7 Best Glues For Paper Crafts & When To Use Them

I’ve tried a number of glues through the years, and I can inform you, they’re not all made equal. 

Some glues warp and wrinkle paper whereas others depart an annoying shiny residue (I’m you Fabri-Tac!) 

However with so many craft glues on the market, and so many issues to contemplate, how on earth do you discover the correct glue for you? 

In my expertise, it takes a good quantity of trial and error. To avoid wasting you some hassle, although, listed below are the glues I exploit and why.

Good to know: I often make junk journals however I additionally dabble in different paper-based crafts and upcycling initiatives. I exploit the identical glues for journaling as I do for my different crafting, so I hope you’ll discover my information useful it doesn’t matter what kind of paper crafting you do.

TL;DR: My Favorite Glues For Paper Crafts

I continuously get requested what glues I exploit for journaling and paper crafts. By the use of a fast reply, these are those I’ve used for a couple of years now and can proceed to take action:

Now for my extra detailed reply and what I believe the professionals and cons of every glue are.

7 Greatest Glues For Paper Crafts

1. Artwork Glitter Glue For Precision Work

When crafting with paper, you’ll usually discover that you must do some precision glueing, comparable to when utilizing fussy cuts and die cuts. Additionally, when you make journals like I do, you’ll desire a skinny line of glue when attaching pockets to your pages. 

Artwork Glitter Glue (no, there’s no glitter in it) is ideal for this. It dries clear and may be very robust. So robust, in reality, that that you must watch out to not glue one thing within the incorrect place as a result of mere milliseconds later, you gained’t have the ability to transfer issues round. 

Artwork Glitter Glue is a tad dear, however you don’t want heaps of it. Considered one of my YouTube subscribers kindly despatched me a big bottle of it roughly 18 months in the past and I’m nonetheless working by it. I’d really take into account that truthful worth for cash – particularly with how usually I exploit it.

Prime Tip: I decant my Artwork Glitter Glue into small bottles like these to make my glueing much more exact. It additionally prices much less to do it this fashion than shopping for an official glue bottle tip. Simply watch out to go gradual otherwise you’ll get it all over the place. I realized that the onerous means!

Cheaper Options

When you’re model new to paper crafting and undecided when you’ll stick with it, then you definately would possibly need to take into account a less expensive various to Artwork Glitter Glue, comparable to:

Anita’s Cheesy Glue: That is the primary glue I used and it really works effectively for precision work. Nevertheless, it does depart a barely shiny residue when you look intently. It’s additionally fairly thick, so that you’ll have to squeeze the bottle onerous – particularly whenever you get near the underside of it.Cosmic Shimmer: I personally haven’t used this one. However a number of crafters I observe on YouTube say this is without doubt one of the closest glues you will get to Artwork Glitter Glue – for a fraction of the price. When my Artwork Glitter Glue runs out, I’ll doubtless do that one subsequent, so keep tuned for my verdict.Bearly Arts Glue: That is one other glue I haven’t personally used, however a few my buddies within the US have really useful it. It’s very costly right here within the UK, so I doubtless gained’t have the ability to do that one myself.

2. Collall All Function Glue For Massive Floor Areas (Paper-to-Paper)

Up subsequent: non-precision work! If that you must glue massive surfaces (paper-to-paper solely), I like to recommend Collall All Function Glue. 

It offers you loads of wiggle room and is a spreadable moist glue, so you may cowl massive areas shortly. It’s additionally comparatively cheap. 

However watch out: Don’t open the cap an excessive amount of as this glue tends to come back pouring out, so that you would possibly see it seep out of the perimeters when you use an excessive amount of of it. The excellent news is which you can shortly rub off the glue if this occurs with out leaving a shiny residue.

3. Fabri-Tac or Beacon 3-in-1 For Materials, Trims & Uncommon Surfaces

For glueing materials, trims and strange surfaces like charms or buttons, Fabri-Tac (when you’re within the US) and Beacon 3-in-1 (when you’re within the UK) are your new greatest buddies.

Quite a lot of crafters, myself included, usually describe these glues as scorching glue in a bottle. They’re robust and work shortly. 

Be conscious: They depart a shiny residue, which you’ll see by the holes in lace or different trims. It could additionally seep by skinny materials, so attempt to not use an excessive amount of of it when you’re glueing material onto your journal cowl, for instance. 

You may additionally discover that the glue turns into very thick whenever you attain the underside of the bottle. Others have informed me you may pour a few drops of nail varnish remover into it to make it runny once more, however I haven’t tried this myself. I’m an excessive amount of of a rooster to attempt that.

