We are all faced with which paste or glue we can buy to stick what? There seems to be an avalanche in our hardware stores. Really I have to say that, personally, I think synthetic resins take some beating. They harden very quickly and there is no question about it, they are long lasting.

Not only this, they can be used on metals, and both porous and non porous materials. They tend to actually set rock hard and do not seem to shrink. They are usually available to buy in tubes.

Polyester resin is often used for fibre glass as this will set hard and is not unlike epoxies which don’t shrink.

Silicones are glues which will take high temperatures and are also resistant to water and are often used for electric cabling. Animal glues are actually made from various parts of animals. Glue cakes are made from hide and bone and ,of course, gelatine is used for cooking.

“Spray Mount” is a popular choice made by designers, which is an aerosol. Handy to use as it will create a fine mist, but before it sets, you can adjust your work. You are not left with stains and the substance is clear.

Very fine paper, even tissue, can be sprayed, with no risk of it tearing as it is only such a fine mist. You need to be aware of the fumes when using this highly flammable spray. So only do this when you have plenty of air circulating as you do not want to inhale the fumes.

So we have established that we have various types of different purpose glues. As an example “Spray Mount” is usable on all weights of different papers. You will require an animal glue for paper, card and fabrics.

Cellulose glues you can use for card, polystyrene, plastic and paper. Whereas polyester resins are used with glass, plastic and metal. Vegetable glues can be used for all weights of paper and card. You would need an epoxy resin for stones, glass, plastic, wood or metal. Urethanes are ideal for leather, rubber, plastic, metal and wood.

Cellulose is quite a safe glue for children to use. These are not strong enough for fabric, metal or glass. However, they are ideal for paper and card.

Superglue – You spread finely on the two surfaces to be fixed together, this liquid has to then be left, to get sort of tacky. The resin will then evaporate.

This is a terrific bonding glue as it holds really fast. I would certainly use this for metal and wood. Unfortunately, this does not work on glass. Glass needs a polyurethane, which is also ideal for porous materials and metals.

How we all seem to fish out the superglue at the drop of a hat. We all love it and expect it to stick any number of surfaces, and it usually does, including ourselves, to our detriment.

Care is needed if you are using Superglue. I can honestly say this after it getting stuck to my own fingers, it is not something I would want to repeat. Don’t let your children get hold of it. Glues used from animals and vegetables were used by the Egyptians, but beeswax was used way back in prehistoric times.