Contrary to the popular belief among many women that tow is a failed hairstyle on their lovely heads, in fact it is a necessary material in construction and plumbing work. Shipbuilding enterprises, organizations engaged in laying and subsequent maintenance of pipelines and cables cannot do without it. As you can see, tow is a substance that is in great demand in many highly specialized industries. But every man can easily find a small piece of fibrous and hard-to-touch material in the pantry.
Technologies proven over centuries
Tow is produced in all corners of the world. It cannot be said that it is an invention of a certain country or its nationality. Tow is a raw material that is obtained as a result of the processing of bast plants. Most often flax and hemp, less often sunflower.
These plants have fibrous stems, they are used to produce raw materials for the production of natural fabrics, inin the process of its manufacture, illiquid fluffy particles remain, and it is from them that tow is made. However, good material cannot consist entirely of industrial waste. The quality of the tow will then be at the proper level if it does not contain impurities, such as straw, scab. Some unscrupulous manufacturers manage to mix synthetic components with initially natural and environmentally friendly raw materials, which makes the tow lose its functions due to the loss of thermal insulation properties, in addition, such raw materials are prone to decay.
What kind of tow is there and how much does it cost?
According to its intended purpose, tow is divided into two types - the one intended for caulking, and sanitary. Since the consumption of material in both cases is incommensurable, the volumes in which manufacturers sell tow cannot be compared.
Caulking is sold in bales of different weights or in rolls, plumbing tow is sold in small skeins. The cost of the material is low, but it can fluctuate for different manufacturers, since each of them has its own characteristics and differences, such as appearance (this is important for many buyers), the presence of impregnation. Of great importance is the initial quality of the flax fiber from which the tow is made. The price is usually set for one kilogram, for a bale tow it is at least 20-70 rubles, a roll costs from 48-80 rubles. Resin-treated raw materials are several times more expensive (about 300 rubles per 1 kg). A skein of sanitary tow can be bought aton average for 10 rubles.
Tow for caulking
During construction work, tow is the material used to seal the joints between crowns. Most often it is used for the construction of wooden buildings. Previously, moss was used for this, but tow is a more durable, reliable and easy-to-use material. It prevents shrinkage of the building, has excellent energy-saving properties and allows you to reliably fill the seams between the timber.
Material in bales is sold by 10, 20, 40, sometimes 60 kg. During work, flagella are manually formed from the tow, which are pushed into the seams with the help of a special tool - caulking. Tape tow is more convenient to install, manufacturers offer it in several formats. The width of the canvas may differ - 10, 15, 20 cm, its length (10, 20 or 50 m) and thickness (5-15 mm). Experts recommend caulking the building twice: the first time - directly in the process of laying the walls, and this should be done in a circle, and not with each wall separately, and the next time - in a year.
Plumbing tow
For plumbing work, you need a special tow - impregnated. This type of material is specially processed and is indispensable for the repair of plumbing or heating systems. Tow is a material that has been proven for decades, which allows you to securely butt joints of pipes and prevents leaks. The structure of the fibers makes it easy to wind them on the thread, in addition, theyabsorb moisture well, expanding when wet.
To achieve the most effective result, the tow should be treated with resin or a special impregnation, but do not apply too much solution, otherwise it will prevent the natural expansion of the tow when it gets wet.
