Duct tape is a strong, cloth reinforced tape that tears by hand and grips well, which makes it the usual choice for repairs, bundling and heavy duty sealing. Gaffer tape looks much the same on the roll, so the two get mixed up, but it is built for a different job. Here is how to tell them apart before you buy.
Pack Solution stocks Duct Tape 48mm x 50m in black and silver/grey, plus the packing tapes you would use on parcels. We do not stock gaffer tape. Where this guide covers it, that is general advice only. Everything we do sell is in the tapes collection.
In This Guide
- Quick Picks: Duct Tape and the Tapes Around It
- What Is Duct Tape and What Is It Used For?
- Duct Tape vs Gaffer Tape: The Main Differences
- Gaffer Tapes Explained, and What We Stock Instead
- Duct Tape Colours: Black, Silver/Grey, White and Brown
- Duct Tape vs Packing Tape for Parcels
- How to Use Duct Tape Cleanly
- Duct Tape Buying Checklist
- Wrap-Up: Choosing the Right Tape
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Picks: Duct Tape and the Tapes Around It
Pick duct tape for repairs, bundling and rough jobs. Pick brown or clear packing tape for sealing boxes.
Best for repairs, bundling and heavy duty sealing
Duct Tape 48mm x 50m
Cloth reinforced duct tape that tears by hand, sold per roll in black or silver/grey with bulk pricing.
- 48mm x 50m rolls
- Black or silver/grey
- Cloth reinforced, tears by hand
- Sold per roll
From £4.50 ex VAT (£5.40 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for sealing brown cardboard boxes
Brown Packing Tape
Buff coloured polypropylene tape that blends in with brown cartons, with standard, low noise and wide options.
- Packs of 6 rolls
- 48mm x 66m to 48mm x 150m, plus Proloc 72mm x 66m
- Acrylic adhesive, 42mu on standard rolls
- Two low noise options
From £4.50 ex VAT (£5.40 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for parcels with labels and printing
Clear Packing Tape
Transparent tape that does not hide labels, barcodes or printing, in widths from 24mm to 72mm.
- Packs of 6 rolls
- 24mm, 48mm and 72mm widths
- Acrylic polypropylene, 42mu on standard rolls
- BigTape 48mm x 150m low noise option
From £3.50 ex VAT (£4.20 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productKey Facts
- Duct tape is cloth reinforced and tears by hand, so no scissors are needed for quick lengths.
- Pack Solution sells duct tape in 48mm x 50m rolls, in black and silver/grey, per roll.
- Gaffer tape is a similar cloth tape made to peel off cleanly, but Pack Solution does not stock it.
- Brown and clear packing tape are the right tapes for sealing cardboard boxes and parcels.
- Our packing tapes come in packs of 6 rolls, with widths from 24mm to 72mm.
- Prices are shown ex VAT, and the price per roll falls as you buy more.
What Is Duct Tape and What Is It Used For?
Duct tape is a cloth reinforced tape used for repairs, bundling and heavy duty sealing. The cloth layer gives it strength, and it tears by hand without a knife.
Strong and easy to tear, it ends up in workshops, garages, site vans and event kits. Typical jobs include:
- Quick repairs and maintenance around the workshop or home.
- Bundling and securing items, such as cables, poles and loose kit.
- Heavy duty sealing where you need more grip than a standard packing tape.
- Home, garage and garden fixes.
The tape on our listing is 48mm wide with 50m on every roll, so each strip covers a wide area. It is sold per roll, so you can buy one for the toolbox or stock up for a team with bulk pricing.
Good to know: duct tape is a repair and bundling tape. Packing tape is the better choice for sealing parcels.
Duct Tape vs Gaffer Tape: The Main Differences
The main difference is the finish and the way each tape comes off. Duct tape is made for grip and strength. Gaffer tape is made to be removed cleanly without leaving sticky residue behind.
