These are the 10 different types you need in your craft room to make your craft projects awesome!
Tape is a highly underrated craft supply. I think most people just think about Scotch tape which, honestly, is best reserved for wrapping gifts, it’s not really a look you usually want for a craft project. But there are at least 10 different types of tape, all with different uses, that will take your craft projects to the next level and be super useful in your craft room.
I will also cover some uses for these types of tape that are a little out of the box, you know, options for tape that you might not have thought of. If you have more ideas about your favorite tape for crafting, let us know in the comments!
The 10 Different Types of Tape You NEED in Your Craft Room
- Cellophane Tape (aka Scotch Tape)
I know I just said Scotch tape isn’t the best for crafts, but let me backtrack a little. There are lots of uses for this kind of tape. One thing that I love of about cellophane tape is that while it doesn’t remove well from paper or cardboard, it does remove quite well from super smooth surfaces like plastic or wood. So, do you know what I most often use Scotch tape for in my craft room? Holding things in place while they dry! That’s right, just make sure you don’t get any glue on the tape itself and it will keep your craft in one place while the glue dries. What else do you use Scotch tape for in your craft room? - Duct Tape
Youi can’t write a crafting post about tape without mentioning duct tape. There are about a million crafts you can make with duct tape. It’s durable, strong, super sticky and now it comes in tons of colors. Of course there are lots of craft books that show you how to literally make things out of duct tape, like wallets or picture frames, but I prefer to use duct tape as a quick and easy way to add color etc. For example, I added some duct tape to the top of pink rainboots for this pencil costume. Or my son made a cardboard sword and instead of painting the handle, he wrapped it in blue duct tape for a fun color accent and some extra strength! - Washi Tape
Washi tape is the ultimate crafty tape. Washi tape is a decorative paper masking tape. It is not super sticky which makes it great for paper crafts. Washi tape comes in pretty much any color and pattern imaginable and that makes it a great way to add a pop of color or pattern to your craft project. Just know that because it’s not that sticky, if you want the project to last, you may want to consider sealing it with decoupage glue. - Masking Tape
Regular old tan masking tape was originally made to “mask” areas that shouldn’t be painted. BUT WAIT, there are better kinds of tapes for that now, I’ll cover those in a minute. Regular masking tape is fantastic for using with paper mache to smooth and form shapes! - Painter’s Tape
Painter’s Tape is specifically formulated to stick to a surface and leave a nice clean line when painted over. I particularly like the green Frog Tape brand rather than blue painter’s tape. Originally intended for walls, painter’s tape is great for furniture painting crafts or any other kind of painting you are doing in your craft studio like painting wooden blanks or any other painting craft (but NOT paper crafts, there’s a better tape for that!) - Artist’s Tape or Drafting Tape
Did you know artist’s tape or drafting tape even existed? These tapes are a low tack (less sticky) tape for use on paper surfaces. You can use it to mask the edges of a watercolor painting, for example, and when you take it off it will not rip the paper. Artist’s tape is also often thicker and waterproof to keep paint from bleeding through onto your paper. - Drafting Dots
Drafting dots are the one type of tape on this list that you didn’t know you needed. Drafting dots are round dots (about 1 inch in diameter) that come on a long roll. They are made from drafting tape, a low stick tape designed specifically for paper. Drafting dots entire purpose is to hold your paper to the surface you are working on to keep it from moving around or getting wrinkled. The name, of course, come from architectural drafting drawings. Honestly, the number one thing I use drafting dots for now is crafting with kids! - Double Stick Tape
Double stick tape comes in different levels of stickiness from repositionable to permanent. This kind of tape, that is clear and stick on both sides, will take your paper crafting to the next level. You can use double stick tape almost anywhere you might use glue and unlike Scotch tape, because both sides are sticky, it hides between layers of material becoming completely invisible. Double stick tape comes on a regular tape roll or on a kind of tape runner/roller that allows you to roll the tape directly onto the surface, it’s super handy! - Glue dots
I’m not sure if glue dots technically count as tape, but I used them in crafting all the time and they come on a roll, so they’re going on the list. Like double stick tape you can get glue dots in repositionable adhesive or permanent. They are popular with scrapbookers for attaching embellishments to a page, but I often use them for things like attaching things to Valentine’s Day cards for kids! - Foam Tape (aka mounting tape)
Foam tape has some pros and a lot of cons. It’s good for adding dimension to a craft project. It’s VERY bad for removal. If you’ve ever tried to peel off foam tape from a wall or project, you know the foam just splits and it’s impossible to get the rest off. While it can be a good crafting tape, use it with caution!
Honorable Mention: More Types of Crafting Tape
- Clear Packing Tape – If you ever need to fake laminate something small, sandwich it between two layers of clear packing tape and trim around the edges! It’s also good for the inside hidden part of cardboard projects.
- Electrical Tape – Electrical tape, obviously intended for electrical work, can be a fun way to add color to a project, just be aware, it’s not super sticky.
- Bookbinding Tape – Usually made from cloth, bookbinding tape is one craft supply, we’ve never tried. Cloth tape has a lot of potential for craft projects though!
If you liked this, you may also like some of my other posts…
Craft and Knitwear Designer at Little Red Window Design
Welcome to Little Red Window! I’m Cassie, a professional craft and knitwear designer working in the field for more than 10 years. I have a degree in Art History from Northwestern University and a Master's Degree in Architecture and Design from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I've designed more than 300 separate knitting patterns, hundreds of craft projects, and I love to bring joy to your crafts and knitting with well-designed, easy to understand tutorials and patterns.
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