Duct Tape or popularly called "duck tape" (linen tape or blasting tape) is the most versatile piece of tape used for a wide variety of applications. Everyone has used duct tape at one time or another: As an emergency solution for quick and acute repairs, for temporary bonding when bundling materials, when blasting or marking certain substrates.

Because there are so many applications for which duct tape can be used, there are also different types of duct tape.

But how do you choose the right type for your job?
We explain what you can look out for.

What do you use duct tape for?
There are different types of duct tape. To choose the right product, it is best to look at the job. What will you use the duct tape for? For example, if you usually use strong adhesive tape for general applications such as bundling or masking, it is best to go for a basic duct tape. Do you have outdoor work? Then a weatherproof duct tape is the best choice.
There are also duct tapes that are used for industrial applications such as blasting. This type of tape is also called blasting tape.

Differences in duct tapes
The differences between the tapes are in roughly 2 aspects:

• Carrier
  The carrier of the duct tape is reinforced by the linen interweave (trade term: mesh). The denser this interweaving is, the stronger the tape is and the easier it is to tear by hand.
  Despite the fact that duct tape is easy to tear by hand, the tape is enormously strong. So this partly determines the quality of the tape. If you have a simple application such as temporary bundling, a carrier with a slightly lower mesh will often suffice. If, for example, you want to use a duct tape for a longer period of time and it has to withstand heavy loads, such as bundling steel, a higher mesh is recommended.
  
  
• Adhesive layer
  The adhesive layer is another important aspect to duct tapes. The most common adhesive layers are hot melt and natural rubber. Both adhesive layers are made of different material and thus each also has different characteristics. We take a quick look at these two.
  
  Hot melt: this is the name for synthetic adhesives in the form of a solid. When heated, these adhesives become liquid and can be applied to the backing. Hence, it is also called hot melt. Upon cooling, cohesion forms and the adhesive is tacky. This adhesive layer is known to have a high initial adhesion. Duct tapes with a hotmelt adhesive layer are therefore often used for shorter-term applications.
  
  Natural rubber: this adhesive layer is made of, as the name suggests, natural rubber. This is extracted from milk of the rubber tree and resin, among other things. The advantages of this adhesive layer are its longer deployment time, where the adhesive strength is very strong even when used for longer periods. In addition, this adhesive layer leaves no glue residues, even with longer and heavier use.

Take your pick! (or call in a specialist)
Now you know what the differences are, but how do you choose the right duct tape? That's always difficult to say so, which is why it's important to look at exactly what the application is. Every duct tape has unique characteristics and advantages that make it suitable for certain applications.

These questions can help you choose the right duct tape:

• What will the tape be used for?
• What surface will the tape be stuck to?
• For how long will the tape be used?
• Will the tape be used indoors or outdoors? Or exposed to weather conditions?
• Will the tape be exposed to (heavy) loads?
• Should the tape be removable without adhesive residue?

Are you at a loss?

Don't worry, our specialists are ready to provide tailor-made advice. If your application becomes very specific or you have doubts about the right tape, they can always come up with a solution. They will give you customer-specific advice and link the right tape to it. After all, you want to worry about many things, but not about your tape. You need to be able to rely on that at all times!

Get quick advice via chat or phone,
For specific questions, we advise you to send an e-mail to [email protected].