Gaffer Tape
Description
Description
Gaffer tape, or gaffa tape as most of Australia calls it, is the cloth tape crews reach for first. It tears cleanly by hand, grips hard, and holds cables, marks and fixes in place through a full bump-in, show and bump-out. We stock genuine USA-made Tenacious gaffer in standard black, silver and white, plus a super matte black for jobs where the tape must not be seen.
Where it's used
- Theatre and stage: taping cable runs across stages, floors and carpet, spike marks, and black mask-out (matte black).
- Live events and exhibitions: securing audio, lighting and staging cables. Super Matt K969 is approved at certain exhibition venues.
- Film, TV and photography: super matte black has very low reflectivity, so it disappears on camera and under lights.
- Councils, venues and facilities: temporary cable management at community events and in halls.
- Cable management: standard gaffer resists plasticiser migration from cable sheathing.
- Trade jobs: race/auto tape, poly sheeting joins, protection during sandblasting, HVAC ductwork, and hydroponics (white).
Key specifications
| Standard Gaffer (Tenacious A944) | Super Matte Black (Tenacious K969) | |
|---|---|---|
| Colours | Black, Silver, White | Black |
| Made in | USA | – |
| Roll size | 48mm x 40m | 48mm x 30m |
| Backing | Waterproof PE co-extruded cloth (80 mesh) | 140 mesh rayon cloth, matt black PE finish |
| Adhesive | Aggressive high coat weight natural rubber | Cross-linked black natural rubber |
| Thickness | 0.37mm | 0.35mm |
| Tensile / breaking load | 78 N/cm | 85 N/cm |
| Elongation at break | 14% | 11% |
| Adhesion to steel | 10.9 N/cm | 4.5 N/cm |
| Service temperature | 5°C to 90°C | -10°C to 50°C |
| Application temperature | 15°C to 30°C | 15°C to 25°C |
| Hand tearable | Yes, across and along the roll | Yes, across and along the roll |
| Shelf life | 12 months (store at 15–25°C) | 12 months (store at 15–25°C) |
Values are the manufacturer's average test values. Always test the tape on your own surface before relying on it.
Matte black or standard?
Standard gaffer (black, silver, white) has the stronger grip: about 2.4× the adhesion to steel of the matte, and a higher service temperature. Choose it for holding cables on stage floors and carpet, and for trade work. It has a semi-matt black finish and good clean-remove qualities. Note the manufacturer describes it as designed for more permanent applications.
Super matte black is made for what the audience or camera sees. Its very low reflectivity means it won't reflect stage light. The black adhesive also looks neat from the side and is suited to mask-out. It has excellent clean-remove characteristics from most surfaces, including vinyl, which makes it the better pick for delicate surfaces. The matt finish is also less likely to grab shoe soles, which reduces trip hazards.
Trade and bulk orders
Buying for a theatre, production company, venue, school or council? All our gaffer tape is 48mm wide, packed 24 rolls to a carton. Buy by the carton for bulk pricing.
Dispatch
As a guide, in-stock orders placed before 2pm on Monday, Wednesday or Friday are usually dispatched the same day. Dispatch times are not guaranteed and can vary with stock and order volume.
Payment & Security
Payment methods
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