What is the best adhesive for card making & scrapbooking (and other paper crafts)? As with everyone, I have my favorites and I want to share with you why I love the ones that I use. There are four different basic adhesives that I feel every card maker (and paper crafter) needs. These are the ones that I use all the time, often all of them on the same project!
If all the adhesive choices out there make your head spin you are not alone. What’s the best glue for card making? What are glue dots? Dimensionals, what do they do? Where do I start? What do I really need? Yes – it can be quite overwhelming and I am here to help!
Hopefully this article will take the mystery and overwhelm out of the sticky madness and help you decide what is the best adhesive for you. To be honest, some of it is truly personal preference!
Best Adhesive for Card Making: The 4 Must-Have’s + 10 Specialty Ones
Bottom line–NO, you do not need them all! But I highly recommend that you have these 4 adhesives in your “stamping tool kit.” They are my “must haves” and the best adhesives that I use all the time:
- Dimensionals (both regular size and mini)
- Mini Glue Dots
- Multipurpose Liquid Glue (I love to call this one “green glue”)
Now, for full disclosure, I think many crafters have a love-hate relationship with “green glue.” You either LOVE IT, or HATE IT. And that is OK. Just because it is my personal preference, it does not have to be yours. But, besides the Dimensionals and Mini Glue Dots, you will need to have some sort of all-purpose adhesive. In the video I share with you some of the other options. You truly need to figure out what works the best for you and what you feel most confident using.
These 4 adhesives are pretty much all I use. Unless it is some super specialty project then I might use one of the others. But again – you decide what you like the best!
Which of These Best Adhesives Do You Really Need?
In the video I talk about all the different adhesives that are available from Stampin’ Up! and what they are primarily used for.
Remember your “main” all purpose adhesive is really a personal choice as to what you like the best. For me, it’s the “Green Glue!” You may prefer the Stampin’ Seal or other adhesive. In many of my tutorials, I will list the adhesive as “adhesive of your choice.”
In the video I created the card shown above as a way to teach you how to use several of the adhesives. Unfortunately the stamps used are no longer available, but the video is filled with great information about adhesives.
So Many Adhesives – You Decide What Works Best For You
In the video I chatted about most of the adhesives that Stampin’ Up! currently has available. Remember, it’s a personal choice and what works best for you, IS the right adhesive for you. Especially when starting out, the ones I know you will want and use the most are:
- Dimensionals (regular size and mini)
- Mini Glue Dots
- All purpose adhesive of your choice – for me, it’s the Multipurpose Liquid (Green Glue)
These are the ones I use all the time!
Click the button below to see all the different adhesives. If you’d like to order any of them, or save for a future order, just click to add to your cart.
Learn More About the Basics of Card Making
Here are a few more posts that will help you learn all about card making, what you need, and how to get started.
April 2024 Happenings
Create four new card templates from Volume 7 of our FREE Card Making Templates video series. This class focuses on creating card layouts to help you design quick and easy cards while designing with any stamps, ink, and paper that you already have.
In addition to making your free card templates, there are even more exciting April happenings! Come learn more about them…
- Creativate Spring Retreat April 19-20, register now!
- Annual & Mini Catalog last chance product sale April 9-30
- New Card kits are available
Thank you so much for visiting my website today! I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy card making project. If you did, please leave us a comment below! If you have any questions, I would love to help you and answer them, just follow the link below to contact me. If you would like to place a Stampin’ Up! order, I would be thrilled if you selected me to be your demonstrator.
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Jackie, thanks for explaining the new adhesives and how to use them. It sure helped me decide what I do and don’t need. And thanks also for the entire series for beginners. I have been stamping for a very long time but always pick up a new tip or i’m reminded of an old trick I forgot over the years!!!
Very good explanation of all the “sticky” products. Thank you
Hi Jackie. I’ve been creating cards for about 5 years now and I’ve always struggled with adhesives. Thank you so much for including this subject in you card making for beginners series because now I know what, how, and when to use a particular type of adhesive.
I am so happy that this post was helpful for you. It’s those “basics” that we often forget to “teach about.”
Another reason to love, Love, LOVE the Tombow Multi adhesive is that when sponged evenly on VELLUM when adhering to cardstock, it does not show through!!! Not even tape runners FOR vellum do that well! Try it for yourself!
Yes, that’s true!