By During a cost-of-living crisis, you might not have enough spare cash to replace old, broken pieces of furniture with a flashy alternative. If you’re looking to save money, you might have decided to conduct some repairs around the house instead.
If you’re not to be trusted with a screwdriver or a liability with a hammer, here are some ways you can use different glues to repair household items.
What is the importance of choosing the right glue for the job?
Adhesives such as glue reign supreme when it comes to home improvements – whether you’re an avid DIYer or a professional tradesperson.
It’s worth noting before we begin that glue is an adhesive – but not all adhesives are glues. The main difference is that glue is made from natural sources and adhesives are man-made.
What are the best types of glue for DIY projects?
- Superglue
One of the favourites is super glue. Superglue is what’s known as a cyanoacrylate which means that it’s a strong, fast-acting glue that has many different purposes. Its versatility means it’s used in many different industries – from manufacturing to medical.
Superglue is designed to bond to virtually anything. It has also been created to withstand high temperatures and moisture. For this reason, it can be used to bond metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, paper and wood together.
You’ll usually find Superglue in either a liquid or gel form. This makes it an excellent choice for penetrating cracks or repairing small fractures.
When working with superglue, it’s important to wear PPE and adhere to health and safety practices to avoid injury.
- PVA
PVA glue is a water-based adhesive, renowned for its quick drying time absorbent properties. Designed for porous materials like wood, plaster and MDF, this glue can be used on a wide range of projects.
As well as being able to stick wood or paper together with ease, PVA can be diluted to prime walls for various projects.
If you’re willing to get a little bit creative, PVA can also be used as filler if you mix it with waste materials like sawdust.
- Glue sticks
As well as being a firm favourite in schools, glue sticks can be used for a range of DIY projects. As the name suggests, glue sticks are solid, hard adhesive tubes that can easily be twisted up to apply product. Usually used in hobby work, glue sticks are also superb when used in packaging, woodwork, electronics or upholstery projects.
Final thoughts…
While it can be confusing knowing which glue to choose for different projects, the good news is that you can’t go far wrong when you choose one of the above adhesives. What DIY project will you undertake next?
