5 Thread Seal Tapes and Cord Compared (2026) — Sizes, Materials and Documented Uses

Please note: Product availability and information are based on our research at time of writing and are subject to change. Always check Amazon for the latest details before purchasing. Our assessments are research-based: we compared Oatey’s (Harvey and Hercules), FedPro’s (Gasoila) and Henkel’s (Loctite) product pages and data sheets with the Amazon listings, read and captured on 13 October 2026, and we have not used these products or tested their sealing performance. Facts that come only from an Amazon listing are marked as such, and the EZ-FLO entry rests on its listing alone because we found no manufacturer page. This article is not gas-fitting instruction.

Introduction

Thread seal tape and thread sealing cord both fill the gap between tapered pipe threads. PTFE tape is a thin film wrapped around the male thread; thread cord is a coated filament wound onto the thread. The five products here are four PTFE tapes and one cord, and they differ in documented ways: width and length, thickness and density, color, and what each maker says about gas and potable water. Two are yellow tapes sold for gas pipe, the Harvey 017065 and the EZ-FLO 10 pack. Two are tapes without the yellow gas marking: the Gasoila 1/4 in high-density white, whose FedPro page states no gas use, and the Hercules MegaTape in gray, whose gas use Oatey describes in a catalog and a tape FAQ but not on its product page. The fifth is the Loctite 55 cord. For how tape compares with pipe dope, see our pipe thread sealant vs Teflon tape comparison and our best pipe thread sealants review; for how to wrap a joint, our how to apply plumber’s tape correctly guide; for a leak that tape does not stop, our best pipe repair kits review and our how to fix a leaking pipe guide.

We do not rank these products, assign star ratings, report buyer demand or infer stock or price from a product page, and we make no claim that any of them seals better, lasts longer or is safer than another. Sizes, thickness, standards and approvals come from the makers’ pages and data sheets, and anything that appears only on an Amazon listing is labelled as such. Gas and potable-water statements are quoted with their source, and gas work is governed by the label, local code and a licensed professional. The Check Price buttons keep the article’s owner-approved Amazon links so you can inspect the current seller, selected variant and offer yourself; some of these Amazon pages sell other sizes or packs, and each entry names the one the link selects.

Quick Comparison: Size, Material and Documented Uses

The table gives each product’s role and the size, material and use statements its source publishes, with the source under each entry. Sources differ in kind: Oatey and FedPro are manufacturers, the Henkel row uses its May 2024 data sheet, and the EZ-FLO row is listing-only. The Check Price links are the article’s owner-approved Amazon links. Offers and sellers change.

Full Reviews — 5 Thread Sealing Products

Each entry gives the documented size, material and use statements with the source named, followed by the product box with the owner-approved Amazon link. The order groups products by type, two yellow tapes, two other tapes and the cord, and is not a ranking.

1. Harvey 017065 Gas Line PTFE Thread Seal Tape — Yellow Gas-Line Tape

yellow gas-line tape

Oatey, which sells Harvey, describes this tape on its product page (Oatey product page) as an economy-grade, low-density PTFE thread seal tape, 1/2 in. x 260 in., part 17065, for a wide range of threaded pipes. Oatey lists it as designed for gas lines up to 1-1/2 in. diameter, says the yellow color designates use on gas pipe, calls it nonflammable and safe for use on potable water applications, and says it meets Federal Specification T-27730A and enables easy disassembly of joints. Oatey’s page gives no thickness, pressure or temperature figure and names no potable-water standard.

The Amazon listing describes the same tape as “extra heavy, full density” and gives a thickness of 1.88 mils; Oatey calls it low-density and gives no thickness, so we use Oatey’s description and treat the listing’s figures as listing-only. Oatey’s blog says general-purpose tape on gas lines may not be approved by local code, so check the package and your code before using any tape on gas.

2. EZ-FLO Gas PTFE Tape, 1/2 in x 260 in, 4 mil, 10 Pack — Yellow Gas Tape Pack

yellow gas tape pack, listing-only

We found no manufacturer page or data sheet for this product, so everything in this entry comes from its Amazon listing and none of it is confirmed by a maker document. The listing, part number 50033, describes ten rolls of 1/2 in x 260 in, 4 mil yellow PTFE tape that it says is “manufactured especially for natural gas, propane, and butane lines”.

