Gaffer Tape

What is Gaffer Tape?

Gaffer tape is a heavy cotton cloth pressure-sensitive tape with strong adhesive properties. It is widely used in theater, photography, film and television production, and industrial staging work.

While similar to and often confused with duct tape, it differs in the composition of both the backing, which is made from fabric as opposed to vinyl or other plastics, and the adhesive, which is usually rubber-based, more resistant to heat and allows easier removal without damaging the surface to which it was adhered.

Gaffer tape is manufactured in many colors, including fluorescent and custom colors, but perhaps the most common variety is matte black. Gaffer tape is strong yet can be torn by hand, so no cutting tools are necessary, and it can easily be ripped into narrower strips when desired. The synthetic adhesive typically leaves little or no residue and will generally not damage most surfaces when it is removed.

A common application for gaffer tape is securing cables to a stage floor, podium, or other surface, either for safety or concealment. It is also frequently used whenever a quick ad hoc fix is required, from temporarily attaching fixtures or props, to salvaging a broken piece of production equipment.