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There are
several different types of adhesives available on the market. Some
are designed to hold your photographs to the page. Others are designed
to hold larger and thicker embellishments to the page layout. Some are
very clean and easy to apply, while others are more messy. Several different
companies manufacture adhesives that are specially designed for scrapbooking
applications. EK Success, with it's Herma, ZIG, and 3D lines is very well
known. 3L, Scotch-brand, Beacon Adhesives, Therm O Web, Tombow, and Glue
Dots are just a few of the many others.
In this article
we'll discuss some of the products that are available for scrapbooking
and paper crafting. We'll tell you about some of our favorites, and what
the best applications are for each. Remember for each category there are
many more products on the market than we can possibly discuss here. You
might find your own favorites are not even listed here.
Adhering paper
and photos:
Because this
is probably the most common application for scrapbook adhesives, this
category offers you the most options. There are tons of choices available,
so it's really a matter of finding the one you are most comfortable with.
Most of these adhesives are available in a small, handheld application
device that allows you to put down small amounts of adhesive.
EK Success
offers the following 3 major choices:
- HERMA®
line of Dotto® permanent or removable adhesive glue dots.
You can choose if you'd like an immediate permanent bond, or if your
project would be better suited to something that might be removable.
The dispenser is refillable, allowing you to save a little money by
buying refills and recycling the dispenser.
- Vario
permanent double-sided adhesive tabs. This product sticks down small
squares of paper tabs that are sticky on both sides. Some people love
this style of adhesive, but we find it can be difficult to work with.
This product is also refillable.
- Glue
Star removable adhesive. These are great for kid's projects!
Tombow has
a Mono Permanent Tape Runner that works well for papers, but also
does great with heavier elements that need to be stuck to the page.
There are lots
of glue sticks available on the market that now claim to be photo safe.
While that may, indeed, be the truth, we do not recommend any glue sticks
for use on your projects. They tend to be messy and sticky, sometimes
clumpy, and often the hold is not as permanent as you would like it to
be.
3L Scrapbook
Adhesives offers a tape runner called the E-Z Runner. It is a permanent
adhesive that comes in a dispenser and puts down small, thin strips of
adhesive easily.
E-Z Runner,
by 3L, is one of our
favorite adhesives.
©Mouse Memories, 2008.
OUR FAVORITE
PICK: Hands down our design team would choose the E-Z Runner by
Scrapbook Adhesives for most paper to paper and photo applications.
This is the product that everyone reaches for first, and if we happen
to be out of it (which happens regularly because we use so much of it)
we often have a mutiny on our hands. This product is not refillable, but
comes with 28 feet of adhesive.
Adhering Vellum:
Vellum is
a fun, see-through paper-like material (think parchment paper) that
has lots of great uses on scrapbooking projects. The trick, though, is
that it can be difficult to find a good adhesive to use that won't show
through the vellum and be visible in the front of the project. Over the
years lots of manufacturers have offered Vellum Adhesives. Some have been
awful. Some have been mediocre, and only a few have been good in our experiences.
3M's Scotch
makes a Vellum tape that is bought on a roll that is a little over 11
yards long. This is a decent product, but on some applications it can
still show through.
Tombow and
Therm O Web both also make a Vellum Adhesives, but they are products
that we do not have experience with.
There are some
spray adhesives for vellum on the market, but these can be messy, and,
if you use too much, can cause your paper to wrinkle.
Fastenater®
Decorative Stapler, by EK Success
provides a versatile way of adhere vellum and other page elements.
EK Success, 2008.
OUR FAVORITE
PICK: None of the above. Some of our favorite ways to attach vellum
elements to the page are not even sticky. We like to use eyelets, brads,
and staplers like EK Success's Fascinator tool. This is a great tool to
use to attach things or just put down wide, themed staple bars on the
page. You can also use stickers and attach them partly to the edge of
the vellum and then attach the other part of the sticker to the page.
