Types of Tape: 16 Kinds of Adhesive Tape and What Each Is For
Tapes differ in two things: the backing, the strip of film, paper, cloth, foil or foam, and the adhesive coated on it. Packing tape is polypropylene film for sealing boxes; masking and painter's tape are crepe paper for holding and painting; duct and gaffer tape are cloth-backed for repairs and stage work; electrical tape is stretchy vinyl for insulating wires; and double-sided, foam, VHB and transfer tapes mount and bond. Specialty tapes such as filament, water-activated, foil and polyimide handle heavy cartons, tamper evidence, ducts and high heat.
Types of tape at a glance
| Tape | Backing | Adhesive | Use it for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packing tape | Polypropylene film, usually BOPP | Hot melt rubber or acrylic | Sealing corrugated boxes | Packing tape |
| Masking tape | Crepe paper | Rubber | Paint masking, labeling, bundling and holding | Masking tape |
| Painter's tape | Crepe paper | Made to release cleanly | Masking walls, trim, glass and tile for paint | Painter's tape |
| Duct tape | Polyethylene film over a cloth mesh | Rubber | Patching, bundling, sealing and repairs | Duct tape |
| Gaffer tape | Cotton cloth, matte | Synthetic rubber, removes cleanly | Taping down cables and marking stages | Gaffer tape |
| Electrical tape | Stretchy PVC vinyl | Rubber resin | Insulating wire splices and color coding | Electrical tape |
| Double-sided tape | Film, tissue, paper or foam, coated both sides | On both sides, under a liner | Mounting and joining parts without fasteners | Double-sided tape |
| Foam tape | Polyethylene, urethane or acrylic foam | Usually acrylic | Mounting on uneven surfaces, filling gaps, sealing | Foam tape |
| VHB tape | Acrylic foam | Acrylic | Bonding metal, glass and plastic in place of screws and rivets | 3M VHB tape |
| Transfer tape | None: adhesive on a liner | Usually acrylic | Mounting paper and graphics, splicing, framing | Transfer tape |
| Filament tape | Film reinforced with fiberglass strands | Synthetic rubber | Heavy cartons, bundling and palletizing | Filament tape |
| Water-activated tape | Kraft paper, often reinforced | Starch, activated by water | Tamper-evident carton sealing | Water-activated tape |
| Flatback tape | Smooth, uncreped paper | Rubber | Carton sealing, splicing, tabbing and printed labels | Flatback tape |
| Floor marking tape | Vinyl | Rubber | Marking aisles, lanes and hazard zones | Floor marking tape |
| Aluminum foil tape | Aluminum foil | Acrylic | Duct seams, heat shielding and vapor barriers | Foil tape |
| Polyimide tape | Polyimide film, often called Kapton | Silicone | High-heat masking for soldering and powder coating | Polyimide tape |
How tape is made: backing, adhesive and liner
Nearly every tape on this page is a pressure-sensitive tape: a flexible strip of film, paper, cloth, foil or foam coated on one or both sides with an adhesive that stays tacky at room temperature and sticks with light finger pressure, with no water, heat or solvent needed. The adhesive is usually natural or synthetic rubber, acrylic or silicone. Double-sided tapes add a release liner that peels away before use, and thickness is given in mils, thousandths of an inch. Water-activated tape is the exception: its starch adhesive does nothing until it is wetted.
Packaging tapes
Packing tape, also called carton sealing tape, is biaxially oriented polypropylene film with one of two adhesives. Hot melt grades are sold on holding power, including on recycled cartons; acrylic grades are sold on clarity and on resisting aging, UV light and yellowing. For heavy boxes, filament tape reinforces polypropylene or polyester film with fiberglass strands and is rated by the inch: 3M's 893 holds 300 lb per inch of width. Water-activated tape is kraft paper with a starch adhesive that bonds into the box fibers, so it tears the box if someone peels it, a built-in tamper seal. Flatback tape has a smooth paper backing that takes printing for labels and color codes. The acrylic vs hot melt guide and the carton sealing vs water-activated guide go deeper.
Masking and painting tapes
Masking tape is crepe paper with a rubber adhesive; the crinkled backing tears by hand and bends around curves. It protects surfaces from overspray and handles labeling, bundling and holding. Painter's tape is the same idea with an adhesive made to release cleanly from painted walls for days or weeks, and most resist sunlight. The painter's tape vs masking tape guide lists each maker's removal window.