The listing names no standard, listing or approval for gas, and the manufacturer’s approval for gas use is unconfirmed, so its gas suitability is a listing statement only. We have left out the listing’s pressure, temperature and material-compatibility figures because we could not verify them. Supplied as a ten-roll pack; the link selects the 10 pack. We make no statement about the brand’s history or standing.

3. Gasoila PTFE Thread Seal Tape, 1/4 in x 260 in, High Density — Narrow White Tape

narrow high-density white tape

FedPro, the Federal Process Corporation division that owns the Gasoila brand, lists this tape on its product page (FedPro product page) as Thred Tape, White High Density, stock code TT43, 1/4 in x 260 in: industrial-strength high-density PTFE made with 100 percent virgin PTFE, UL Listed thread sealant 561R, meeting MIL-T-27730A or AA-58092, with a temperature range of -450 to 550 F and a pressure range to 10,000 PSI. FedPro’s PTFE tape specification sheet (spec sheet) gives the high-density grade a thickness of 3.9 mils, a density of 0.9 to 1.2 g/cm3 and a non-toxic rating.

Three details need care. The Amazon listing sells this tape under the Gasoila name with gas-line, HVAC and plumbing statements and a “288 inch” length in one bullet; FedPro’s TT43 is 260 in, and 288 in is its 3/4 in size, so we use 260 in. FedPro’s page does not call this white tape a gas-line tape or state a potable-water approval, and FedPro sells a separate Thred Tape, Yellow for Gas (FedPro yellow gas tape) listed as UL 131N and CSA approved; “non-toxic” is FedPro’s spec-sheet wording, not a drinking-water certification. The same Amazon page sells other widths and pack sizes; the link selects the 1/4 in x 260 in single roll.

4. Hercules MegaTape 15100 PTFE Thread Seal Tape, 1/2 in x 1000 in, Gray — Gray All-Purpose Tape

gray all-purpose tape, 1000 in roll

Oatey’s Megatape page (Oatey product page) describes Hercules Megatape as a heavy-duty, pro-grade thread sealing tape, 3.5 mils thick, that needs fewer wraps, and as an all-purpose PTFE tape for stainless steel pipe, cast iron, PVC, CPVC and ABS pipe, and brass and chrome fittings; Oatey says its gray color suits stainless steel or chrome pipe. Its variant list gives the 1/2 in. x 1000 in. gray roll as part 15100, with 1/2 in x 260 in, 3/4 in and 1 in versions also listed.

Oatey’s sources differ on gas. The Megatape product page makes no gas-line or potable-water statement. Oatey’s Irrigation, Pool & Spa catalog (Oatey catalog, PDF, form dated March 2018) says Megatape is “approved for use with gas and UL Listed”, without naming a standard, an approving body or a listing number. Oatey’s plumber’s tape page (Oatey tape page) says all its thread sealant tapes will work on natural gas lines, but recommends its yellow gas line tape, part 31403, for all natural gas installations because, Oatey says, it is approved by code and the color shows the correct tape was used. We report the catalog line as Oatey’s description of the tape’s use and listing, not as a code approval for Megatape that we verified, so check the package label and your local code. The roll is 740 in longer than the 260 in rolls in this lineup; the link selects the 1/2 in x 1000 in gray.

5. Loctite 55 Pipe Sealing Thread Cord, 150 m — Thread Cord

thread sealing cord

Henkel’s May 2024 technical data sheet (Henkel data sheet, May 2024) describes LOCTITE 55 as a white, coated cord of polyamide thread with an inert proprietary paste, recommended for sealing metal and plastic tapered pipe threads and fittings of 4 in NPT in industrial applications, typically at up to 149 C. Its approvals are listed as NSF/ANSI 61 for commercial and residential potable water systems not exceeding 82 C, a regional approval; EN 751-2 class ARp compound with DVGW approval and WRC and BGA KTW potable water approvals, which are European; an Australian Gas Association approval (Class III, 2,000 kPa, -10 to 150 C), also regional; and a hydrogen GASTEC AR-214 conformity statement, also regional. Henkel does not recommend it for pure oxygen or strong oxidizing materials, and the sheet says to contact a Henkel representative for approval certificates. Henkel’s Swedish page (Henkel Sweden page) lists a similar set of approvals.

