Reinforcements provide structural support without a significant increase in cost and weight. For instance, reinforcements may be used in automobiles to reinforce cavities formed by various parts of the automobile such as a pillar, bumper, etc. To properly transfer loads from one side of the structure to the other, the reinforcement may have features that generally match the inner surfaces of the cavity in which the reinforcement is placed.
Reinforcements may be provided with an adhesive or bonding material that secures the reinforcement within a given cavity. Generally, such materials are provided on outer surfaces of the reinforcement in order to engage corresponding surfaces of the cavity upon insertion of the reinforcement into the cavity. However, such materials may be easily damaged prior to assembly, e.g., during shipping or handling of the reinforcement. Additionally, adhesive materials may be relatively soft, tacky, or otherwise difficult to handle directly, resulting in added difficulty in handling and/or installing the reinforcement.