In a previous article, we have talked about suitable glues and sealers for inside or outside miniature fairy gardens. There were a few types of glue that I forgot to mention in that article and that I use a lot for crafting ( especially Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue), so let’s dive into 3 other ones.
( Other than these three: if you work with wood for your dollhouses or miniature furniture, you can just use wood glue.)
Let’s dive straight into things but first:
An adhesive chart for you! You will see a PDF file where you can see which glue to use for which materials, there you go!
1. Aleene’s Tacky Glue Review
Tacky glue specifications:
| Product name | Aleene’s original tacky glue |
| Place(s) to buy | Amazon |
| Price | $5,99 |
| Owners | Aleene |
| My rating | 9,5/10 |
Product overview :
Since the 1950s, Aleene’s makes memories last with its high-quality adhesives. What started as one glue is nowadays an assortment of more than 60 different types of glue; with thick and thin glues, quick-drying or not, in a pen or from a bottle.
This way, you can find exactly the right glue for every project. Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue classic gold bottle has been providing craftsmen and hobbyists with a high-quality, reliable adhesive for 50 years. And that is necessary, especially among miniaturists!
The good and the bad :
The good
- nice and thick glue that dries off clear
- gives you some time to glue pieces together, so that your fingers don’t stick together
- glues just about everything in the crafting world and even the household
The bad
- having a cap instead of having to cut off the tip would be handier
- doesn’t seem to work with felt
- some people like Elmer’s glue better (glue number 3 in this list), because it’s less thick
Tacky glue is really thé glue that I use the most, especially the ‘clear’ version. For miniature furniture, natural materials like wood or ‘fake’ grass, etc, I will always use Tacky glue! If you need a glue that glues super-quickly (Elmer’s glue does this), then this is probably not for you, but I love it!
I have used it a lot for my backyard shed and if I will make more video’s in the future, you will see that it is everywhere, on my working table, or around the piece that I am working at!
A few FAQs on Tacky glue.
I believe that a few more questions needed to be answered about craft glue like Tacky glue, as it is used a lot in the miniature world.
What is Tacky Glue used for?
Aleene's original Tacky Glue is used for a number of things. As you can see from the shingles of my treehouse, the original version dries clear.
It can be used for wooden surfaces, ceramics, paper (scrapbooking) and plastic, fabrics like leather and suede, and also styrofoam.
Which glue is better for miniatures: hot glue or Tacky glue?
I would mostly advise using Tacky glue instead of the glue gun in most cases.
Tacky glue holds longer then a glue gun, so you could consider it to be stronger. And hot glue is not as flexible as Tacky glue.
What is the drying time of Tacky glue?
How quickly Tacky glue dries depends on the thickness of the applied layer. If you use just a thin layer, it should dry in a maximum of three minutes. So it isn't instant-dry.
When Tacky glue is dry, it is permanent and will remain for always.
2. Hot glue guns review.
MackOffice glue gun specifications.
| Product name | Cordless Glue Gun with 24 Mini Glue Sticks |
| Place(s) to buy | Etsy |
| Price | 21,99$ |
| Owners | MackOffice |
| My rating | 9/10 |
Product overview :
Portable Cordless Mini Glue Gun 10W Hot Melt Glue Gun, USB Cable included with a 3.7V rechargeable battery for stable power. This glue gun comes with an aluminum hot melting nozzle, high-temperature resistant protective cover, and flexible holder, making the gun safer and more durable.
Please make sure that you know how to work with a glue gun before you start using it and watch this Youtube video beforehand!
The good and the bad :
The Good.
- it’s cordless!
- rechargeable battery (100 Minutes working time after fully charged)
- CE Certificate Product
- Over Charge Protection
- free shipping (US)
- returns and exchanges accepted
The Bad.
- I can’t seem to find anything ‘bad’, expect maybe the higher price then others? But that seems worth it to me,since cordless sure is handier to craft something !
Personally, I don’t use a glue gun very often, because I have the Tacky glue, but a cordless glue gun like this I think would be much handier than a normal one.
Also, there are plenty of glue guns on the market that also uses other glues that I have described for your fairy garden miniatures, like Gorilla glue. So that can really be handy if you want to restore something in your garden for example!
3. Elmers glue review.
Elmers glue specifications.
| Product name | Elmer’s Clear Glue (9 fl oz) |
| Place(s) to buy | Amazon |
| Price | $14,00 for 8 bottles! |
| Owners | Elmer’s |
| My rating | 8,5/10 |
Product overview :
Elmer’s glue can be clear or white. It is known to make ‘slime’ with, but it can be used for any kind of crafting items. I have discovered a fun way to make glass objects look like they have a ‘sea glass’-effect by using Elmer’s glue! Look at the picture below!
The good and the bad :
The Good.
- non-toxic and safe for kids
- cheap glue
- works fine!
- Washes out of clothes easily
The Bad.
- most shops don’t accept returns or exchanges, but that’s because it is glue off course, not a handmade item on Etsy. If there is something wrong with your order, then, of course, you can contact them!
- not easy to apply just like any superglue in the market and that is very hard to correct
- cloggs easily, no amount of cleaning between jobs will make that problem go away.
Elmer’s glue has been around for ages and it is and always will be a very handy glue indeed, but it’s a shame that it has the same problem as any other super glue, and that is that the bottle gets easily clogged.
Final Conclusion on craft glues.
If you have to glue things for an outdoor fairy garden, the best thing would be to use glues and sealers that are suitable to use outside.
On the contrary, for indoor miniatures, it is much better to use the glues that are mentioned in this article, I prefer Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue, but of course, it is completely up to you to choose the one glue that you prefer 😉
Do you have any questions about these glues or would you like to share your work or chat about miniatures? Then please leave a comment below or join me on my newest Facebook group.
I wish you happy crafting!
Kind regards,
Lizzy
Hello,
From my research an extra thick and extra tacky, Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue is an all purpose glue, perfect for all papers, wood, metal, glass, ceramics, and most plastics. It dries permanent and clear, and it’s flexible on fabrics. This glue gun comes with an aluminum hot melting nozzle, high-temperature resistant protective cover, and flexible holder, making the gun safer and more durable.
Thank you.
Aluko.
Hello Aluko!
Yes, exactly to all of that, nice research! 🙂
Best regards,
Lizzy