Duct Tapes

Duct tapes are versatile adhesive tapes known for their strength, flexibility, and wide range of applications. They are a staple in toolboxes, workshops, and households worldwide, used for everything from quick fixes and temporary repairs to heavy-duty bundling and sealing. Duct tapes come in various forms, including heavy-duty duct tape, industrial duct tape, cloth duct tape, coloured duct tape, and waterproof duct tape, each offering unique properties for specific tasks.

Whether you need a durable tape for demanding jobs, a waterproof option for outdoor use, or a multi-purpose duct tape for general repairs and crafting, there's a type of duct tape to suit your needs.

What Is Duct Tape?

Duct tape is a cloth-backed pressure-sensitive tape which is often coated with polyethylene (PE) or another plastic film to provide water resistance. The combination of a strong fabric backing and a high-tack adhesive gives duct tape its characteristic strength, flexibility, and conformability.

Duct tape’s main features are its strong adhesive capacity and its resistance to tearing, abrasion, and moisture. However, this versatile tape can be used for far more than just bundling materials together.

How Does Duct Tape Work?

The sticky nature of duct tape comes from its pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). Unlike adhesives that rely on chemical bonds formed through solvent evaporation, such as Elmer's glue, PSAs exploit van der Waals forces to create a bond between two surfaces upon contact and the application of slight pressure.

The unique properties of these adhesives, combining both hard and viscoelastic characteristics, enable them to resist flow under stress, contributing to the strength, durability, and versatility of duct tape. The adhesive is designed to conform to the surface, maximising contact area and creating a robust bond.

Types of Duct Tape

Gaffer Tape

Unlike normal duct tape, gaffer tape is non-reflective, can be torn by hand, and can be easily removed without leaving a sticky residue. These properties make it ideal for use in the TV and film industries, where it's commonly used to temporarily secure cables to the floor or attach light fixtures to posts without creating unwanted reflections. Similarly, gaffer tape is useful in homes for neatly securing cables to surfaces like carpet, concrete or wood.

General Purpose Duct Tape

General purpose duct tape has a low fabric count and a thin outer polyethylene layer coated with a low-weight adhesive. These qualities make it less durable than other duct tapes, but ideal for temporary uses such as wrapping lightweight packages, labelling items, or doing small arts and crafts projects. It is also often used for general household repairs where high strength and long-term adhesion are not critical.

Industrial Grade Duct Tape

Industrial grade duct tape is made from a stronger fabric with a tougher outer layer and thicker adhesive. These properties make it suitable for demanding applications, such as bundling heavy items, reinforcing boxes, securing equipment during transport, and even making temporary repairs to vehicles or machinery. Its strength and durability also make it ideal for use in construction, industrial settings, and outdoor environments.

Professional Grade Duct Tape

Professional grade duct tape has a stronger backing material than industrial duct tape for added strength, durability, and adhesion. These properties make them a reliable choice for contractors and construction workers in applications such as sealing ducts and HVAC systems, waterproofing roofs and gutters, securing insulation, and even patching holes in temporary structures.

Cloth Duct Tape

Cloth duct tape is made with a strong cloth backing, providing excellent strength and tear resistance. The cloth backing also allows the tape to conform to irregular surfaces, making it ideal for wrapping, bundling, and repairing objects with complex shapes.

Features of Duct Tape

Duct tape typically consists of an outer layer of plastic film, usually polyethylene (PE) or low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which provides waterproofing and weather resistance. Some tapes utilise a vinyl outer coating for enhanced abrasion resistance, while others are made from transparent materials for discreet applications.

The different types of duct tape vary according to the fabric fibres used, which can include cotton, nylon, fiberglass, rayon, or polyester, each offering unique properties and strengths. The most common widths for duct tape are 48 mm and 51 mm

What Is Duct Tape Used For?

Originally, silver-grey duct tape was designed to seal joints in heating and air conditioning ducts, ensuring airtight connections. However, its versatility has led to countless applications, from holding things together to securing objects to surfaces. For example, while electrical tape is specifically designed for electrical applications, duct tape can also be used for bundling cables, marking wires, and even providing temporary repairs to electrical equipment.

Available in a range of materials, colours, and adhesive strengths, duct tape has become an indispensable tool for various tasks, making it an essential item in any DIY toolkit. Its incredible stickiness and durability allow it to tackle a wide array of practical and innovative uses, from repairing household items like vacuum cleaners and garden hoses to even finding applications in space exploration.

Industrial Applications of Duct Tapes

Duct tapes are incredibly versatile and find applications across numerous industries due to their strength, flexibility and adhesive properties. Here are some common industrial uses:

• Construction and Maintenance: Duct tape is a staple in construction for temporary repairs, bundling materials, sealing gaps, and even patching holes. Its waterproof nature makes it ideal for outdoor applications.
• HVAC: HVAC technicians rely on duct tapes, especially heavy-duty duct tape and aluminium tape, for sealing ductwork, joining insulation materials, and securing vents.
• Electrical: Industrial duct tape can be used for insulating wires, bundling cables, and providing temporary repairs to electrical equipment.
• Automotive: Duct tape is handy for temporary repairs on vehicles, such as patching cracked hoses, securing loose parts, and even temporarily fixing a broken window.
• Manufacturing and Production: In manufacturing settings, duct tape is used for packaging, labelling, masking, and even securing components during assembly.
• Arts and Entertainment: Cloth duct tape and coloured duct tape find applications in set design, stage production, and even costume creation.

Duct Tape Manufacturer, Supplier and Distributor in Singapore

RS Singapore is a trusted and leading manufacturer, supplier and distributor of high-quality duct tapes, catering to a diverse range of industrial and commercial needs. We offer a wide selection of duct tapes, including heavy-duty duct tape, cloth duct tape, and waterproof duct tape, from top brands like 3M and Tesa.

Whether you're looking for duct tapes — or other products like work gloves and adhesive sealants — RS Singapore has the right solution for you. Our extensive catalogue is carefully curated to provide comprehensive solutions for various applications, ensuring you can find everything you need to complete your project.

Buy Duct Tape Online from RS Singapore

Looking to purchase high-quality duct tape? Look no further than RS Singapore! We make it simple to get what you need. Simply add your desired products to your cart and checkout securely through our easy to navigate website.

Additionally, we offer fast and reliable delivery across the country, with various options to fit your schedule and requirements. For more information on our delivery services, please visit our Delivery Information page or contact our customer support team today.