Paper tape seals a cardboard box with a strip of brown kraft paper in place of plastic film. There are two quite different products sold under that name: self adhesive kraft tape, which sticks on contact like ordinary parcel tape, and gummed tape, which has a dry glue that you wet before it sticks. Pack Solution sells the first kind. Our Kraft Paper Tape comes in 48mm x 50m with hotmelt adhesive and 75mm x 50m, both in packs of 6 rolls.
This guide compares self adhesive paper tape, gummed paper tape and plastic brown tape: how each one seals, what happens to the box at recycling time, which dispenser each needs, the widths and roll lengths we stock, how to tape a box with an H-seal and how many rolls to buy.
In This Guide
- Quick picks: paper tape and what goes with it
- How does paper tape compare with gummed and plastic tape?
- What is gummed tape, and do you sell it?
- Can a box sealed with paper tape go in the recycling?
- Which dispenser works with each tape?
- Which width and roll length should you buy?
- Which tape for which box weight?
- How do you tape a box with an H-seal?
- How much paper tape for shipping should you order?
- Ordering brown paper packing tape from Pack Solution
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick picks: paper tape and what goes with it
For most online sellers the set-up is one pack of kraft tape, a pistol grip gun that matches its width and a stock of boxes. If you want a parcel made only of card and paper, add a roll of kraft paper for void fill.
Best for sealing brown boxes with paper tape
Kraft Paper Tape
Self adhesive brown kraft paper tape on 50m rolls, sticks on contact with no water needed.
- 48mm x 50m with hotmelt adhesive
- 75mm x 50m for larger boxes
- Packs of 6 rolls
From £14.00 ex VAT (£16.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for laying and cutting tape with one hand
Pistol Grip Tape Gun Dispensers
Pistol grip dispensers with a built-in blade, for 50mm and 75mm tape.
- PG50B, HPG50B Pacplus and Big Tape 2in1 Core for 50mm tape
- PG75B for 75mm tape
- Sold individually
From £5.00 ex VAT (£6.00 inc VAT)
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Best for high volume packing and long rolls
Brown Packing Tape
Buff polypropylene tape in five versions, from 48mm x 66m to BigTape 48mm x 150m low noise.
- 48mm x 66m, 48mm x 132m and 48mm x 150m rolls
- Proloc 72mm x 66m for big cartons
- Packs of 6 rolls
From £4.50 ex VAT (£5.40 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productHow does paper tape compare with gummed and plastic tape?
All three seal a box. They differ in the backing, the glue and the way you put them on.
| Point | Self adhesive kraft tape | Gummed tape | Plastic brown tape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backing | Brown kraft paper | Kraft paper, sometimes with fibreglass threads | Polypropylene film |
| How it sticks | Pressure: press it on and it holds | Water: the dry glue is wetted, then pressed on | Pressure: press it on and it holds |
| Tool needed | Pistol grip tape gun or by hand | A gummed tape dispenser with a water tank | Pistol grip tape gun or by hand |
| Finish | Matt brown paper | Matt brown paper | Glossy buff or brown |
| Recycling | Goes in with the cardboard | Goes in with the cardboard | Plastic film on a paper box |
| Do we stock it? | Yes, 48mm and 75mm x 50m | No | Yes, 48mm and 72mm, 66m to 150m |
Self adhesive kraft tape is the simplest switch from plastic. It goes on the same way, it works in the same tape gun, and nobody on the packing bench has to learn anything new. The difference is in the look and the material: a matt paper strip that matches a brown box, and no plastic film on the parcel.
Plastic brown tape is still the workhorse for high volume packing. Our Brown Packing Tape runs to 132m and 150m per roll, so you change rolls less often, and two of the versions are low noise for shared packing areas. Our guide to brown tape vs clear tape covers the plastic options in more detail.
What is gummed tape, and do you sell it?
Gummed tape is kraft paper coated with a dry, water activated glue. On its own it is not sticky at all. A gummed tape dispenser holds the roll, runs the strip over a wet brush or roller and cuts it to length. Once wet, the glue soaks into the surface of the cardboard and dries as part of the box. Reinforced paper tape is a gummed tape with fibreglass threads set into the paper for extra strength on heavy cartons.
We do not stock gummed tape, reinforced paper tape or a gummed tape dispenser. If you already run a water activated set-up, you will need to buy rolls for it elsewhere. If you are choosing paper tape for the first time, self adhesive kraft tape is the easier start: no water tank, no dispenser to buy, and it loads into a pistol grip gun you may already own.