Cloth tapes: duct and gaffer
Duct tape is polyethylene film laminated to a cloth mesh with a rubber adhesive. It is water-resistant and tough, and its adhesive is aggressive, so it suits repairs, patching and bundling more than finished surfaces. Gaffer tape is a matte cotton cloth tape with a synthetic rubber adhesive made to come off cleanly, the standard for taping cables on stages and sets. The gaffer tape guide compares the two.
Electrical tape
Electrical tape is a stretchy PVC vinyl tape with a rubber resin adhesive, made to insulate wire splices and connections. General-purpose grades are listed to UL 510, which covers insulating tape for use at up to 600 volts, and colored grades mark wires and phases. Which color marks which phase depends on local electrical codes and practice.
Mounting and bonding tapes
Double-sided tape is a carrier of film, tissue, paper or foam coated with adhesive on both sides and protected by a liner, used to mount and join parts without screws or other visible fasteners. Foam tapes use a polyethylene, urethane or acrylic foam carrier that fills gaps on rough or uneven surfaces. VHB, short for Very High Bond, is 3M's acrylic foam tape, introduced in 1980 to replace screws, rivets and welds. Transfer tape has no carrier at all: it is a film of adhesive on a liner that stays behind when the liner peels away, and ATG versions load into a handheld applicator. The double-sided tape removal guide covers taking them off.
Specialty tapes: foil, polyimide and floor marking
Aluminum foil tape pairs foil with an acrylic adhesive for HVAC duct seams, heat shielding and vapor barriers; for duct closures, use a tape listed to UL 181. Polyimide tape, often called Kapton tape after the film's brand name, uses a silicone adhesive for high-heat masking in soldering and powder coating, and 3M rates its polyimide tapes to 500°F. Floor marking tape is vinyl, about 5 mil for general grades and much thicker for heavy traffic. OSHA requires permanent aisles to be appropriately marked but sets no aisle color, while its color standard makes red the color for danger and yellow the color for caution and physical hazards.
How to choose a tape
- Sealing boxes: packing tape, filament tape for heavy loads, or water-activated tape for tamper evidence.
- Painting: painter's tape; masking tape for short, rough jobs.
- Repairs and bundling: duct tape, or filament tape where strength matters.
- Cables on floors and stages: gaffer tape.
- Wiring: UL-listed vinyl electrical tape.
- Mounting: double-sided or foam tape, VHB for permanent bonds, transfer tape for paper and graphics.
- Heat: foil tape for ducts and heat shields, polyimide tape for soldering and powder coating.
- Warehouse floors: floor marking tape.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of tape?
Packing tape, masking and painter's tape, duct and gaffer tape, electrical tape, double-sided, foam, VHB and transfer tape for mounting, filament and water-activated tape for cartons, and specialty tapes such as foil, polyimide and floor marking tape.
What is the strongest type of tape?
It depends on the job. For holding weight in tension, filament tape is rated by the inch, and 3M's 893 holds 300 lb per inch of width. For bonding parts permanently, acrylic foam tapes such as 3M VHB were made to replace screws, rivets and welds.
What is the difference between packing tape and duct tape?
Packing tape is a thin polypropylene film made to seal boxes. Duct tape is polyethylene film laminated to cloth mesh with an aggressive rubber adhesive, made for patching, bundling and repairs rather than sealing cartons.
What is VHB tape?
VHB, short for Very High Bond, is 3M's double-sided acrylic foam tape, introduced in 1980 to bond metal, glass and plastic in place of screws, rivets and welds.
What is transfer tape?
Adhesive transfer tape is a layer of adhesive on a release liner, with no carrier. You press it down and peel the liner away, leaving only adhesive, which makes it good for mounting paper, photos and graphics.
Should you use duct tape on air ducts?
No. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found ordinary cloth duct tape failed faster than every other duct sealant it tested. For duct seams, use foil tape or another sealant listed to UL 181.
Related tools and charts
- Painter's tape vs masking tape
- What is gaffer tape?
- How to remove double-sided tape
- Tape mil thickness guide
Sources: Pressure Sensitive Tape Council; 3M, Shurtape and Intertape Polymer Group product pages and data sheets; UL 510 and UL 181; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.144 and 1910.176; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory duct sealant testing; NIST. Checked October 28, 2026.