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Community and Q&A

Zip tape for ducts?

alan72 | Posted in General Questions on

This may be a dumb question, would anyone use zip tape (or zip stretch tape) to seal ducts?

i know it isn’t UL listed but it really has great adhesion esp when augmented with 3M hi-strength 90 contact adhesive. 

our contractor used shurtape dc 181- it doesn’t work very well (I did read Martin’s post on the topic) – I should have requested mastic and mesh tape.

Thx!
Alan

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Replies

  1. Expert Member
    BILL WICHERS | | #1

    Mastic is much better and can seal to all kinds of goofy shapes such as what you get at transitions. Back before I discovered the wonders of mastic, I always used foil tape — the metal stuff. That stuff works pretty well if the duct surface is clean and you’re careful when applying it (keep it flat, carefully contour it to the shape of whatever it’s sticking to). I think the brand I was using was Nashua. HD carries a good brand of this type of tape.

    I would not use a tape not intended for sealing ductwork since this could result in problems at inspection time.

    Bill

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