This category covers garden twine, cotton and jute string, general purpose polypropylene rope, pulley line and vehicle tow ropes. Thickness is given in millimetres and length in metres.
Materials and construction
- Jute: a plant fibre that is gentle on stems for tying in plants, and can go on the compost heap afterwards.
- Cotton: a soft natural string for tying and packing. It can go mouldy and rot if it stays damp.
- Polypropylene: a light synthetic rope that floats and does not rot, though long spells in strong sunlight can fade and fray it.
- Nylon: has plenty of stretch, so it absorbs sudden loads.
- Polyester: stretches less and stands up well to sunlight and wear.
Twisted rope, made of strands laid together, is flexible and easy to handle. Braided rope soaks up twist, so it is less likely to kink.
Tow ropes
Tow ropes are rated in tonnes or kilograms. Choose a rating above the weight of the vehicle you are towing. Elasticated ropes take up slack as the vehicles slow and ease the load in when pulling away. Under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, a vehicle towed on a rope or chain must be no more than 4.5 metres from the vehicle in front, and if the gap is more than 1.5 metres the rope must be made clearly visible to other road users.
Using rope safely
Rope can fail if it is worn, damaged or overloaded. Check it before each use and replace it if it is cut, frayed or melted. Knots weaken rope, in some cases by up to half its strength.
For plant ties and supports, see garden sundries; for other towing equipment, see towing.
