Finding the perfect adhesive can make or break your paper crafting and creative projects. The right glue ensures your handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and home decor items stay beautifully intact for years, while the wrong one can lead to warping, peeling, or messy residue. With so many options on the market, from quick-drying liquids to mess-free sticks and dimensional accents, selecting the ideal one for your specific task is crucial.
This roundup simplifies your search by highlighting ten of the best adhesives trusted by crafters. We have considered a variety of needs, including precision work, fabric application, and strong, permanent bonds. Whether you are a seasoned scrapbooker or just starting your creative journey, this guide will help you find the perfect glue to bring your artistic visions to life.
Our Recommended Paper Crafting Adhesives
- Elmer’s E431 Craft Bond Fabric and Paper Glue
- Super Glue, Clear Craft Adhesive, 30g
- Ranger Ink Inkssentials Glossy Accents Precision Tip
- Elmer’s CraftBond All Purpose Glue Stick
- Art Glitter Glue Designer Dries Clear Adhesive
- Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue (3 Pack)
- Scotch Adhesive Dots, Medium, 0.3 inches
- iCraft Ultra Bond Dries Clear Adhesive 6 Oz
- Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
- NOCO GENIUS1 Smart Battery Charger
Elmer’s E431 Craft Bond Fabric and Paper Glue
Elmer’s Craft Bond is a versatile and reliable choice for a wide array of projects. This clear-drying glue is specially formulated to work on both fabric and paper, making it ideal for home decor, holiday ornaments, and handmade gifts. Its strong bond adds a lasting charm to your creations.
Manufactured in the United States, this adhesive is a good item for many types of arts and crafts. It provides a secure hold without damaging delicate materials, ensuring your projects look professional and stay together over time.
Super Glue, Clear Craft Adhesive
For projects that demand a rapid and incredibly strong bond, this clear super glue is an excellent tool. Its waterproof and high-temperature resistant properties make it suitable for crafts that might be exposed to the elements or require extra durability. The quick-setting formula is perfect for card making and detailed work where you need precision and speed.
This adhesive dries clear, leaving no messy residue to detract from your finished project. It is a powerful option for bonding non-porous materials that other glues might struggle with, providing a permanent hold in seconds.
Ranger Ink Inkssentials Glossy Accents
Ranger Ink’s Glossy Accents is more than just a glue; it’s a creative medium that adds a beautiful, dimensional gloss to your projects. Use it to create water droplets, magnify stamped images, or add a shiny, glass-like finish to specific elements on your cards and scrapbook pages. The precision tip allows for excellent control over application.
This product acts as a strong adhesive while providing a clear, glossy coating that makes colors pop. It’s a favorite among paper crafters for adding professional, high-impact details that elevate the overall look of their work.
Elmer’s CraftBond All Purpose Glue Stick
The Elmer’s CraftBond Glue Stick is a classic, mess-free solution for everyday paper crafting. It bonds quickly to photos, cardstock, and stationery, making it perfect for scrapbooking, school projects, and office work. The glue applies smoothly and evenly without clumping, preventing wrinkles and bumps in your paper.
This adhesive is nontoxic, acid-free, and photo-safe, ensuring your precious memories and documents are preserved without damage. Its reliable performance and clean application make it a staple in any crafter’s toolkit.
Art Glitter Glue Designer Dries Clear Adhesive
Art Glitter Glue offers industrial strength in a user-friendly bottle with an ultra-fine metal tip. This adhesive is a favorite among crafters, stampers, and scrapbookers for its powerful, permanent bond and versatility. It dries perfectly clear, making it ideal for projects where the adhesive might be visible.
It adheres to a vast range of surfaces including paper, acetate, leather, wood, metal, glass, and ceramics. The precise tip allows for detailed application, perfect for attaching small embellishments like beads, sequins, and glitter without any mess.
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
The Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue is a high-quality, clear adhesive designed for the discerning crafter. Its transparent formula allows for easy application and blends seamlessly with paper crafts, eliminating worries about visible glue lines. The low viscosity ensures a smooth, even coat.
As a multi-purpose adhesive, it is excellent for scrapbooking, card making, and a variety of other paper-based projects. Coming from the trusted Tombow brand, you can count on consistent performance and a reliable, permanent bond that dries clear.
Scotch Adhesive Dots
Scotch Adhesive Dots offer a completely clean and instant bonding solution for paper crafting. These medium-sized dots are permanently tacky and provide a consistent, lump-free hold, perfect for mounting photos, layering cardstock, and attaching embellishments. The easy dispensing roll makes application quick and simple.
They are photo-safe and acid-free, ensuring they will not damage your valuable photographs or paper over time. This tool is indispensable for creating dimension in your projects without the drying time or potential mess of liquid adhesives.
iCraft Ultra Bond Dries Clear Adhesive
iCraft Ultra Bond is a strong, all-purpose craft glue that is both permanent and acid-free. It dries clear, creating an invisible bond that is perfect for a wide variety of materials. You can use it to adhere paper, beads, sequins, glitter, charms, wood, metal, and glass with confidence.
The bottle features a fine tip nozzle that offers good control and is compatible with most ultrafine metal applicator tips for even more precision. This versatility makes it a go-to adhesive for complex projects involving multiple types of embellishments.
Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue is a legendary name in the crafting world, known for its thick, tacky formula that grabs on contact. It dries clear and flexible, making it suitable for everything from paper and felt to wood and ceramics. Its strong, permanent bond is both washable and non-toxic.
