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13.0 DUCK DUCT TAPE - DO-IT-YOURSELF - DIY TIPS

Duct tape is one of the great simple, easy, cheap repair products of the modern age. It is excellent for emergency repairs. You should have at least one roll of duct tape in your house and one in each car. It is a combination of strong thick adhesive on cloth with a plastic covering. I like some brands better than others. I have found that the DUCK TAPE brand is easy to find and about the best. Cheaper brands are not as thick.

Duct tape can last a very long time for indoor household repairs, even on areas that get wet (as long as you put it on a dry surface to begin with). It will fall apart in sunlight, however, and it will not last long on surfaces that get warm.

When you apply the tape, the surface needs to be clean and dry. Wrap duct tape all the way around something (a pipe, a hose, a board), and it will be incredibly strong.

Part of the "art" of using duct tape is knowing how to tear it. You are not limited to wide strips. You can tear long thin strips or short tiny pieces. Because it is made of cloth, it will tear evenly and cleanly along the weave. The trick is to tear it quickly with a straight forward motion. Practice and you'll get the hang of it.

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