What Is the Best Glue for Paper?

There are many types of glue that can be used to glue paper. Which one is “the best” depends on the characteristics of the project, the materials, and the circumstances.
In this post, we’ll look at some of the types of glue commonly used for paper and explain their main characteristics, along with their pros and cons depending on the paper and the type of project.
Some of the types of glue most commonly used for paper are:

White glue:

This is a white, water-based glue commonly used for school projects and crafts. When it dries, it becomes transparent and creates a strong bond between materials, making it a good option for gluing paper to paper or paper to other porous surfaces. However, it can sometimes soak and warp the paper, so especially with thin paper, it is important to use the right amount for the area being glued.
This glue can be used with Proyecto Ensamble templates by applying a small amount and spreading it evenly over the tab. It dries more slowly, so the area needs to be held in place for longer.

Cold liquid silicone:

Designed for bonding and sealing different types of materials, this is an inorganic chemical compound with a craft-use formulation. It is a highly resistant adhesive suitable for cardboard, paper, fabric, wood, plastic, EVA foam, and other materials. It is a good option for paper because it is transparent, dries in around 30 seconds—allowing some time for adjustments—and creates a firm bond. However, it is toxic and flammable, so it is not recommended for school use; children should only use it under adult supervision.
This is the option that has given us the best results for assembling our Proyecto Ensamble templates.

Hot glue:

Hot glue is a quick-drying adhesive that comes in synthetic glue sticks, which are melted and applied with a hot glue gun. It can be used to attach paper to a wide variety of surfaces, including wood, plastic, and metal. However, because it dries quickly, there is little time for adjustments, and it can be difficult to control or spread the amount of glue applied. For this reason, it is not the best choice for fine work such as assembling our templates.

Glue sticks:

The familiar “Stick Fix” glue sticks are solid and are applied by rubbing them over the surface of the paper. They are quick and easy to use and can be a good option for gluing paper to paper.
They are best suited to simpler projects that do not require a very strong bond. For assembling our templates, we do not recommend them.

Spray adhesive:

This quick-drying adhesive is applied by spraying a thin layer from an aerosol can. It can be used to attach paper to a variety of surfaces, including wood, metal, and plastic.
Because it is difficult to control the application precisely, we do not recommend it for assembling our templates.

Double-sided tape:

This tape has a transparent embossed PVC backing, solvent-based acrylic adhesive, and a silicone-coated paper liner. It has high initial adhesion and can be torn by hand, making it very useful and easy to handle for crafts and scrapbooking, attaching photos to albums or frames, and book repair.
It is a clean and strong method for bonding paper and our templates. The drawback is that it requires some experience with manual work, as handling it and achieving the desired result can be relatively complex.

Ultimately, the best glue for paper—or for your particular project—depends on the materials you are using and what you want to achieve. It can be helpful to experiment with different types of glue to find what works best for your needs.

Now that you know which glue to use... put it to the test with our die-cut templates from the Gentleman Cat Series or our DIY Series Paper Sculpture Kit to illustrate!