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Guide · Hauling · Poly, sisal, manila and nylon rope

Poly, sisal, manila or nylon: which rope do you use, and how strong is it? Breaking strength by size, working load, the standard rope sizes in inches and mm, polypropylene vs polyethylene, sisal vs jute vs manila, and what each rope is for

Four ropes cover jobsite work. Polypropylene (yellow poly) floats, does not absorb water, is cheap and light, and is the rope for tag lines, tarp ties, layout and anything that gets wet; its weaknesses are UV (it chalks and weakens in a season or two of sun), low melting point and a slick surface that does not hold knots well. Manila is the traditional natural-fiber rope: it grips well, does not stretch much and is the rope for hand lines and hoisting light loads, but it rots when stored wet and loses strength over time. Sisal is the cheaper natural fiber, about 80 percent of manila’s strength, for bundling and tying off, not for lifting. Nylon is the strongest and stretchiest, for shock loads and towing. Breaking strengths for 1/2 inch three-strand: polypropylene about 3,800 lb, manila about 2,400 lb, nylon about 5,700 lb; the working load is a fifth to a tenth of that.

Bayshore Safety. Industrial safety, roofing tools and jobsite supplies since 2017. · Current as of November 2026 · the C&R rope product data on this site (yellow poly rope 1/4 in x 600 and 1,200 ft; sisal rope 1/4 in x 100 ft; 3-strand manila rope 1/2 in x 100 ft and 3/4 in x 60 and 100 ft); the Cordage Institute published average breaking strengths by fiber and diameter (3-strand polypropylene 1/4 in about 1,100 lb, 3/8 in 2,400 lb, 1/2 in 3,800 lb, 5/8 in 5,600 lb; manila 1/4 in 540 lb, 1/2 in 2,380 lb, 3/4 in 4,860 lb; sisal about 80 percent of manila; nylon 1/2 in about 5,700 lb) and the 5:1 to 10:1 working load factors it states
Rope we stockAll roofing tools
C&R Rope-1/4Poly Poly Rope, 1/4 in x 1200 ft and 1/4 in x 600 ft, YellowC&R Rope-1/4Poly Poly Rope, 1/4 in x 1200 ft and 1/4 in x 600 ft, YellowThe product data lists the C&R manila as 3-strand rope in 3/4 in x 60 ft, 1/2 in x 100 ft and 3/4 in x 100 ft
$32.72See the product

Rope is sold by diameter and fiber, and rated by break strength. Diameter is in inches (1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1 inch) or millimeters (6, 10, 12, 16, 19, 25 mm; 13 mm is a 1/2 inch rope); the fiber and the construction (3-strand twisted, diamond or solid braid, kernmantle) set the strength; and the label strength is a break figure that is divided by a safety factor of 5 to 10 to get the load the rope should carry. Rope that holds a person is not in this guide: lifelines and lanyards are rated under ANSI Z359 and are covered in the fall protection guides linked below. The questions here are the general-rope ones: which fiber, how strong, what the sizes are, the disadvantages of each, and the pet-rope questions that come up because sisal is sold for scratching posts.

Rope, question by question

Break strengths are Cordage Institute average figures for new 3-strand rope; the rope manufacturer’s own label governs for any specific rope.

