What is Teflon Tape?

Teflon tape is also called, "PTFE tape", "tape dope", "thread tape" or "plumber's tape". Teflon tape is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film cut to tape widths for use as an aid in tightening and sealing pipe threads.

What is PTFE?

Chemically, Teflon is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a synthetic polymer, which finds numerous applications. PTFE is most well known by the Dupont brand name Teflon. One of the defining characteristics of PTFE is how good it is at defeating friction. The use of PTFE tape on tapered pipe threads performs a lubricating function, which more easily allows the threads to be screwed together, to the point of deformation, which is what creates the majority, if not all, of the seal.

How do you use Teflon Tape?

Teflon tape is wrapped around the exposed threads of a pipe before it is screwed into place. Be sure to not use Teflon Tape on the first 2 or 3 threads to assure that small pieces of tape do not contaminate the fluid in the line or the systems' filters.

Since the Teflon is slick, it lets you easily tighten the threads properly and then the tape aids in sealing any small gaps between threads.

Teflon tape is appropriate for use on tapered pipe threads, where it is the thread itself that provides the seal surface. It is not required on parallel threads - parallel threads will not seal effectively themselves, even with Teflon tape.

A high quality Teflon tape will be built to MIL-T-27730A military specification with a minimum thickness of 3 mils.

Industrial Supplies - Industrial Sales>

These are just some of the thousands of industrial supplies that Hi-Line salesmen carry on their trucks.  Every Hi-Line representative manages a territory, similar to a route sales system, where quality electrical and maintenance supplies are delivered directly to your bins. If you love industrial parts, working with people, and being your own boss, then contact Hi-Line at industrialsales@hi-line.com for a rewarding career in industrial sales.