Glue guide
The right glue keeps a piece clean and makes it last. The wrong one wrinkles paper, fogs clear plastic or melts foam. Find what you're joining and use the glue in the middle column.
| Joining | Use | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Paper to paper labels, boxes, books | Glue stick for flat pieces; tacky glue spread thin for tabs and 3D folds | Super glue (stains paper and makes it brittle); hot glue (lumpy) |
| Wallpaper to wood or cardboard | Glue stick, spray adhesive or wallpaper paste | Watery white glue straight from the bottle (makes paper ripple) |
| Wood to wood | Wood glue or tacky glue; hold or clamp it while it sets | Glue stick (won't hold) |
| Fabric curtains, bedding, rugs | Fabric glue or tacky glue, applied thin | Super glue (soaks in and hardens the fabric) |
| Hard plastic model parts, styrene sheet | Plastic cement or super glue | White and tacky glue (they peel off smooth plastic) |
| Clear plastic “glass” windows, display cases | A clear-drying glue made for clear parts, used sparingly | Super glue (its fumes can fog clear plastic white) |
| Metal, beads and tiny findings | Super glue gel or two-part epoxy | Glue stick or white glue |
| Foam board and craft foam | Tacky glue, white glue or low-temperature hot glue | Plastic cement and solvent-based glues (they can melt foam) |
| Things you may want to move later | Museum putty or museum wax | Any permanent glue |