Cargo Pit Tape Guide — Polyken 296FR, 290FR & 225FR
What Is Cargo Compartment Tape? Cargo Pit Tape, Specs & Cost
What cargo pit tape is, the BMS 5-146 / FAR 25.855 specs it has to meet, how Polyken 296FR, 290FR & 225FR compare, and what a roll costs.
The white cloth tape sealing the liner seams inside a freighter's belly isn't ordinary gaffer or duct tape. It's a flame-retardant, aerospace-qualified cargo compartment tape — often called cargo pit tape — held to a specific Boeing material spec. Its job is to keep a fire contained: if a fire starts in the cargo pit, the liner and its sealed seams must resist flame penetration long enough for the suppression system and crew to act. That's why it's qualified to aerospace flammability standards everyday tape can't meet.
Already know the grade you need? Shop all stocked cargo pit tapes, with a Certificate of Conformance on every order.
Shop Cargo Pit Tape →Not duct tape, not a structural repair. Cargo pit tape is a regulated, technician-applied material for seaming liner panels and minor, approved liner repairs under the aircraft's maintenance program. It never substitutes for an approved structural repair, and the specific product and application must be approved for the task.
What cargo pit tape is (and what it isn't)
Cargo pit tape is a fiberglass (glass-cloth) tape with a high-tack, high-tensile adhesive engineered for the cargo-hold environment. The glass-cloth backing gives it strength and flame resistance; the adhesive bonds aggressively to metal, composite, and the liner material itself, and holds a seal under the load and vibration of flight. It conforms around pins, rivets, and liner joints without flagging or lifting, and the bromide-free adhesive on grades like 296FR is repositionable and removes cleanly without residue. Because these are fiberglass tapes, most grades carry a coating that keeps the glass fibers from contacting skin during handling.
What cargo compartment tape is used for
Licensed maintenance technicians use cargo pit tape for flame-rated sealing and repair work inside the hold, under approved procedures. Common uses:
Joining liner panels — sealing the seams between cargo-compartment liner panels so the fire barrier stays continuous.
Minor approved repairs to cargo liner material to maintain its flame-penetration resistance.
Covering fasteners and hardware to maintain a smooth, sealed surface.
High-adhesion areas where both aggressive adhesion and flame resistance matter at once.
Is cargo pit tape regulated? Which specs it meets
Yes. Cargo compartment tape sits at the center of the cargo-hold fire-protection system, so it's held to recognized flammability and material specifications. The ones you'll see most on a data sheet:
| Spec | What it covers | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing BMS 5-146 | Boeing material spec for flame-retardant cargo-compartment tape (commonly Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A) — the number most buyers search for | BMS 5-146 → |
| FAR 25.853(a) | Flammability of cabin/compartment materials — the vertical-burn requirement | FAR 25.853 → |
| FAR 25.855(d) | Cargo & baggage compartment construction — liner flame-penetration resistance | — |
| FAR 25.856(a) | Thermal/acoustic insulation flammability (flame-propagation) requirements | FAR 25.856 → |
| Airbus ABD0031 | The Airbus equivalent flammability standard (e.g., Paragraphs 7.3.2 and 7.4) | — |
The paperwork is what separates aerospace-grade tape from a look-alike. Genuine cargo pit tape carries the spec qualification plus a Certificate of Conformance confirming the roll meets it — included free on every order.
Choose by grade: 296FR vs 290FR vs 225FR
Most cargo-compartment tape searches land on a handful of Polyken part numbers and their 3M / Nitto cross-references. Pick by the job, then confirm against the data sheet.
| If you need to… | Best fit | Product |
|---|---|---|
| General cargo-pit seaming & liner repair — the most-requested cargo tape, a direct 3M 398FR / Nitto P629 alternative | Lightweight flame-retardant fiberglass cloth, meets BMS 5-146 | Polyken 296FR |
| Seam sealing where a printed, linerless tape is preferred | Printed, linerless, PE-coated flame-retardant glass-cloth | Polyken 290FR |
| Flame-retardant duct-tape jobs & cargo-pit uses needing a duct-style tape | FR duct-style cargo-pit tape in long 60-yd rolls | Polyken 225FR |
Replacing a 3M or Nitto part? Our cross-reference guides line up the specs side by side.
3M 398FR → 296FR →Side-by-side: cargo pit tape grades & pricing
| Specification | 296FR | 290FR | 225FR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | FR fiberglass cloth | Printed, linerless PE-coated glass cloth | FR duct-style tape |
| Meets BMS 5-146 | Yes | Cargo-pit seam grade | FR cargo-pit grade |
| Roll length | 36 yd | 60 yd | 60 yd |
| Widths | 2″ · 3″ · 4″ | 2″ · 3″ | 2″ · 3″ |
| Cross-reference | 3M 398FR / Nitto P629 | Fiberglass seam tape | FR duct / cargo-pit |
| Best for | General seaming & repair | Linerless seam sealing | Duct-style FR jobs |
| Price from (single roll) | $59.99 | $48.99 | $47.99 |
| Case pricing | from $1,007.83 | from $671.90 | from $691.06 |
| Data sheet | TDS ↓ | TDS ↓ | TDS ↓ |
Prices are current single-roll starting prices and may change; case quantities lower the per-roll cost, and wider 3″ and 4″ rolls cost more than 2″. Confirm the live price on each product page. Values are typical and provided for reference — always confirm against the controlling drawing and current data sheet for your application.
Can't use ordinary duct tape. The cargo-compartment liner is a certified fire barrier. Only tape qualified to the applicable spec (such as BMS 5-146) and approved for the task may be used — even a flame-retardant duct-style grade like Polyken 225FR must be the correct, approved material for the job.
Frequently asked questions
What is cargo compartment tape?
Cargo compartment tape (or cargo pit tape) is a lightweight, flame-retardant fiberglass cloth tape used to seam and repair the liner panels inside an aircraft cargo hold. It's qualified to aerospace flammability specs so the cargo-compartment fire barrier stays intact, and is much more specialized than ordinary cloth or duct tape.
What spec does cargo pit tape have to meet?
The most common Boeing material spec is BMS 5-146 (often Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A), with flammability tested to FAR 25.853(a), 25.855(d) and 25.856(a); the Airbus equivalent is ABD0031. Genuine aerospace cargo tape ships with a Certificate of Conformance confirming it meets these.
What's the difference between Polyken 296FR, 290FR, and 225FR?
All three are flame-retardant cargo-pit grades. Polyken 296FR is a lightweight glass-cloth tape that meets BMS 5-146 and is the most-requested general cargo tape. Polyken 290FR is a printed, linerless, PE-coated glass-cloth tape for seam sealing where those features are preferred. Polyken 225FR is a flame-retardant duct-style tape supplied in 60-yard rolls for FR duct-tape and cargo-pit uses.
Is Polyken 296FR the same as 3M 398FR or Nitto P629?
They are cross-referenced equivalents. Polyken 296FR is a direct alternative to 3M 398FR and Nitto P629 for BMS 5-146 cargo-compartment applications. See our 3M 398FR alternative and Nitto P629 alternative pages for side-by-side specs.
How much does cargo compartment tape cost?
Across our stocked grades a single roll starts at $47.99, with case quantities lowering the per-roll price; wider 3-inch and 4-inch rolls cost more than 2-inch. Our cargo pit tape ships with free US shipping and a Certificate of Conformance on every order. Tell us the width and quantity for a current quote.
Can I use regular duct tape instead of cargo pit tape?
No. The cargo-compartment liner is a certified fire barrier, and only tape qualified to the applicable spec (such as BMS 5-146) and approved for the task may be used. Ordinary cloth, gaffer, or duct tape does not meet the flammability requirements and is not approved.
Need aerospace-grade cargo pit tape?
Tell us the grade, width, and quantity you need and we'll confirm stock, lead time, and pricing. BMS 5-146 tape from $47.99/roll with free US shipping and a Certificate of Conformance on every order.
Shop Cargo Pit Tape →This guide is provided for general informational purposes. Cargo compartment tape is a regulated material; its use on any aircraft must follow the applicable structural repair manual, engineering order, maintenance manual, and the operator's FAA-approved procedures. Spec references (BMS 5-146, FAR 25.853/25.855/25.856, ABD0031) are provided for identification; confirm the current revision and applicability for your task. Typical performance figures are industry-general and not for use in writing specifications; confirm current values against each product's manufacturer data sheet. Prices shown are current starting prices and may change; confirm the live price on each product page. Boeing and BMS are trademarks of The Boeing Company; other marks belong to their respective owners.