This glue is slower setting than some alternatives, giving you a bit of time to adjust your pieces before the bond sets. Its reliability and strength for a multitude of crafts have made it a trusted favorite for generations.
NOCO GENIUS1 Smart Battery Charger
The NOCO GENIUS1 is a compact yet powerful all-in-one charging solution, functioning as a battery charger, maintainer, and trickle charger. It is engineered for 6-volt and 12-volt lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, making it versatile for automotive, marine, and powersport applications. Its small size delivers impressive power in a convenient package.
It includes precision charging technology with an integrated thermal sensor that adjusts the charge based on ambient temperature. This feature prevents overcharging in hot weather and undercharging in cold, ensuring optimal battery performance and longevity.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Adhesives for Paper Crafting and Creative Projects
As someone who spends a lot of time with paper, I can tell you that having the right glue is just as important as having the right paper. The wrong adhesive can cause wrinkling, fail to hold, or even damage your project. Over the years, I have learned that there is no single “best” glue; the best one is the one that is right for the specific task at hand. Here is how I think about choosing from the many adhesives for paper crafting and creative projects.
First, consider the materials you are bonding. Are you sticking paper to paper, or are you attaching something heavier like chipboard, fabric, or metal embellishments? For simple paper-to-paper applications, a dry adhesive like a tape runner or a glue stick is often perfect. It is quick, clean, and does not warp the paper. For heavier items, you will need a stronger, wet adhesive like a liquid glue or a strong, double-sided tape. Something like a clear gel glue or a specialty craft glue is designed to handle varied surfaces.
Next, think about the drying time and the application process. Do you need a permanent bond immediately, or do you want a little time to reposition your piece? Liquid glues like tacky glue offer a brief “open” time to adjust your placement, which is a lifesaver when aligning intricate die-cuts. On the other hand, a glue stick or tape runner is instant and there is no drying time to wait for. I always keep both types on hand for different stages of my work.
The finish is another critical factor. Will the adhesive be visible? For things like photo mounting or attaching vellum, you need an adhesive that dries clear and does not leave lumps or shine through the paper. My go-to for this is a double-sided tape or a liquid glue specifically labeled “clear.” For creating dimension with foam pads, the adhesive itself is part of the design, so you want one that is strong and thick enough to hold the layers securely.
Finally, consider your personal preference for mess and precision. A bottle of liquid glue can sometimes be messy, but with a fine-tip applicator, it allows for incredible precision in tiny areas. A glue stick is very clean but can be difficult to apply to small, detailed edges. A tape runner is neat and portable, but the refills can be an ongoing cost. My advice is to build a small collection of your favorite types. I have a core set of a permanent tape runner, a fine-tip liquid glue, and some foam squares that cover about 90% of my projects. Having the right tool for the job makes the entire creative process smoother and more enjoyable.
FAQ
What is the best all-around adhesive for general paper crafting?
For a versatile, all-purpose adhesive, I usually recommend a permanent, acid-free tape runner. It is my most-reached-for tool because it is fast, clean, does not warp paper, and provides a strong bond for most standard papers and cardstock. It is perfect for everything from scrapbooking to card making. While it is not suitable for every single material, it handles the majority of tasks in my typical paper crafting session, making it a fantastic first adhesive to own.
How do I prevent my paper from wrinkling when I use liquid glue?
Wrinkling happens when the moisture in the glue causes the paper fibers to expand. To prevent this, use the glue sparingly. Apply a thin, even layer, especially with white school-style glues. You can also look for glues that are specifically formulated to be “warp-free” or have low moisture content. Another technique I use is to apply the glue and then let it sit for about 15-30 seconds to become tacky before pressing the papers together. This gives some of the moisture a chance to evaporate first.
What type of adhesive should I use for photos in a scrapbook?
It is very important to use a photo-safe, acid-free adhesive for scrapbooking. My top choices are a photo-safe tape runner or double-sided tape. These are designed not to damage the photograph over time and will not bleed through or cause the photo to curl. I avoid using standard glue sticks or liquid glues on photos because they can cause staining or deterioration and often create permanent bumps underneath the image.
Is there an adhesive that works well for both paper and other materials like fabric or wood?
Yes, a strong, multi-surface craft glue is your best bet for these mixed-media projects. I look for a clear-drying, flexible formula like a strong tacky glue or a clear gel adhesive. These are designed to create a durable bond on porous materials like paper and wood as well as flexible ones like fabric. They are essential for my projects that incorporate buttons, ribbons, or small wooden embellishments onto a paper base.
What is the difference between permanent and repositionable adhesive?
The key difference is the finality of the bond. A permanent adhesive is meant to create a strong, long-lasting hold that you cannot easily adjust once the pieces are stuck together. A repositionable adhesive provides a temporary, lighter hold that allows you to lift and re-stick your item multiple times to get the placement just right. I use repositionable adhesive for planning layouts or temporarily holding a piece in place before I commit with a permanent bond.
Can I use a hot glue gun for paper crafts?
You can, but with caution. Hot glue is excellent for attaching very heavy embellishments or for creating a quick, strong bond on non-paper items. However, the glue is very hot when it comes out and can warp or even melt delicate papers. It also creates a very thick, textured line that is not ideal for flat applications. I reserve my hot glue gun for projects involving thick chipboard, certain types of flowers, or when I need to attach something to a non-paper surface like canvas or wood as part of a larger paper craft project.