What Is Copper Foil Tape? A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Copper foil tape is a conductive, flexible material with an adhesive backing, valued for uses in electronics, crafts, and repairs. Its flexibility and conductivity make it useful for circuit repairs and artistic projects.

If you are new to working with conductive materials, this guide explains what you need to know to get started with copper foil tape.

Why Copper Foil Tape is Useful

Copper foil tape is thin, flexible, and easily cut. It adheres to most surfaces, letting you “draw” conductive paths where wires are impractical, ideal for prototyping and shielding.

Key Components and Types

Understanding its two components helps you choose the right tape for your project:

Foil: The conductive layer, usually pure copper or an alloy, available in various thicknesses and finishes.

The Adhesive: This is the critical differentiator. There are two primary types:

Conductive Adhesive (CA): Contains conductive particles for reliable connections and shielding.

Non-Conductive Adhesive (NCA): A standard glue. Conductivity is only on the copper surface. Used for shielding or crafts where adhesive conductivity isn’t needed.

Single-Sided: Copper on one side, adhesive on the other.

Double-Sided: Adhesive on both sides for bonding components that require conductivity through the tape.

Widths: Sold in rolls from a few millimeters to several inches wide.

Core Applications of Copper Foil Tape

Copper foil tape has technical and creative uses:

• Electronics & Prototyping: Use copper foil tape to create circuits on per boards (boards with holes for electronic components), repair PCB (printed circuit board) traces, or make low-voltage paper circuits (simple circuits on paper, often for education).
• EMI/RFI Shielding: Tape lines, enclosures (cases or boxes), or wrap cables to block EMI (electromagnetic interference) or RFI (radio frequency interference), which can disrupt sensitive signals.
• Grounding: Copper tape provides a conductive path to ground (an electrical reference point) to remove static electricity or help shield against interference.
• DIY & Crafts: Used in stained glass, decorative conductive designs, or as a slug and snail barrier.
• Wearables: Attach or sew conductive traces to fabric to create soft circuits for LED wearables or textiles.

How to Work with Copper Foil Tape: Basic Tips

Surface: Ensure the area is clean and dry for best

Cutting: Use sharp scissors or a craft knife. Handle by the edges to avoid fingerprints.

For connections, use conductive adhesive tape with overlap. Use non-conductive tape to solder connection points or press copper surfaces together.

Soldering: Solder directly to the copper. Use a hot iron and work quickly to avoid adhesive melting.

Copper tarnishes. For long-term use, apply a conformal coating or use pre-tinned tape.

Important Standards and Considerations

Copper foil tape for technical use is often measured by:

Conductivity: This is how well the tape conducts electricity. It is measured as sheet resistance, typically in milliohms per square (a standard unit expressing resistance).

Adhesive Peel Strength: How well it sticks to various surfaces.

Thickness: The thickness of copper tape is often given in microns (millionths of a meter) or mils (thousandths of an inch).

For shielding, compare performance to standards like ASTM D4935 for effectiveness measurement.

Conclusion

Copper foil tape connects electronics and design. Understanding the types, especially adhesive types, lets you use them confidently and creatively.

Start with a basic roll. Try an LED paper circuit to spark your electrical and creative ideas.