Adhering LED strips isn’t difficult but does require a little deliberate planning and preparation. In general, as with other installations, prepping the surface to be clean and dry is important. A final wipe with alcohol just prior to installation is also recommended.

Most LED strips, including ours, come with an adhesive backing. While we use one of the highest quality 3M adhesive backing types, some surfaces as just not very agreeable to adhesion. Textured plastic is one such surface and unfortunately, many golf cart roofs are textured plastic. For these we recommend using an adhesive promoter or better yet an adhesive promoter supplement with some cyanoacrylate type glue added at least every few inches.

We recommend adhering to the very bottom inside facing edge if possible. By placing the stips right along the edge, it is easier to use clothes pins or gem clips to hold them in place while installing and while the adhesive sets (follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for setup times of any glue supplements used).

Smoother plastic surfaces are usually less problematic. Smooth metal (like the metal linings and channels found on some common golf cart roofs) are even easier still to adhere to.

Plan the routing of where the strips will go and make sure in advance that there are no bends that the strips can’t conform to and that there will be no obstructions in the way (like bolts) part way around. Do this before you start placing the strips, particularly if you are following our advice and using an adhesive promoter and/or cyanoacrylate based glue. Once that adhesive sets, it is unlikely you will be able to move or remove the strips without destroying them. The adhesion will be strong.

You should also factor where wires will and can run in advance and if any strips need to be cut to length, you may want to measure carefully and cut in advance so that you can start and end where you intent. Again, if you start to install a strip and decide you should have started an inch one way or the other, you may not be able to move or remove the strips if the glue in an area has set.