In this guide: Short answer · Gaffer vs duct · Grades · Residue · Matt finish · Widths · Spike and fluorescent · Glow tape · What not to use it for · Shop the range · FAQ

On a show day one roll holds cable to the deck, marks where the riser goes, labels the desk and seals the box of spares, usually before doors. The rolls we carry come from Le Mark’s MagTape range and from Pro Gaff, which Le Mark distribute, and they differ in finish, strength, width and how long they can stay down. Fluorescent and glow tape get their own sections further on, as do the jobs gaffer should never be given.

The short answer

For general stage, studio and desk work, buy MagTape Matt 500 in 50mm black. It is Le Mark’s professional camera tape: a matt face with a 1.9% reflection ratio, a cloth that tears by hand in both directions, and no residue after 120 days in Le Mark’s own testing. When cost matters more than finish, MagTape Utility Matt is the everyday grade. For marks on a stage floor, use 12mm Pro Gaff spike tape.

Gaffer tape vs duct tape

The two look alike on the roll and get sold as if they were interchangeable. They are made for opposite jobs. Duct tape is meant to stay where it is put, and its adhesive is chosen with that in mind, which is why it tends to leave a sticky film behind when it finally comes off. Gaffer tape is meant to hold for the length of a show or a shoot and then peel away from the floor, the cable and the flight case without taking the finish with it.

Three other differences matter in practice. Good gaffer tears cleanly by hand across its width and along its length, so nobody needs a knife on stage. It comes in a matt finish that does not flash under lighting or on camera. And the better grades are simply stronger: Le Mark describe Pro Gaff as nearly three times the strength of a standard gaffer or duct tape.

If you are searching for “gaffa tape”, that is the same product. Both spellings are in common use in the UK.

The grades we stock

Pro Gaff rolls are 22.8m rather than a round metric length because Pro Gaff is made by Pro Tapes in the USA, and 22.8m is 25 US yards. If an invoice or a competitor listing says 25m, it is the same roll.

What the residue figures mean

Le Mark test their gaffer tapes by applying them indoors at room temperature to steel, wood, glazed tile, carpet, plastic and vinyl, leaving them in place, then peeling them off. Matt 500 and Pro Gaff fluorescent came away clean after 120 days, Utility Matt after 60 days. Le Mark are careful to add that they cannot guarantee a residue-free result in every situation, and that caution is fair.

Read the number as a comparison between grades, not a promise about your venue. Tape left under hot lighting, in direct sun, or on painted, porous or dusty surfaces is outside the conditions Le Mark tested. On anything precious, try a small piece somewhere hidden first. Le Mark also recommend storing gaffer at room temperature and away from direct sunlight, which keeps the adhesive behaving as tested.

If a tape does leave a mark, Tak-Away residue remover is Le Mark’s answer: apply it, leave it to soak, and after around 20 minutes many adhesives simply wipe away. Read the label and test it on a small area first, as Le Mark instruct.

Why the matt finish matters

A glossy tape on a black stage floor reflects light straight back at the audience or into a lens. Matt 500 is sold as a camera tape because of its 1.9% reflection ratio, and Utility Matt carries a satin-matt, low-reflection face at a lower price. For theatre, TV and anything filmed, matt is the default.

Matt is also the surface to write on. Le Mark note that marker is far easier to put on their matt gaffer, and less likely to be wiped off, than on the gloss version. That is why Matt 500 is the tape for labelling a mixing desk channel strip, a dimmer rack or a flight case.

Choosing a width

• 50mm (or Pro Gaff’s 48mm). Holding cable to a floor or a stand, closing boxes, general fixing. The width most crews reach for first.
• 25mm. Labelling and marking where 50mm would be clumsy: desk scribble strips, small case labels, marks on a set.
• 12mm. Spike marks on a stage floor. Narrow enough to be discreet, wide enough to find with a torch.
• 19mm dots. Colour coding props, scenery pieces and wardrobe hangers, with a consistent mark size and no cutting.