Due to this, I now use Artwork Glitter Glue for lace and trims and solely attain for my Beacon 3-in-1 once I want one thing stronger or when glueing massive items of material. I additionally use Beacon 3-in-1 once I glue pressed flowers into my journals.

4. Uhu Glue Stick For Masterboards

There may also be events when that you must use a glue stick, comparable to when making collage masterboards. I’ve tried a couple of through the years; I want Uhu as you should purchase it in bulk and it holds comparatively effectively. Nowadays, I solely use it for masterboards.

5. Matte Gel Medium For Decoupage

Lastly, when you’re utilizing napkins in your initiatives or when that you must seal one thing, comparable to these DIY circle charms I made on video, then the Matte Gel Medium from Pebeo (Studio Acrylics) is the one I exploit and like. 

It’s matte so it gained’t dry shiny and you should utilize it straight out of the bottle. You don’t want to combine it with water like PVA glue and it doesn’t dry cheesy like Mod Podge.

5 Essential Issues To Contemplate When Selecting Glues

1. Will the glue warp or wrinkle your paper?

Warped or wrinkled paper is one among my greatest bugbears. Not one of the glues I’ve really useful above have this challenge.

However when you’re searching for a special glue, listed below are some issues to contemplate:

Water Content material: Glues with excessive water content material could cause paper to warp or wrinkle as they dry. Water-based glues like white glue or PVA glue are frequent culprits. Whereas glues like this are broadly used, they’ll trigger points when you use an excessive amount of glue or if the paper is especially skinny.Drying Time: Quicker-drying glues might cut back the danger of warping or wrinkling as they’ve much less time to have an effect on the paper. Nevertheless, quick-drying glues might also set earlier than you’ve had an opportunity to correctly place your items.Software Method: Utilizing a skinny, even layer of glue and making use of it sparingly may help to keep away from paper warping and wrinkling.Paper Thickness and High quality: Thicker, higher-quality papers are typically extra proof against warping and wrinkling than thinner or lower-quality papers. Nevertheless, even sturdy papers might be affected by extreme moisture from sure kinds of glue.Check Earlier than Use: It’s at all times a good suggestion to check a small quantity of glue on a scrap piece of paper earlier than utilizing it in your precise venture. This fashion, you may assess how the glue interacts with the paper.

2. Is the glue acid-free?

When you’re making one thing you need to maintain for a very long time, then you definately’ll want to make use of acid-free glues.

In any other case, you would possibly discover your initiatives turn into discoloured or brittle over time. Acid-free glue can also be greatest for archival initiatives, comparable to when you’re utilizing classic photographs you need to protect.

You’ll have to verify the label on the bottle or the outline offered by the producer on-line to verify if the glue you need to use is acid-free or not. Often, this can be a promoting level, so that you’ll usually discover will probably be talked about if the glue is acid-free.

The entire glues I’ve really useful above are acid-free other than the Matte Gel Medium, which doesn’t specify whether or not it’s or not. The label does say it’s non-yellowing, although.

3. Does the glue dry clear?

When you’re doing precision glueing or utilizing lace in your initiatives, you’ll most likely need to verify whether or not your glue of selection dries clear or not. 

Some glues might depart a shiny residue (like Fabri-Tac and Beacon 3-in-1), so that you’ll must be cautious when utilizing them, whereas others might depart colored stains. 

Glues that dry clear usually have this as a promoting level, nevertheless it’s most likely additionally price testing your glue earlier than utilizing it in your last venture.

4. Must you use tape runners or double-sided sticky tape?

You would possibly discover tape runners and double-sided sticky tape straightforward to make use of – particularly when you’re crafting with uncommon papers like vellum or glassine. 

I personally don’t use them as a result of I’ve seen these glues discolour over time and in addition depart a build-up of sticky residue when you by chance glue issues within the incorrect place. 

As an alternative, I exploit both Beacon 3-in-1 (aka Fabri-Tac) or my Artwork Glitter Glue (relying on the floor), which appear to work simply tremendous.

5. Must you use scorching soften glue or a glue gun?

Loads of crafters use scorching soften glue and glue weapons of their initiatives – particularly in the event that they’re utilizing fairly gildings like charms and buttons, for instance. 

I personally don’t do that since you’ll most likely discover these charms will pop off over time (years later) when the glue turns into onerous, brittle and non-stick. 

It’s additionally troublesome to be exact with a glue gun. As an alternative, think about using Fabri-Tac or Beacon 3-in-1, which maintain simply as effectively and are for much longer lasting than scorching soften glue.

Do you want extra assist selecting your provides?

I hope my information to one of the best glues for paper crafts has helped you. When you have any questions I’ve not coated above, please depart me a remark under and I’ll reply ASAP!

And when you make junk journals like I do, then you may additionally need to try a few of my different weblog posts, comparable to:

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