Both are cloth based and both tear by hand, which is why they look alike. This table sets out the usual differences:
| Feature | Duct tape | Gaffer tape |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Repairs, bundling and heavy duty sealing | Securing cables and kit on stages, sets and events |
| Surface finish | Often a shiny, coated surface | Usually a matt, non-reflective cloth finish |
| Removal | Strong grip, and it can leave residue | Designed to peel off cleanly |
| Tears by hand | Yes | Yes |
| Sold by Pack Solution | Yes, 48mm x 50m, black and silver/grey | No |
If the tape is staying put and you do not mind a tougher job removing it, duct tape is the better value. If it has to come off a floor, a cable or a prop and leave nothing behind, you want gaffer tape.
Gaffer Tapes Explained, and What We Stock Instead
Gaffer tape is a matt cloth tape that stage crews, film sets and event teams use to fix cables and equipment to floors and walls. It reflects little light and lifts off without a sticky mess, which is why those trades rely on it.
Gaffer tapes are sold in several colours. Black is the standard, and brown gaffer tape is also made, to blend in with wooden floors and set pieces. Pack Solution does not sell gaffer tape in any colour, so we cannot supply either.
For fixing, bundling or repairs, our duct tape does the job. If the tape must leave no residue on a stage floor, buy gaffer tape from a specialist supplier instead of substituting duct tape.
When Duct Tape Is a Fine Substitute
- Bundling cables or poles that will not be reused soon.
- Temporary fixes in a workshop, garage or garden.
- Kit cases and equipment boxes where residue does not matter.
- Marking or grouping items in a warehouse.
Duct Tape Colours: Black, Silver/Grey, White and Brown
We sell duct tape in two colours, black and silver/grey, both 48mm x 50m. Choose by where the tape will be seen, since strength and size are the same in each.
| Colour | Where it suits | Pack Solution stocks it |
|---|---|---|
| Black duct tape | Blends in on dark surfaces, cases, cables and kit | Yes, 48mm x 50m |
| Silver/Grey duct tape | The classic look for general repairs, bundling and workshop use | Yes, 48mm x 50m |
| White duct tape | Light coloured surfaces and walls | No |
| Brown colored duct tape | Wooden or brown surfaces | No |
Black Duct Tape
Black duct tape sits well on dark cases, cables, bags and equipment, so a repair does not draw the eye. If you want duct tape black color for a neat finish on dark kit, this is the roll.
Silver/Grey Duct Tape
Silver/grey is the traditional look and the usual pick for the workshop drawer. Some teams buy a roll of each colour, using one for repairs and the other to mark or group items.
White and Brown Colours
We do not stock white duct tape or brown colored duct tape. If you need white or brown to match a wall or a box, a packing tape is often the closer match. Brown packing tape suits brown cartons, and clear tape disappears on almost any surface.
Duct Tape vs Packing Tape for Parcels
Packing tape is the right tape for parcels. It is made for sealing cardboard boxes, and it comes in brown and clear to suit the box and the label.
A cloth tape is more than a parcel needs, and it is not designed for the quick, repeated sealing that packing tape handles. Keep duct tape for jobs that need extra grip, such as reinforcing a damaged box.
Brown Packing Tape
Our Brown Packing Tape comes in packs of 6 rolls and its buff colour matches brown cartons. The standard 48mm x 66m and 48mm x 132m rolls are acrylic polypropylene, 42mu, and there is a wide Proloc 72mm x 66m roll for larger cartons. BigTape 48mm x 150m and Vibac 835 Buff are low noise options for shared packing areas.
Clear Packing Tape
Our Clear Packing Tape is transparent, so it does not hide box labels, barcodes or printing. It comes in packs of 6 rolls, in 24mm, 48mm and 72mm widths, which suits a box with printing you want to keep visible.
| Job | Best tape |
|---|---|
| Sealing a standard cardboard box | 48mm brown or clear packing tape |
| Large or heavy carton | Proloc 72mm x 66m brown or clear |
| Small parcel or padded envelope | 24mm x 66m clear packing tape |
| Repair, bundling or reinforcing | Duct tape 48mm x 50m |
| Tape that must peel off cleanly | Gaffer tape from a specialist, or masking tape for light jobs |
For more on choosing a packing tape, read our guide to picking packaging tape, and our guide to clear packing tape.