What are the standard rope sizes, and what size rope is 13 mm?By diameter: 1/4 inch (6 mm), 5/16 (8 mm), 3/8 (10 mm), 7/16 (11 mm), 1/2 (12–13 mm), 5/8 (16 mm), 3/4 (19 mm), 1 inch (25 mm) and up. 13 mm is sold as 1/2 inch rope; the metric and inch sizes do not line up exactly and the label gives one or both. Sold in 50, 100, 600 and 1,200 foot hanks and spools and in coils of 600 feet for manila. Our poly is 1/4 inch in 600 and 1,200 ft, sisal 1/4 inch in 100 ft, manila 1/2 and 3/4 inch in 60 and 100 ft.
What is the breaking strength of 5/8 inch polypropylene rope, and of nylon?Three-strand polypropylene by the Cordage Institute averages: 1/4 inch about 1,100 lb, 3/8 inch 2,400 lb, 1/2 inch 3,800 lb, 5/8 inch 5,600 lb, 3/4 inch 8,100 lb. Nylon three-strand: 1/4 inch 1,500 lb, 3/8 inch 3,300 lb, 1/2 inch 5,700 lb, 5/8 inch 9,000 lb, 3/4 inch 12,800 lb. Working load is break strength divided by 5 (static, new rope, no shock) to 10 (dynamic loads, knots, wear); a knot alone can cut strength 40 to 50 percent. A 5/8 poly rope is a 560 to 1,100 lb working rope.
What is polypropylene rope, what is its major disadvantage, and how does it differ from polyethylene?Polypropylene is a plastic fiber rope: it floats (specific gravity 0.91), absorbs no water, resists most chemicals and rot, and is the lightest and cheapest synthetic. The major disadvantage is UV: unstabilized poly rope loses a large part of its strength after a year in sun and turns chalky and stiff; it also melts at about 330°F, so it burns through under a fast-running load, and its slick surface lets knots slip. Polyethylene rope looks the same (it is the other common yellow or orange rope), is a little heavier and softer, holds knots slightly better and has a lower melting point; both are commodity ropes for tag lines, tarps and water work. Our yellow poly is polypropylene.
Is sisal rope safe, is it durable, and what is it made of?Sisal is the leaf fiber of the agave plant, spun into a stiff, hairy, pale rope. It is safe in the sense people ask (natural, untreated, no plastic, which is why it is sold for cat scratching posts and crafts); it is not safe as a load rope above its low working load, and it should never carry a person. Durability is fair dry and poor wet: it rots, mildews and weakens if stored damp, and it sheds. Strength is about 80 percent of manila: 1/4 inch about 430 lb break, 1/2 inch 1,900 lb. On a jobsite sisal ties bundles, stakes trees and tapes off areas; it is the rope to throw away afterward.
Is manila rope the same as jute, what is the difference between jute and sisal, and what is manila’s disadvantage?Three different plants. Manila is abaca (a banana relative) from the Philippines: strong, stiff, brown, the traditional marine and construction rope, about 540 lb break at 1/4 inch, 2,380 lb at 1/2 inch and 4,860 lb at 3/4 inch. Sisal is agave: paler, hairier, about 80 percent of manila’s strength. Jute is a soft bast fiber: the weakest of the three, used for twine, burlap and crafts, not for load. Manila’s disadvantages: it absorbs water and swells, rots and loses strength if stored wet, shrinks when wet (a taut manila line can pull a stake in the rain), and natural fiber varies from coil to coil so its ratings carry a wide margin. Its advantages are grip, low stretch and that it does not melt.
What rope is stronger than nylon, and what are the types of rope?For the same diameter: polyester is about equal to nylon in strength with far less stretch and better UV resistance; the high-modulus fibers (UHMWPE sold as Dyneema or Spectra, and aramid) are several times stronger than nylon and are the fibers in winch lines and rigging slings. By construction: 3-strand twisted (manila, poly, nylon; splices easily), diamond braid (a braided jacket over a core; most hardware store poly and nylon), solid braid (no core, for clothesline and sash cord), double braid (braided core in a braided cover; yacht and arborist lines) and kernmantle (static or dynamic core in a woven sheath; climbing and rescue, and the lifelines in the fall protection guides).
What is the disadvantage of manila rope vs poly for a roofer?Manila is heavier, stiffer and rots if the coil goes back in the truck wet; poly is slick and dies in sun. On a roof the common uses are a tag line on a bundle being hoisted (poly or manila, both fine), tying a tarp (poly, 1/4 inch), a hand line for pulling tools up (manila grips better in gloves), and bundling (sisal). None of those is the rope that holds a worker, which is a rated lifeline (see the vertical lifeline guide linked below).
Which rope for a cat scratching post, sisal or jute, and how long do they last?Sisal, for the reason the pet trade uses it: the stiff fiber stands up to claws and is untreated; jute is softer and frays fast. Wrapped tight on a post, 1/4 or 3/8 inch sisal lasts a year or more with one cat. Use plain, un-oiled sisal (some marine sisal is oiled) and no synthetic rope, which cats pull into strands and swallow. Our 1/4 inch x 100 ft sisal is plain untreated rope.

