Uses of Duck Tape - Things to Make Out of Duct Tape

Duct tape is an adhesive tape made from cotton fabric with a vinyl or polyethylene coating applied on both sides. The adhesive layer is applied to only one side of the tape. Duct tapes usually come in the color silver or black, though nowadays it is available in a wide range of shades due to its growing popularity and applicability. The history of duct tape goes back to 1920, when it was invented by Richard Drew of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.

However, the world became aware of the potential of duct tape only during the second world war, when it was manufactured by Johnson and Johnson Permacel Division, to provide a water resistant sealing tape for protecting ammunition cases from moisture. Since then, duct tape has found a wide range of applications like packaging and its use is no longer limited to sealing ammunition cases. The original name of this wonder tape was 'duck tape' due to its water resistant quality, like the feathers of a duck.

Applications and Uses of Duck Tape

During the post war period, duck tape or duct tape, was mainly used for sealing purposes, however, gradually the world discovered that this tape is suitable for several other functions. The versatile uses of duct tape has led to the famous urban saying that the whole world is held together with duct tape. Nowadays, duct tap is used for patching pipes, sealing any kind of hole and even for repairing dentures. It is ideal for mending any broken tool or utensil and broken part of any equipment. In winter, duct tape can be used as a weather stripping to cover the openings or joints of doors and windows to prevent rain water and moisture from entering a house.

Some other important uses of duck tape are book binding, removing lint from clothes, to remove body hair and to make a number of novelty and decorating items. Besides these, duct tape even has some important medical uses. It is most commonly used in wart removal. It has been claimed by many that applying duct tape on a wart can remove it effectively by gradually taking off the dead skin layers, which is known as duct tape occlusion therapy. Duct tape is also used in another skin condition, known as skin tags, which are small skin outgrowths. Covering these skin tags with duct tape for a few days, is effective in their removal.

Things to Make Out of Duct Tape

Duct tape is no longer a tape used only for sealing purposes. Its popularity has captivated the imagination of the human mind and given rise to some really interesting and unconventional uses of duck tape. It is used to make a number of fancy and decorative items like flowers, book covers, and covers for mobile phones and MP3 players. Handbags and wallets, made out of duct tape are now becoming a rage. Some other things made out of duct tape include fancy hats, belts, clothes lines, etc.

Now if you are wondering about how to make things out of duct tape, then it quite easy, at least for a few of them. For this you need to buy some duct tape according to your need, as making a handbag would require more duck tape than making a wallet. Then draw out a proper pattern or design that you want to create and for this you can also take the help of websites. You will also need some kind of a base like a thin cardboard, for making things like a hat or a wallet. However, making any kind of craft demands a lot of patience. So do not lose patience and enjoy inventing with duct tape.