Experiment with non-permanent options like photo pockets. If a photo needs to be removed later on, or if it is a rare photo you don’t want to use any adhesive on you can use photo corners or photo pockets. The great advantage of photo pockets is that they will also protect your precious photo against scratching or other similar damage. You then can embellish the photo pocket without having to glue anything to the photo itself.
With so many glues and adhesives available it can be quite difficult and overwhelming to choose the right one for your particular scrapbook project.
In order to make the right choice, you need to know what type of materials you are using, how strong you need the adhesive to be and how quickly you would want the glue to dry. Knowing these things will help you choose the right adhesive for the job, with no need to worry about ugly tape marks or items getting unstuck and falling off the page!
What sorts of glues and adhesives are there?
You can sort the glues and adhesives in two general categories: “Wet” adhesives and “Dry” adhesives. Examples of the wet adhesives are glue guns, liquid craft glue, clear glaze, glue spray, glue sticks, glue pens, and glue paste. Wet adhesives tend to be stronger and more permanent and are very suitable for gluing heavier items together. Dry adhesives are for instance glue dots, one-sided or double-sided sticky tape, and photo corners. These dry adhesives are fairly easy to modify and reposition and are suitable for adhering lighter objects.
What glue or adhesive should I use?
So, when should you use one of the “wet” kinds of glue and when one of the “dry” ones”?
Let’s make a list of what adhesive works best for what materials.
What is the best way of adhering photos?
Glue dots, double sided sticky tape or photo corners are best for adhering photos.
Glue dots and double sided tape adhere the photo from the back, thereby avoiding that ugly yellow residue left by one-side tape as often seen in old photo albums or scrapbooks. Glue dots and double-sided tape will adhere to almost any surface. They are easy to use, don’t get messy and don’t require any drying time. You can get both permanent or removable glue dots, the choice is yours. For adhering large photos there are glue dot dispensers available. When run in a straight line glue dots will be dispensed about an inch apart.
If you want to be able to remove (and put back) a photo, consider using removable glue dots or photo corners.
Photo corner mounts are these little triangles that stick to the page you can use to slip the corners of your photos into. This way your photos are easy to remove and replace. Most photo corners are “peel-and-stick”. You can usually reposition them with minimal or no damage to the page. Photo corners strongly adhere to the page, providing a long-lasting adhesive, while having no negative effect on your photos. An alternative for photo corners is photo tabs. When sticking down your photos, place one tab in each corner of the photo and not just one tab in the center. Photo tabs will not damage your photos. When removing a photo the photo tabs will safely lift off the page. If necessary, you can reattach the removed photo with a set of new tabs.
Fasteners, like brads, are also a great way to adhere your photo to its background.
Though technically not a glue or adhesive, fasteners do provide a strong adherence, but you do need to pierce your photo.
Don’t use hot glue guns for photos.
Although it is a strong adhesive, the heat and acidity of the glue can harm your images.
Don’t use one-sided (clear) tape for your photos.
As stated above, these can leave a nasty yellowing residue on your photos. Only use one-side tape, like washi tape, when the tape itself becomes part of the decoration on the page.
What is the best way of adhering small or light embellishments?
Tabs, glue dots and glue sticks are perfect for adhering small or light embellishments and accessories. If you choose to use a glue stick, make sure it is a good quality. Inferior glue sticks tend to dry up quickly or smear the glue in little lumps on your material. They also run out faster.
If you want to add a little dimension to your embellishment, try using mounting squares or little pieces of foam tape. This will make your little flower (or other embellishments) really pop off the page.
What is the best way of adhering die cuts, journaling cards or photo frames?
These types of additions need a sturdier adhesive. For adhering die cuts, journaling cards, photo frames or any other more substantial (read “heavier”) part of the scrapbook page use double-sided tape (foam tape if you want the item to be more dimensional). Double-sided tape is the perfect adhesive for flat, larger items like photos, ephemera, stamps, postcards etc. There are many forms of double sided tape available, from light-weight narrow tape to heavy-duty wide tape. The more substantial the item is that you want to adhere, the more heavy duty the tape should be. Make sure that the tape you are using is acid-free and (preferably) specifically designed for use in scrapbooking.
What is the best way of adhering (non-clear) plastic or metal items?
“Non-flat” embellishments, such as little plastic items or metal charms, are best adhered with liquid craft glue. This liquid glue will fill up all the little nooks and crannies of the item and which allows for tight adherence to your scrapbook page. Make sure you don’t use too much glue: if it oozes out from beneath your embellishments it could discolor your paper.
What is the best way of adhering vellum, clear or acrylic embellishments?
If you want to attach anything “see-through” to your scrapbook pages, make sure you don’t see glue residue or ugly tape. The best way of adding clear or acrylic items is to use a clear glaze. After drying, the glaze will be transparent and clear. You could also try to use “alternatives” to glue, for instance, brads, staples etc. These are great options when attaching vellum paper to your scrapbook page.
What is the best way to adhere heavy items, like thick cardstock?
If you need to attach very heavy items, like thick cardstock, glue paste is your best option. Pastes are chunky water-based glues. This means they provide a very durable adherence, but also require more time to dry and are more likely to wrinkle thinner materials, such as paper. Alternatively, you could use a high-quality liquid glue.
General tips for the best use of glues and adhesives?
Use non-acidic adhesives.
Over time, acidic adhesives will deteriorate the quality of your photos and papers. They produce that familiar yellow staining. Always read the labels of your adhesives to check for acidity and use in archival materials (like your scrapbooks!).
For the same (acidic) reasons don’t use sticky notes.
The adhesive on the backs of sticky notes is very acidic. Even short application, for instance, to label your photos prior to scrapbooking them, can affect and damage your papers or photographs.
Be careful with strong smelling glues. Adhesives with strong odors are more likely to be acidic.
Don’t use rubber cement.
There are some acid-free types of rubber cement out there, but even these are very messy to use on your scrapbook pages. Too much of the rubber cement will make your photo ripple and getting it on your fingers and hands will make you stick to just about everything. Why make it more difficult for yourself than it needs to be?
When using glue sticks, apply thin layers and don’t use too much.
This way you will have optimal adhesion and minimal wear on the glued item. You really don’t need that much glue to achieve solid adherence.
Spray adhesives can be used for simple and even application of adhesive to larger areas.
Make sure to use the spray adhesive in well-ventilated areas as their fumes may be toxic in large quantities.