Rope in plain words

  • Poly: floats, cheap, rotproof, dies in sun, slick knots. Tag lines, tarps, layout.
  • Manila: grips, low stretch, does not melt; rots wet, shrinks wet. Hand lines and light hoisting.
  • Sisal: 80 percent of manila, cheap, sheds. Bundling and tying off, scratching posts.
  • Nylon: strongest common rope, stretches; polyester same strength with low stretch and better UV.
  • Break strength on the label; working load is one fifth to one tenth of it; a knot takes up to half.
  • 1/2 inch is 12–13 mm; 3/8 is 10 mm; 3/4 is 19 mm.
  • 3-strand splices; braid runs smoother; kernmantle is the climbing and lifeline construction.
  • No general-purpose rope holds a person; lifelines are rated under ANSI Z359.

Questions people ask

Is sisal rope safe?

As an untreated natural fiber for crafts, pets and bundling, yes; as a load rope it is weak, rots wet and never carries a person.

What is a major disadvantage of polypropylene rope?

UV: unstabilized poly loses much of its strength after a year in sun; it also melts at about 330°F and knots slip on it.

Is manila rope the same as jute rope?

No. Manila is abaca and strong; jute is a soft twine fiber and the weakest of the natural ropes.

What rope is stronger than nylon?

Polyester matches it with less stretch; UHMWPE (Dyneema, Spectra) and aramid are several times stronger.

What are the standard rope sizes?

1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4 and 1 inch (6 to 25 mm), in 50 to 1,200 ft hanks and 600 ft coils.

Is sisal rope durable?

Fair when kept dry, poor when wet; it rots, mildews and sheds.

What is the breaking strength of 5/8 inch polypropylene rope?

About 5,600 lb for new 3-strand; working load 560 to 1,100 lb.

What is the difference between jute rope and sisal rope?

Sisal (agave) is stiffer and stronger; jute (a bast fiber) is softer, frays and is used for twine and burlap.

What is the difference between polyethylene and polypropylene rope?

Both are cheap floating yellow ropes; polypropylene is lighter and a little stronger, polyethylene is softer and holds knots slightly better.

What is the breaking strength of nylon rope?

About 1,500 lb at 1/4 inch, 5,700 lb at 1/2 inch and 12,800 lb at 3/4 inch for 3-strand.

What are the different types of rope?

By fiber: manila, sisal, jute, cotton, polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, UHMWPE. By construction: 3-strand, diamond braid, solid braid, double braid, kernmantle.

What size rope is 13 mm?

Half inch.

What is the disadvantage of manila rope?

It absorbs water, rots if stored wet, shrinks when wet and varies in strength from coil to coil.

What is polypropylene rope?

A plastic-fiber rope that floats, absorbs no water and resists chemicals; the common yellow jobsite rope.

Which is better for cats, sisal or jute rope?

Sisal; it stands up to claws and is untreated. Keep synthetic rope away from cats.

How long do sisal scratching posts last?

A year or more with one cat when the rope is wrapped tight.

What is sisal rope made of?

The leaf fiber of the agave (sisal) plant.

Related guides

Ratchet straps and bungee cordsUse, release, working load and when to replaceTarps: mil, sizes, poly vs vinylAnd how to tarp a roofRoof brackets, roof jacks and ladder accessoriesAngles, planks, hooks and stabilizersHow do you tie off on a roof?Anchor, lifeline, rope grab and SRLWhat does fall protection cost?Harness, lanyard, lifeline, anchor and bag

The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.

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