The Best (And Worst) Kinds of Tape For Moving and Packing Boxes

Strong and functional boxes and packing materials are essential for any move. Choosing the wrong kinds of tape for your move can be a disaster. 

Whether it happens during transit, storage, or packing, broken tape can cause frustration, waste time and money, or even cause harm to people. Packing up fragile items for moving to a new place or storage unit is stressful enough, which is why so many of us are tempted to reach for the first roll of tape we find. 

But commercial relocation experts like Everett Morizen of Blocker Transfer & Storage of St. Petersburg, FL, warn us to “buy your tape from a moving company or a storage facility like U-Haul or PODs. That way, you know you’re getting a good-quality, industrial-strength product.”

The Best Tape for Packing and Moving Boxes – Key Takeaways 

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• The best tape for packing boxes is labeled for either “moving” or “storage” and features an acrylic adhesive.
• Shipping tape is often referred to as packaging tape, and is better for sealing packages before mailing them.
• Packing tape is also referred to as storage tape.
• Storage or packing tape is designed to hold for long-term storage in fluctuating temperatures without losing its adhesive quality.

Today’s market provides a variety of quality tapes that might be ideal in one situation but not another. Are you moving your boxes to your new pad only to unpack them immediately, or are you planning on storing them long-term? 

Let’s take a closer look at the types of packing tape–the best tape for packing boxes depends on the situation. 

Shipping Tape vs Packing Tape

Shipping and packing tape look the same at first glance, but they’re not only different but also intended for use in distinct situations. 

• Shipping tape is lighter and thinner, as its core function is for taping up small, lighter boxes you’re sending in the mail.
• Shipping tape can withstand plenty of handling but may not survive the rugged conditions of long-term storage.
• Packing tape, also sold as storage tape, is designed to survive up to 10 years of heat, cold, and humidity without cracking or losing its adhesive quality. Packing tape is the best tape for packing boxes.

Shipping tape and packing tape/storage tape can all be referred to as packaging tape, but not all packaging tape is the same. That’s why it’s so important to seek out a tape specifically labeled for moving or storage boxes.

Or as Ehrich Braunschweig, senior product development specialist for 3M-Scotch brands, explains it: “The first step for choosing the right tape for your situation is to determine if you are packing boxes for short-term moving and shipping or long-term storage.”

The Best Tape For Moving Boxes

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In our experience, the ideal tape for boxes that are being moved from one location to another is Scotch Tough Grip Moving Packaging Tape, a clear tape that can hold up to 80 pounds of weight per box. 

Moving and packaging tape, also called mover’s tape, maintains a firm grip on all types of cardboard surfaces, making it the best tape for packing, moving, and even some light storage.

The Best Tape For Storage Boxes

The best tape for boxes you’re storing long term is a long-term storage tape with an acrylic adhesive, such as Scotch Long Lasting Storage Packaging Tape.

 “Long-lasting” or “long-term storage”  tape typically costs you more per roll. That said, this stuff is engineered to keep boxes sealed for years. Its adhesive quality will hold through extreme temperature swings and other harsh storage conditions. 

Choosing the Right Quality Packaging Tape For Moving and Storage

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While multiple types of tape can be used for sealing a box, storage tape stands out as the optimal choice for a good packing tape.

“The more aggressive hot-melt chemistries in our Scotch Shipping and Moving tapes have real high strength and last for one to two years,” Braunschweig explains. “If you’re going to be storing something in the basement or storage unit and you want that tape to last for a long, long time, we recommend using our Scotch Moving & Storage Acrylic Tape.”

It’s easy to mix up lighter-duty shipping tape with heavy-duty storage tape, as the difference between them is not easily identifiable by looks alone. Learning more about your tape options, experimenting with different kinds of tapes at home before you move, and reading online reviews are great ways to dial in your product choice. 

Let’s take a look at the three primary components that vary between the different types of tape. 

Adhesion

Adhesion refers to how sticky the tape is. The quality packaging tape ideal for moving boxes stocked with heavy items needs to employ a strong adhesive that can keep your items safe in long-term storage.

• How well does the tape stick to the materials you need to secure?
• What’s the tape’s ideal application temperature?
• Is it easily repositioned?
• Will it hold up to the temperature and humidity extremes in storage?
• Does the tape have a “release coating” on the back to prevent the tape end from rebonding with the tape dispenser?