Henkel’s directions are to wind the cord from the pipe end in the same direction as the thread helix, avoid over-applying it and cut it with the built-in cutter; the May 2024 sheet says the joint can be adjusted up to 45 degrees after tightening. The sheet gives a table of turns by pipe diameter for metal and plastic threads, so use it for the count. Pack size: Henkel’s May 2024 sheet lists 12, 50, 100 and 160 m spools. Its April 2015 sheet (a distributor-hosted copy, 2015 data sheet copy) listed a 150 m spool, and the Amazon listing this article links is titled as a 150 m size. We have not changed the product or the link, but we could not confirm from a current Henkel document that the linked 150 m pack matches the May 2024 sheet, so its relationship to that sheet is unconfirmed. The Amazon listing says the cord is safe for drinking water and gas and WRC listed; those are listing statements, and we found no US gas approval in Henkel’s documents.

Plumbing Tape Buying Guide

Tape or cord

PTFE tape is a thin film wrapped around the male thread and needs no cure time, per Oatey. Thread cord is a coated filament wound onto the thread; Henkel’s data sheet describes Loctite 55 as non-curing and adjustable after tightening, and the data sheet recommends it for tapered metal and plastic pipe threads. Both are described by their makers for tapered pipe threads, so the choice is a matter of the method you prefer and what your connection’s label and code call for; our pipe thread sealant vs Teflon tape comparison covers paste sealants as a third option.

Color, gas and the label

Makers document gas use product by product, and it helps to separate three things: what a maker says a tape is used for, a listing or certification, and local-code approval. Oatey says the yellow color of the Harvey tape designates use on gas pipe. For Hercules MegaTape, Oatey’s product page is silent, its 2018 catalog says “approved for use with gas and UL Listed” without a standard, and its tape FAQ says all its tapes work on natural gas lines while recommending its yellow tape, part 31403, as code-approved. FedPro sells a separate yellow tape for gas that is listed UL 131N and CSA approved, while its white high-density tape is listed UL 561R and its page states no gas-line use. Oatey’s blogs add that some local regulations require yellow and that general-purpose tape on gas lines may not be approved by local code. Those are manufacturer descriptions and listings, and only your local code decides what is approved for a gas fitting. Read the label of the exact roll and use a licensed professional for gas work if you are unsure.

Potable water

What each source says about drinking water differs. Oatey calls the Harvey tape safe for potable water applications and says in its tape FAQ that all Oatey thread sealant tapes are safe for potable water, a manufacturer statement without a named certification; its Megatape page itself says nothing on the subject. Henkel lists NSF/ANSI 61 certification to 82 C for Loctite 55 as a regional approval. FedPro’s spec sheet lists its tape as non-toxic and states no potable-water approval, and the EZ-FLO listing states nothing. Check the package for a potable-water mark if it matters for your job.

Width, length and thickness

The tapes here are 1/4 in (Gasoila) and 1/2 in wide, and 260 in (Harvey, EZ-FLO and Gasoila) or 1000 in (Hercules) long. Oatey gives Megatape as 3.5 mils and FedPro gives its high-density grade as 3.9 mils; the EZ-FLO listing says 4 mil, and Oatey gives no thickness for the Harvey. A narrower tape suits small threads, a longer roll covers more joints, and thickness is a maker figure rather than something we measured.

How to apply

Oatey’s general guidance varies by source. Its how-to blog (Oatey how-to blog) says to clean the male threads with a wire brush or cloth, start at the end of the pipe and wrap clockwise, with two to three wraps for thicker tape and four to five for thinner tape, keeping the tape taut. The FAQ on its plumber’s tape page (Oatey tape page) says three to five wraps when the tape width matches the pipe diameter, and four to five for 1-1/4 in threads and above or when the tape is narrower than the pipe. These are general guidance, not one count for every tape, and the instructions for the exact product and fitting take precedence. Oatey also says too much tape can stress a fitting and suggests starting with fewer wraps and testing for leaks. Henkel gives a table of turns by pipe diameter for its cord. Our how to apply plumber’s tape correctly guide covers the steps in more detail, and Henkel’s directions for the cord are in entry 5.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use standard plumbing tape on a gas line?

