null
Sticking to Success: The Essential Guide to Choosing the Best Trade Show Tape for Trade Shows and Expos

Sticking to Success: The Essential Guide to Choosing the Best Trade Show Tape for Trade Shows and Expos

Trade shows and expos, short for expositions, are gatherings to show products, perform demonstrations, meet customers, and network. These shows take a large amount of effort to put together, but they can be worth it to unveil new offerings and meet and greet with customers, other people in the trade, investors, and all sorts of other interested people.

One of the ubiquitous pieces of material helping hold the trade show together is tape. Many different kinds of tape can be used in trade shows for various applications such as:

  • Mounting objects to walls
  • Holding up displays
  • Bundling items together
  • Sealing cartons
  • Marking floors and exits
  • Securing temporary carpets
  • Keeping the area safe with safety tape and reflective tape

It takes a great deal of effort to set up trade shows, including erecting booths and tables, taping up displays, preparing for recordings and demonstrations, and other activities. To do all of that, tradespeople and presenters get help from many kinds of tape.

In this guide, you'll learn about the different kinds of trade show tape, including:

  • Duct tape
  • Gaffer tape
  • Reflective tape
  • Double-sided tape
  • Carpet tape
  • Social distancing & floor marking tape
  • Anti-skid tape

You'll also learn about tape dispensers for quick and easy dispensing. Finally, you'll learn some tips on choosing the right tape for your application and where to find tape at Tape Jungle.

Essential guide to choosing the best tape for trade show booths.

Duct Tape: Versatility and Durability

Duct tape is a type of durable cloth tape with a strong adhesive that is easily torn by hand. Duct tape of varying thicknesses can be used for many taping applications including industrial or commercial settings, in shipping departments, or working on vehicles and machinery.

Duct tape can be used at trade shows for:

  • Making small repairs
  • Holding temporary items in place
  • Taping up signs
  • Bundling items together
  • Marking floors and dangerous areas with striped duct tape

Types of Duct Tape

The following are types of duct tape available at Tape Jungle.

Tips for Purchasing Duct Tape

Choose the tape that fits with your application based on the tape’s features, such as color, reflectivity, or thickness. For high visibility, choose fluorescent color duct tape or hazard-striped safety tape. For low visibility, choose camouflage duct tape if the application is outdoors in nature, or choose gray, or black, or match the color of the surface with colored duct tape. For use as a safety tape, choose the hazard-striped black and yellow duct tape.

Gaffer tape uses at trade shows and expo's.

Gaffer Tape: Professional and Reliable

Gaffer tape is a type of low-tack tape with a low reflectivity that is often used by theater, television, and film professionals on sets and stages but can also be used in many other areas and situations. This tape is a good option if you want to be able to remove it without damaging a surface and if you want a non-conspicuous, non-reflective tape that won’t show up as easily on camera.

At trade shows, gaffer tape can be used for cable management, securing equipment, or taping items to floors or booths. Exhibition booths will have a better aesthetic appeal when cables and wiring are secured out of sight and equipment is taped neatly. The lack of a strong adhesive means that gaffer tape is easily removed and there won’t be any residue, so it’s particularly useful as a temporary tape.

Types of Gaffer Tape

The following are types of gaffer tape at Tape Jungle. Choose the type that aligns with your project based on the tape’s durability, reflectivity, water resistance, and color.

Tips For Purchasing Gaffer Tape

For situations where you want more visible tape, choose the fluorescent option. For situations where you want the tape to be less visible, standard and premium gaffer tape comes in colors such as black, brown, white, or other colors that might match the floor or surroundings.

Double Sided tape uses at trade shows and expo's.

Double Sided Tape: Secure Mounting Solutions

Double-sided tape, or double-coated tape, refers to tape with adhesive on both sides of the backing. This tape can be useful at trade shows and expos to mount objects to surfaces or for bonding two surfaces together without the tape showing. The tape is available in varying thicknesses, making it useful as insulation or padding.

At a trade show, you can use double-sided tape to mount:

  • Signage
  • Decorations
  • Brochures
  • Posters
  • Products
  • Materials

The tape allows for mounting without the tape showing, allowing for seamless displays, which are aesthetically preferable.

Types of Double-Sided Tape

The following are some of the many double-sided tapes available at Tape Jungle to use at your trade show or expo.

Tips For Purchasing Double-Sided Tape

There are many different double-sided tapes available at Tape Jungle. Choose the type that suits your needs based on its adhesive strength, thickness, and color. Special double-sided tape dispensers are also available, including the desktop double-coated tape dispenser or thehandheld tape dispenser, which will be useful at trade shows.

Carpet tape uses at trade shows and expo's.

Carpet Tape: Firmly Securing Floor Coverings

Carpet tape allows for the securing of objects to a carpeted surface or securing carpets to other types of flooring. This can be especially useful at indoor trade shows and expos with carpet flooring or where you want to put down a temporary carpeted surface. Floor coverings such as cardboard or rubber mats, which are sometimes necessary to protect carpets, can also be safely secured using carpet tape.

A good carpet tape can be used to:

  • Secure carpets to the floor
  • Secure items to a carpeted floor
  • Prevent tripping hazards
  • Tape down wrinkles in the carpet
  • Tape down floor coverings onto carpets

Types of Carpet Tape

You can find several types of carpet tape at Tape Jungle.

