Gaffers Tape Solutions

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Gaffers Tape Solutions

Gaffer tape (also known as gaffer’s tape or gaff tape) is a heavy cotton cloth pressure-sensitive tape with strong adhesive qualities. It is extensively made use of in theatre, photography, movie and television production, and industrial staging work.

While similar to and frequently confused with duct tape, it varies in the composition of both the backing, which is made from a fabric material rather than vinyl or other plastics, and the adhesive, which is more resistant to heat and enables simpler removal without harming the surface to which it was adhered to.

The precise origin of the name is unknown; one theory being that it is called after the gaffer (chief lighting technician) on a film crew.

When cables are taped down onto a stage or other surface, either to prevent tripping hazards or hide them from view of the audience or camera, they are said to be “gaffed” or “gaffered“.

Gaffers Tape Solutions

Industry Standard Tape

  • The Tape The Industry Professionals Use & Rely On
  • Premium Black Gaffers Tape At An Affordable Price

Superior To Duct Tapes

  • Perfect For The Home, Office Or Professional Use
  • No Residue Or Stickiness Is Left When Removed

Premium Gaffers Tape

  • Heavy-duty, flexible and waterproof
  • Extremely strong yet can be easily torn by hand
Gaffers Tape Solutions

Features and Uses Of Gaff Tape

Gaffer tape is made in lots of colors, including fluorescent and custom-made colors, but possibly the most common variety is matte black.

A matte finish stops the tapes from reflecting light making it blends in with a normal stage background or floor. It is sold in a range of widths from 1/4″ to 4″, with the 1″ and 2″ the most common.

Gaffer tape is strong yet can be torn by hand, so no cutting tools are required, it can be quickly ripped into narrower strips when required and is very easy to use. The synthetic or natural adhesive will generally leave little or no residue and will normally not harm the surfaces when it is taken off.

Some surfaces like paper, cardboard and old cheap paint should be avoided as damage or pealing may occur.

Gaffer tape is normally more expensive than duct-tape because it is produced in smaller quantities, has more exacting requirements and is marketed for professional use.

Jobs That Suit Gaffer Tapes

Gaffer tape is one of the most versatile tools at a technician’s disposal, and its uses are limited only by their imagination.

A common jobs gaff tape is used for are; fastening cables to a stage floor, podium, or other surface area, either for safety, security or concealment. It is also regularly made use of whenever a fast impromptu repair is needed, from temporarily securing fixtures or props, to restoring a damaged piece of production equipment.

A thinner variation of gaff-tape, called spike tape, is used in theater productions, to map out the floor layout. When no console or artist tape can be found, live sound engineers or lighting board operators may make use of a strip of white gaff-tape along the bottom of a mixing board. This label helps them to identify the right channels or submasters to use for a particular show.

It is also extensively used by audio-visual departments in hotels and conference centers for fastening wires to podiums and stages.

Non-Reflective Gaffer TapeIt can likewise be used as a waterproof packaging tape and some grades even fulfill packaging certification standards such as ASTM D5486.

Gaffer’s tape is frequently found in indoor climbing, for marking climbing routes and in music circles. Some percussionists as well as some bassists players, use it to protect their fingertips from impact during performances.

Gaffer Tape is truly an amazing product that has many everyday applications. It should be an automatic inclusion in anyone’s home, office or workplace toolbox.


Gaffers Tape Solutions Information

Gaffer tape, or gaffer’s tape as it’s also referred to, is a specialized tape that is used primarily in film and movie productions, theater, and photography environments. The “Gaffer Tape” is named after the person who typically heads up the electrical department in the film industry. It has a countless number of uses and applications, both within the performing arts sector and beyond.

Because of its standard non-reflective surface (a matte black finish), gaffer-tape can be used for marking positions, whether on a film set or a theater stage. Its readily available in a variety of colors and sizes and production crews use it without needing to worry about it impacting on a scene.

Using tapes like this for marking out a stage is generally used with a gaffer product called with a special name “Spike Tape”. It’s a thinner tape (and offered in many colours) and utilised specifically in creating marks or spots on the theatre or concert stage floor.

