When HI-Shrink Tape is wrapped around a part that's to be compressed, the tape may be applied in a single layer or multiple layers, directly or over clamping forms.

For instance, a part with a round section, such as a rod or a tube, can be taped directly, and uniform pressure will result during shrinking.

A part with a rectangular section, however, may require clamping forms, otherwise the tape may exert pressure mainly on the four corners. In other cases, a combination of directly applied tape along with tape over clamping forms or simple molds may be most effective.

When wrapping a part, the tape should be applied reasonably tight. If the tape is wrapped too loosely, less shrink force is left for applying final pressure.

For greater pressure, multiple layers of tape can be applied.

In some cases, it may be desirable to shrink each layer with a heat gun to prevent wrinkles in the underlying layers.

When taping, the start end of the tape can be locked by one or two overlaps. The finish end can be secured with adhesive tape.