Self-Sticking vs. Perforated Base Insulation Hanger Pins

When installing insulation on ductwork, ceilings, walls, equipment etc, a common insulation fastener to use are insulation anchors/hangers.  These are basically 2" x 2" sheet metal bases with a nail sticking out from the center.  The insulation pierced onto the nail (or pin) and a locking washer is placed behind the insulation to hold it onto the nail.  The nail/pin can also be snipped at the locking washer or the can be bent down towards the insulation for further security.

These insulation hangers come in two types: Self-Sticking  and Perforated Base

Self-Sticking insulation hangers have a foam tape applied to the metal base which allows quick and easy adherence to a surface.  The foam tape is has a release liner which is first removed to reveal the adhesive side of the foam.

Perforated Base insulation hangers (also known as spindles) have numerous holes punched into the base.  These holes are there to allow adhesive to grip the base of the pin.  Perforated base pins require adhesive which is sold separately.  Boss 180 Multi-Seal is a common Low-VOC adhesive choice.

Benefits of Self-Sticking Pins:

• Quick Install: Just peel the liner and stick.
• No additional adhesive required

Limitations of Self-Sticking Pins:

• Temperature Restrictions:  Self-Stick Pins are limited to only 180°F.  While this may seem like a high temperature, we find that on metal building ceilings on hot summer days the sun is beating on the metal roof and the pins will eventually fail.
• Load Restrictions: Self-Stick Pins are limited to 3lbs per anchor (.75 lb/ sq. inch).  Because of this weight limit we find that more pins are required than the perforated pins.  Also due to this restriction the length of the pin is restricted to smaller sizes.  Pins longer than 3" most likely need to be converted to perforated base pins to handle the weight of the thicker insulation.
• Surface Restrictions:  Self-Sticking pins are only as strong as the surface they are sticking to.  New and clean metal is ideal, however older surfaces must be cleaned of all oil, dust, film, and rust.  If you stick a pin to dirty metal they will fail almost immediately

Benefits of Perforated Base Pins:

• Stronger Bond: Allows more weight to be applied to each pin which reduces the number of pins needed for install.
• Higher Temperature Limits: Unlike Self-Stick pins, most pin adhesives are rated to 300°F+.

Limitations of Perforated Base Pins:

• Additional Day of Install: Adhesives used for install usually require 24 hour dry/set times prior to installing insulation.  This creates one day of installing pins and then a second day for installing the insulation once the adhesive dries.
• Slower Install than Self-Stick Pins: Just peeling adhesive and sticking a pin onto a duct is much quicker than applying adhesive to the base of the perforated base and then sticking them on.  Self-Sticking pins are faster to install for this reason.

Above we list out the benefits and limitations of both insulation hanger types to allow you to select the best choice for your project.  Please feel free to reach out to a customer service representative for more advice on your insulation project.