Gaffer tapes are also used in a safety or security role. By covering loose wires that are typically placed across a stage or set, you greatly reduce a potential tripping hazard. With an adhesive made from high quality synthetic rubber, it comes off clean when you remove it, leaving behind no sticky glue residue, unlike its messier cousin, duct-tape. That saves on clean-up time of your cables and floor surfaces for which cleaning may not be suitable (such as carpeting).

The residue-free quality makes it popular with hotels and convention centers when they set up and pack away conference or meeting room. When sound or extension cables are laid, to a podium or lectern for example, gaffer tapes are normally not too far away. At the end of the event or day, when the extension cords and cables are being rolled up, the tape is always easy to pulled off, leaving no evidence that it was ever there.

With its relatively high strength and durability, road crews also make use of gaffer-tape to secure heavy items such as cameras and video equipment. Surprisingly, gaffer-tape tears very easily when you tear across the surface, however is very strong lengthwise. This means it’s easy to apply and you don’t have to search for, or grab a cutting knife when you need to cut off a section. It’s also strong enough to hang equipment up with.

Other characteristics of gaffer-tape include; a fabric-backing (normally made from a cotton cloth) strength and flexibility. Good flexibility is important due to the fact that when taping you need to shape it over cables and extension cords that might kink as they’re laid.

Due to the complexity of it’s composition, Gaffer-Tape is more expensive than Duct-Tape. However the additional benefits and superior qualities are clear. Given it’s strength, flexibility, adhesive that does not leave any residue behind, cloth backing, heat resistance and waterproof nature it does justify the higher price.

As a special introductory offer Gaffers Tape Solutions are offering a premium black non-reflective professional Gaffers-tape at $2.97 off a roll for a limited time. Only one per customer and for a short time only.

Discount code number – E58GJRTB

Use this code on the Gaffers Tape Solutions Amazon page to claim your discounted Gaffer-Tape.

Choosing which adhesive-backed tape product is best for you can be hard and confusing. Resolving the problem without spending extra money or producing more problems down the road is a challenge. If you’re not exactly sure which tape is right for you, ask these concerns:

Is Using Tape The Best Solution For Your Problem? What Qualities Should It Have?

If you are securing something temporarily, like a cable television to the floor, then you might not want the most aggressive adhesive available. Gaffers tape is the best product for this application, because it is strong enough to offer you lots of holding power, yet the adhesive is not so strong that it is going to harm the surface it is attached to. Duct tape works fine for this purpose, however has a more aggressive adhesive, which may, in many cases, damage the surface it is connected to when it is removed.

If you are attempting to make a permanent repair work, then you should consider the most aggressive adhesive offered, although be aware that it might leave adhesive residue or damage the surface area it is attached to. If you don’t intend on taking the tape off, then this should not be a concern. Duct tape is fantastic for making repair works, as it is durable, water resistant, conforms well to the surface and is truly sticky.

How Long Do You Need The Tape To last?

If your use for the tape is something very temporary, like a label, then an item with a non-aggressive adhesive might satisfy your needs. These items are normally more economical to buy, but they are not suited to an environment, where they will be exposed to water, sunlight, or other caustic substances.

If your need is for something more permanent, then you will certainly need to think about a tape with some sort of fabric reinforcement. Gaffer’s tape contains true cotton cloth and obtains its strength from the tight weave of cotton fibers. Duct tape is a vinyl tape with fiber reinforcing, however is not a true fabric. Both will certainly offer a stronger bond than either paper or vinyl-only tapes.

Is Cost Important In Your Final Decision?

Customers are usually shocked at the cost when they initially consider whether to use Duct tape or Gaffer’s tape. It can be hard to understand the true value of Gaffer compare to Duct, as that appears virtually identical but costs can be greatly different.

It takes only a minute of dealing with the two items to comprehend the expense difference. Gaffer’s tape is made of real cotton fabric, a woven item that gains excellent strength and more constant handling characteristics from this real fabric base. It tears straight, no matter how brief the piece, doesn’t stretch like duct tape, and essential, does not reflect light.

