mounting graphics on a stand: hook-and-loop, velcro and tapes.
Graphics are what sell on a stand, but only if they stay where you intended and come off cleanly after the fair. The wrong tape leaves adhesive on the panel, falls off mid-show or damages rented equipment. Below is a breakdown of which tape grips which surface, what holds the weight of a graphic, and how to fix it so everything peels off clean at the end, with no scraping and no adhesive remover on the last day.
self-adhesive hook-and-loop (velcro) for removable graphics
Self-adhesive hook-and-loop, also known as velcro, is a fastening tape in two parts: a hooked side and a looped side that join and separate again without tools. For a fair it is ideal wherever you swap a graphic during the show or store it for next time, because you remove it and refasten it without scraping and without adhesive residue.
A standard tape sticks a graphic once; hook-and-loop fixes it so you can change it in seconds mid-show. You stick one side to the panel and the other to the back of the graphic, and the board seats itself in place. It is exactly this repeatability that makes velcro the first choice for rented stands and for companies that reuse the same structure across several fairs.
In the ExpoTapes range, self-adhesive hook-and-loop comes as a pair of tapes with an adhesive backing that grips smooth panels, aluminium profiles and printed boards. Because it holds across the whole contact area rather than just at the edge, it supports larger graphic panels and still releases them effortlessly when you dismantle the stand.
- Velcro = removable, reusable fastening with no adhesive residue.
- Ideal for rented stands and graphics you change during the fair.
- One side on the panel, the other on the graphic; the board seats itself.
- Holds across the full contact area, so it supports larger panels.
gaffer tape: matte and residue-free
Gaffer tape is a fabric adhesive tape with a matte surface that does not glare under spotlights and, as a rule, leaves no mark once removed. At a fair it is the working tape for everything temporary: fixing cables along the floor, markings, repairs and hiding edges, where the tape must stay invisible and leave no trace.
The key difference between gaffer and ordinary adhesive tape is in the adhesive and the fabric. Gaffer peels off in one piece, with no stringy residue, and leaves no greasy mark on the floor or profiles, which makes it indispensable wherever you return the equipment after the fair in the condition you collected it.
The matte surface matters visually too: under exhibition lighting a glossy tape shows up as a bright line, while gaffer fades into the background. So you use it to fix whatever must stay unnoticed, cables and joints, not the graphic, which should hold longer and be seen.
- Fabric tape with a matte surface that does not glare under lights.
- Peels off in one piece, with no stringy residue or greasy mark.
- For cables, markings and temporary repairs, where tape must stay hidden.
- The right choice where you return rented equipment undamaged.
duct tape: a strong joint for heavier work
Duct tape is a reinforced adhesive tape with a strong adhesive, meant for firm, load-bearing joints where grip strength matters more than a clean removal. Use it to fix carpet to the floor, to bind heavier elements and anywhere a joint has to hold through the whole fair under load.
Compared with gaffer tape, duct is stronger but more aggressive: it holds more but can leave adhesive behind, so it is not suited to visible or delicate surfaces. The rule is simple, duct where strength matters and the trace is not seen, gaffer where it has to stay clean.
On carpet, duct tape stops the edges from curling up and becoming a trip hazard, a common cause of complaints and injuries at a fair. For edges that have to withstand visitors walking on them, reinforced tape is more reliable than any light adhesive tape.
- Reinforced tape with a strong adhesive for load-bearing, lasting joints.
- For carpet, heavier elements and joints under load.
- Stronger than gaffer, but can leave a trace; not on anything visible.
- Holds carpet edges to the floor and prevents tripping.
double-sided pe-foam tapes for panels
Double-sided polyethylene-foam tape sticks on both sides and, through the thickness of the foam, evens out small irregularities between the surface and the graphic. Use it for a flat, lasting fix of lighter panels, signs and printed boards directly onto a wall or profile, with no visible fasteners.