Our kraft paper tape is self adhesive. It sticks on contact, needs no water, and the 48mm roll uses hotmelt adhesive. It will not work in a gummed tape dispenser, and it does not need one.
So when we talk about sticky paper tape, kraft tape or paper parcel tape on our site, we mean the same self adhesive roll. The paper tape adhesive on the 48mm roll is hotmelt, which holds firmly on cardboard.
Can a box sealed with paper tape go in the recycling?
Yes. Paper tape can go in with cardboard recycling, so the person who opens your parcel can flatten the box and put it in the cardboard bin with the tape still on. That applies to both self adhesive kraft tape and gummed tape.
Plastic tape is polypropylene film, a different material from the box. Some local councils ask for plastic tape to be peeled off before cardboard goes in the bin. If your customers would rather not do that, paper packaging tape takes the job away.
To make the whole parcel card and paper, use paper inside the box as well. Kraft Paper Rolls come as a 500mm x 200m standard roll in 90gsm, or as 70gsm centre-feed rolls in dispenser boxes, 200mm x 250m and 375mm x 300m. Scrunch it into the gaps around the item so nothing moves. Our guide to kraft paper rolls for wrapping and void fill shows how much to use.
Best for paper void fill inside the box
Kraft Paper Rolls
Brown kraft paper for wrapping items and filling gaps, so the whole parcel is card and paper.
- 500mm x 200m standard roll, 90gsm
- Centre-feed 200mm x 250m and 375mm x 300m, 70gsm
- Sold as single rolls
From £25.00 ex VAT (£30.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productWhich dispenser works with each tape?
The dispenser decides how fast you can pack, so match it to the tape before you order.
- Self adhesive kraft tape: a pistol grip tape gun, the same as plastic tape. In our range, the 48mm roll fits the 50mm guns (PG50B, HPG50B Pacplus and Big Tape 2in1 Core), and the 75mm roll fits the PG75B. A paper tape gun is simply a pistol grip gun loaded with paper tape.
- Gummed tape: a gummed tape dispenser with a water tank and a cutter, either manual or electric. We do not sell these.
- Plastic brown tape: the same pistol grip guns. The 48mm rolls go in the 50mm guns, and for the 72mm Proloc roll, call us on 0161 706 1246 and we will check which gun it suits.
Any paper tape dispenser for self adhesive rolls needs a sharp blade, because paper tears differently from film. The built-in blade on our Pistol Grip Tape Gun Dispensers cuts each strip at the end of the seam. For a step by step on loading one, read how to load a tape gun.
Which width and roll length should you buy?
Width matters more than anything else. A strip that is too narrow leaves the edges of the flaps loose, and a strip that is too wide wastes tape on a small box.
| Tape | Width x length | Pack | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Paper Tape, hotmelt | 48mm x 50m | 6 rolls | Standard postal boxes and single wall cartons |
| Kraft Paper Tape | 75mm x 50m | 6 rolls | Larger boxes, where one strip covers the whole flap seam |
| Brown Packing Tape | 48mm x 66m or 48mm x 132m | 6 rolls | Everyday parcels in plastic tape |
| BigTape, low noise | 48mm x 150m | 6 rolls | Busy benches that want fewer roll changes |
| Proloc | 72mm x 66m | 6 rolls | Large or heavy cartons |
For most parcels the 48mm roll is the best paper tape to start with. It is the everyday width for postal boxes, and it matches the 50mm tape guns most packers already own. Move up to 75mm for big boxes such as the 18 x 12 x 12" or 24 x 18 x 18" sizes, where a wider strip closes the seam in one pass.
Roll length is the one place paper loses to plastic. Each kraft roll is 50m, against 66m to 150m on our plastic rolls, so you will change rolls more often. Keep a spare roll next to the gun.
Which tape for which box weight?
Use this as a rule of thumb. The heavier the box, the wider the strip and the more of the box it should cover.
- Light parcels (clothing, books, small accessories in a single wall box): 48mm kraft paper tape along the centre seam on top and bottom, with a short strip over each end.
- Medium parcels (a box you lift with two hands, such as mixed stock or kitchenware): 48mm tape in a full H-seal on both the top and the base.
- Large or heavy boxes (big single wall sizes, packed books, tools, moving boxes): 75mm paper tape in an H-seal on both faces, plus a second strip along the base seam.
- Heavy cartons packed every day: our Proloc 72mm plastic tape is the widest roll we stock and the one for heavy duty jobs.
The box matters as much as the tape. Fill Single Wall Cardboard Boxes so the flaps sit flat, because a bulging lid pulls on any tape. The 15.35 x 11.6 x 7.3" (390 x 295 x 185mm) size is our extra strong single wall box for heavier contents.