Spike tape, fluorescent tape and dots

Spike marks show performers and crew where a piece of set, a mic stand or a person needs to land. The job needs colour more than strength, and it needs to be seen in low light. Pro Gaff fluorescent spike tape comes in five UV-reactive colours that show vividly in daylight and glow under UV or black light, and it has Pro Gaff’s quick-grab adhesive with the same 120-day residue result. Le Mark warn that the colours can fade over time under strong UV.

MagTape Xtra Matt fluorescent is the wider alternative, at 25mm or 50mm. Le Mark give it a performance adhesive with more bite than their standard gaffer grades, short-term resistance to low temperatures and a polyethylene coating that repels water, and they position it for identifying stage points and prop marks in theatres, on tour and in set construction. They recommend it for short-term use, again because sunlight fades the colour.

For scenery, props and wardrobe, Pro Gaff gaffer dots save a lot of cutting. Each roll holds 100 pre-cut 19mm circles. A common system is one colour per scene, act or performer, so anyone backstage can see at a glance which pile a piece belongs to.

Glow tape and glow arrows

Pro Gaff PRO661 glow tape is premium gaffer cloth with a photoluminescent face. It absorbs energy from almost any ambient light, fluorescent lamps or sunlight, then emits a glow of its own once the light is removed. Le Mark quote almost three times the tensile strength of some standard gaffer tapes, and it tears by hand both ways. The roll is 24mm x 4.5m, so it is for marks, edges and spikes that must be found in a blackout, not for general fixing.

Pro-Glow photoluminescent arrows are self-adhesive vinyl arrows, 25mm high and 19mm wide, 20 to a pack, with a non-radioactive light source that uses no electricity. Le Mark list them for stage spikes, TV and film set marking and decoration, and they class them as an indoor safety aid for general use only. Do not treat them as emergency escape signage.

Neither product glows indefinitely. A photoluminescent mark gives back light it has stored, so it works best when the working lights have been on it before the blackout.

What gaffer tape is not for

• Cable crossings on routes people use. Tape on carpet lifts, tape on wet ground fails, and neither protects a cable from a loaded trolley. Use cable ramps or matting, as our stage power checklist explains.
• Repairing a mains lead. No tape is a repair for a damaged mains cable, gaffer included. Take the lead out of service. Looking After Your Cables covers what to check and what to do.
• Masking a hot lamp. Ordinary gaffer is not rated for fixture heat. Light spill is a job for heat-resistant foil, covered in our guide to black wrap, felt and hazard tape.
• Holding up anything that could fall. Gaffer holds cables and marks floors. It is not a fixing for weight overhead.

The rolls we keep

Frequently asked questions

Is gaffer tape the same as gaffa tape?

Yes. Gaffa is a common UK spelling of the same product, a cloth tape designed to hold firmly and remove cleanly.

Does gaffer tape leave residue?

It can. Le Mark’s own tests found no residue from MagTape Matt 500 and Pro Gaff fluorescent after 120 days, and from Utility Matt after 60 days, indoors at room temperature on six common surfaces. Heat, sunlight and porous or painted surfaces change that, so test a hidden area on anything valuable. Tak-Away residue remover deals with most marks that are left.

Can you write on gaffer tape?

Yes, with a permanent marker. Matt tape takes marker far better than gloss, and Le Mark point out it is also less likely to be wiped off, which is why MagTape Matt 500 is the usual choice for labelling desks and cases.

Which gaffer tape can be used outdoors?

Of the grades we stock, Le Mark rate MagTape Utility Matt and MagTape Xtra Matt Fluorescent for indoor and outdoor use, both with a polyethylene coating that repels water. Xtra Matt also has short-term resistance to low temperatures. For outdoor hazard marking, use a tape made for it, such as hazard warning PVC tape.

Why is Pro Gaff 22.8m and not 25m?

Pro Gaff is made in the USA, where rolls are sold by the yard. 25 US yards is 22.8m.

What is spike tape?

Narrow, brightly coloured cloth tape used to mark positions on a stage floor. Pro Gaff fluorescent spike tape is 12mm wide, comes in five colours and glows under UV light.