The non-reflective nature of gaffers tape may be its finest characteristic. It allows you to make invisible repair work, a repair that will not appear even in the intense lights of television and film work. It is also readily available in many colors, once again giving it a benefit in making an invisible repair service or in matching your carpet.

Is There Damage Done When The Tape Removed?

One of the features, that gives gaffers tape a competitive edge over its rivals, is the quality of its adhesive. While nearly any tape will leave a residue if left in place long enough, in an extremely hot or damp environment, gaffers tape is much less likely to leave a glue residue that will need to be cleaned up later on.

These are some intriguing duct tape facts:

(- DT stands for Duct Tape)

  1. DT is such a popular product that the quantity offered every year could stretch to the moon 1.2 times or wrap around the equator 12.3 times.
  1. It was initially made by the Permacel Division of Johnson and Johnson for the United States military throughout World War II
  1. Originally made use of to keep wetness from ammunition cases, the water-proof tape likewise made the name “duck” tape. Soldiers swiftly started utilizing the Military green colored tape to fix their guns, jeeps, airplane and other products.
  1. After World War II, building employees found the tape worked well to link heating and air-conditioning ducts together. The tape color also altered from green to silver to match the ductwork.
  1. The finished product is made of 3 layers: the leading layer is a plastic element; the middle layer is a mesh made from fabric; the bottom layer is a rubber-based adhesive.
  1. You do not require scissors to cut it and it can be ripped with your bare hands. But DT folded onto it self can draw a 2,000-pound car from a ditch.
  1. You can make nearly anything. Tuxedos, prom gowns, handbags, shoes, wallets and belts have all been constructed out of DT. DT can even be used to fixs cars.
  1. It was notoriously use by NASA throughout the Apollo 13 flight, when DT assisted to seal the makeshift device to eliminate CO2 from the paralyzed ship. DT is taken on all NASA flights
  1. Regardless of its name, a test by the Berkeley Laboratory in 1998 revealed it as a bad option for sealing and fixing A/C ducts. According to the research, over a long-term period of time, it “consistently failed and often catastrophically.”
  1. Springfield, Missouri, is the unofficial DT Capital of the World, asserting to have actually offered more DT per capita than other location worldwide and boasting a Walmart that has more sales than other store.
  1. Leading producer Henkel offered 873 million backyards of its brand of DT in 2005. That’s enough to stretch the length of the Great Wall of China 119 times.
  1. Every year, DT brand holds a contest where high-school students produce prom dresses out of, yes, DT. The winner gets a $3,000 scholarship for college.
  1. Famous people who have actually found uncommon uses for it consist of Red Eco-friendly, The A-Team, and MacGyver.
  1. In Avon, Ohio, a DT Festival has actually been going on annually for three years. There you can see DT art, crafts, clothing, and take part in video games involving DT. DT is made in Avon. Part of the celebration is the crowning of the annual “DT Daddy of the Year.” The festival also features music, a comedy act and an opportunity for celebration goers to create their own unique crafts.
  1. America has counted on DT to aid in safeguarding versus attacks from terrorists. Whether the attack is chemical or biological or radiological, DT can help. According to CNN, after Fire Administrator David Paulison laid out a list of items that might be useful in home defense, sales soared.
  1. When DT was initially introduced into the American market in the late 1940s it was a problem for merchants since the tape was so sticky that the rolls would stick together and be extremely hard to separate. In the early 1970s the Manco Business began selling it in shrink-wrapped plastic which helped the retailers to sell the product.


Gaffer tape is the single most useful repair work tool you can carry on a backpacking journey, bar none,” claims Kristin Hostetter, Backpacker magazine reporter and author of Don’t Forget The Duct Tape: Tips and Tricks For Repairing Outdoor Gear, 2nd ed. Below are a few inventive methods you might use on your next hiking/camping journey.