Check the label of the exact roll and your local code; the makers’ statements differ by product. Oatey says the yellow color of its Harvey tape designates gas pipe use, says all its tapes will work on natural gas lines but recommends its yellow tape (part 31403) as code-approved, and its blogs say general-purpose tape on gas lines may not be approved by local code. FedPro sells a separate yellow tape for gas. These are manufacturer descriptions, not a code approval for any tape here. This article is not gas-fitting instruction; use a licensed professional if you are unsure.

Q: How many wraps of tape does a threaded connection need?

There is no single count. It depends on the tape, its width and the thread size, and the instructions for your exact product and fitting take precedence. Oatey’s general guidance varies by source: its blog says two to three wraps for thicker tape and four to five for thinner tape, and its tape FAQ says three to five wraps when the tape width matches the pipe diameter and four to five for larger threads or narrower tape. Oatey suggests starting with fewer wraps and testing for leaks. Our how to apply plumber’s tape correctly guide covers the steps.

Q: What is the difference between PTFE tape and thread sealing cord?

Tape is a thin PTFE film wrapped around the thread; Henkel describes Loctite 55 as a coated polyamide cord wound onto the thread in the direction of the thread helix. Both are described by their makers for tapered pipe threads.

Q: Is any of these tapes approved for drinking water?

Oatey calls the Harvey tape safe for potable water applications and says all its thread sealant tapes are safe for potable water, a manufacturer statement without a named certification. Henkel lists NSF/ANSI 61 for Loctite 55 as a regional approval to 82 C. FedPro and the EZ-FLO listing state no potable-water approval. Check the package for a mark if it matters for your job.

Q: Are prices and availability shown here?

No current price or stock status is shown. The Check Price buttons keep the article’s owner-approved Amazon links so you can inspect the current seller, selected size and offer before purchasing.

Conclusion — Which Product Suits Which Job?

Start with the connection and its label. The Harvey 017065 is the yellow 1/2 in x 260 in tape that Oatey designs for gas lines up to 1-1/2 in. diameter and describes as safe for potable water applications. The EZ-FLO 10 pack is a ten-roll yellow gas tape whose pack dimensions and gas use are listing-only, with manufacturer approval unconfirmed. For small threads, the Gasoila is a 1/4 in x 260 in high-density white tape that FedPro lists as UL 561R. For a long roll, the Hercules MegaTape is 1/2 in x 1000 in gray and, per Oatey, 3.5 mils thick, with gas use described in an Oatey catalog but not on its product page. For a different method, the Loctite 55 cord is documented by Henkel’s May 2024 sheet for tapered pipe threads with regional potable-water and gas approvals; the linked 150 m pack is not a spool size on that sheet. These are documented figures, not results from a hands-on test; offers, sellers and variants change, so check the page and the package label before you order.

Sources

• Oatey: Harvey Yellow Gas Line PTFE Thread Seal Tape (17065)
• Oatey: Hercules Megatape
• Oatey: How to Use Plumber’s Tape
• Oatey: Pipe Dope vs. Teflon Tape
• FedPro: Thred Tape, White High Density (TT43)
• FedPro: PTFE Tape Specifications (PDF)
• FedPro: Thred Tape, Yellow for Gas
• Henkel: LOCTITE 55 technical data sheet, May 2024 (PDF)
• Henkel: LOCTITE 55 Pipe Cord technical data sheet, April 2015 (distributor-hosted copy, PDF)
• Oatey: Irrigation, Pool & Spa Catalog, March 2018 (PDF)
• Oatey: Plumber’s Tape page and FAQ
• EZ-FLO Gas PTFE Tape 10 pack: no manufacturer page found; Amazon listing only.
• Amazon listings for all five items (untagged product pages, captured 13 October 2026) for identity, the listing-only figures and variants.