The installation of a strain gage to a specimen is probably the most critical, yet least emphasized step in the strain measurement. An improper installation may seriously degrade or even completely mess up the validity of a test.

Certain types of strain gages can be welded on the surface of surface. However, adhesives are still the most commonly used agents for mounting strain gages. This section describes one of the most popular installation method for adhesive mounting — the tape-assisted installation method.

The tape-assisted installation method is the most popular method to install metal-foil strain gages. Its procedures can be summarized as follows. Further detail in each step can be found by provided links.

•	Surface preparation
	-	Cleaning the surface
	-	Abrading the surface
	-	Marking the layout Lines
	-	Conditioning
	-	Neutralizing
•	Gage Bonding
	-	Preparation
	-	Preparing the gage
	-	Transferring the gage
	-	Applying the catalyst
	-	Applying the adhesive
	-	Removing the tape
•	Leadwire Attachment
	-	Stripping the leadwires
	-	Tinning the leadwires
	-	Tinning the gage
	-	Attaching the leadwires
	-	Removing Rosin
	-	Anchoring the leadwires
•	Protective Coating
	-	Preparation
	-	Applying the coating