What's in a Name, Duct Tape

It was invented by Johnson & Johnson during World War II. Their original creation for the United States military was a green waterproof tape that could be used for sealing ammunition cases to keep water out.
Soldiers soon learned the tape was good at fixing any type of rip or tear they might encounter for tents, vehicle seats, and even uniforms. After the war, returning soldiers introduced it to friends and neighbors back home.
One of the first uses for the tape was to repair or seal the ductwork in home heating and cooling systems. To match the color of ductwork, the company changed the color of the tape to silver and began to call it duct tape.
Many people believe that the tape was called duck tape, because its ability to repel water reminded of the similar property of duck feathers. There is a brand of tape named Duck tape that is sometimes confused with the original.


Duct tape comes in many different colors, although the most popular are silver and black. It is so strong, because it is made of three different layers. The bottom layer is a strong rubber-based adhesive. The middle layer is a web of cloth fabric that adds durability. The top layer is soft, waterproof plastic.

Six Tape Types

Beyond duct tape (Duck tape is a brand name), scotch tape, packing tape, and others are a few relatively unknown to many. Here are a few of the more interesting types of tape.

Speed tape is an aluminized adhesive tape used to do minor repairs on aircraft, and as a temporary repair material until a more permanent repair can be carried out. It has an appearance similar to duct tape, with which it is sometimes mistaken, but its adhesive is capable of sticking on an airplane fuselage or wing at high speeds. It is resistant to water, solvents, and flames, and will reflect heat and UV light. It is also able to expand and contract through a wide range of temperatures.

Bondage tape adheres to itself without using adhesives. Bondage tape is a 2-to-3-inch-wide (51 to 76mm) and 0.0051 inch-thick (0.13mm) strip of thin plastic material, usually latex. It is typically intended to be used for erotic bondage. Since it does not stick to the hair or skin, a person can be tightly bound or gagged without causing harm when the tape is removed

Elastic therapeutic tape, also known as K tape and kinesiology tape, is an elastic-cotton strip backed with acrylic adhesive. It is used for treating various physical disorders. It is claimed to be able to stretch up to 140% of its original length. As a result, if the tape is applied to a patient with a stretch greater than its normal length, it will recoil after being applied and therefore create a pulling force on the skin that it is being applied to. This elastic property allows much greater range of motion compared to traditional white athletic tape and can also be left on for long periods of time.

Gecko tape is being designed with directional adhesion properties, which is the ability to grip a load in one direction and to release its grip when the direction is reversed. The same structures on Scotch tape revealed that this material could support a shear stress of 36N/cm2, nearly four times higher than a gecko foot. This new material can adhere to a wider variety of materials, including glass and Teflon. When pulled parallel to a surface, the tape releases, not because the CNTs lose adhesion from the surface, but because they break, and the tape cannot be reused. It only works for small area (approximately 1 cm2). Researchers are currently working on a number of ways to strengthen the nanotubes.

Lingerie tape, also called cleavage tape or fashion tape is double-sided adhesive tape used to keep clothing in place.  It is used to secure the edges of a strapless dress or top to the cleavage or side of the breasts or on shoulders to secure bra straps from slipping, in order to keep the item of clothing in place. It may also be referred to as toupee tape or wig tape, a similar double-sided tape intended for a different function.

Road marking tape is reformed polymer tape that can be applied permanently or temporarily on pavement to create road surface markings.  It is heavy-grade material with reflective beads embedded in the plastic. It is commonly used to mark crosswalks, stop bars, and traffic guidance, such as turn lanes, HOV lanes, train crossings, pedestrian crossings, taxi lanes, bus lanes, etc. 

Duct Tape and Warts

A study was conducted by a military pediatric clinic in Cincinnati hospital a few years ago and the results showed that duct tape was more effective than cryotherapy (freezing) warts.

A total of 51 patients (age range, 3-22 years) completed the study. Patients were randomized using computer-generated codes to receive either cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen applied to each wart for 10 seconds every 2-3 weeks) for a maximum of 6 treatments or duct tape occlusion (applied directly to the wart) for a maximum of 2 months. Patients had their warts measured at baseline and with return visits.

Of the 51 patients completing the study, 26 (51%) were treated with duct tape, and 25 (49%) were treated with cryotherapy. Twenty-two patients (85%) in the duct tape arm vs 15 patients (60%) enrolled in the cryotherapy arm had complete resolution of their warts. The majority of warts that responded to either therapy did so within the first month of treatment. The results showed that duct tape therapy was significantly more effective than cryotherapy for treatment of the common wart. Hopefully the warts were on parts of the body that were able to be covered. Am sure some enterprising soul will come out with flesh colored duct tape and charge twice as much, because it is 'medical'.