Transfer Tape for Vinyl: Which Application Tape to Use
Transfer tape, also called application tape, lifts a weeded adhesive vinyl design off its backing liner in one piece and holds every letter in position while you apply it. The right tape comes down to two choices: paper or clear film, and high or medium tack. For everyday cut lettering in Oracal 651, a paper tape is the standard. For layered, multi-color designs, a clear film tape makes lining up each color easier. This guide covers both, plus which tapes we stock and how to use them.
What Transfer Tape Does
When you weed a cut vinyl design, the letters and shapes sit loose on the liner. Transfer tape goes over the top so the whole design lifts as one sheet, with the spacing between letters locked in. You position the design, squeegee it down, then peel the tape away and leave the vinyl on the surface.
That means the tape has two jobs that pull in opposite directions. It has to grip the vinyl hard enough to lift it off the liner, and let go of it once the vinyl is pressed onto the surface.
| Paper tape | Clear film tape | |
|---|---|---|
| See-through | Limited (Oratape HT55 is semi-transparent) | Yes |
| Best for | Single-color cut lettering and decals | Layered and multi-color designs that need close registration |
| Wet application | Preferred | Not the usual choice |
| Examples we stock | Perfectear Plus GXP-775, Oratape HT55 | Preview Plus GXF100, Siser PSV Application Tape |
Paper tape is the everyday choice for sign lettering. Clear film earns its place when you need to see exactly where one color sits over another, such as a shadow or three-dimensional look.
High Tack or Medium Tack?
Tack is how strongly the tape grips. If the tape will not lift the vinyl cleanly off the liner, you need more tack. If the vinyl stays stuck to the tape when you peel it away from the surface, the tape is too aggressive for that job. Test a small piece of the vinyl and tape together before a large run. For glitter and other thick films, most shops use a high-tack tape to lift the vinyl off its liner, though some prefer medium tack.
Transfer Tape at Central Sign Supplies
Tape | Type | Tack | Widths (100 yd rolls unless noted) | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfectear Plus GXP-775 | Lay-flat paper | High | 2.5" to 48" | Everyday cut lettering; tears cleanly and works well in wet applications |
| Oratape HT55 | Semi-transparent paper | High | 6.5" to 54" | Premasking computer-cut vinyl graphics, especially decorative films |
| Preview Plus GXF100 | Clear film | Medium | 6.5" to 24" | Layered and multi-color designs; you can mark it with pen or pencil |
| Siser PSV Application Tape | Clear, 1" grid | Medium | 12" (1 yd to 50 yd) | Siser EasyPSV; the grid helps keep decals straight |
See every option in our application tape category.
Which Transfer Tape for Oracal 651?
Our Oracal 651 guide pairs it with Perfectear Plus for a clean lift and release, and the Oracal 651 24" vinyl product page lists Preview Plus clear film tape as the other option. Perfectear Plus works across Oracal 651, 751 and most other cut vinyls, so it is the one paper tape most shops keep on hand. Plenty of other application tapes work with 651 too. Use the paper tape for standard lettering and the clear film when you are layering colors.
Match the Tape Width to the Job
Buy tape at least as wide as the designs you cut. If you run 24" vinyl, a 24" tape covers a full-width graphic in one piece without overlapping strips. Perfectear Plus, Oratape HT55 and Preview Plus all come in 24", and the paper tapes go wider for large graphics.
How to Use Transfer Tape
- Weed the design, removing all the excess vinyl.
- Cut a piece of tape slightly larger than the design.
- Lay the tape over the design, starting at the center, and squeegee it down firmly so every letter grips.
- Peel the backing liner away from the tape at a low angle. If a letter stays on the liner, lay it back down and squeegee again.
- Position the design, squeegee from the center outward, then peel the tape back slowly at a low angle.
Our guide to applying Oracal 651 covers surface prep and application in more detail.
Transfer Tape for Wet Application
For wet application, paper tape is preferred over clear film tape. Perfectear Plus is built for it, with no gluey mess to clean up afterward. Pair it with an application fluid such as Rapid Tac or Splash.
Do You Need Transfer Tape for HTV?
No. Heat transfer vinyl is cut on its own clear carrier, and the carrier holds the design in place on the garment while you press it. Siser EasyWeed, for example, has a medium-tack clear carrier. Transfer tape is for adhesive vinyl only, and Perfectear Plus is not designed for heat transfer vinyl. For how HTV is cut, weeded and pressed, see our guide to how to use heat transfer vinyl.
Transfer Tape for Vinyl: FAQ
Is transfer tape the same as application tape?
Yes. Transfer tape and application tape are two names for the same product. It lifts a weeded vinyl design off its liner and carries it to the surface in one piece.
Should I use paper or clear transfer tape?
Use paper tape for single-color lettering and decals and for wet application. Use clear film tape when you need to see through it to line up layered or multi-color designs.
What transfer tape works best with Oracal 651?
Perfectear Plus paper tape is a reliable pairing for a clean lift and release. Preview Plus clear film tape is the choice for layered 651 designs.
Can I use transfer tape on heat transfer vinyl?
No. HTV comes on its own carrier sheet, which holds the design during pressing. Transfer tape is made for adhesive vinyl.
Why won’t my vinyl let go of the transfer tape?
Either the vinyl has not been squeegeed down firmly enough, or the tape has more tack than the job needs. Squeegee again, peel the tape back at a low angle, and test a medium-tack tape if the problem continues.
Get Help Choosing Transfer Tape
Central Sign Supplies is a family-owned ORAFOL Premier Distributor in Omaha, Nebraska, supplying sign shops since 1951. Call 1-800-999-3160 to talk through which tape fits your vinyl, pick up at 4222 D St in Omaha, or shop application tape online.