Selecting the best boxes and packaging material is important for any move. You may not think about it, but selecting the right kind of tape to secure your valuables and seal your boxes is just as important. The wrong kind of tape can cost you some unnecessary frustration when your valuables are damaged during your move or even compromised while in storage.
You may think that picking up a couple rolls of whatever you find at the corner store will do the job, but think again. Careful consideration must be taken when choosing tape because all tapes are not created equal.
Your best option would be to purchase your tape from a moving company or storage facility. These will most likely be labelled for “moving or “storage”, and will feature an acrylic adhesive for a strong hold.
Here are some factors to consider when purchasing tape:
Quality
Experimenting with several types of tape at home will help you learn about your options, and enable you to select the best one. When searching for tape take into consideration:
Adhesiveness
Does it stick well to your materials? Can it be repositioned easily? How does it hold up in different temperatures? Does it have “release coating” that prevents the end of the tape from re-bonding with the roll?
Strength
The thickness of the tape and the composition of its adhesives and backing material will determine how much weight it can support.
Handling
If you don’t have to wrestle with your tape or fuss with it to keep it from splitting at the ends or re-bonding from the roll it’s probably a good roll of tape.
You may also want to take into consideration whether you’re using the tape for short-term moving and shipping, or long-term storage. There are tapes specially designed for these purposes and are usually labelled likewise.
Strength
Popular packaging tapes range between 1.9 millimetre and 3.1 millimetres in thickness. You may want to use thinner tapes for light boxes and the thicker ones for your heavier boxes.
The following is a list of tape types that you may consider using for your moving and storage purposes:
Filament/strapping tape
Filament tapes are made with fibreglass strands that provide added support for your boxes that may be manhandled during the move, or exposed to cold or heat while in storage. These tapes are available in grades ranging from 100 to 300 pounds, the higher the grade the stronger the hold.
Gummed Paper Tape
Water-activated gummed paper tape forms a sturdy, permanent bond that can’t be removed without blemishing the cardboard container. Gummed paper tape is known to strengthen boxes, making it an ideal choice for heavy containers and long-term storage. It is an excellent choice for boxes that will be stored in extremes or heat, cold and humidity.
Duct Tape
You may want to use duct tape because it’s rubber adhesive sticks to everything and its backing is waterproof. It may not be the best tape for packing and moving since it doesn’t bond well with cardboard. Its adhesive is also messy to deal with in the heat and it tends to leave plenty residues.
Masking Tape
Masking tape is popular for many reasons. It sticks and resists water, it’s easy to write on with pens and markers and it peels and tears easily. But its best use would probably be for labelling since it’s not suitable for sealing and securing your boxes.
Cellophane/Scotch tape
The world’s first transparent, lightly-sticky adhesive tape is used every home and office around the world for sealing envelopes, wrapping gifts and other simple uses. This tape may only be used to label your boxes or to securing your valuables with tissue paper because it’s no good for sealing boxes
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