The Importance of Box Tape
By Richard Hinson

I can't say how many times I have received an object from another museum, gallery, or lender that was not properly packed. When museum objects or artifacts are sent out into the world, they need to be protected. Soft wrapping them is an economical, safe, and efficient way to get them where they need to go. Typically these objects will be wrapped in bubble wrap or packing blankets. Many times I have seen things wrapped with so much tape that it becomes difficult to know where to begin unwrapping them. The tape will be wrapped and twisted around the package until the whole thing has to be cut apart to remove the object from the wrapping.

There are a few rules we try to adhere to around here.

1st Rule:
When wrapping an object in Bubble Wrap, use only as much tape as is needed to hold everything together. If a six-inch strip of tape will hold it together, four wraps completely around the package isn't going to hold it together better. All that does is waste time, energy, and materials. It also makes it more difficult to open at the other end.

2nd Rule:
Creating a tab on the end(s) of the tape will make it easier to find when unwrapping. Tabs are made by folding the last half inch or so of tape back onto itself so the two sticky sides make contact. This makes an adhesive-free tab that is easy to find and grab when opening.

3rd Rule:
Never use clear tape on plastic, bubble wrap, Dartek, or any other transparent medium. Even with tabs it becomes almost impossible to find the ends of the tape and to see clearly how much tape there is on the object. Use brown box tape and the best quality you can afford. Packing materials for valuable objects are expensive and it's a good idea to economize when you can, but brown box tape isn't where you want to save a few pennies. We use Scotch 375 0 Brown Box Tape. It is a little more expensive but it has good adhesion, a thick plastic base, and is available from our local distributor.

4th Rule:
Another thing to remember, the person who wrapped the object may not be the one who unwraps it at the other end. If there is a lot of clear tape with no tabs on bubble wrap, it makes it difficult to see what is in the package. Many times objects have been damaged because the wrapping is not easily removed and the art handler had to pull and twist the tape and wrapping to get to the object. If that object happens to be a delicate ceramic, it will probably get to its destination safely, but be broken during the unwrapping.

So here's everything in a nutshell, use tape sparingly, make tabs, always use brown box tape and think about what will happen at the other end when the object is opened.

Richard Hinson
Chair, PACIN