There are many different adhesives for different types of uses. These are my favorites and the ones I use and recommend.
If the product(s) are available online (usually where I purchased it), I will be list and link for you. I do link to products in my store and I use affiliate links when possible (at no cost to you), but none of the products I’m listed were provided or sponsored by anyone. (I stock my store with my favorite products!) These are simply my personal favorite products that I use when crafting. Full Disclosure Here.
Liquid Adhesives
All purpose liquid adhesives.
Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE (all around) liquid adhesive ever! There are many great liquid glues on the market but the one I reach for the MOST is Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive 200N. This glue dries clear and the tip is a fine tip that allows you to glue tiny things with precision. The shape of the bottle makes it easy to grip and it has never clogged on me. The projects I made a few years ago with this glue are still holding. I highly recommend this adhesive.
Art Institute Designer Dries Clear Glue (aka Art Glitter Glue)
Art Glitter Glue is one of the MOST requested and best selling liquid adhesives in my store. It dries Clear and is an industrial strength, non-toxic, water based adhesive originally designed for glitter and paper applications. It is both flexible and strong enough to bond items such as wood, metal, cardboard.
There are accessories such as the Metal Tip , Pins Kit that sell very well along with the glue as well as the holder for it.
The Art Glitter Glue comes in 2 oz, 4oz, and 16 oz bottles at our store. You can also purchase it in 8oz and by the gallon but I do not carry those sizes in my store currently.
The only downside is that it CANNOT be shipped to cold regions during the winter months. The manufacturer states the following: *cannot ship to lows under 40° F* and this adhesive has a shelf life of 12 months for optimum results.
iCraft Ultra Bond Adhesive
A great Alternative to Art Glitter Glue that can ship in the winter months is iCraft Ultra Bond Adhesive. Unlike other art glue brands which can’t ship to lows under 40° F, NEW UltraBond contains a unique freeze/thaw component which allows us to ship year-round. If product freezes, allow to thaw 24 hrs at room temperature prior to use.
Ultra Bond Adhesive is an all-purpose craft liquid adhesive that is CLEARLY different! This specially formulated water-based liquid adhesive is permanent and DRIES CLEAR! Ultra Bond adheres paper, wood, metal, glass, buttons, beads, sequins, glitter, charms and more. There is also a metal tip that works with this bottle very well.
Tube Liquid Adhesives
I absolutely cannot keep these in stock all the time because every timed I stock up they sell out right away. They are so popular and some manufacturers like Gina K limit the amount you are allowed to purchase in each order so if you like these grab them while you can. My personal opinion is that all of the glues I’m going to list are the same but are branded for each company. I do not know this for a fact but they all work as well as the others so this is my personal opinion.
Gina K Connect Glue
Lawn Fawn Glue Tube
Hero Arts Precision Glue
My Favorite Things On-Point Precision Glue
Adhesive Pens
My favorite Adhesive Pens are from Nuvo. They come in several different sizes depending on what you are looking for. There is the Precision Smooth (Fine Tip) which looks like this:
Then there is also a Nuvo glue pen that comes in with a medium tip.
And for larger coverage there is the Nuvo Large Glue Pen that looks like this:
Tape Runners
Permanent
Kokuyo Dotliner Long
This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE tape runner of all time! It lays down tiny little dots that allow you time to move your paper (or whatever you are adhering) before you press it down permanently. Over the years I’ve tried almost every tape runner out there but this one was an instant favorite which was introduced to me by Jennifer McGuire a few years ago. It can be difficult to find so when they are in stock I STOCK up on refills!
Temporary Tape Runner
Glue Dots Temporary Taper Runner
When I want a temporary tape runner, this is the one I reach for. It’s very difficult to find so if the links here stop working, let me know and I’ll try to find new ones for you.
This is a temporary, paper-thin bond between materials. They are little strips, not dots. The adhesive is clear, acid free, photo safe and non toxic. Includes a refillable dispenser. Refills can be found here and here .
ATG –
3M ATG 700 Adhesive Applicator
I still use my ATG for larger projects. I happen to prefer the 1/2″ yellow ATG but the pink one (which holds 1/4″ tape) is the most popular in the crafting industry for paper crafters. Here are the 1/4″ refill rolls and here are the 1/2″ refill rolls.
Double Sided Adhesive Tapes
My personal favorite is Kaisercraft Double Sided tape. It sticks well and and is very affordable. However, I am also going to list Scor-tape because it is the number one requested double sided tape by my customers. For me it’s a little too sticky and costs more than Kaisercraft’s tape but many many of my customers love it. I do have Scor-tape in my craft room and I use it for things such as Mini Albums, etc.,
Kaisercraft’s double sided tape comes in 1/4″ and 1/2″.
