Gunpla Masking Tape: 1mm to 18mm Rolls, From $2.99 in the US

Width decides most of what Gunpla masking tape can do: Tamiya sells rolls from 1mm to 18mm wide, and the thin ones are the ones that follow a curve. Decide which edges you will paint before you buy, because a $2.99 refill and a $8.99 wide roll do different jobs.

Gunpla masking tape? (quick answer)

Masking tape covers what should stay unpainted while you paint the rest. For a first painted kit, a 6mm roll and a 10mm roll cover most panel edges, a 2mm roll handles curves, and a liquid mask covers odd shapes. Start with Tamiya's 6mm refill at $2.99 if you already own a dispenser, or the 6mm roll with dispenser at $5.99.

Key Takeaways

• Width is the choice: Tamiya sells 1, 2, 3, 6, 10 and 18mm rolls; the 2, 6, 10 and 18mm rolls are 18m long.
• Thin tape bends: Tamiya's 2mm roll is 0.08mm thick, "useful masking tape for small and curved parts."
• Washi peels cleanly: GSI Creos says its MT601 leaves little paint step after removal and stretches over curves (our translation).
• Two liquid masks, two jobs: Sol NEO for big areas, Sol R when you need to cut the film.
• From $2.99 in the US: the GSI Creos 6mm and the Tamiya 6mm refill, Oct 24.

Overview: Gunpla masking tape sizes and what each is for

You only mask when you paint a second color next to a first one, or protect a part from spray. That makes tape a painting tool, not an assembly tool.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Sources: Tamiya product pages 87030 to 87035 and 87207; GSI Creos Mr. Hobby pages (Japanese, our translation); Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store search results, Oct 24.

Tamiya's rolls. The 6mm roll (87030) is "Width: 6mm, length: 18m" and "comes in its own dispenser with cutter to avoid rough edges." The 10mm (87031) and 18mm (87032) rolls are the same 18m, and refills 87033, 87034 and 87035 "can be used in the dispenser" of the matching roll. Tamiya calls the tape thin and highly adhesive.

Tamiya's narrow rolls. The 2mm roll (87207) is "dedicated masking tape developed for plastic models," 0.08mm thick so it "retains the flexibility to cover various non-flat surfaces." It is 18m long, with 1mm (87206) and 3mm (87208) siblings.

GSI Creos's washi tape. The Mr. Masking Tape 6mm (MT601) is ultra-thin Japanese washi paper, GSI Creos says. Its page claims three things: the paint edge shows little step after you peel it, the tape stretches well enough for curved parts, and it is translucent, which makes cutting it on a mat more accurate (our translation). It is 121 yen with tax in Japan. GSI Creos's pages also list a 10mm roll, strong and low-adhesion 10mm rolls, and a 50mm wide roll.

Desk note: USA Gundam Store sold Tamiya's 6mm roll with dispenser at $5.99 and the 6mm refill at $2.99 on Oct 24. Both pages give 18m of 6mm tape, so the dispenser adds $3.00 once; after that, every 18m is $2.99, about 17 cents a meter.

GODEEPER: Masking matters most when you spray. Gunpla airbrush for beginners →

Step-by-Step: masking a Gunpla part

1. Decide what stays unpainted. The tape protects only what is under it, so plan which color goes on first.

2. Pick the width for the edge. A straight panel edge takes 6mm or 10mm; a curve takes 2mm. Tamiya says its 2mm tape suits "small and curved parts."

3. Cut it on a mat. GSI Creos says its washi tape is translucent, so you can see the line when you stick it to a cutting mat and cut it to shape (our translation).

4. Press the edge down. One r/Gunpla builder's method for a recessed part: lay the tape over, press it into the recesses with a toothpick, then run a knife lightly around the lip (quote below).

5. Use a liquid mask where tape cannot go. Brush Mr. Masking Sol R on with the brush in the cap; GSI Creos says it dries to a thin film in 20 to 30 minutes. Cut the film with a design knife to lift only the part you want to paint (our translation).

6. Paint, then peel. GSI Creos says its washi tape leaves little paint step after removal; neither maker gives a waiting time on the pages we read.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Sources: Tamiya 87207, GSI Creos MT601 and M133 pages (Japanese, our translation); r/Gunpla comment for the press step.

Liquid masking: Mr. Masking Sol NEO vs Sol R

GSI Creos makes two liquid masks, and its own pages tell them apart.

• Mr. Masking Sol NEO (M132): a vinyl emulsion, 25ml, 220 yen with tax. It dries to a film in about 30 minutes to an hour. It cannot be cut with a knife, so GSI Creos says to use it for large areas and to stop overspray. For small spots, the maker suggests a toothpick.
• Mr. Masking Sol R (M133): a rubber emulsion, 20ml, 440 yen with tax. It dries thin in 20 to 30 minutes, can be cut with a design knife, and is water-soluble, so a thickened bottle takes a little water.

A third bottle, Mr. Masking Sol Re2, is on US shelves; USA Gundam Store's copy calls it a "water-soluble masking film." We did not find it on GSI Creos's masking page, so we leave its specs out.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Sources: GSI Creos M132 and M133 pages (Japanese, our translation); Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store, Oct 24.

