Best Glue for Papercraft and Cardstock
Every Papercrafter Needs GLUE!
There are so many different types of adhesive available for papercrafting but which is the best craft glue for your make? We give you an overview of all the different types of glue and what kind of papercraft project they are best for.
Are you overwhelmed by all the different glues on the market? Or have you seen or heard of a glue or tape and wondered what it should be used for? In this video I will guide you through just a few of the most used adhesives in paper crafting, with the pros and cons of each to help you choose which are best for you. Lou Collins x
What is the best glue to use and when?
At www.craftstash.co.uk, your go-to online shop for all your craft products there are over 350 types of glue and adhesives available to buy!
White Wet Glue
Usually a white glue that dries clear, the glue remains wet for around 10 minutes allowing you to move and adjust the pieces you are sticking together. Often named PVA Glue but could also be called 'white' glue or 'acrylic' glue.
Some wet glues are more tacky than others, they will usually say on the packaging whether they are more tacky and quicker drying. This is a multiple use glue, however most often used for adhering cardstock together when matting or layering. Wet glue is not recommended for sticking heavier embellishments but is perfect for glitter and gems, small lightweight embellishments.
Buy wet glue
You'll need to be careful that you don't use too much wet glue on cardstock as it can warp and give you an unprofessional finish. Using a glue pen can really help with this and again there are many pens available.
Buy glue pens
PVA glue can also be used on surfaces to give a shiny finish, sealing a project, however this is more often used in decoupage or kids crafts - think 'Art Attack' where they're always covering papier maché projects with PVA.
Buy PVA glue
Often people dilute PVA with water to achieve this effect as you don't need it full strength but you can buy ready made, you have probably heard of Mod Podge, a craft favourite!
'Glossy Accents'
For cardmaking there are now many other products available that give a better shine or 'glossy accent' for small areas. They also act as an adhesive. Find out more about Glossy Accents
Glue Bottles
An economic and environmentally friendly way to buy glue is to buy large amounts and then decant them into smaller glue bottles. You can buy some really great reusable bottle with great nozzles. Some that include a pin in the lid to keep the glue from setting in the nozzle.
Clear Wet Glue
This kind of glue is a little more powerful than the white wet glue. Some people refer to this kind of glue as 'cold' hot glue. It will grab heavier items and is a little more durable. Bear in mind this kind of glue can smell, so if you are selling or giving cards you may want to allow that smell to wear off for a few days (unless you are like Lou and you like the smell!)
Silicon Glue
This glue holds its own shape! It dries like a rubber or plastic so it is ideal for adding dimension to your makes. You will need to practice to get the right effect and also take care to let the product dry completely - it can take 20 minutes or so.
Double Sided Tape
Double Sided Tape is super quick and clean, it sticks instantly. You can buy rolls of tape in multiple widths, most popular with papercrafters is the narrower width, perfect for matting and layering. You may want to have thicker tape for larger projects but in most cases the narrow tape does the job perfectly!
When choosing your tape look out for whether it is tearable or not. Some crafters love to quickly be able to tear small strips of tape, for other using scissors to snip is no problem.
Fingerlift Tape
Tape can be a little frustrating if it's not easy to peel off the backing strip. Clever designers have made tape that has a non adhered section the entire length which makes it very easy to peel off. It all depends on your nails!
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Runner Tape
This is probably the cleanest and quickest kind of adhesive to use as you are simple rolling on a line of tape, no cutting or peeling required. Great if you find removing backing very fiddly. It works best on very smooth surfaces.
You may hear this referred to as 'red runner tape' which is a very popular variety, there are lots of options available. This is probably the cleanest and quickest kind of adhesive to use.
Foam Tape
These kind of tapes are essential for adding dimension! Dimension can really dramatically change the appearance of a card, however you need to get the right amount. Essentially Foam tape is double sided tape with a layer of foam in the middle. It's as quick and easy to use as double sided tape, again you may find some brands make it easier to peel off the backing than others.
They come in multiple widths and depths. You can also buy a darker version so that with darker cardstock the tape isn't visible when you're looking aIt is advisable to have multiple rolls in your craft stash so you can use the best type for the job.
Foam Pads
Again there are many different sizes and thicknesses to these sticky pads. They are very handy for embellishments where you wouldn't want sharp edges from foam tape.
They're best used for smaller items, stick to foam tape for larger areas of matting and layering.
Glue Gun
Every crafter should have a glue gun - can you even call yourself a crafter if you don't have one! There are many glue guns available, including slightly cooler glue guns. They are either plug in or need batteries. You simply add in the glue stick and then squeeze the trigger once the gun has heated up sufficiently. The metal end of the gun and the glue is VERY hot so beware of burning your fingers and always make sure kids are not left alone with a gun.
You can buy all kinds of different glue sticks including glitter glue. The glue dries very quickly, so you won't have much time to move and adjust. You will also find you end up with sticky threads of glue and mess if you try to move the item.
You can do multiple layers of the glue or create blobs, but the dimension wont be quite as good as using silicon glue. It can take a bit of practice to become proficient with a glue gun, a little like when icing a cake with a piping bag, you need a little twist at the end to avoid those stringy bits of glue.
Low Tack Tape - Masking Tape
This is a great tape for your craft stash, not for using in your finished craft projects but for using to stick down dies or for masking off areas. You will also find tapes like 'Magic tape' which are low tack and perfect for this.
Top advice when using a low tack tape is to do a little test on the cardstock to double check it doesn't leave any marks. Also to never leave it sitting on card for too long as it can start to bond with the cardstock or paper after time.
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Washi Tape
Washi Tape is more decorative, some people do use it in the same way as low tack tape, but most use it in journalling and scrapbooking to add decorative patterned areas to their pages. You are best to also use an adhesive on the back of photos or cardstock when using washi tape to stick down corners.
Spray Adhesive
You can buy cans of adhesive for spraying large areas, we would not recommend these for general cardmaking and craft use as you need very well ventilated areas and will have to be very careful with masking.
If you were making something large like a wedding seat layout it may be useful to use a spray to ensure a firm hold across a large area.
Super Glues
For most crafters having super glue is unnecessary. However if you are into mixed media and use lots of weird and wonderful metals and plastic items in your crafting you may find that you need something bombproof like this.
You will need to wait some time for it to properly set.
If you are shopping for any kind of glue for crafting be sure to head over to www.craftstash.co.uk where you can find a glue for any project!