Tapping boxes is as important as labels and other stuff. To keep your stuff intact and avoid clumsiness, you need to ensure a few things before you start packaging.
We have created a guide for you to know every little thing about tapping boxes:
First things first, what should you choose between shipping tape and packaging tape? Do you think they are similar? Well! They are not. They might look alike, but both have their uses.
Shipping tape:
Tape for Shipping boxes is meant to use boxes that are not heavy as the tape is a lot lighter and thinner. It cannot withstand heavy material and rigorousness.
Packaging tape
On the other hand, packaging tape is used for heavily loaded boxes; it is thick and heavier. It can survive cold, heat, and humidity for like ten years without cracking. Therefore, if you’re moving on a rainy day, packaging tapes is what you need.
What important elements do you need to take care of while choosing order packaging supplies, and how can they be used?
Stickiness or adhesive:
Adhesiveness on tape plays a crucial role while packing moving boxes. The more stickiness the tape has, the more it’s easier for boxes to keep intact and carry heavy material. While choosing storage plastic shipping tape, you need to keep in mind important aspects:
How well does it stick to the boxes you are going to use?
Does it have a coating to prevent it from re-bonding with the roll?
Can it be repositioned easily?
Can it hold the humidity and temperature of the material in the box?
Well! These points might sound absurd to you right now, but I’m sure you wouldn’t want your shipping boxes to reopen in the middle of loading stuff.
Strength
Tape strength matters for ecommerce box packaging. The thickness and composition of tape will determine how well your moving boxes can handle your material inside. There are a plethora of aspects that determine the strength:
Thickness: needless to say, heavier boxes need high thickness tapes. Thickness for tapes can range from 1.9mm to 3.1mm, depending on your need. The heavier the box, the more thick the tape should be.
Width: Tapes that barely cover the opening of the box will not support the box for a long time. You need wider plastic shipping tape to hold boxes. Wider tapes can hold better than smaller ones; even if you are packing in a small box, it’s always better to use wider tape.
Use the color-coded tapes: Similar to labels, color-coded tapes can help easily recognize boxes. Movers don’t need to read every label before moving stuff, they can recognize tapes from a distance, and that’s pretty much it. When you unpack, it’s easier for you to sort similar boxes; However, stick to bright colors such as red, green, yellow, etc. The color-coded tape will keep you organized when you have bulk orders.
Use printed tape: printed tapes can be an alternative for labels. If you want specially labeled tape, you can get it customized. It can be highly organized for you and movers to read through the tape. Printed tape for shipping boxes can be a source of brand identity for your products. Whenever someone sees a shipping box with your customized tapes, they would know it’s you.
Temperature resilient: if you’re delivering nearby, it won’t be a problem, but if you’re delivering long-distance to another city or state, you need to keep in mind to use temperature-resistant tapes. When it takes time to transport boxes, the air becomes humid due to the closed environment; tapes might lose their adhesion, and trust me, that’s the last thing you want. Therefore, you need to make sure your carton packaging material can withstand the temperature for a longer time.
Always carry extra rolls: With moving stuff, you never know what you will need next. Until your boxes are unloaded at your destination, you won’t be able to take relief. As they say, it’s better to take precautions; even after choosing accurate tape, you won’t know what might happen. Therefore, it’s always wise to carry an extra roll if any box is reopened in the middle of transportation. Although it’s unlikely to happen in case it does, you need to be prepared.
Few tips for taping boxes
Secure boxes from the bottom: Before you proceed with anything, the first thing you have to ensure is the bottom of the box. Properly tap the four sides of the bottom, then start filling up boxes you wouldn’t want them to collapse or burst open; secure the bottom so that it can withstand the weight.
Use snowflake method: Make an X with the plastic shipping tape at the bottom and after you finish packing from the corner of both ends in both directions. Make two parallel lines all over the tape strips.
Use H method: The h method is particularly used for delicate material. When packaging fragile items, the H method comes in handy as it can help you balance the weight of items. The technique implies tapping the edges from all corners in all directions and doubling in the end. That makes it extra secure.
Ensure you have all the material while tapping: before you start packing, assemble all your carton packaging material, namely, tapes as you planned to use, tapping tools, scissors, permanent markers, etc. Therefore, you don’t need to juggle back and forth.