Adhering little
tiny elements:
Xyron produces
hand-operated machines and refill products that allow you to turn
almost any thin (paper, fabric, plastic, or other material) item into
a sticker by rolling the item through the Xyron machine and turning a
crank handle. The item feeds into the machine and a thin-film of adhesive
(either permanent or repositionable) is laid down onto your item. It can
be a good way to quickly make a lot of little pieces sticky.
EK Success
offers our favorite options for sticking tiny things together. Their
ZIG 2 Way Glue Pens, available in several different tip styles and sizes,
can be used two different ways. First, you can apply the glue and affix
the item immediately while the glue is wet (and colored blue). When the
adhesive dries, the bond will be permanent and strong. If you apply the
glue and allow the glue to dry before you affix the item, the glue will
turn clear and will provide a weaker, temporary bond that allows you to
place and reposition the item you are attaching to your page.
EK Success'
ZIG Squeeze & Roll 2-Way Glue
is the perfect adhesive for small items.
EK Success, 2008.
OUR FAVORITE
PICK: Zig Squeeze N Roll Glue Pen is our must-have adhesive
for small things. It has a tip like a roller point pen which makes it
very easy to apply a small drop of glue exactly where you intend to put
it.
Adhering elements
to make them 3-D:
3D Dots,
Squares, and Strips, from EK Success, are basically just double-sided
adhesive foam. Since the Dots and Squares are available in different
sizes and thicknesses, you can use them for a variety of different applications.
The dimensional effects you can create are fabulous. For example, you
can create a storage pocket on a page by affixing 3D-Dots, Squares, or
Strips to three sides of the pocket while leaving the top open. Then you
can slip in whatever item you wish to capture (tickets, park guide maps,
monorail driver's licenses, etc.) and they'll be available to view every
time you open your scrapbook.
3-D Dots White
Adhesive Foam is one
solution for addition dimension to your pages.
EK Success, 2008.
Glue Dots
also can help make an element dimensional. They are available in thin
or thicker options, so you can choose what's right for your project.
OUR FAVORITE
PICK: We don't really have one for this application. We use a mix
of Glue Dots, and EK's Dots and Squares. We love them all.
Adhering metal,
ribbon, and other thicker elements:
Making Memories
produces a product called Metal Glue II which is a liquid adhesive
made especially for attaching metal embellishments such as corners, frames
and charms.
Making Memories
is also the source for Rib Lue, an adhesive specifically designed
for gluing ribbon and fabric. Rib Lue is designed to not soak into the
material, which makes it great for that particular job. It does, however,
take a little bit of time to set.
Scrappy
Glue, by Magic Scraps, is not as readily available as it once was,
but if you come across some, it is a good, all around embellishment adhesive.
Tombow's
Mono Permanent Tape Runner is also a good choice for metals and other
embellishments.
Zip Dry
Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesive is on our must-have list. It is a unique
acid-free, archival quality paper glue that dries super fast and will
never wrinkle paper. Zip Dry PaperGlue is strong enough to bond metal
and other trims to scrapbooks. It can also attach beads, glitter, rhinestones
and wire to paper for adding a special decorative dimension to paper crafts.
It is also great for fabric elements like ribbon or felt.
OUR FAVORITE
PICK: Zip Dry Paper Glue is, without question, our favorite embellishment
adhesive. It's versatility and quick drying feature makes it indispensable!
Cleaning up
adhesive:
As neat as
we try to be when we're crafting, sometimes we manage to get adhesive
where we didn't want it. EK Success makes an Adhesive Remover Tool.
Use this tool to eliminate residue from your projects - without any smudging!
Shaped like a pencil, it can easily fit into small crevices for neat and
clean results. This is also the best tool for completely removing rub-ons.
Therm O
Web also makes an Adhesive pick up that is a good product to help
fix an oops.
While the specific
products mentioned in this article are great products, there are lots
of other great products available as well. Experiment with different types
of adhesive to find your own favorites. Once you come across one that
you love for any category, buy them in multiples, so you never run out
of the one you want at midnight when you're scrapping with friends! Adhesive
is the one thing you never see on the final project that makes the largest
impact on it!
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