FAQs

Will it arrive next working day? We always say 1-2 working days. If you pay for your order by 12 noon on a working day, we aim for next day delivery (subject to delivery location which you can check HERE). But there are sometimes exceptionally busy days, for example after Bank Holidays.

I live nearby, can I collect my items? Yes. You will need to place your order on-line and pay for it, selecting the "collect from warehouse" delivery option. We will let you know as soon as it is ready. Don't forget though that we are closed on weekends and bank holidays.

What type of rope to use? Take a look at our online Rope Finder guide. There is advice about  which rope to use for many different jobs, and about the properties of different types of rope.

How is rope measured? Thicknesses are categorised by the diameter of the rope - ie measuring across the cross section or 'end' of a rope (some other countries use the circumference, which is the measurement around the rope). Diametres are measured in millimetres; lengths of rope are measured by the metre.

I want to be precise - what will the actual diameter of the rope be? Ropes made from natural fibres can vary in size from batch to batch and by up to around +/-10%. This is most noticeable with Manila rope. Ropes made with synthetic fibres tend to be more accurate. Our advice is wait for your rope to arrive before cutting or drilling to make sure it fits as you want; and remember that holes in posts need to be substantially bigger than the rope's diameter otherwise the rope will 'bunch' as you try to feed it through. For example if you are fitting 32mm decking rope we would estimate you might need to drill a 36mm hole - we advise you wait for the rope to arrive and drill a test hole on some old wood first.

Do all ropes shrink when wet? Only ropes made from natural fibres (cotton, Manila, coir, sisal etc) will shrink when wet.

Why? When natural fibres come into contact with water (rain, dew, immersion, humidity etc) the fibres absorb water causing them to swell. The expansion of the width of the fibre causes the length to shrink.

How much will they shrink? There is no exact formula as it depends on how wet the rope gets and which natural fibre is being used. We would suggest adding a minimum of 10-15% to your measurements and then erring on the side of caution.

Should I try and pre-shrink the rope? You can, but we prefer that the rope be placed in situ (without securing it) and left for several days allowing the shrinkage to occur naturally.

How long is a piece of string? Haha, very funny... double its midpoint.

But how do you measure the length of my rope when I order it? Excellent question. Warehouse Terry and colleagues use a hi-tec distance calibration tool. Watch the video to be amazed.