Recently I was looking for an adhesive to use in a project and was amazed by the all the different types of glues and sticky stuff that can be used for do it yourself projects.
Quite frankly, it can even be confusing for someone like me, and I make my living using things that hold and bond things together. So here are a few of the glues and adhesives that my co-host Shari and I use on Room By Room. Hopefully, it will help with purchasing the right glue for the project that you're working on.
Let's start with probably the most recognized and widely used glue - good ol' white glue or, for you technical folks, polyvinyl acetate. If you looked in your family craft drawer right now, you would probably have a bottle of this stuff. It's very inexpensive and can be used for lightweight gluing, like kid craft projects. It's non-toxic and can be stored for a very long time. But it has poor water resistance, isn't very strong and is hard to sand. For paper and light wood projects, it's just the right stuff, so keep plenty of it handy.
Which brings me to probably my favorite. Yellow glue, commonly referred to as wood glue or aliphatic resin, is excellent for indoor projects. It has better moisture resistance and greater strength then white glue. It doesn't run as easily as white glue, so it stays in place better. It can be sanded easily, but it does have "fast grab," which means it sets up quickly. Once it's stuck, it's stuck.
If you use it, dry fit everything before you glue and clamp it together. I use this glue for practically all of my woodworking projects.
Another favorite is hot melt, or thermoplastic adhesive. This is used with a glue gun. It hardens within seconds, is very easy to use, works great for all types of projects from fabric to paper and can be used to make a few simple, quick repairs.
One bad thing about it is that the gun tip can get really hot, so this glue can have an ouch factor. It also has a very short working time and isn't very strong. It's definitely not a good choice for woodworking projects, but Shari swears by it for all her window treatment projects that require non-sewing.
Sometime I use cyanocrylate, or super glues. These glues bond almost instantly and are great for models, eyeglass repair and whatnot. This glue clamps with only a small amount of finger pressure and dries quickly. It can be expensive, so it's best for small projects. It's hard to use on porous surface. Also, it's possible to glue your fingers together if you not careful - definitely an ouch factor.
The last type of adhesive of which I use a lot - in fact, I used it on a recent episode for a paneling project - is construction adhesive. This stuff is polyurethane mastic. It's perfect for house repairs and any project that needs a lot of strength and water resistance. Great for exterior wood projects, it can be a little expensive.
Most of the time it's applied with a caulking gun, but it does come in smaller tubes. It can be messy to apply and isn't good to use in a visible area. But if you want an adhesive that will hold anything, this is it.
Those are the glues that I mostly use. They have many name brands, but for the most part they all work the same. If you don't know how they work or what they are for, the instructions on the back of the package is a great place to start.
And if you don't know what type to use, your local hardware or home center store will be glad to help you out. Thanks for sticking around.
(Matt Fox writes this column with Shari Hiller. They also co-host the Home & Garden Television show Room by Room. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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