Are you confused about the various glue types and don’t know which to choose? Indeed, there are wide varieties of adhesives, and some are better than others.

In this article, I’ll talk about the 10 main types of glue that you can use for any application. You’ve come to the right place!

After reading this guide, you’ll know how to use any adhesive on hand, how they cure, how much you have to wait until they dry, and more.

You’ll also know what materials you can use with each glue.

Let’s not waste any more time!

Super Glue

First on this list is super glue or cyanoacrylate. Its main ingredient is the cyanoacrylate compound.

This makes super glue the fastest-bonding adhesive out there, with an impressive tensile strength to boot.

Its versatility is one of its biggest advantages, though.

Pros

Its biggest advantage is its tensile strength and near-instant setting time. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a stronger adhesive out there.

In terms of its pure weight-bearing capability, super glue has a PSI in the thousands. This means it can support a few thousand pounds per square inch.

Moreover, super glue will dry clear, and it’s also very versatile. You can use it for most porous and semi-porous materials, including wood, ceramic, leather, glass, and more.

Superglue doesn’t work on smooth plastic, though. Most non-porous materials are a bit difficult to work with.

Cons

For starters, super glue doesn’t have great shear strength, nor is it very impact-resistant.

You shouldn’t use it for applications that sustain impacts or shocks over time.

Anything that involves moving parts is also not a good idea. Super glue is only good for static projects that don’t receive constant damage.

Moreover, super glue is not waterproof, at least not too prolonged exposure to water. Its temperature resistance is alright, at the very least.

As for water damage, it degrades after a few water splashes. If you soak the bond constantly, it’ll be destroyed eventually.

Even solvents like acetone will dissolve it.

Curing Process

There’s not much to be said here. Super glue hardens seconds after you apply it.

In a few minutes, it’ll finish curing, but only after it’s exposed to moisture.

Hot Glue

You may have heard of hot glue before. It comes in a plastic cylinder that melts when you apply it.

That’s why it’s also known as a hot melt or thermoplastic adhesive.

When you put it in a glue gun, the cylinder goes through a heating mechanism that melts the glue into liquid form.

Then, you can apply the glue to a surface and wait for a few minutes so the glue hardens again. That’s it with super glue!

Pros

You can generally use hot glue for arts and crafts and tasks that don’t require too much tensile strength.

This glue is made for small-scale projects because it dries quickly and only has a small tensile strength.

Most importantly, hot glue can bond both porous and non-porous materials, which is something most glues aren’t capable of.

Cons

Hot glue, despite its name, is not heat-resistant. It is waterproof, but its heat resistance is below zero.

It also doesn’t have high resistance to solvents either. Moreover, hot glue can’t take too much impact pressure or a lot of weight.

In other words, it’s not the most resistant glue out there, by far!

Curing Process

As soon as you apply it, the hot glue will start to cool down, and the curing process begins.

There’s nothing else you need to do, and it doesn’t need other external intervention.

Spray Adhesives

Spray adhesives are a bit special. They’re contained within aerosol cans, and upon pressing the switch, you release the glue as a mist.

But many types of spray adhesives are enclosed in cans, depending on the type of application you want to bond.

Some are regular adhesives, while others form layers of rubber. Each spray adhesive will cure differently based on its chemical composition.

Related guide: How to Use Spray Adhesive and Which Type is the Best

Pros

Generally, spray adhesives are water-resistant, heat-resistant, weather-resistant, and solvent-resistant. But there’s one catch.

Depending on the chemical composition of the spray adhesive, these resistances may differ wildly.

One spray adhesive could be waterproof, while another could have zero water resistance.

Fortunately, this type of adhesive is very versatile, and you can use it for puzzle mounting, scrapbooking, collages, arts and crafts, and more.

Cons

In short, spray adhesives are bad for the environment and quite toxic in their mist form.

You shouldn’t ingest or inhale this type, no matter what. Wear a respirator when using it for the best results!

The aerosol and the other solvents kept inside the can are poisonous and will harm your health if inhaled.

Curing Process

A spray adhesive starts curing as soon as it leaves the aerosol can. That’s because the solvents contained within the can meant to keep the adhesive liquid will start evaporating outside the can.

Depending on the adhesive, the curing process could take a few minutes, a few hours, or an entire day.

Epoxy

Two-part epoxies are the strongest adhesives in the world, according to professionals.

When the resin and the hardener combine, the resulting bond is permanent and extremely strong.

Its tensile strength can even each 6000PSI in some tests. But only two-part epoxies have this reputation, whereas one-part epoxies are just alright.

Pros

Epoxy can bond with any material, both porous and non-porous. Moreover, the glue is waterproof, weather-resistant, solvent-resistant, and heat-resistant and has a lot of impact resistance.

An epoxy can support a few thousand pounds per square inch, making it the most powerful glue in the world.

You can do anything with it, from small-scale arts and crafts projects to industrial applications.

Cons

Two-part epoxy adhesives will need to be mixed by hand before applying them.

The bond will weaken if you don’t mix them in equal quantities. You can also make quite a mess when mixing the ingredients.

