How to Refill a Tape Dispenser

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 20, 2023 Fact Checked

Running out of tape at the wrong moment can leave you "stuck" in the middle of a project, with limited options. Try to keep a couple of spare rolls of tape on hand, so they will be ready when you need to refill the dispenser.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Refilling a Desktop Tape Dispenser

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1
Remove the empty roll. The empty roll should be on a plastic spindle or roller. Remove both the empty roll and the roller holding it. Slide the spindle out of the grooves it is resting in, by lifting it upward and to the rear of the dispenser. ^{[1]
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- Smaller tape dispensers may not have a spindle. You should see a plastic core (or roller) with the empty cardboard tape roll surrounding it; remove both of these from the dispenser.
Slide the empty tape roll off its spindle, and discard it. If the empty roll is cardboard, it can probably go in with your paper recycling.

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Remove a new, full roll of tape from the box. Check the box to make sure you've got the correct size for your dispenser.
Hold the full roll so that when you pull the tape, the strip of tape will unwind across the top of the roll. The sticky side of the tape will be facing down, toward the floor. (If you are holding it the wrong way, the tape will extend away from you, as it pulls from the underside of the roll; the sticky side of the tape strip will be facing upwards, toward the ceiling.)
Slide new roll of tape onto the tape dispenser spindle from either direction; most rollers will fit into the dispenser either way.
Hold the spindle so that the paper tab on the end of the roll is facing up and toward the front of the dispenser. Slide the spindle and the new full roll of tape back into dispenser. Settle it into its holding grooves so that it moves freely.
Hold onto the paper tab at the end of the tape, and pull it towards the cutting edge at the end of the dispenser. Pull the tape over the sharp edge, and pull down on the tape to cut off the colored tab.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Reloading a Packing Tape Dispenser

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Slide the empty cardboard roll off the spindle that holds it in place. The spindle and roller on most packing tape dispensers are not removable.
Take a fresh roll of tape out of the box, and align the roll so that it will unwind counter-clockwise on the roller. The end of the tape with the colored tab should face towards the metal cutting edge. ^{[2]
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3
Load the dispenser. Pull the loose end of the tape off the roll, and thread it through the gap between the roller and the safety shield. The sticky surface of the tape should be facing down.
- Some dispensers do not have a safety shield. In this case, just thread the tape around the spinner with the tape strip leading over the top of the roll; the sticky side of the tape should be on the underside of the tape strip.
4
Thread the tape. Pull the colored tab on the end of the tape roll over the sharp cutting edge of the dispenser. Slice off the colored tab. ^{[3]
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- Keep your fingers away from the sharp cutting blades.
In the center of the spindle that holds the tape, there may be a button to adjust the tension level of the tape. Adjust this as appropriate, so that the tape flows freely when rolled across a crate or box. ^{[4]
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6
Test the dispenser. Test that the tape is loaded correctly and the tensioner adjusted appropriately. #*Get a large box, and hold the open edges of the box closed on top.
- Hold the dispenser handle, and apply the tape to the far side of a package, right at the seam where the open edges of the box join together. The sharp cutting edge should be facing away from you. It will look as if you are holding a “tape gun.”
- The tape should stick itself to the surface of the box. If it doesn't, you may need to pull the tape strip out a little and stick the end of the tape to the box manually.
- Press the dispenser firmly down against the surface of the box, while pulling the whole unit across the top of the box.
- Pull the tape over the edge of the box that is closest to you, and tear the tape off using the sharp cutting edge on the dispenser. Adhere the edge of the tape to the box manually, if needed.