Tips For Purchasing Carpet Tape

When choosing carpet tape, consider a tape that will have a strong enough tack to stick to carpeted surfaces. You'll also want to consider the tape's appearance. Do you want the tape to stand out, such as floor marking tape? If so, choose a bright or reflective tape. If the goal is to use inconspicuous tape, then color tape can be chosen to closely match the carpet’s color.

Vynil Floor tape uses at trade shows and expo's.

Social Distancing & Floor Marking Tapes: Ensuring Safety and Compliance

Floor marking tape is a durable type of tape that can be used on flooring to restrict access, guide foot traffic, maintain social distance, or as a general  safety tape. The tape is highly visible, especially high-intensity reflective tape, striped hazard tape, and luminescent tape, all of which are good for low-light conditions. These tapes are strong enough to stay stuck to the floor and won’t be easily damaged by foot traffic.

Trade shows may have policies for marking floors and exits and may need to comply with local laws, regulations, or safety standards. This may include requiring tape for social distancing or traffic flow directions.

Types of Floor Marking Tape

Tape Jungle carries a wide range of floor marking tape. Any of the following floor marking tapes can be used for social distancing tape, as well.

Tips For Purchasing Floor Marking Tape

Choose the tape based on your goals for marking the floor. For example, you may want a floor marking safety tape that has a non-skid coating like the Sure Step tape, or if you are in low-light conditions you may want a tape that glows in the dark like the Premium Glow in the Dark Tape.

Reflective tape uses at trade shows and expo's.

Reflective Tape: Visibility and Safety

Reflective tape makes objects more visible in the dark, making it useful at trade shows or expos to increase safety. Safety tape marks an area as off-limits and is bright in color, making it highly visible and attention-grabbing. Reflective Tapes are especially beneficial in dark conditions, whether indoors or outdoors.

These tapes can be used in trade show parking lots or garages to direct traffic and prevent accidents. It can also be used for safety signage and promotional displays or used to generally enhance visibility in low-light conditions.

Types of Reflective Tape

Tape Jungle has several types of reflective tape available.

Tips For Purchasing Reflective Tape

When choosing a tape, consider several factors such as your specific use case for the tape and whether or not you need the striped safety tape, tape that is visible at night, or in wet conditions like the marine reflective tape.

Anti Slip tape uses at trade shows and expo's.

Anti-Slip Tape: Preventing Accidents and Liability

Anti-slip tape, also called non-skid tape, is a  safety tape that has a textured surface to add a grip to handles or to prevent slips and falls on stairs or slippery surfaces. This is especially beneficial in areas that could get greasy or wet, like kitchens, showers, or swimming pools. The waterproof tape has an acrylic adhesive coating that adheres to uneven surfaces, making it a great safety tape at outdoor trade shows for taping concrete or asphalt surfaces.

This tape is available in bright fluorescent colors like orange, red, and yellow to stand out and grab attention. It also comes in blue, gray, black, green, white, or clear. Non-skid safety strips are available in multiple dimensions. There are also black and yellow striped options.

Any of these anti-slip tape options can be used on:

  • Stairs
  • Ramps
  • Ladders
  • High-traffic areas

Types of Anti-Slip Tape

Anti-slip tape comes in several varieties at Tape Jungle.

Tips For Purchasing Anti-Slip Tape

For regular anti-slip tape, consider a highly conspicuous color that sticks out or contrasts with the floor. For example, if the floor is dark, use a bright color tape. If the floor is light gray, you may want to use a black anti-slip tape to stand out. To use anti-slip tape as safety hazard tape, choose the black and yellow striped option. Fluorescent anti-slip tape is one of the brightest and most conspicuous tapes for extra visibility. Non-skid safety strips are ideal for stairs.

Tape Dispensers for All: Convenience and Efficiency

Once you have your tape, you’ll want to get a  tape dispenser for quicker and easier dispensing. Some tape, such as duct tape, is tearable by hand, meaning it can be easily torn by hand and does not require a dispenser. But other types of tape will be significantly easier to use with a dispenser. See the product page of your tape for information about which kind of dispenser is best. For on-the-go taping at conventions and trade shows, purchase a handheld dispenser.

Types of Tape Dispensers

Tape Jungle has a wide variety of tape dispensers available.

Tips For Selecting the Right Tape Dispenser

One of the most important tips for selecting the right tape dispenser involves knowing what kind of tapes are compatible with which dispensers. Start with finding out if your tape is hand-torn or requires a tape dispenser. Next, you’ll need to know if the tape dispenser can be hand-held or requires a machine dispenser. Some tape, such as gum paper tape, requires a water-activated tape dispenser. The product pages for the above tape dispensers will provide more detail about what kinds of tape can be used with each dispenser.

Prepare for Your Next Trade Show at Tape Jungle

You may need to use many different kinds of tape at a trade show or expo depending on the specific application. To maximize the effectiveness of your tape in exhibition setups:

  • Choose the best type of tape for the specific application, such as reflective tape for safety or gaffer tape for video recording sets
  • Use glow-in-the-dark tape to mark exits or direct foot traffic toward fire exits in dark interiors
  • Use carpet tape to tape down floor coverings over carpets
  • Check with the trade show organizers about regulations for floor marking tape
  • Buy extra rolls to ensure you have enough; it’s better to have extra than run out
  • Let us know if you need help finding the best kind of tape for your application

Choose Tape Jungle to purchase your high-quality tapes for long-term success at trade shows and expos. Tape Jungle has fast delivery, secure shopping, easy returns, and a price-matching guarantee.  Contact us at Tape Jungle or browse our extensive catalog of tapes to see all of our tapes that can help you with your projects, whether at a trade show or in another setting.