Curing Process

Epoxy glue comprises two ingredients – the resin and the hardener. The first is the adhesive itself, while the second is a hardening compound that will cure the bond.

The hardener will cause a chemical reaction in the resin, changing its internal structure and hardening it.

The result is a plastic-like substance that’s very solid and durable.

Yellow Wood Glue

Yellow glue, also known as aliphatic resin or carpenter’s glue, is not the same as PVA or polyvinyl acetate.

The latter is an older variant of glue, while the latter is a more modern and stronger adhesive.

These two adhesives aren’t equally good and don’t do the same things.

Pros

Aliphatic resin or yellow wood glue is water-resistant and extremely resistant to high temperatures.

It’s also extremely strong and can bond various types of wood and other materials.

But I would only use it for wood since that’s what it was originally designed to bond.

If you want to bond other materials, make sure they are porous.

Cons

Yellow glue doesn’t bond to non-porous materials and is no waterproof.

Other than that, yellow glue doesn’t have other disadvantages.

Curing Process

Yellow wood glue will dry in one hour and cure in 24 hours, but it needs some moisture to cure fully.

If there isn’t enough moisture, it’ll stay semi-liquid until you moisturize it.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane is a type of thermoplastic glue that contains replicas of organic chain units, and these are linked to urethane links.

Polyurethane glue relies on polymers to do everything, from bonding to drying and curing.

Pros

Polyurethane glue is similar to epoxy because of its resistance to water, heat, solvents, bad weather, UV light, and impact.

Its bonding strength is also more than enough for most indoor and outdoor applications.

The final rigidity or flexibility of the bond will depend on the chemical composition of the adhesive itself.

Many manufacturers use different formulae for their polyurethane glues. Either way, polyurethane glue is generally known as the most flexible adhesive in the world.

Its strength is nothing to scoff at either. Polyurethane is a construction adhesive at its core, so don’t be afraid to use it for large-scale applications!

Cons

Polyurethane needs moisture to cure, its shelf-life is rather short, and you’ll have difficulty cleaning it.

Curing Process

Polyurethane glue will cure in 24-48 hours, depending on the moisture in the atmosphere.

During the curing process, polyol and isocyanate combine to create a chemical reaction that hardens the adhesive.

The curing process will also be faster if there’s enough moisture and heat.

White Craft Glue

As you might have guessed, white craft glue is used for arts and crafts projects.

As for the best type of white craft glue, I’d recommend Elmer’s because its adhesives are strong, durable, and highly resistant to hazards.

Pros

White craft glue can bond with most porous materials in arts and crafts projects.

This includes paper, cloth, cardboard, and felt. You don’t have to worry about making a mess because white craft glue is water-based.

So, you’ll have an easy time cleaning it up with a damp cloth.

Even if it dries, you can use several solvents and hot water with soap to remove it safely.

Fortunately, white craft glue is also non-toxic and safe for dishes and ingestion.

Of course, you should never ingest adhesive, even if it’s 100% safe. Lastly, white craft glue is generally flexible and dries clear.

Cons

White craft glue doesn’t bond to non-porous materials it is lightweight.

By itself, the adhesive isn’t very strong, and it can’t support heavy-bearing weights.

You shouldn’t use white craft glue for construction work or large-scale applications.

Curing Process

The glue will be set within an hour and cured within 24 hours after you apply it.

Fabric Adhesives

Fabric adhesives are very diverse, and there’s not any specific adhesive that can bond fabrics.

The umbrella term “fabric adhesives” refers to any glue that can bond efficiently with fabrics.

PVA glue, super glue, and epoxy can be cataloged as fabric adhesives.

Indeed, there are several fabric-only adhesives on the market, and they may contain specific components that behave differently.

You may have to throw the fabric into the washing machine later, so read the instructions carefully. Is the adhesive waterproof or not?

After all, not all fabric adhesives are waterproof, and putting them in the washing machine will dissolve the bonds.

However, every fabric adhesive is specially designed for bonding fabrics and fixing clothes.

As for the curing process, I can’t tell you precisely. Every glue has a different curing time!

Glue Sticks

This glue is mostly used in arts and crafts because it’s extremely weak.

All you can do with it is glue paper to paper or paper to felt. It’s not good for weighty applications at all.

It’s also not resistant to water, UV, high temperatures, solvents, or impacts. It’s the weakest glue, but it serves its purposes in arts and crafts.

Fortunately, it’s also non-toxic because it’s mostly designed for children.

Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

Lastly, I’ll talk about pressure-sensitive adhesives that come from pieces of tape or dots.

One side of these dots or pieces of tape will have adhesive. There are also tapes with both sides glued for special projects.

Plasticized paper covers the glued portion of the tape, and you must remove it before using it.

When you press the tape on a material, it will adhere instantly. That’s why it’s called a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

When applying pressure, the glue sticks, not before.

Of course, most of these adhesives are used in children’s sticky notes or stickers, so they’re non-toxic and safe.

Wrap Up

We’re done with this guide – you have 10 types of glue to choose from when undergoing your projects.

If you want an industrial-grade adhesive, go with polyurethane or epoxy.

For large-scale applications, use superglue, and the others are good for smaller-scale projects and even children’s arts and crafts!