The foam gives the tape a double role: it bonds two surfaces and at the same time cushions differences in level, so the graphic seats smoothly even on a slightly uneven surface. Because the fix is across the whole area of the tape, there are no visible screws or clips, which gives a sign a clean, finished look.
Unlike velcro, double-sided tape is a permanent choice; it sticks the graphic for the whole fair and is not meant to be removed in between. So use it where the board stays in place to the end, and velcro where you count on changing or reusing it.
- Sticks on both sides; the foam evens out small surface irregularities.
- For a flat, lasting fix of lighter panels and signs.
- No visible screws or clips, a clean look for the sign.
- A permanent choice; for changes during the fair use velcro instead.
how to choose the right tape
You choose the right tape by three questions: what surface you are sticking to, how much weight it has to hold, and whether you will remove it. These three criteria, surface, weight and removability, tell you whether you need velcro, gaffer, duct or double-sided tape, and they save you a week of trial and error before the fair.
First the surface: almost every tape grips smooth panels and profiles, but only stronger adhesives hold reliably on rough or dusty surfaces. Then the weight: a light graphic holds on double-sided tape or velcro, heavier elements and carpets call for duct. Last, removability: if you will take the fix off without a trace, the right ones are velcro or gaffer, not duct.
In practice you often combine several tapes on the same stand: velcro for the graphic you change, gaffer for cables, duct for the carpet and double-sided tape for permanent signs. Because they are all part of the same ExpoTapes range, you order them together and avoid improvising with an unsuitable tape from a nearby shop.
- Three criteria: surface, weight of the graphic, whether you will remove it.
- A rough or dusty surface calls for a stronger adhesive.
- Removable without a trace: velcro or gaffer, never duct.
- On the same stand you usually combine several types of tape.
common mistakes when fixing graphics
The most common mistake is a single tape for everything: what holds the carpet leaves a mark on the graphic, and what peels off the graphic nicely will not hold the weight of the carpet. The second common mistake is sticking to a dusty or greasy surface, where every tape falls off, no matter the quality of the adhesive.
The third mistake shows up only on the last day: an aggressive tape on rented equipment leaves adhesive that has to be scraped off, sometimes damaging the profile, which means a charge for the damage. This is exactly why velcro and gaffer belong on borrowed equipment, not duct.
The last mistake is buying at the last minute: tapes are not bought at the fair, once the graphic is already peeling. With a fixing kit ordered in advance, matched to the surface and the weight, you set the stand up calmly and pack it away after the fair without a scratch on the equipment.
- One tape for everything: it either leaves a mark or will not hold the weight.
- A dusty or greasy surface: every tape falls off.
- An aggressive tape on rented equipment means a charge for damage.
- Do not buy tapes at the fair; order the kit in advance.
frequently asked questions
Self-adhesive hook-and-loop (velcro) and gaffer tape both remove without a trace. Velcro takes the graphic off and refastens it with no adhesive, while gaffer peels off in one piece, with no stringy residue. Duct tape is stronger but can leave adhesive, so it is not for visible or delicate surfaces.
Yes, if it is fixed with self-adhesive hook-and-loop (velcro). You stick one side to the panel and the other to the back of the graphic, and you swap the board in seconds, with no tools and no trace. For permanent signs that stay to the end, double-sided foam tape is more suitable.
For carpet the right choice is duct tape: a reinforced tape with a strong adhesive holds the edges to the floor and stops them curling up and becoming a trip hazard. Gaffer or double-sided tape are not strong enough for this, because the carpet takes visitors walking on it through the whole fair.
No. Velcro and gaffer belong on borrowed equipment, as they remove without a trace. Duct and other aggressive tapes can leave adhesive or damage the profile, which means a charge for the damage on return. For a rental, always choose a removable fix.
Use double-sided exhibition tape for a flat, permanent-feeling bond on graphics and panels that you still remove cleanly after the fair. Choose hook-and-loop (velcro) when you swap the same graphic on and off repeatedly, for example a logo panel reused across several events. Hook-and-loop is reusable; double-sided tape is the cleaner finish.
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