Strength

The thickness of tape, typically measured in millimeters, and its adhesive strength work together to determine how much box weight it will support. Tensile strength is the measurement of how much weight the tape can handle before breaking.

• Look for quality packaging tape with a tensile strength of 20 pounds or higher, especially for heavy-duty jobs.
• The most common packaging tapes range between 1.9mm for thinner tapes and up to 3.1 mm for heavy-duty packaging tapes.
• Thicker tapes are moderately priced (under $4) for a 38-yard roll of 1.88-inch moving tape, while thinner tapes tend to be less expensive (under $3) for a 55-yard roll of 2mm.
• Major brands that make the strongest tape include Scotch Tape, Duck Tape, Tape King, and U-Haul.

Ease of use

Packing is stressful enough without fighting your tape gun or wasting valuable packing time trying to keep it from splitting or re-bonding with the roll. Look for clear packing tape that can be used with a handheld tape dispenser. An easy-to-use tape gun will save you valuable time and effort packing your boxes.

To speed packing, have an extra roll and tape dispenser handy for your co-packer to avoid swapping the roll of packing tape back and forth.

Other Types of Tape and How to Use Them

Tape manufacturers use various names to help us distinguish different kinds of tape. Knowing the difference between types of tape can help understand when to use–and not to use–each kind of tape.

Heavy-duty packing tape

Heavy-duty packing tape is a clear, acrylic tape equipped with a strong adhesive, making it good packing tape.

Best tape for packing boxes for:

• Long-term self-storage
• Extreme temperatures
• Boxes that need extra support
• Boxes made from recycled material

Movers tape or Box tape

Movers tape refers to tape the packing tape or box tape mentioned above. Packing tape is typically referred to as movers tape due to its ease of use when movers are on the go, thanks to a rapid-fire tape gun (or tape dispenser) design.

Filament or Strapping tape

The fiberglass strands in filament tape provide added support for boxes and bundles that risk getting shaken up during transit or exposed to heat and cold in storage.

Filament tape comes in a variety of grades as determined by the weight they’ll hold, ranging from 100 pounds for general-purpose use to 380 pounds for heavier must-hold situations. It’s also available in a bi-directional pattern where the fiberglass strands crisscross.

“We sell both versions,”  says Braunschweig from 3M-Scotch. “It’s very good for box sealing and shipping and has tons of muscle. You can even pull your car with it!”

• Size: A 60-yard roll of 2″ wide filament tape will assemble 10-15 boxes.
• Major brands: Duck, Scotch, Universal.
• Cost: $5 to $15 a roll

Gummed paper tape

Unlike pressure-sensitive paper or poly tape, water-activated gummed paper tape, which you typically wet with a dispenser or sponge, creates a strong, permanent bond that can’t be removed without visibly scarring the cardboard container. 

It is also available with crisscrossed filament reinforcement for extra strength. The obvious downside of old-school gummed paper tape is that you have to wet it before you can use it and splashing water on your moving boxes isn’t typically an ideal scenario.

Gummed paper tape is so strong that it strengthens the box, making it an ideal choice for:

• Heavy containers
• Long-term storage
• Cartons that will be stored in extreme climates, heat, cold and/or humidity.

Duct tape

Duct tape features an ingenious combination of a sticks-to-everything rubber adhesive with a durable waterproof backing you can tear with your bare hands. earned it a reputation as the versatile tape for all seasons. 

Duct tape falls short for packing and moving purposes because it doesn’t adhere particularly well to cardboard, its sticky adhesive can be messy to unpack in heat, and it leaves a residue if you remove it, should you plan to keep your boxes.

• Size: a 45-yard standard roll of 1.88-inch-wide duct tape will seal 6-8 boxes.
• Cost: $5 to $10 a roll.
• Major brands: 3M, Duck, Uline.

Brown paper packaging tape

The familiar self-sticking brown paper packaging tape has one advantage over its competition: it tears by hand. Unfortunately, the cost of that convenience is insecurity. 