Scor-Tape Double Sided Tape
Scor-tape is one of the most popular double sided tapes in the crafting industry. This is a VERY sticky double sided tape and once it’s stuck, IT IS STUCK! It comes in several sizes including:
You can get it in many more sizes but these are the most popular sizes in my experience.
Foam Tape
Foam tape comes in squares, circles strips, huge rolls, etc. Choosing which ones you need depends on what you are using it for. The bigger rolls are for those crafters who want to save money in the long run because they know they will use a lot of it. (LOVE DIMENSION!).
These are my preferred foam tape adhesives:
Foam Squares – Scrapbook Adhesives
Scrapbook Adhesives is my favorite for foam squares. I like them because they are kind of rounded around the edge and the paper comes off easily and it’s not “too” thick, (about 1/16″ thick)… just the perfect height for most of my projects. You can get them in small (.25 x .25) or larger (.5 x .5) and even a variety pack with a mix of both sizes.
Foam Rolls
Scrapbook Adhesives Craft Foam Roll
This is my new favorite foam tape (roll). I used to use Scotch 3m but it doesn’t hold up over time and loses it’s stickiness. It’s also very stiff and hard to bend. Just not my favorite anymore. The Scrapbook Adhesives Craft Foam Tape Roll is much easier to use and is just like their foam squares but in a large roll format. It’s also MUCH MORE ECONOMICAL than the Scotch brand I used to use. With he Scrapbook Adhesives Roll, you get 108 feet of 1/2 foam tape for $19.99.
Foam Strips
If you are wondering what these thin foam strips are for, they are usually used to make shaker cards. The strips are thin and bend easily to the shape of your design. My favorite for long foam strips is Couture Creations. Each package contains thirty-three 9-1/4×1/8 inch 3D foam strips. They come in black and white.
Scrapbook Adhesives 3d Foam Strips
For shorter strips my favorite is Scrapbook Adhesives 3d Foam Strips. They are perfect for smaller shaker card shapes 🙂
Specialty Adhesives
These are specialty adhesives that I use for different techniques and applications.
Mixed Media
Matte Medium by Ranger
This medium is super strong and dries matte and clear. It is great for all kinds of art projects including card making, art journaling mixed media, etc. From the manufacturer’s website “Ranger Matte Medium is an artist quality acrylic gel medium that can be used as a super strong adhesive, acrylic paint extender or sealer. Use it in many mixed-media techniques including image transfers or resist.”
For larger projects like art journaling, etc. It also comes in a 3.8 oz jar here.
Gilding Flake & Glitter Glue
Cosmic Shimmer Flake & Glitter Glue is the adhesive I turn to when using glitter or gilding flakes. This glue remains sticky until you cover it with your glitter or flakes, etc. Your medium will stick to this glue and won’t flake or shake off once burnished.
Die Cutting & More!
My favorite tape for taping my dies down so they don’t slide around is “Purple tape” by iCraft. It comes in two sizes, .5 inches and 1.5 inches. I prefer the .5 inches because it’s smaller but you get more for your money with the 1.5 inches because you can tear it in to pieces. This tape is reusable many times before it loses its “stick” and NEVER rips my paper.
I also use this tape for taping down my paper when watercoloring, ink blending with a stencil, etc. It has many uses.
Making Stickers from Die Cuts
When I want to die cut something and make it into a sticker, I use Ken Oliver’s Stick It Adhesive Sheets. Stick It has been formulated for intricate die-cutting and use with electronic cutters. It is temporarily repositionable, but will become permanent over time. Apply to your paper or cardstock prior to cutting then simply peel backing off when you’re ready to apply to your project.
Stencil Adhesive
Removable Spray Adhesive – Pixie Spray
Pixie Spray is something I use quite a lot. When I am working with stencils and don’t want to tape it down, I use Pixie Spray. It is removable so you can move it around without leaving residue on your paper. I also use it to store my stencils on laminated sheets of cardstock (you can find more about that in my favorite storage and organization products post.) Pixie Spray is my favorite spray removable adhesive by far. (and it doesn’t smell strong).
Masking Paper/Fluid
Masking Paper
Inkadinkado Stamping Mask Paper. It comes in a pack with 12 sheets and you can stamp directly on the masking paper and then fussy cut or die cut the image. If you save the backing paper, you can re-use your mask a few times (depending on how carefully you use it).
Nuvo Masking Fluid
The last masking product I use is liquid masking. The liquid Masking Fluid I prefer is manufactured by Nuvo. It dries quickly and comes off easily without damaging your paper or stamped/colored images.
These are my favorite types of adhesives for different things. If you have a question about a type of adhesive not listed here, or if there is a product you’d like to try, please contact me here.
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