How to Use Duct Tape Cleanly
Tear the tape to length, press it down firmly and work from one end. For a tidy repair or bundle:
- Clean and dry the surface so the adhesive grips.
- Pull out a length and tear it by hand, which is easier than finding scissors.
- Press one end down first, then smooth the tape along its length to push out air.
- Overlap a second strip by a little if you need to cover a wider area.
- Press the tape firmly all along the edges so they do not lift.
A good knife gives a straight, clean cut on a long length and opens a taped box. The Utility Knives range includes a metal retractable model and 18mm models, and a knife is also the safe way to remove tape from a box.
Best for cutting tape and opening boxes
Utility Knives
Three utility knife models for the packing bench, sold per piece with bulk pricing.
- Pacplus MRK metal retractable knife
- Pacplus CPK18 red and black, 18mm
- Kinetix MDC18 snap-off blade, 18mm
From £1.90 ex VAT (£2.28 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productA dispenser speeds up sealing a lot of parcels. Our tape dispensers and tape guns guide explains the options. Our masking tape guide covers the light tape for jobs where something must come off easily.
Good to know: if you plan to remove tape later from paint, wood or a floor, test a small hidden patch first. A strong cloth tape can lift paint or leave marks when it is pulled off.
Duct Tape Buying Checklist
- Decide whether the job is a repair or bundle (duct tape) or a parcel seal (packing tape).
- Choose black for a discreet finish or silver/grey for the classic look.
- Remember that white and brown colours are not in our range.
- Use gaffer tape from a specialist, not duct tape, for any job that needs clean removal.
- Pick 48mm brown or clear packing tape for standard boxes, and 72mm for large cartons.
- Buy extra rolls when you can, since the price per roll drops as the quantity rises.
- Keep a utility knife near the packing bench for cutting and opening.
Wrap-Up: Choosing the Right Tape
Duct tape suits repairs, bundling and heavy duty fixes, packing tape suits parcels, and gaffer tape is only for jobs that need clean removal, bought from a specialist. Orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same working day, and Royal Mail Tracked 48 is free on every order with no minimum. Unused items can be returned within 30 days of delivery. See our shipping policy and returns policy for the details, and browse the full tapes collection to order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between duct tape and gaffer tape?
Duct tape is a strong cloth reinforced tape for repairs, bundling and heavy duty sealing. Gaffer tape is a similar cloth tape with a matt finish, made to peel off cleanly without residue, mostly for stage and event work. Pack Solution sells duct tape but does not stock gaffer tape.
Does Pack Solution sell gaffer tapes?
No. We do not stock gaffer tapes in any colour. We sell duct tape in 48mm x 50m rolls, in black and silver/grey, plus brown and clear packing tape, masking tape and kraft paper tape. For a tape that must leave no residue, buy gaffer tape from a specialist.
What sizes and colours does your duct tape come in?
Our duct tape is 48mm wide with 50m on every roll, and it is sold per roll. There are two colours, black and silver/grey. Both colours are the same size, so choose by where the tape will be seen. Bulk pricing applies as you buy more rolls.
Do you sell white duct tape or brown colored duct tape?
No. Our range is black duct tape and silver/grey duct tape only. If you need white or brown to match a surface or a box, a packing tape may be the closer match, as brown packing tape suits brown cartons and clear tape blends in on most surfaces.
Can I use black duct tape to seal parcels?
You can, but packing tape is the better tool. Black duct tape is a cloth tape built for grip and repairs, and it is slow for repeated sealing. Use it for repairs and reinforcing, and use brown or clear packing tape for sealing boxes.
Is duct tape the same as brown gaffer tape?
No. Brown gaffer tape is a cloth tape made to blend in with wooden floors and set pieces and to peel off cleanly. Duct tape is made for grip and strength. We do not stock brown gaffer tape, and our brown tape range is brown packing tape for cartons.