Tips: Gunpla masking tape without bleed

• Buy the refill once you own a dispenser. Tamiya's refills fit the matching dispenser roll, and USA Gundam Store had the 6mm refill at half the dispenser roll's price.
• Narrow tape for curves, wide tape for coverage. Tamiya pitches its 2mm roll at "small and curved parts"; GSI Creos's 50mm wide roll (MT606, $5.99 at USA Gundam Store) covers big shapes in one strip.
• Low-adhesion tape over fresh paint. GSI Creos lists a low-adhesion 10mm roll (MT605) next to a strong 10mm roll (MT604). Its pages we read do not say when to use which, so test on a spare part first.
• Odd shapes take liquid. Sol R can be cut after it dries; Sol NEO cannot, by GSI Creos's own description.
• Check stock before a project. Mr. Masking Sol R was listed but unavailable at USA Gundam Store on Oct 24 ($5.59), while Gundam Planet had Sol NEO at $4.00.
• Masking putty is a real product. Gundam Planet listed Mr. Masking Clay at $4.00; GSI Creos names it on its tape page as a related product, with no instructions there.

GODEEPER: Brush painting needs less masking. Hand painting Gunpla →

What builders say

Two replies to a first-time painter on r/Gunpla, read through the Arctic Shift archive:

"If you did want to mask, I'd lay a piece over the top and use a toothpick to press it into the recesses. I'd then lightly run a knife around the lip until the tape is cut." u/CapsuleRadioCorp on r/Gunpla, September 2026

"Pressing the masking tape worked alot better than I initially thought it would" u/Fun_Possibility_9247 on r/Gunpla, September 2026

The same first reply opened with "Since you are handbrushing, I'd just skip masking altogether" for that small lip. Tape is not always the answer.

What we don't know yet: how long to wait before peeling. Neither Tamiya's nor GSI Creos's pages we read give a time, and we have not tested it.

Our take

Start with a 6mm Tamiya roll and a 2mm roll; add Sol R only when shapes defeat tape. Tamiya's rolls give 18m each, and the 6mm refill was $2.99 on Oct 24, so tape is a small line in a painting budget. Sol R dries in 20 to 30 minutes and can be cut, for shapes tape cannot follow. If you only hand paint small details, skip tape for now. We recheck prices with the next tools update.

How we checked this

On Oct 24, 2026 we read Tamiya's English pages for 87030 to 87035 and 87207, GSI Creos's Japanese pages for MT601, M132 and M133 (the English pages had empty descriptions), and the masking category page; searched Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store for masking tape and masking sol; and read r/Gunpla comments through Arctic Shift. A research assistant fetched most pages; we re-read the GSI Creos and 87207 pages. Tamiya's 87178 page returned 404. We have not used these products.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size masking tape is best for Gunpla? Start with 6mm and 10mm for straight panels, and add 2mm for curves. Tamiya sells its tape in 1, 2, 3, 6, 10 and 18mm widths; the 2, 6, 10 and 18mm pages we read give 18m per roll, and Tamiya calls the 2mm roll useful for small and curved parts. Wider tape covers large areas faster.

Is Tamiya masking tape good for Gunpla? Tamiya makes it for plastic models. Its 2mm page calls it dedicated masking tape for plastic models, 0.08mm thick so it bends over non-flat surfaces. On Oct 24 USA Gundam Store had the 6mm roll with dispenser at $5.99 and the 6mm refill at $2.99.

What is the difference between Mr. Masking Sol NEO and Mr. Masking Sol R? Sol NEO is a vinyl emulsion that dries in 30 minutes to an hour and cannot be cut with a knife, so GSI Creos suggests it for large areas and overspray. Sol R is a rubber emulsion that dries in 20 to 30 minutes and can be cut with a design knife.

How do I stop paint bleeding under masking tape? Press the tape edge down hard, especially into recesses. One r/Gunpla builder suggests pressing the tape into recesses with a toothpick, then running a knife lightly around the edge. GSI Creos says its thin washi tape leaves less of a paint step when you peel it.

Do I need masking tape if I hand paint Gunpla? Not always. A builder on r/Gunpla told a hand painter to skip masking for a small lip and use a fine brush instead, cleaning mistakes with the base color. Tape pays off on larger straight edges and for airbrush or spray work.

How much does Gunpla masking tape cost in the US? From $2.99 on Oct 24. USA Gundam Store had the GSI Creos MT601 6mm and the Tamiya 6mm refill at $2.99 each, the Tamiya 6mm roll with dispenser at $5.99 and the 18mm at $8.99. Gundam Planet had Tamiya rolls from $4.00 (1, 2 and 3mm) to $7.50 (18mm).

Related Reading

• Gunpla Tools Guide: every tool from the first nipper to the finish.
• Gunpla Surfacer vs Primer: the coat that goes on before color.
• Best Gunpla Top Coat for Beginners: the last spray, after the tape comes off.
• Gunpla Weathering for Beginners: dirt and wear after the paint.

References

• Tamiya: Masking Tape 6mm 87030, 10mm 87031, 18mm 87032, refill 6mm 87033, Masking Tape 2mm 87207
• GSI Creos Mr. Hobby (Japanese): Mr. Masking Tape 6mm MT601, Mr. Masking Sol NEO M132, Mr. Masking Sol R M133
• USA Gundam Store: Tamiya 87030 6mm with dispenser, Tamiya 87033 refill 6mm, MT601 6mm, MT606 50mm
• Gundam Planet: Tamiya Masking Tape 2mm, Mr. Masking Sol Neo, Mr. Masking Clay