Electrical Tape Vs. Duct Tape
While both electrical tape and duct tape are useful in the craft department, different properties make them best suited for different industrial uses.
Inexpensive and versatile, most homeowners could probably find a few different rolls of tape in drawers and on shelves. Not all types of tape are suitable for all applications, however. Duct tape is useful for packaging, and it has dozens of creative household uses. Electrical tape, on the other hand, is specifically designed to address the needs of electricians.
The Duct Tape Revolution
Everyone has a big roll of this sticky silver tape in the house or garage. Duct tape, invented by Vesta Stoudt and first manufactured by Johnson & Johnson during World War II, earned a spot in history. By combining strong duck cloth with a rubber-based adhesive, “duck tape” was born. Yes, they really called it duck tape until years later when the construction industry adopted it for sealing seams in sheet metal ducts and the name gradually changed to "duct tape."
Duct tape is an American favorite for fixing just about everything. With polyethylene coating, it’s water resistant and sticks to almost everything -- but don’t use it on your ductwork. Although it was popular to do so for years, temperature variations in metal ducts eventually resulted in brittle, peeling tape. Today’s duct-taping solution is metalized aluminum tape that meets International Code Council standards. Many local building codes no longer allow the use of regular duct tape on HVAC ducts.
Tip
- Duct tape is more than just functional. With true appreciation for this amazing product, duct tape fans find dozens of creative uses for the silvery tape. * Believe it or not, you might even be able to get rid of that annoying wart with duct tape.
Warning
Because standard duct tape does not offer the same fire-resistant properties found in electrical tape, don’t use it as a substitute in electrical wiring applications.
Electrical Tape
Vinyl-based electrical tape doesn’t possess near the strength of duct tape. In fact, you can stretch it into a long thin strand before it breaks. It’s claim to fame lies in its insulating properties, which make it beneficial for use in some wiring applications. Black electrical tape is the most common color, and electricians use it when:
- bundling multiple wires together.
- insulating the outside edge of an outlet to keep the terminals from making contact with a metal outlet box.
- wrapping splices in “fishing” wire used to pull new wiring through existing wall.
Tip
When bundling automotive wires together, known as “wrapping a harness,” use non-adhesive black electrical tape. Just stretch it lightly as you wrap and it will stay on.
Warning
Electrical tape cannot replace wire nuts for spliced wires, although electricians may over-wrap wire nuts in junction boxes for added safety.
Color-coding With Electrical Tape
In addition to standard black, electrical tape comes in a rainbow of other colors, and electricians use them to code wires for future identification. For example, if the electrician runs a black wire as a neutral wire -- neutral wires are typically white -- he’ll wrap white electrical tape around the wire near the breaker and at the other end, effectively labeling it as a neutral wire. Other colors of electrical tape, signify differences in voltage and the type of electrical system in use.
Warning
Wrapping a damaged wire with electrical tape is not a safe fix if bare copper is visible.
The Drip Cap
- Inexpensive and versatile, most homeowners could probably find a few different rolls of tape in drawers and on shelves.
- With polyethylene coating, it’s water resistant and sticks to almost everything -- but don’t use it on your ductwork.
- Although it was popular to do so for years, temperature variations in metal ducts eventually resulted in brittle, peeling tape.
- wrapping splices in “fishing” wire used to pull new wiring through existing wall.
- In addition to standard black, electrical tape comes in a rainbow of other colors, and electricians use them to **code wires for future identification.
- **
Writer Bio
Glenda Taylor is a contractor and a full-time writer specializing in construction writing. She also enjoys writing business and finance, food and drink and pet-related articles. Her education includes marketing and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas.
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