5 types of adhesives for DIY projects

Not a carpenter, but enjoy fixing things around the house, doing little DIY projects? If so, you know you need adhesives for all that. I'm sure you'd like an easy-to-use glue that's suitable for wood, but also for the other materials you might use: paper, plastic, metal, textiles, string. But when you go to the DIY stores, you discover that there are several types of adhesives. You look at the labels and see that there are water-based or solvent-based adhesives, one-component or two-component, instant or slow-bonding, special low-temperature adhesives or high-elasticity adhesives. How do you know which one to get, which one is right for what you need to do?

Does the story sound familiar? If you've lived it and still haven't figured it out or have some personal projects planned, the suggestions and explanations below on the most commonly used DIY adhesives might be helpful.

1. Aracet-type adhesives (polyvinyl acetate PVA)

They are wood-specific adhesives and the most widely used DIY adhesives. They are cheap and very suitable for gluing objects used indoors. They have very good adhesive properties, are non-toxic, water-based and easy to clean, also with water. They can be used for repairing loose veneers, peeling drawers, fixing chair legs that move and squeak or for gluing pieces of wood together.

It is called "aracet type" because aracet is actually a Romanian brand of adhesive that was manufactured in the past. As the substance and the way it works are broadly the same, it is often labelled "type aracet" to make it simple for those used to this type of adhesive.

The adhesive can be applied with a small trowel, you will better control the amount applied. After application, the parts that stick should be clamped with clamps because the adhesive needs a reaction time. It is good to know that temperature speeds up the reaction and reduces the gluing time. After application, excess adhesive should be wiped off immediately with a cloth because after curing it is harder to remove and you will probably need a squeegee.

Adhesive is used more for objects used indoors. If you want to use it for an object that will stand outside, look for a variety of acrylic that is resistant to humidity and wide temperature variations. On the label it should be stated that it is for outdoors or that it is in class D3 or D4 moisture resistance.

2. Super Glue adhesives (cyanoacrylate based)

I used the quotation marks because Super Glue is a brand of glue that has become synonymous with glue that sticks anything very quickly. This type of adhesive - cyanoacrylates - also bonds very hard surfaces together and has a very short reaction time. They are the best choice for quick and easy repairs or for gluing small parts. After drying, a very strong solder results.

Gloves should be worn when working with such adhesives because the adhesive can even stick your fingers together. It reacts quickly and is very difficult to remove from the surface of the hands. It is not soluble in water.

3. Epoxy adhesives

They are bicomponent adhesives, type A+B, which react after mixing the 2 components. The reaction is quite slow, and the parts that stick together must be held together (clamped) until the reaction is complete. The result is a very durable solder. There are variants that can only be used for indoor soldering and variants that can also be used for outdoor soldering.

Epoxy resins used for various spectacular projects have adhesive properties, but are not recommended for use as adhesives.

4. Polyurethane adhesives

They are the strongest, most durable and strongest wood adhesives. They are very versatile and can be used for bonding many types of materials: wood, glass, metal, ceramics, polyurethane foam, textiles, plastic, stone. They are very resistant to humidity and are very suitable for indoor use in places with high humidity (bathrooms, bathrooms, kitchen) and externally (fences, outdoor tables, pergolasUsed for gluing solid wood and wood derivatives.

In the case of polyurethane adhesives without hardener - one-component adhesives - moisture is needed to react and result in a very good bond. Moisture is usually taken from the objects being bonded, but because it is not sufficient it is good to wet the parts that come into contact before bonding. If by accident the adhesive has got into other areas and needs to be cleaned, use solvent not water. Try to remove it while it is still wet, after it hardens it will be very difficult. After drying it can only be removed by sanding.

5. Hot-melt adhesives

They are the most used adhesives from tutorials. Unlike other adhesives, you need a glue gun to apply them. The adhesive is basically a plastic rod, transparent or opaque, of various colours, which is melted by the very high temperature at the tip of the gun. The liquid plastic is easy to apply because it does not flow continuously but only when the heating is activated. By cooling down the adhesive hardens again and the objects to be glued are also attached.

It is very suitable for narrow edges, fixed soldering points, hard-to-reach places, soldering of many small objects (flowers, stars, bows, buttons, beads). It also glues wood, but is more suitable for textiles, ceramics, organic materials, paper.

Using such a system involves high temperatures at the tip of the gun to fluidise the adhesive. It must therefore be handled with care and it is advisable to wear high temperature resistant protective gloves.

Accessories needed

If you are determined to repair a piece of furniture or are preparing for a personal project, glue is not the only material you need. For a smooth process and the best possible result, don't forget that you also need:

• Clamping clips - required when not using immediate reaction adhesives and the parts must be held in contact until the reaction is complete and the adhesive has dried. In such cases a clamp is not sufficient. You need to make sure that the piece is bonded as tightly and evenly as possible over the entire surface. Buy clamps of several kinds and sizes. If you ask a carpenter you will find that they are never enough.
• trowel, narrow brushes, squeegee or other application devices;
• Sharp chisel or a sharp trowel for removing dried adhesive that has come out;
• coarse and medium sanding paper for removing glue marks and smoothing wood
• spray bottles with universal thinner for removing traces of water-insoluble adhesive;
• gloves.

I hope you find the information useful. Good luck!