# What type of rope is weather resistant?



## California

What type of rope is weather resistant? 

I tied up some bundles of scrap lumber a couple of years ago, so I could move them around with my loader forks. I used cheap plastic rope from HF. When I went to move the bundles recently all the ropes had rotted out, apparently from sun exposure, since the blue color was bleached to white.

What should I buy for this application? I expect to cut the rope into lengths for one-time use, so I don't want anything expensive.

Comments?


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## REDDOGTWO

Electric fence wire.


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## Erik

how many years do you want it to last?
the cheap polyester and polypro ropes are not UV stable.
Nylon has a better UV resistance than many, but still not great for more than 2-3 years in your altitude.
reddog is right about fence wire lasting longest, but you can also buy a cheap "flat bander" (thin metal strapping like they use at lumber yards for pallets of wood) and use that to cinch and clip your bundles.


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## California

REDDOGTWO said:


> Electric fence wire.


I wish I had some. I would hate to buy a spool. The only similar scrap I have here is a snarl of used 5?-strand TV antenna guywire. I should probably just use that.



Erik said:


> how many years do you want it to last?
> the cheap polyester and polypro ropes are not UV stable.
> Nylon has a better UV resistance than many, but still not great for more than 2-3 years in your altitude.
> reddog is right about fence wire lasting longest, but you can also buy a cheap "flat bander" (thin metal strapping like they use at lumber yards for pallets of wood) and use that to cinch and clip your bundles.


I thought the 'ratchet' for the bander was a $50 tool. I considered that at one time, but then used this rope that I already had but didn't trust for load tiedown. 

I need to slack off then re-tighten the wrapper to take out single pieces, and I don't think I could do that with banding.

This lumber may stay in bundles for several years, maybe a couple of decades before I use it all. It is used redwood 1x12 to 1x16 barn siding, and redwood framing lumber, saved for patching things and building storage racks, etc. This old-growth redwood is better than anything I could buy today. Most of it is from tearing down a shed built in the 60's,  that was built out of used redwood that is likely a century old now and is still solid. I may take years to use the last of it.

I'm not at altitude (only 300 ft) so I don't think I have severe ultraviolet here.

Is 'trucker's rope' black w red diamonds, made of nylon? I think there's some buried somewhere in the barn. Maybe that should be plan 2.


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## Erik

if you've already got spare rope - replacing the bad stuff is a good plan.
otherwise, fence and/or baling wire can be bought in 1/4 mile spools for about $10, and you could use a clothesline turnbuckle as a low cost tensioner for when you need to pull boards out of the bundle.


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## California

Erik said:


> if you've already got spare rope - replacing the bad stuff is a good plan.
> otherwise, fence and/or baling wire can be bought in 1/4 mile spools for about $10, and you could use a clothesline turnbuckle as a low cost tensioner for when you need to pull boards out of the bundle.


Hmmm... If I tied loops in the wire, or used a wire clamp, then I could tension it using a load binder. 

Back to the drawing board!


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## REDDOGTWO

I have done quick fixes to fences by putting a loop into it and then tightening the loop.  Works quite well.


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## Trakternut

Yep, Reddog? Been there, done that.


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## bczoom

Polypropylene rope may be the best for long durations.  I'd look for some old rope used for water skiing.

I too will pile on and say my preference (and what I use) is the electric fence wire.  I use it all over the place.  A pair of Safety Wire pliers may also be a good investment if you find yourself doing more projects with it.  They'll do all the twisting for you (and much nicer than you can do it by hand).  I think Northern Tool has them.


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## Raspy

Dacron line is the most UV resistant type I know of.  It's also very low stretch compared to nylon or polypro, if that is a good characteristic in your case.

Poly line fails the quickest and will just lose all it's strength even if it looks OK.  Nylon is good for a while but should not be trustsed after long exposure.

I used some dacron for the topping lift on my boat and it was still fine 15 or so years later.  Always out in the weather and sun.


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## California

That's good to know. 

I thought baling the lumber bundles with Harbor Freight's cheapest poly rope was sufficient for this non-critical task, but it all rotted away in the first year. Now I need to replace it all before I can move the lumber again. (2007 photo).


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## Ray

Hf sells crap imo. Go to any feed store, buy the stuff used to tie up hay bales. I had old bales in the far corner of my pasture for erosion control, finally went to move them when we built the pond, after 8 years.....stuff still held.


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## California

That sounds ideal. I'll go get a roll of the stuff. Thanks!


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