What Is Electrical Tape?
This article provides a straightforward guide to electrical tape, discussing the various types of tape available, choosing the right tape for your project and the safety considerations you should be aware of before doing so.
With electrical tape playing an important role in insulating and protecting electrical wires and cables in your property or infrastructure, it's important that you get it right.
What is Electrical Tape?
Electrical tape is a form of tape used to insulate and protect electrical wires and cables. It’s available in adhesive and non-adhesive form, with different types of backing materials to account for low to high voltage use across varying industries and environments.
By providing a level of heat and fire resistance to the wires it covers, electrical tape is essential for maintaining safety and preventing electrical hazards. It is also able to provide a secure and long-lasting insulation solution, helping to protect people and components against the electrical current running through.
Is Electrical Tape Conductive?
Electrical tape is not conductive. It is an insulating material, designed to prevent electrical current from passing through or around a connection.
Types of Electrical Tape
There are several different types of electrical tape, including rubber, mastic, vinyl (PVC), and varnished cambric.
These varying combinations of backing material and adhesive material offer a number of properties suitable for a wide range of uses.
Rubber
This is a rubber tape with an adhesive backing, known for its insulation properties and ability to conform to irregular surfaces. This makes it ideal for sealing and protecting electrical connections.
The rubber backing provides a strong and durable hold, with resistance to moisture and UV light, making it a reliable choice for both indoor and outdoor applications.
At AS Rubber, our double-sided acrylic adhesive tape comes in four formats and is ideal for use in electrical appliances. It provides excellent insulation and adhesion, ensuring secure and safe attachment of components within electrical devices.
Mastic
For a more secure seal and added protection, a mastic adhesive tape can be used for electrical insulation requirements.
Mastic adhesive has increased adhesion and is designed to stick well to a variety of surfaces, creating a tight seal around wires or other materials and help protect them from moisture, dust, or other contaminants.
Vinyl
Vinyl, made from a PVC material, is another common electrical tape type. This tape provides flexibility, ease of use, and strong adhesive properties.
The PVC material offers resistance to moisture, chemicals, and abrasions, making it suitable for a variety of applications. Vinyl tape is also known for its high dielectric strength, which helps in preventing electrical current from passing through the tape.
Varnished Cambric
Varnished cambric is a cloth-backed, non-adhesive tape.
Varnished cambric tape is a versatile option across industries and applications, including appliance and fixture installation, maintenance and repair operations, and more.
This type of tape is non-adhesive, making it easy to remove and reposition as needed without leaving behind any residue. Varnished cambric tape offers excellent insulation properties, helping to protect wires and cables from damage and ensuring the safety of your electrical systems.
Its cloth backing provides added strength and durability, making it a dependable choice for a wide range of electrical applications.
Electrical Insulation Tape Colours
Electrical tape is available in a number of colours, which allows different wires and cables to be easily identified and organised. In the UK, tape colours follow the standards set out in BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations).
The most commonly used colours include black and white tape, red, yellow, blue and green.
Black and white coloured tape can be used interchangeably for the general insulation of connections and wires. The choice between the two colours is purely an aesthetic one.
| Colour | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black | General insulation | The most widely used colour for insulating joints, splices, and exposed wire ends |
| White | General insulation | Used interchangeably with black for general insulation purposes |
| Brown | Live / Single phase | Standard live wire colour in modern UK domestic wiring (post-2004) |
| Blue | Neutral (modern) / Live conductor (old) | Neutral in modern single-phase wiring; live conductor identification in older 3-phase installations |
| Grey | Live conductor (3-phase, modern) | Used in 3-phase installations wired to post-2004 harmonised standards |
| Red | Live conductor (3-phase, old) | Found in older installations wired before the 2004 colour harmonisation |
| Yellow | Live conductor (3-phase, old) | Found in older installations wired before the 2004 colour harmonisation |
| Green / Yellow-Green | Earth / Ground | Mandatory earth cable colour — must not be used for any other purpose |
Wiring installed before 2004 may follow older colour conventions.
Safety Considerations with Electrical Tape
To prevent any potential hazards during electrical work, there are national safety guidelines and regulations that advise on the use of electrical tape as well as the compliance of electrical systems.
In particular, the BS EN standards regarding lighting, fire and security systems, heating, temporary electrical systems, household and workplace appliances and machinery provide advice on the correct procedures across specific areas. It is recommended that you consult the guidelines relating to your area of work if you’re unsure.
How to Choose the Right Electrical Tape?
One area of safety is choosing the right electrical tape for your cables and wires.
For example, the colour of the tape enables those handling the cables and wires to correctly identify them and act accordingly, keeping people safe and electrical systems up and running.
The material type is also important, as it contributes to the durability and function of the tape in specific applications, such as high temperature or moisture-resistant tape.
To help you choose the right electrical tape for your application, factors to consider include:
The grade of the tape – this includes the backing construction, thickness, and dielectric strength
Compliance to standards
Tape colour
Your tape should offer the adhesion and durability required for the environment, with the right amount of stretch, all while meeting industry standards and colour codes.
What Is Electrical Tape Used For?
Electrical tape is used across a wide range of applications, from domestic wiring to industrial electrical installations. Common uses include:
Insulating wire joints and splices
Bundling and organising cables
Colour-coding phase, neutral, and earth wires
Protecting connections from moisture
Covering exposed wire ends during installation
Providing a temporary repair to damaged insulation
Advantages of Electrical Insulation Tape
Electrical insulation tape has been perfected for its application, offering several advantages over more general types of tape, such as duct tape or masking tape.
The stretch and flexibility of electrical tape allows you to wrap cables tightly, ensuring a secure and protective covering. This helps prevent any potential damage or short circuits due to exposure. The strength of electrical tape provides an added layer of protection, making it durable and long-lasting.
One of the most important advantages, however, is the insulating and thermal properties of electrical tape. The ability to insulate an electrical current, so that it cannot pass through, allows the tape to be used in direct contact with wiring and circuitry while promoting safety and reducing the risk of an electrical hazard.
AS Rubber is experienced providing foam, sponge, and tape products for the electrical industry. Our wide range of products are suitable for all types of tasks and environments within the industry, including cable insulation and more.
Get in touch to find out more about how we help you with your electrical insulation needs.
View other products available from our Adhesive Tapes Range.
