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linnea56chgo5b

Water resistant glue for paper?

I know there are plenty of craft glues for paper, but I need something water or humidity resistant. I am gluing small tabs onto textured heavy card stock, that will hold hoop earrings. I sell my jewelry work at art fairs, outside. Under high humidity conditions, or getting rained on, the tabs fail and fall off as the glue re-hydates, and the weight of the earring pulls it off.

I have tried a couple of solvent based glues, but they are not viscous enough for the heavy paper, and also soak right in and fail to stick.

It should dry clear or milky, the brown foamy polyurethane solvent based glues ooze out and look terrible.

If water based, it does not have to be water PROOF, just not give up the ghost at the first sign of rain. What I need is high viscosity, not a spray, water resistant when dry.

I know these are a lot of requirements! I have tried looking at "This to That," but there is no information there for my conditions. Thank you for your help.

Comments (7)

  • lynette108
    9 years ago

    I haven't tried it myself but maybe Mod Podge Fabric? It says items can be handwashed with soap and water afterwards.

  • Adella Bedella
    9 years ago

    Would rubber cement work?

  • linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Following some suggestions I found on GW and a scrapbook forum that a google search turned up, I tested a number of glues. Rubber Cement was one of the first things I tried. Though waterproof, it failed the strength test. With a heavy item dangling from the tab, it pulled off. I tried Silicone: waterproof, but so messy to apply. I believe that Mod Podge is much like acrylic medium, so that would be a good choice. A lot of people mentioned âÂÂPerfect Paperâ adhesive. That sounded very good, but I couldnâÂÂt get it without ordering online, and couldnâÂÂt wait. So testing that will have to wait.

    I tested 3 glues as follows:

    Acrylic Matte Medium.
    Tombow Multi Liquid Glue, green cap.
    Craft Bond permanent Fabric Glue

    ⦠by gluing the tabs on as I normally do. Then the next day I sprayed all of them with water, several times, and then tried pulling on the tabs when the thick paper had absorbed some water. All had a drying time of at least 16 hours but not a full day. I was intentionally sloppy, to see if some were more forgiving than others.

    Best adhesion with no softening: Matte Medium.
    Second best: Tombow Multi Liquid Glue, green cap.
    Third best: Craft Bond permanent Fabric Glue

    Acrylic Matte Medium

    Pros: best adhesion. Being matte, any ooze hardly showed. Cons: had to apply with brush. Would be easier if I found a squeeze bottle to transfer it into. Slow tack: had to press and hold it in place till it âÂÂcaughtâÂÂ.

    Tombow Multi Liquid Glue, green cap.

    Pros: fine tip made it very easy to apply. Fast tack: applied, stuck it down, it gripped. Cons: it DID re-hydrate slightly: it started to look milky again. I was able to pull up the tab slightly but when it dried again it went back to having a firm hold. Dried glue stays tacky to the touch a long time. Dried glue is shiny, so ooze is noticeable.

    Craft Bond permanent Fabric Glue

    Pros: Easy to apply with fine (ish) tip, not as easy as Tombow. Okay tack, did not have to hold it down much before it gripped. Cons: it DID re-hydrate slightly: it started to look milky again and pull away, more than Tombow. Dried glue is shiny, so ooze is noticeable.

    So for now, IâÂÂll use the Tombow, as it was so easy to use and results were good: until I get a squeeze bottle for the matte medium.

  • HU-142430917
    4 years ago

    You also should consider foam mounting tape. You should be able to find it at a hardware store.

    linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked HU-142430917
  • linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thank you. So far I am happy with using the Tombow I mentioned above.


    I can use a good fabric glue, however. Got a puncture hole in my new down coat. I have been thinking of gluing the edges together as I am afraid just stitching it will not prevent it from running.

  • Kris Bruesehoff
    3 years ago

    ATG tape. Or red line if the Atg isn't strong enough.

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