masking tape, masking tape, painter's tape, protective adhesive tape, screw, goop or also known by its name in English: masking tape, is a type of adhesive tape generally made of paper, easy to release, self-adhesive and used in art.

It is mainly used in artistic painting to mask areas that should not be painted. The type of adhesive without leaving residue or damaging the surface "Surface (mathematical)") to which it is applied. It is available on the market in various resistances, classified on a scale from 1 to 100 depending on the concentration of the glue.

Masking tape was invented in 1925 by 3M employee Richard Gurley Drew&action=edit&redlink=1 "Richard Drew (inventor) (not yet redacted)"). Drew watched as the body workers looked frustrated as they removed the masking tape they applied when painting. The strong adhesive applied would peel off on the freshly applied paint, requiring touch-ups and increasing costs. So Drew realized the need for a tape with a softer glue.

Two types of adhesives are mainly used: Rubber, which has a high initial adhesion, but ages and degrades in two or three years, and acrylic adhesives, which because they are synthetic have a much longer duration, although they do not reach definitive adhesion until 24 hours after being applied. Due to the speed and cleanliness in their use, adhesive tapes are consumed in numerous industrial processes; For example, in the automotive sector, no less than thirty different types of tape are used, many of them double-sided, to secure elements that last the life of the car.

Another important application is the protection of surfaces, aluminum profiles, screens and in general everything that can be damaged after manufacturing; In this case, very low adhesive tapes are used.