Best Double-Sided Tape for Crafts (Paper, Card, Fabric, Acrylic and Wood)

The best double-sided tape for crafts depends on what you are joining. Use a thin, acid-free adhesive transfer or tissue tape for paper and card, a washable fabric-specific tape for textiles, and a closed-cell acrylic foam mounting tape for rigid projects such as acrylic, wood, metal and 3D prints. Ordinary craft tape on rigid or heavy pieces is the usual reason projects peel apart. Industrial foam tape on delicate paper is overkill: it is thick, permanent and hard to reposition.

Which double-sided tape suits which craft material?

Start with the two materials you are joining and the weight of the heavier one.

| Project | Tape type | Why | |---|---|---| | Paper, card, scrapbooking | Thin acid-free transfer tape or tissue tape | Thin, flat and invisible; acid-free if the piece is to be kept | | Photos and keepsakes | Archival, photo-safe tape | Avoids discolouring over time | | Fabric, felt, ribbon | Fabric-specific double-sided tape | Flexible and made for textiles; check wash instructions | | Foam sheet, light card models | Standard thin double-sided tape | Low weight, so a thin film is enough | | Acrylic, wood, metal, glass, 3D prints | Closed-cell acrylic foam mounting tape (VHB-style) | Fills small gaps, flexes slightly, and holds weight | | Signs, props, display pieces | Foam mounting tape | Handles weight, leverage and temperature changes |

Matching the tape to the material is more important than choosing a particular brand.

What is the best double-sided tape for paper crafts?

For card-making, journals, scrapbooks and paper models, choose a thin transfer tape or a double-sided tissue tape. Both give a flat bond with no visible edge and no bulk.

What to look for:

• Acid-free or archival labelling if the piece is meant to last, such as photos, certificates or keepsakes. Check the packaging rather than assuming.
• A permanent or repositionable choice, deliberately. Repositionable lets you fix mistakes. Permanent suits anything handled a lot.
• Width that matches the job. Narrow tape suits edges and fine detail. Wide tape suits layered panels.
• A dispenser or clean-cut liner, so you are not picking at tape ends with a fingernail.

Avoid foam mounting tape here. A foam core is thick and permanent, and it will not sit flat under a paper layer. The one exception is deliberate raised 3D effects, where small pads or cut strips of thin foam tape create depth.

What works for fabric, felt and ribbon?

Use a double-sided tape made for textiles. Standard paper tape stiffens fabric and often fails when flexed or washed.

Check whether the product is rated for washing, ironing or neither. Many textile tapes are designed for hems and trims, and some are heat-activated rather than pressure-sensitive. If the item will be laundered regularly, sewing is the dependable option and tape is a temporary hold. Do not use industrial foam tape on flexible fabric. It is too stiff and can leave a hard line.

What is the best tape for acrylic, wood, metal and 3D-printed projects?

This is where thin craft tape lets people down. Rigid parts do not flex into each other, surfaces are rarely perfectly flat, and the piece may be hung, handled or left in a warm window.

A closed-cell acrylic foam tape (the VHB-style type) is the better choice for:

• Acrylic and perspex layers, letters and display stands
• Wooden signs, plaques, shelves and model bases
• Metal brackets, frames and decorative panels
• 3D-printed parts, where layer lines leave tiny gaps that thin tape can't bridge. A compressible foam core helps fill them.
• Glass panels and frames. See our guide to sticking to glass permanently.

Foam tape also tolerates temperature swings better than thin paper-backed tape, which matters for pieces near windows or radiators or outdoors. Our outdoor tape guide covers that side.

The usual limit applies. Low-energy plastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene are hard for any tape. They need an adhesive promoter first, and even then you should test a small piece. If your project mixes plastic and metal, our plastic to metal bonding guide goes through it.

Spyder Tape's professional 3M and tesa mounting tapes suit this heavier end of crafting. The kits include an IPA cleaning wipe and an adhesive-promoter wipe, so the surface prep is built in. You can see the range on our products page.

How do you apply craft tape so it actually sticks?

Most craft tape failures are prep failures, not tape failures. The same steps apply from card to acrylic, scaled to the job:

1. Clean both surfaces. On rigid materials, wipe with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and let it fully dry. Hands, dust and sanding residue are the usual culprits. On paper, just make sure it is dry, flat and free of loose fibres.
2. Prime where needed. On plastics or tricky painted surfaces, use an adhesive promoter. Our surface prep guide explains what to clean, prime and check.
3. Apply tape to the lighter or smaller piece first. Press it down along its whole length. Keep the liner on until you are ready to join.
4. Cover the edges and corners. Peeling starts at unsupported edges. Put tape close to the perimeter rather than only in the middle of a large piece.
5. Align before you commit. Pressure-sensitive foam tape bonds on contact and is hard to reposition. Do a dry run, then mark guide lines with a pencil or masking tape.
6. Press firmly. Pressure is what wets the adhesive out onto the surface. Use a roller or firm, even finger pressure for around 30 seconds.
7. Leave it to settle. Adhesive builds strength over time, so avoid loading or handling the piece hard straight away. Check the tape's datasheet for the cure time.

If you need to undo a bond later, our guide on removing double-sided tape residue covers paper, plastic, glass and wood.

When is tape the wrong choice for a craft project?

Tape isn't right for everything. Reach for something else when:

• The item will be washed or soaked. Sew or use a dedicated fabric adhesive.
• The piece carries real weight or could hurt someone if it fell. Examples include a heavy hanging sculpture or a child's climbing prop. Use screws, bolts or proper fixings.
• The surface is dusty, oily, crumbling or unpainted plaster. The tape will only be as strong as the surface it grips.
• You need it to be adjustable. A repositionable paper tape or a removable putty is more forgiving than permanent foam.

For a wider look at when tape suits a fixing and when it doesn't, read VHB tape vs screws.

Common questions

What is the best double-sided tape for paper crafts?

A thin, acid-free transfer tape or tissue tape is the best choice. It sits flat, is nearly invisible and won't add bulk to layered cards or scrapbook pages. Choose a photo-safe or archival product if the piece is a keepsake.

Is double-sided tape strong enough for acrylic or wood crafts?

Standard thin craft tape usually isn't. A closed-cell acrylic foam mounting tape is a much better match for acrylic, wood and metal, as long as you clean the surfaces with IPA and press firmly. Very heavy pieces should still have a mechanical fixing.

Does double-sided tape damage paper or surfaces?

It can, if you peel it badly. Strong tapes may lift paper fibres or paint, so use a gentler or repositionable tape on anything you may want to separate later. Test on an offcut first, and see our residue removal guide if adhesive is left behind.