Packing Tapes & Sealants
Packaging tape is usually used to seal boxes or other items that are either going to be stored or shipped. Whether you need to seal up a moving box or you want to send a gift to a friend, having rolls of tape around will make your job quick and easy. Packing type comes in a variety of strengths and materials for different uses.
What types of packing tapes are there?There are three main types of clear packaging tape available for personal or commercial use:
- Hot-melt and synthetic rubber: This heavy duty clear packing tape is highly break-resistant. It is designed to seal corrugated boxes. It means standard U.S. Postal requirements, so it can be used to seal and send your box.
- Acrylic: This type of tape is also heavy duty and has a strong adhesive that will stick to a corrugated box. It meets U.S. Postal standards, and is recommended for storage boxes that will be stored in various temperatures. This colored or clear packing tape does not yellow over time, allowing you to read any writing underneath.
- Natural rubber: This packing tape is designed to resist extreme weather conditions. It has ultimate adhesion at room temperature. This tape can be used to ship a box or it can be used on boxes that will be going into storage.
Clear packing tape can offer several different features depending on the type and what it is used for:
- Adhesives: The heavy duty adhesives keep the packaging tape on the box. If the adhesives are too weak, the box will not stay closed when moving.
- Width: You can use narrower tape on smaller boxes. Larger boxes will need a wider piece of packaging tape.
- Thickness: The thickness of your roll of tape is important when it comes to heavier boxes. The heavier the box, the thicker the packing tape you need.
- Color: Many types of packing tapes are clear. However, there are some types of tapes that have color to them.
There are several things you should consider when looking for heavy duty packaging tape:
- Application: If you need to store boxes, you want a clear packing tape that can handle sitting in storage. Acrylic packaging type is recommended for this. On the other hand, if you want to ship boxes, you may want to use hot-melt clear packing tape as it is heavy duty and can withstand rough handling.
- Package weight: If your box is on the heavier side, you will need packaging tape that is thicker and stronger. For example, packing tape used on a box that weighs up to 70 pounds should be 2 to 3 mils thick. Packing tape used on a box that is 70 to 100 pounds should be at least 3 mils thick.
- Tape dispenser size: Tape also comes in a dispenser. You want the dispenser to be wide enough to fully secure the box shut. If the dispenser is too narrow, you risk having the box pop open when in transit.