  • Got a rip in your raincoat or backpack? Tape it up.
  • Forgot your sunglasses leash? Your spoon? You can construct just about anything with a little imagination and a little duct-tape.
  • Zipper broken? Make a sturdy zipper pull by threading a thing strip of duct-tape through the slider, then wrapping the tails with more duct-tape strips
  • Sore hips? If your pack’s hip belt starts chaffing during a trip, tape a tee shirt or some other piece of soft clothes to each pad of the hip belt.
  • Boot soles flapping? When re-gluing a boot sole, a couple of turns of duct-tape can keep the toe area safe while the glue dries
  • Utilizing a shower curtain or polyethylene for a groundsheet? Cut long strips of duct-tape in half lengthwise. Then fold the strips over the edges of the groundsheet. This will stop the edges from tearing or fraying.
  • Skiers snowboarders and snowshoes merely need to carry a supply of duct-tape, which can be a lifesaver in the case of a blown binding or a bent or busted pole.
  • Closer encounter with a cactus? Gently press a piece of duct-tape to the spine-covered body part and draw out the spines with one quick pull.
  • Backpacking cooking stove not sitting right on the ground? For more stability, cut a square of old closed-cell foam pad sized to fit the base of your cooker. Wrap the foam generously with tape for insulation, and you have a steady cooking platform that works fantastic in the snow.
Duct-Tape Idea: Wrap a good amount of duct-tape around the middle of a hiking pole, trekking staff, or flashlight, and leave the large roll behind in the car.

Testimonials And Reviews

Amazon Review by Steve Douglas

Gaffers Tape Solutions: Professional Matte…The one to get.

I’ve been a Videographer/Editor for 30 years now with filming done for National Geographic, History and Disney channels as well as many other shoots from around the world.

Gaffers tape is an important part of any cinematographer’s tool chest to tape down audio cables, light stands and their cables as well as a ton of other things. Seeing a light tumble over and break, which I have, because someone tripped over a light cable, can break your heart and hurt your wallet big time.

There is a good reason why the use of masking tape and duct tape is not a smart idea though, if you had no other choice you might use these tapes. Both duct tape and masking tape leave an undesirable residue on both flooring and carpets. If you are shooting in someone’s home or in a studio, the last thing you want is a complaint about the residue and marks that these tapes can leave.

That is why a shooter wants to use a good quality gaffers tape. Unfortunately, not all Gaffer’s tapes are of equal quality. Forest Premium Goods‘ tape really is excellent and if I hadn’t received it in exchange for a review, I would not have known of it. Glad I do now as I have used it multiple times on multiple surfaces including rugs, wood floors, wooden boards set up to be stages and even cement and tile.

I love that it leaves no residual residue but most gaffer’s tape do not. However, other brands I have used will often leave residue on my cables which really bugs me as I like to keep all my cables, whether they be XLR cables, lighting cables and a variety of other cables all extremely clean and free of dirt or any sticky substance that might be picked up.

The main difference to regular gaffer tape is that this gaffers tape has a matte surface, which looks material like once applied to your surfaces. This makes for a neater look and it does not create light reflections like the regular PVC gaffer tape does.

It is waterproof and heat resistant. I recently had to use it on stage to hold in a cable where there was something wrong with the fitting. The light burned hot but when the shoot was over, the tape did not feel as if it absorbed heat at all and was in no danger of melting itself. All my cables felt clean and free of sticky glue which enabled me to quickly loop them back up and stow away.

If you looked behind my editing bay you might see a spaghetti bowl of computer, monitor, external hard drive, Raid and audio cables. I used this Gaffers tape to neaten everything up and despite the terrible humidity San Diego has endured lately, the tape feels great to the touch and has made all my cabling a whole lot neater looking. Even if it is unconscious, this neatness has a positive effect upon the clients that come to see finished work or to interview me for a potential shooting job.

As I said, there are many brands of gaffers tape but this is definitely one of the better ones. I will continue using it and will buy more when my roll has been depleted.

I do hope that this review has been of some help to you in deciding upon your purchase,

Thanks for reading.

Steve Douglas.

Amazon Review Page

Gaffers Tape Solutions