Best Scrapbooking Adhesives

There are zillions of scrapbooking adhesives available. If you're new to scrapbooking, you might be wondering which scrapbooking adhesives are the best. Below are my picks for best scrapbooking adhesives.

To be honest, I haven't tried every single adhesive available (although I frequently do check out new ones.) Also, "best" is a subjective word; one person's "best adhesive" might well be another person's "worst adhesive." So, you might want to think of this as being a list of my favorite adhesives, rather than the definitive list of best scrapbooking adhesives. I acknowledge that there might be other worthy additions to this list.

Zip Dry Paper Glue

If I had to choose only one adhesive to scrap with, Zip Dry paper glue would be the one I choose. Zip Dry is a great all-purpose adhesive. I've used it to put entire albums together; it works well for attaching everything, including tricky embellishments like ribbons and crystals.

Zip Dry is a liquid adhesive that comes in a bottle. It dries clear and will not wrinkle paper. Like the name suggests, it dries fast -- a quality that impatient scrapbookers are sure to appreciate.

Zip Dry adheres well to most surfaces that scrapbookers would be interested in gluing, including photos, paper, chipboard, acrylic, felt, beads, glitter, wire and metal. I've only had one failure with Zip Dry, and that was an attempt to glue large pieces of beach glass to clear acrylic. I have yet to find a scrapbooking adhesive that will work with that particular combination, but Zip Dry has done an amazing job with everything else I've tried gluing.

Zip Dry is acid-free and lignin-free.

If you try Zip Dry, I'd recommend using it in a well-ventilated area, as it has a strong odor.

Glue Dots

Like the name suggests, Glue Dots are small round sticky dots of adhesive. Glue Dots are double-sided. Considering their small size, they're surprisingly sticky and strong.

I usually use Glue Dots for adhering faux flowers and other small embellishments to my scrapbooking projects. I don't consider them to be an all-purpose adhesive, but I do use them frequently.

There are multiple different types of Glue Dots available. Some are clear, and some are recommended for use with Vellum. These are the types of Glue Dots that I find particularly appealing.

With Glue Dots, you don't have to worry about strong odors. You also don't have to wait for them to dry; this product gives you instant gratification.

Glue Dots are archival-safe; they are acid-free and lignin-free.

Generally speaking, Glue Dots aren't messy to use, although every once in awhile one will "gum up" on me when I'm trying to remove it from its packaging.

Xyron Adhesives:

Xyron sticker machines really shine in one specific area: when you're trying to attach small flat items, die cuts or oddly-shaped embellishments to your layouts. They're also great for attaching ribbons. If an item is too thin for attaching with a tape runner, adhesive from the Xyron machine will usually do the trick.

I've written a product review of the Xyron 500 Machine that has further details and considerations. That's the only Xyron product I've personally owned, but I've seen favorable comments about many of the other Xyron adhesives as well.

Scor-Tape

Scor-Tape adhesive is really, really sticky. It's packaged in generous-sized rolls and is available in different widths. Scor-Tape is permanent; there is no re-positioning it once it's stuck down.

Scor-Tape is acid-free and heat-resistant. It's compatible with embossing powder, foils, and other fancy embellishments. I used it as an almost-all-purpose adhesive; it's great for many different types of projects, including scrapbooking layouts and handmade greeting cards.

Scrapbooking Adhesives That Didn't Make My Favorites List:

Many scrapbookers would list at least one tape runner on their favorites list. The 3M ATG is really popular, and worth checking out. If I were going to buy a tape runner, that's the one think I'd probably get, but there are plenty of good ones available. Someday I might actually buy one, but so far every time I've considered it, I've ended up with a new bottle of Zip Dry instead.

If you're new to scrapbooking, I do recommend trying out a few tape runners; borrow a friend's before you invest in your own.

Share Your Picks for Best Scrapbooking Adhesives:

You're invited to share your own picks for best scrapbooking adhesives in the comments section below. Thanks in advance to everyone who posts a comment.

Sources:

While this information was compiled largely from personal experience, the sources listed below can confirm much of the info I've posted here.

Zip Dry at Beaconadhesives.com

Zip Dry at Clearalbums.com

Glue Dots FAQ

Info about Scor-Tape