materials, heavily rough substrates, special composite materials, heavy-duty structural parts, long-duration fixed-position protection
Typical applications: Custom-built engineering projects, special-purpose industrial workflows, non-standard surface protection
Recommendation: Mandatory pre-sample testing to confirm peel performance and substrate compatibility
Restrictions: Strictly avoid high-gloss surfaces, mirror finishes and substrates with fragile top-coat layers
Seven Core Rules for Adhesion Selection (Direct Reference for Procurement)
Surface smoothness: Use lower-adhesion grades for smoother surfaces; select higher-adhesion grades for rougher substrates.
Substrate material: Metals / glass → low to medium adhesion; plastics / matte textures → medium to medium-high adhesion; rough surfaces → high adhesion.
Protection duration: Short-term coverage prefers lower adhesion; moderately increase adhesion for long-term protection.
Logistics environment: Sea freight / stacked storage / bumpy transit → medium-high adhesion; light-duty indoor handling → low to medium adhesion.
Surface coatings: Never apply high-adhesion films over painted, powder-coated or electroplated surfaces; stick to low-to-medium grades.
Peel-off requirement: Hand-tear clean removal → low / medium-low adhesion; tool-assisted peeling acceptable → medium / high adhesion.
Sample before bulk order: Surface-energy varies across material batches. Sample testing is an indispensable baseline step.
Adhesion Customization Service by HNHN Films
HNHN supplies PE protective films and PE protection tapes covering the full adhesion spectrum. We customize adhesion strength, thickness, colour and printed LOGO according to your substrate type, industry application, protection period and export conditions. Whether you work with aluminum profiles, stainless steel, plastic sheets, glass or home-appliance panels, we deliver cost-effective solutions with no adhesive residue and minimal edge lifting.
Would you like free samples to test suitable adhesion grades? Contact us for professional selection advice and quotations.
We provide expert technical support. Simply send us samples of your products to be protected. Our technical team will recommend the optimal adhesive formulation and suitable adhesion level for your application.
