Adhesive Advice Needed...

I need help! I am not new to scrapbooking (about 15 years now) but I have an ongoing issue with adhesives. I have used photo tabs, glue stick, The Ultimate craft glue, Elmer's Spray Adhesive, and more,all with mixed results. My problem is that when I am working on mini albums (almost exclusively how I now scrap), I am doing multi-media mini albums. Clear acrylic (Clear Scraps), chipboard, corrugated cardboard, canvas, cork, card stock, etc.. On the clear acrylic I have used the Elmer's Spray adhesive and Zip Dry, on the other pages I have used The Ultimate mostly, all with the same results. I am ending up with large air bubbles under my pictures or my pictures crinkle and ripple. What am I doing wrong. Do I need to use a brayer? If I do how do I keep from having some bleed out the edges onto my pictures.? Currently I use the bottle tip to apply the adhesive. Should I be using a paint sponge to apply it? Should I be using a different adhesive? Glue tape gun? I have heard good things about Scotch Brand glues, or ScrapPerfect The Best Glue Ever. Any help would be so greatly appreciated! I started a scrap Album of a trip we took on a cruise to Alaska and had to stop in the middle of it because of this problem, and I have experienced it on other albums as well. I bought pictures and materials all over again to start the album, but I don't dare until I can find a solution. Thank you all!

You will get a ton of advice on adhesives, everyone has their own preference. As for myself, I never use any type of liquid glue on photos, and never on paper unless I'm doing a mixed media project that won't show or matter if I get an air bubble or a wrinkle. I prefer to use a tape runner, in my case I use the Tombow tape runner. A lot of people prefer the ATG tape gun, for me it's too big and bulky for my hand, and I'm left handed and it feels awkward for me to use.
Again, it's all a matter of preference, sometimes you just have to trial and error until you find the right product for your needs and taste.

Thank you so much! That helps. I was somewhat leaning toward that option, but it is great to hear your thoughts on it.

I completely agree with Darla. Liquid glue will warp paper, period.

Personally I'm an ATG fan, and for mini albums I also use plain old double-sided tape, because you can get right to the edges with it. And it's cheaper.

For little embellishments my go-to is glue dots.

Here is what I recommend:

PVA for stuff you want to stick and never come off. Dries clear. Made by LINECO.

Scotch ATG works great but not good for clear albums.

Xyron sticker makers are great for clear - they will put adhesive across the entire back of a paper or item.

Hot glue. Works wonders.

Fave foam dots are American Crafts Dots.

Hope that helps! I've used them all but I keep coming back to these over and over

Wow! Thank you everyone! Such great advice!

Can you use the Xyron on pictures? Pictures are my biggest problem on mini albums. None of my paper bubbles but my pictures all do, no matter what I use to adhere them or what I adhere them to. I can't figure out if it is a chemical reaction, or just that I get air pockets.

If you use something like ATG can you tell places that don't have adhesive completely covering it, or does it just all lay flat (picture wise)?

It's the liquid adhesive that makes paper warp - all paper: photos, card-stock, patterned paper. Liquid loosens the fibres. ATG adhesive is dry and does not warp.

I don't completely cover my photo backs in adhesive, only the edges and a dab in the middle. No warping, no rippling, no air bubbles. You could use a Xyron for your photos, but that would get expensive, and I don't think you'd need to.

For mini albums where there are no page protectors and the pages are not rigid, I will use more adhesive to prevent curling edges, and they still lie flat.

I sgree. I found out the hard way when I started that liquid glue is a no no on some thins especially photos. I never use anything butvATG on a photo.


I do have a liquid glue pin with a sharp tip. I also have one that will work with plastic. Those are both Scotch brand. If you want to work with metal or heavy embellies E6000 is good to keep on hand.

Glue dots are awesome for fabric flowers. Lace, stuff like that.

There are also spray adhesives for different projects!

I think the others are right - you don't need to cover the backs of the pictures with adhesive. I usually just place thin lines around the outer edges. I'm a big fan of ScraPerfect's the Best Glue Ever b/c it works so well on so many surfaces -- and you need very, very little. Seriously, very little. I've used it on vellum, chipboard, canvas, fabric, ribbon, metal, buttons, & acetate. I got a sample before of Zip Dry and you really needed to glob it on.

When using one of the dry adhesives (tombow, ATG, etc) I have never been able to tell where the adhesive is or isn't once it is down on the page - the glue line is so thin it isn't noticeable.

another one I like is scor-tape or red-line tape for mini books.

I think you need a variety depending on what your are doing. I finally made the jump to the scotch ATG. although I am lefty and it can be hard its just more economical.

I also have xyron, glue dots, "the best glue ever" and glossy accents. It just depends on what it is you need to adhere and to what surface.

If you are just starting out in paper crafts then invest in a dry adhesive first. It is the biggest bang for your buck.

Thank you everyone for such great advice! I am working on my Alaska mini album right now and will post it, as well as share my adhesive victories with you soon!

Everyone else answered this well. I don't have much to add.

There are as many opinions about adhesive as there are types of adhesive, but I think most scrapbookers agree...

NEVER USE GLUE STICK!
Waste of time and money, and it WILL fail!!!



*I* would be hesitant to use E6000 on a scrapbook. It's pretty heavy duty adhesive (wood, glass, etc.). I would doubt it's very archival safe.

I'm with everyone else, I stay away from most liquid glues. I do use Tombow, Glossy Accents, Mat Medium, or Scrap Perfect for small die cuts and embellishments. Love my ATG, glue dots, and foam tape too. I especially dislike zip dry.

I actually love wet adhesive for mini albums, I use Beacon's 3 in 1 for chipboard or acrylic albums. It is similar to zip dry. But I only use dry adhesive on pictures and I almost always mat my pictures with a piece of cardstock. The Best Glue Ever by ScraPerfect is great from small embellishments and I also like Helmar's glue but I can't find it locally. The other adhesive I use alot of is Scor tape.