Viscosity and adhesion properties of acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR)‐based pressure‐sensitive adhesive were investigated by using zinc oxide as the filler. The zinc oxide loading was varied from 10 to 50 parts by weight per hundred parts of rubber (phr). Coumarone–indene resin, toluene, and polyethylene terephthalate were used as the tackifying resin, solvent, and coating substrate, respectively. Viscosity of the adhesive was measured by a Brookfield viscometer, whereas the loop tack, peel strength, and shear strength were determined by a Lloyd adhesion tester operating at 10 to 60 cm/min. Results show that viscosity increases with zinc oxide loading because of the concentration effect. Loop tack and peel strength pass through a maximum value at 20 phr of zinc oxide concentration, whereas the optimum zinc oxide loading for shear strength is 30 phr. This observation is attributed to the effect of varying degrees of wettability and compatibility of the adhesive on the substrate. In all cases, the adhesion properties of adhesives increase with coating thickness and testing rates. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 23:241–246, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers