Polyken Tape Guide — 296FR, 290FR, 108FR, 345SW & More
Polyken Aerospace Tapes — The Complete Line Guide
Every Polyken tape we stock, what each one is built for, the specifications it holds, and how to pick the right one for the job.
Polyken is one of the most widely specified pressure-sensitive tape brands in commercial aviation. The line covers carpet mounting, cargo compartments and cargo-pit duct work, foil speed tape repair, military packaging and stage work, and Polyken part numbers show up by name on Boeing, Airbus, Douglas, Fokker, Bombardier, Embraer and Lockheed documentation. This guide lays out the full line side by side so you can match the job — or the spec on your drawing — to the right roll.
Two ways in: find by application if you know the job, or find by specification if you have a drawing callout.
Find by Application → Find by Specification →Already know the part number? Download the official technical data sheet for any Polyken tape, or look up your drawing callout on our specifications page.
Technical Data Sheets → Specifications by Authority →Polyken or Patco?
The two brands divide cleanly, and if you are not sure which one your job belongs to, this is the fastest way to tell.
Polyken (Vybond Specialty Adhesives, formerly Berry Global) is the broader line — cloth, fiberglass, foil and vinyl constructions covering carpet mounting, cargo compartments, speed tape repair, military packaging and stage work. If the job involves holding, sealing or masking with a cloth or foil tape, a Polyken number usually covers it.
Patco is the film-tape specialist for aircraft sealing, corrosion inhibition and surface protection — floor joints, galley and lavatory wet seals, moisture barriers at seat tracks, removable protection during maintenance, and one exterior tape for leading edges. Five products, covered in full on the Patco line guide.
Start with the drawing callout if you have one — it names the spec, and the cross-reference below shows which Polyken tape or tapes hold it — some specifications list more than one. With no callout, work from the application: the quick-pick table below routes each common Polyken job to the right tape in one step.
Not every tape on this page is an aircraft tape
The Polyken range spans three different audiences. Before you compare specifications, find the group your job belongs to — a tape from the wrong group may perform well and still be the wrong material for the aircraft.
Named on OEM documentation and flame retardant to FAR 25.853(a). These are the tapes a cabin or cargo drawing callout normally points to — the callout itself, not this page, decides which one applies.
Used on aircraft, but for repair, masking and temporary protection rather than the interior and cargo callouts in group 1. The 345SW carries FAR 25.853(a); the 105C does not. Check what your maintenance manual or drawing permits.
Not aircraft interior tapes. Same manufacturer and same quality control, but built for ground support, defense logistics, stage and production work. Do not substitute these into an aircraft interior callout.
Quick pick: which tape for which job
The fastest route to a shortlist. Find your application on the left; the product on the right is the usual starting point for that job. The controlling drawing and the current manufacturer data sheet decide whether it is right for yours.
| The job | Reach for | Why this one |
|---|---|---|
| Securing cabin carpet — flame retardant required | Polyken 108FR | Boeing BMS 5-133 double-coated FR cotton cloth; the industry default for cabin floors and stairs |
| Carpet or trim mounting — temporary, non-FR | Polyken 105C | Boeing BAC5034-4 Sec. 5.1.a(1)(a); high tack, clean removal, VOC under 1 g/L |
| Cargo liner seams and repairs — Boeing callout | Polyken 296FR | Boeing BMS 5-146; the thinnest of the cabin and cargo tapes at 7 mil, with 134 lb/in tensile strength, rated to 275°F |
| Heavy-duty cargo pit sealing — freighters | Polyken 290FR | 150 lb/in PE-coated fiberglass; named in the Boeing 737/747/757/767/777 SL-25 service letters |
| Cargo pit duct work — conformable, hand-tearable | Polyken 225FR | 12 mil PE-coated cloth for irregular surfaces; Douglas DMS 1968E, Fokker FK05-006/113 |
| Speed tape — skin repair, heat shield, vapor barrier | Polyken 345SW | SAE-AMS-T-23397B dead soft foil rated to 350°F; self-wound, no liner waste |
| Military packaging, blast masking, field repair | Polyken 231 | ASTM D5486 Type IV Class 1; 82 oz/in adhesion and low outgassing per ASTM E595 |
| Stage, film and event marking — UV reactive | Polyken 510 | Matte vinyl-coated cloth that glows under blacklight; four neon colors, residue-free removal |
Have a part number or drawing callout? Send it to us and we'll confirm the correct brand, product, width and documentation.
Send Us Your Drawing →The Polyken aerospace line Named on OEM specs Two in group 2
Six Polyken tapes used on aircraft. Four — 108FR, 296FR, 290FR and 225FR — are group 1: flame retardant to FAR 25.853(a) and named on OEM documentation for interior and cargo work. Two are group 2: 105C is a Boeing-callout carpet mounting tape but is not flame retardant, and 345SW does meet FAR 25.853(a) but is a foil repair, masking and heat-shielding tape rather than one an interior drawing calls out. Both cards are marked.
Polyken 108FR
Double-coated flame-retardant cotton cloth with synthetic rubber adhesive on both sides. Quick stick, hand tearable, removes clean. Beige and black.
Polyken 105C
11 mil double-coated cloth with natural rubber adhesive for carpet and trim mounting. High tack with clean removal and VOC content under 1 g/L.
Polyken 296FR
Lightweight fiberglass cloth with a bromide-free acrylic adhesive. The thinnest of the cabin and cargo tapes at 7 mil, and the one Boeing cargo liner work calls out.
Polyken 290FR
13 mil PE-coated fiberglass cloth with rubber adhesive — the heavy-duty option for freight aircraft. Zero-second burn time and 24-month shelf life.
Polyken 225FR
12 mil PE-coated cloth with natural rubber adhesive. Conformable and hand-tearable where cargo compartment duct work needs to follow an irregular surface.
Polyken 345SW
3 mil dead soft aluminum foil built up to 5 mil total with an acrylic adhesive, for sealing, masking, heat shielding and vapor barrier work. Self-wound — no liner to strip or discard.
Polyken industrial & specialty Not aircraft interior tapes
Polyken 231 and Polyken 510 are not aircraft interior tapes. They carry no BMS, ABD, DMS or FK callout and are not qualified to FAR 25.853(a). They are the same manufacturer and the same quality control, built for ground support, defense logistics, stage and production work — not for the airframe. If your drawing names an aircraft specification, the tape you need is in one of the two sections above.
Polyken 231
12 mil PE-coated cloth with aggressive natural rubber adhesive for waterproof packaging, bundling, blast protection and masking. Olive drab and black.
Polyken 510 Neon Gaffer
11.5 mil matte vinyl-coated cloth that glows under blacklight. Four colors — green, orange, pink and yellow.
Side by side: cabin & cargo tapes
| Property | 108FR | 105C | 296FR | 290FR | 225FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backing | FR cotton cloth | Cloth | Fiberglass cloth | PE-coated fiberglass | PE-coated cloth |
| Adhesive | Synthetic rubber (2-sided) | Natural rubber (2-sided) | Acrylic, bromide-free | Rubber | Natural rubber |
| Color | Beige / Black | Natural | White | White (printed) | White (printed) |
| Thickness | 15.0 mil | 11.0 mil | 7.0 mil | 13.0 mil | 12.0 mil |
| Tensile strength | 55 lb/in | 20 lb/in | 134 lb/in | 150 lb/in | 29 lb/in |
| Adhesion to steel | 60 oz/in | 40 oz/in | — | 38 oz/in | 40 oz/in |
| Temperature range | 40 to 200°F | 40 to 200°F | –40 to 275°F | 40 to 200°F | 40 to 200°F |
| Stock sizes | 2" × 25 yd | 2" × 25 yd | 2/3/4" × 36 yd | 2/3" × 60 yd | 2/3" × 60 yd |
| Flame retardant | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lead spec | BMS 5-133 | BAC5034-4 | BMS 5-146 | FAR 25.855(d) | FAR 25.853(a) |
Side by side: foil & industrial
| Property | 345SW | 231 | 510 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backing | Dead soft aluminum foil | PE-coated cloth | Matte vinyl-coated cloth |
| Adhesive | Acrylic | Natural rubber | Natural rubber |
| Color | Aluminum | Olive drab / Black | 4 neon colors |
| Thickness | 5.0 mil total (3.0 mil foil) | 12.0 mil | 11.5 mil |
| Tensile strength | 26 lb/in | 46 lb/in | 42 lb/in |
| Adhesion to steel | 68 oz/in | 82 oz/in | 50 oz/in |
| Temperature range | –40 to 350°F | 40 to 200°F | 40 to 200°F |
| Stock sizes | 1/2" × 60 yd | 1/2/3" × 60 yd | 48 mm × 45 m |
| Shelf life | 24 months | 36 months | 12 months |
| Lead spec | AMS-T-23397B | ASTM D5486 | UL 723 |
Figures are taken from each product's current manufacturer data sheet — the Polyken 231 values are from the Vybond Group sheet revised 29 January 2025.
Specification cross-reference
If your drawing names one of these specifications, this is the Polyken tape that holds it.
A cross-reference identifies a potentially matching product, not an approved substitution. Substitution still requires approval under the applicable aircraft, operator or engineering procedure. Where a tape is listed against an authority it does not automatically qualify as a replacement for another product on that authority's documentation — confirm against the controlling drawing and the current manufacturer data sheet before you order.
| Authority | Specification | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing | BMS 5-133 | Polyken 108FR |
| Boeing | BMS 5-146 | Polyken 296FR |
| Boeing | BAC5034-4 Sec. 5.1.a(1)(a) · BAC-5317 Rev F | Polyken 105C |
| Boeing | BAC5034-4 Sec. 5.1.a(1)(b) | Polyken 108FR |
| Boeing | Service Letters 737/747/757/767/777-SL-25 | Polyken 290FR, 296FR |
| FAA | FAR 25.853(a) | 108FR, 225FR, 290FR, 296FR, 345SW |
| FAA | FAR 25.855(d) | Polyken 290FR, 296FR |
| Douglas | DMS 1971 · DMS 1968E | Polyken 108FR · 225FR |
| Embraer | MEP 06-048 | Polyken 108FR |
| Lockheed | LAC C-24-1257 · LCP-86-1226-A | Polyken 108FR · 225FR |
| Gulfstream | GAMPS 4002 Sec. 3.1.2.5.1 | Polyken 345SW |
| SAE / Military | SAE-AMS-T-23397B · MIL-T-23397B · L-T-80B | Polyken 345SW |
| Military / ASTM | ASTM D5486 Ty IV Cl.1 · PPP-T-60D/E · NSN 7510-00-074-4961 | Polyken 231 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Polyken and Patco tapes?
Polyken is the broader aerospace and industrial line — cloth, fiberglass, foil and vinyl tapes for carpet mounting, cargo compartments, speed tape repair, military packaging and stage work. That is the line covered on this page. Patco is the film-tape specialist for aircraft sealing, corrosion inhibition and surface protection: floor joints and wet areas such as galleys and lavatories, moisture barriers for seat tracks, removable protection during maintenance, and one exterior tape for leading edges — see the Patco line guide for those five products. Both brands are made in the USA and both are named directly on OEM documentation.
Which Polyken tape meets Boeing BMS 5-146?
Polyken 296FR is the flame-retardant fiberglass cloth cargo compartment tape approved to Boeing BMS 5-146. It also meets FAR 25.853(a) and FAR 25.855(d), and is commonly cross-referenced against Nitto P629 and 3M 398FR. See our BMS 5-146 guide for the full breakdown.
Which tape should I use for aircraft carpet?
For flame-retardant cabin carpet work, use Polyken 108FR — it is approved to Boeing BMS 5-133 plus Airbus, Douglas, Embraer, Fokker, Lockheed and Bombardier specifications. For temporary or non-FR mounting where the drawing permits it, Polyken 105C covers Boeing BAC5034-4 Sec. 5.1.a(1)(a).
What is the difference between Polyken 290FR, 296FR and 225FR?
All three are cargo compartment tapes, but they solve different problems. 296FR is the thinnest of the three at 7 mil, with 134 lb/in tensile strength, and it is the one that carries the Boeing BMS 5-146 approval for cargo liner work. 290FR is the heavier and stronger of the two sealing tapes at 13 mil and 150 lb/in, and is named in the Boeing SL-25 service letters. 225FR is the conformable, hand-tearable duct tape (12 mil) for irregular surfaces and Douglas DMS 1968E callouts.
Are all Polyken tapes flame retardant?
No. The aerospace interior tapes — 108FR, 225FR, 290FR and 296FR — are flame retardant and meet FAR 25.853(a). Polyken 345SW also meets FAR 25.853(a) per its data sheet, but it is a foil repair and masking tape rather than an interior tape a cabin drawing would call out. Polyken 105C, 231 and the 510 gaffer series are not FR products; 105C is intended for temporary non-FR mounting. Always check the callout on your drawing.
What is the shelf life on these tapes?
It varies by construction: Polyken 231 is 36 months, 225FR, 290FR, 345SW and 105C are 24 months, and the 510 gaffer series is 12 months. Store at 60–80°F and 40–60% relative humidity in the original packaging to get the full rated life.
Can you supply a Certificate of Conformance?
Yes. A Certificate of Conformance is included with every order where available. Send us the part number, quantity and the specification your drawing calls out and we will confirm what documentation ships with it.
Not sure which Polyken tape your job needs?
Send us the spec callout, drawing reference or a description of the application and we will confirm the correct part number, roll size, lead time and pricing. A Certificate of Conformance is included with every order where available.
Ask Our Team →Specification details are provided for reference and are drawn from current manufacturer technical data sheets. Polyken is a brand of Vybond Specialty Adhesives. Boeing, BMS, BAC and BSS are trademarks of The Boeing Company; Airbus, ABD, ABS and AIMS are trademarks of Airbus S.A.S.; Gulfstream and GAMPS are trademarks of Gulfstream Aerospace. Other marks are the property of their respective holders. Always verify requirements against the controlling drawing and the current manufacturer data sheet before purchase.