Choosing the Best Tape for Your Project

Masking tape is a rubber-based multi-purpose tape that's not UV resistant. In addition to painting projects, it’s the tape of choice for many automotive, building, construction and electronic needs. It can also be used for simpler tasks such as labeling food containers, sandwich bags, school supplies, etc. It’s usually an off-white, thin tape that’s easy to tear and is available in a variety of widths and strengths. Masking tape has a strong adhesive that can bond with almost any type of surface, but is best for using on non-damagable surfaces, like unfinished wood, brik, concrete and carpet.

Painters tape is an acrylic based masking tape that’s formulated to prevent the paint from seeping through onto unwanted surfaces. Compared to masking tape, painters tape is a UV resistant, low tack tape, making it a better choice to use on walls, doors, windows, floors or ceilings. It also contains a water repellent, making it ideal to maintain clean lines when using water-based paints. Painters tape comes in a variety of types including tape for delicate surfaces, tape for rough surfaces, and tape for ultra-sharp paint lines. You’ll find painters tape in a variety of colors, including blue or green.

While it's not good practice to leave painters tape on for too long, there are high quality tapes that can be left on for 30 or even 60 days. A good rule of thumb is to remove the tape when the paint has dried. Learn more about how to prep for painting with painters tape in the video below.

Duct tape is a great choice for general maintenance, bundling, wrapping, attaching and sealing. It’s a multipurpose, durable and super strong triple-layer tape with a mesh backing made from low-density polyethylene, giving it strong adhesion. It’s used on everything from patching hoses to taping down electrical cables to preventing scuffs on your floor from chair legs. Some duct tape conforms to smooth and textured surfaces like concrete and brick. Once only available in gray, duct tape can now be found in a wide range of colors and patterns to match any repair job.

Electrical tape is an essential component of any installation, repair and manufacturing project. It is used to protect, insulate and mark electrical wires and other materials that conduct electricity. The proper way to use electrical tape is to pull and stretch it as you wind it around wires. This shrinks the tape around the wire, causing a tight seal that won’t expand when it gets cold. 

Electrical tape is available in a variety of colors, each one designated for specific electrical requirements.

Black: Low voltage, Phase A (used on wires in direct sunlight)
Red: Low voltage, Phase B
Blue: Low voltage, Phase C
Brown: High voltage, Phase A
Orange: High voltage, Phase B
Yellow: High voltage, Phase C
Purple: High voltage, Phase B
Green: Earth ground
White: Low voltage, neutral
Gray: High voltage, neutral

Plumbers tape, also called Teflon tape, is used to create a watertight seal between joints on pipe threads that don’t have a rubber seal. It also lubricates the joint connections, making it easier to thread or disassemble. Plumbers tape can be easily torn with the hands, is spooled in a variety of widths and is used to install bathroom and kitchen fittings, as well as outdoor water taps.

Want to learn more about plumbers tape? Check out the video below.

Packing tape, also known as packaging tape, is a polypropylene- or polyester-backed tape designed for long-lasting performance. It’s the best tape to use on cardboard boxes and packages, but it’s just as useful on manilla envelopes, bubble mailers and foam. Packing tape works in hot and cold temperatures. While it isn’t waterproof, it is water-resistant. The most common colors of packing tape are brown and clear, however, colors like blue, red or green are available when the project calls for color coding.

Double-sided mounting tape is a durable tape with adhesive on both sides that’s designed to join two items together. It’s used in a variety of applications, including arts and crafts, automotive, hanging pictures, and more. The adhesion on double-sided mounting tape is usually strong, and it’s either removable or permanent. Check manufacturer’s recommendations for the maximum weight capacity before hanging large items.

Flooring tape is a double-sided tape used to help keep your carpets, runners, floor mats and rugs in place to prevent tripping hazards. It’s a moisture-resistant tape that’s durable. Many of the rug tapes available can be used on marble, laminate and more.

HVAC foil tape is a durable, foil-backed tape with acrylic adhesive used for joining and sealing joints and duct closures. It has excellent bond strength and helps keep your heating and cooling units working efficiently. It’s the preferred tape over cloth-backed duct tape for heating ducts. HVAC foil tape provides a permeable barrier for vapor and can withstand temperatures exceeding 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It can also be used on garage doors as a fastener or as a seaming tape for insulation.

OSB (oriented strand board) tape, also known as sheathing tape, is designed for use with OSB boards (engineered wood that’s similar to particle board). It creates a water-resistant barrier over gaps between OSB boards, doors and windows, as well as blocks out cold air. OSB tape is made from a durable acrylic that bonds to wood, glass, concrete and other materials and is generally used in building construction applications.

Multipurpose tapes are used in a variety of applications – everything from marking floors to creating magnets for household items to organizing your home office. Need to wrap gifts but don’t want the tape to show? Transparent tape disappears on most gift wrapping paper.