Best for everyday parcels sealed with paper tape
Single Wall Cardboard Boxes
Light corrugated boxes supplied flat, sold per box with a minimum of 5 per size.
- 5 x 5 x 5" up to 24 x 18 x 18"
- Includes the 450 x 350 x 160mm Royal Mail Small Parcel max size
- Price per box falls as you buy more
From £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productHow do you tape a box with an H-seal?
The H-seal is the standard way to close a carton for the post. It works the same with paper packing tape as with plastic.
- Close the flaps flat. Fold the short flaps in first, then the long flaps, so they meet in the middle without overlapping or gapping.
- Tape the centre seam. Start about 70mm down one end of the box, run the tape along the seam where the long flaps meet, and finish about 70mm down the far end.
- Tape both edge seams. Run a strip across each end of the lid, where the flaps meet the sides, again with an overlap down each side. Seen from above, the three strips make an H.
- Press it down. Rub along each strip with your hand. Self adhesive paper tape holds best when it has been pressed firmly into the card.
- Repeat on the base. Turn the box over and do the same. The base carries the load, so it needs the H-seal at least as much as the top.
Keep labels clear of the tape strips, so the barcode lies flat. Our full packing tape guide covers how much tape suits each box and when to add fragile tape.
How much paper tape for shipping should you order?
Work it out from your most common box. Take a 12 x 9 x 6" (305 x 229 x 152mm) box with a 70mm overlap down each side. The centre strip is about 445mm and each edge strip is about 370mm, so one face takes about 1.2m and an H-seal on top and base takes about 2.4m.
- One 50m roll seals about 20 boxes of that size with a full H-seal on both faces.
- One pack of 6 rolls (300m) seals about 120 of those boxes.
- With a centre strip only, top and base, each box takes about 0.9m, so a pack covers roughly 330 boxes.
If you send 20 parcels a day with a full H-seal, a pack of 48mm brown paper tape lasts about six working days. Order two or three packs at a time so you never run out mid-week. The price per pack drops as you order more packs, and the tiers are shown on the product page.
Boxes larger than this one use more tape per seal, so work out your own figure the same way: the length of the box plus two overlaps for the centre strip, and the width plus two overlaps for each edge strip.
Ordering brown paper packing tape from Pack Solution
Order online and choose delivery at checkout. Royal Mail Tracked 48 is free on every order with no minimum, and orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday leave our Manchester unit the same working day. Faster paid options are at checkout. Near Manchester, our vans deliver within 10 miles of M8 8HF, and van orders by 12pm Monday to Friday arrive the same day; see local delivery in Manchester. Free click and collect from Unit 2, 50 Derby Street is usually ready within 2 hours.
Prices are shown ex VAT and every order comes with a VAT invoice. If you get through shipping paper tape by the case, apply for a trade account or contact us on 0161 706 1246. The rest of the range is in our tapes collection, and cushioning to go inside the box is in the protective packaging collection.
Not sure which width to order? Start with one pack of the 48mm x 50m hotmelt roll and a 50mm tape gun. Add the 75mm roll and the PG75B if you pack larger boxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is your kraft paper tape gummed or self adhesive?
Self adhesive. Our kraft paper tape sticks on contact like plastic parcel tape, and the 48mm x 50m roll uses hotmelt adhesive. You do not need water or a gummed tape dispenser to use it.
Do you sell gummed tape or a gummed tape dispenser?
No. We do not stock gummed, water activated tape, reinforced paper tape or the dispensers that wet it. Our paper option is self adhesive kraft paper tape in 48mm and 75mm widths, which loads into a pistol grip tape gun.
Can a box sealed with paper tape be recycled?
Yes. Paper tape can go in with cardboard recycling, so a box sealed with kraft paper tape can go in the cardboard bin without peeling the tape off first.
Will kraft paper tape fit a tape gun?
Yes. The 48mm roll fits our 50mm guns (PG50B, HPG50B Pacplus and Big Tape 2in1 Core) and the 75mm roll fits the PG75B. Check the width before you load the gun.
How long is a roll of kraft paper tape?
50 metres. Both the 48mm and 75mm rolls are 50m long and come in packs of 6, so one pack holds 300m of tape.
Is paper tape strong enough for heavy boxes?
Yes, with the right width and pattern. Use the 75mm roll on large or heavy boxes, seal both the top and the base with an H-seal, and add a second strip along the base seam. For a heavy double wall carton packed every day, our Proloc 72mm brown tape is the other option.