Paper tape won’t protect your belongings from the blunt trauma that typically comes with moving. Not only does paper tape rip and puncture easily, but it also disintegrates when it gets wet, as paper tape isn’t waterproof. Paper packaging tape is best used for:

• Lightweight boxes (under 30 pounds)
• Short, fast moves

Masking tape

It’s easy to understand why this thin, light-beige workhorse is so popular–masking tape takes pen and ink like paper and peels and tears easily.  True to its name, it is unparalleled at masking off straight lines when painting. 

But due to its composition and weak adhesive, masking tape doesn’t seal much. Masking tape is best used for:

• Labeling a box’s contents rather than securing them.
• Bundling loose items inside of a box

Labeled tape

Labeled tape, such as SmartMove Tape, features printed room labels on color-specific poly packaging tape. With color-coded labeled tape that reads “Kitchen” or “Bedroom,” you can label and seal your boxes in one tape gun-stroke. 

Labeled Tape lets you read your box’s destination, regardless of which side is easily visible. U-Haul also makes their version of label tape, the easy-to-write-on EZ Read White Flatback Tape.

Craft tape

We’re not suggesting you trust your valuable packaged items with decorative, writable, matte craft, or washi tape–even on the smallest packages. That said, craft tape is a fun way to:

• Apply clear color-coding to boxes and cables
• Organize shelf screws and disassembled furniture parts, and the small-but-important minutiae that can quickly turn a smooth move chaotic.

Gaffer/Film tape

Gaffer tape is a common type of tape in the entertainment and production industries, theaters, film/music studios, or large production and festival environments. Gaffer tape is a flexible, pressure-sensitive tape used for ‘gaffing’ or pinning clusters of cables to the floor, as gaffer tape sticks well to dusty and dirty surfaces. 

Gaffer tape doesn’t reflect light or leave behind any residue. Gaffer tape makes poor packaging tape simply because of how expensive it is.

Gaffer tape is the best tape for:

• Gaffing on busy production sites
• Bundling cables and cords

Painter’s tape

Painter’s tape is used for, you guessed it, for painting.  Painters use this thin tape to mark the trim and molding around areas they’re putting a fresh coat on to avoid any paint spillage. Painter’s tape is designed to be easily removed without causing damage or leaving any residue behind, and it has an exceptionally weak adhesive that performs that function. 

We don’t suggest substituting painter’s tape for mover’s tape, shipping tape, or storage tape, as it simply won’t stick or seal anything. Painter’s tape is NOT the best tape for packing boxes; it’s better for:

• Painting
• Gluing and dying
• Other DIY home projects

Electrical tape; Insulation tape

Electrical tape, also known as insulation tape, is mainly used to protect and hold electrical cords together. Electrical/insulation tape is flexible, easy to undo, and can be repositioned, making it the perfect tool for installing electronic devices or sealing exposed wires.

Cellophane tape

Now more commonly known as Scotch tape, the world’s first transparent, lightly adhesive tape is widely used in homes and offices around the world for sealing envelopes and gift wrapping. The matte version of cellophane tape is even functional for label-making.

“Some of the office tapes do have different adhesives, but they’re probably not as aggressive for packing,” says Braunschweig. “Plus, the width is only ¾-inch versus the 1.8-inch packaging tape. It would be hard to keep the seals of a cardboard box closed just by the width alone.”

When it comes to moving, you can use the classic cellophane Scotch tape to:

• Secure tissue paper when wrapping fragile items like pint glasses and mugs.

Moving and Storage Tape FAQs

Choosing the Best Tape For Moving and Storing Boxes

To keep your boxes sealed tightly during your entire move, always use packing tape labeled for moving or storage. Use heavy-duty packing tape for extra heavy boxes or packing boxes away for lengthy storage periods. You want a thick tape that is about 1.9 mil or higher and a strong adhesive equipped for long-term storage in harsh conditions.

That said, the space you store your boxes in has just as much to do with how well-protected your belongings will be during this period of inactivity. Lucky for you, SpareFoot is the largest marketplace for storage, making it more straightforward to move and store your stuff. 

Our website lets you compare the most storage options nationwide. Simply insert your zip code, and we’ll compare and contrast all of your area’s most reputable storage facilities. Our convenient listings will outline all the features and benefits, allowing you to pick the best solution for your specific storage needs.

SpareFoot

SpareFoot is the largest marketplace for storage, making it simpler to move and store your stuff. Our website lets you compare the most storage options nationwide and pick the best solution for your needs, whether it's traditional self-storage or full-service storage.