There are many different types of adhesive on the market because they’re all used for different materials. For example, glass adhesive is primarily used to bond glass together, metal glue is used to bond different metals together, plastic for plastic, etc.
Before buying an adhesive, you should take a second to decide what you’re going to use it for. For example, if you want strong wood glue for use with building cabinets, you shouldn’t buy a tube of super glue. Or, if you want glass adhesive to join beads together for a necklace, you should avoid all-purpose glue.
Because glue adhesives are fairly cheap and people usually have a tube or two already lying around the house, the small details such as toxicity, tube size, whether you can use it indoors, etc., are often overlooked. The following buyer’s guide includes these and other important considerations when purchasing an adhesive for your household tool kit.
Interior vs. Exterior Use
Some adhesives are made to be used indoors, some outdoors, and some both. This is because some glues give off fumes while they’re drying that wouldn’t be safe to breath in inside of a house.
Generally, wood glues and some super glues are safe to use indoors. Plastic and metal glues, on the other hand, usually emit highly toxic fumes and cannot be used indoors without ventilation. You should always check your adhesive’s label before usage to see where it’s safest to use.
Common Glue Types
Wood Glue
Wood adhesives usually have a thick consistency, low in toxicity or non-toxic, and can generally be cleaned up with water. They’re also usually sandable and paintable, since wood workers usually need to paint their finished products.
Glass Glue
Glass adhesives are extremely popular with jewelry makers. They are generally very strong because glass is non-porous and difficult to bond completely. They also usually come in small tubes because they dry out quickly.
Plastic Glue
Plastic adhesives are great for fixing broken toys, kitchen utensils, and other common household items like fans or storage totes. They’re generally toxic and must be used in a ventilated area. Like glass glue, plastic glue creates a strong bond since plastic is non-porous.
All-Purpose Glue
All-purpose glue is designed to work with various materials, usually wood, ceramic, foam, paper, and more. These affordable glues generally come in medium and large containers because they don’t dry out as quickly.
Super Glue
Super glue is an adhesive designed to hold things tight and strong. It has a very short shelf life, and as such, usually comes in a tiny tube. It’s also designed to be used in thin layers because of the quick cure time. These products are highly toxic and must be used with care as it’s very easy to accidentally bond skin to objects.
Metal Glue
Metal glue is very strong as well as very toxic. Like wood glue, it is usually sandable and paintable but must be used in ventilated areas, usually requiring some kind of solvent to be cleaned up.
Non-Toxic Glue
Non-toxic glue is safe to the touch which makes it great if you have kids or pets around the house. Because it doesn’t emit fumes it can used safely indoors and can be cleaned up with water.
Toxicity
One of the most important things you should keep in mind when looking to buy glue is whether or not it’s toxic. Always keep in mind who or what will touch your bond after it’s dry. If you have a lot of pets or small children running around your home, it’s probably a good idea to only purchase non-toxic adhesives. As mentioned above, always check your glue’s label first to see how toxic it is.
Set Time
All glues have a set time, or the time it takes for the adhesive to set in place after you apply it and join two or more materials together. With most glue, set time is fairly quick at around 10 to 20 minutes. If you’ve ever curious as to how long your glue’s set time is, just check the label. Most glue will list specific set times on the label or with the included instructions.
Cure Time
The cure time is how long it takes for glue to entirely dry and the bond to complete. This can take as little as a few hours, or as long as a day. It is also dependent on things like weather and humidity. Wetter conditions will mean longer cure times.
Drying
All adhesives dry differently. Some types expand while others such as white craft glue dry flexible so the materials you bond together can move freely. Wood glues aren’t visible after drying so that they can be sanded and painted over. Metal glue, which is usually clear before applying, changes color to metallic grey once dried.
You should always keep in mind what you want the final bond to look like when purchasing adhesive. Consider researching particular brands you’re interested in online for examples, or even ask someone at your local hardware store for a small sample prior to purchase.
Tube Size
Glues come in a wide variety of different tube sizes, depending on the type of glue you’re buying. Glues that dry out very quickly, such as super glue, generally come in very small tubes because if you don’t use the glue in one or two applications, it dries up. All-purpose glues or wood glues can often be bought in large, budget-friendly containers because they take a lot longer to dry up.
If you want to buy an adhesive you’re only going to use every once in awhile, it’s a lot better to buy as small a tube as possible and not open it until right before you’re ready to use it. This is so the glue doesn’t dry up before you actually have a chance to bond something. If you plan on using the adhesive you purchase frequently, then it’s a lot better to buy a bigger size. This way, you avoid going back to the store multiple times for several containers.
Cleaning
Accidents sometimes happen and spilled glue can be difficult to clean up. Sometimes you may even need to get rid of a previously cured bond. Most adhesives on the market can generally be cleaned up with oil, water, or solvents such as turpentine or thinner.
When wood glue is wet, it’s easy to remove with a wet towel. You can also wait until the glue reaches a rubber consistency during its cure and scrape it off with a putty knife. Once it’s dried, however, a solvent or adhesive remover is your best bet.
Plastic glue is most easily removed with a strong solvent. These are toxic, so make sure you put on a pair of gloves first and then clean in a well-ventilated area.
All-purpose glue, such as white craft glue, is the easiest type of adhesive to clean, and can be wiped up with warm water while it’s wet and dry.
Super glue is very stubborn to clean, but both acetone and rubbing alcohol work with a bit of elbow grease. As mentioned with plastic glue, take all necessary precautions when using toxic cleaners.
Like plastic and super glue, acetone or thinner are the best options for cleaning up metal glue. You can also scrape dried metal glue with a stiff wire brush after softening with your remover of choice to aid clean up.