If you’ve been beading for a long time, you’d know that the key to creating quality beaded jewelry is to choose the right jewelry adhesive. It’s a waste of time if you’ll create varied designs only to see the pieces fall off any time.
In this article, we’ve highlighted 4 types of jewelry adhesive and when you can use them.
All-Purpose Contact Adhesive
This is an all-purpose jewelry glue that is used by many artists. The All-Purpose Contact Adhesive is sometimes called E-6000®. It can be used for a variety of materials like leather, ceramics, glass, fabric, canvas, and plastic. The great thing about the contact adhesive is it’s flexible, waterproof, and paintable which is ideal for varied projects.
Instant Glue
If you’re working on projects that don’t need heavy-duty adhesive, this one’s for you. You can use instant glue to attach beads to a surface and to secure the end of a cord or wire. Since it has a thin consistency, it can dry pretty quickly and has an invisible, clean finish.
Jewelers Cement
A high capacity jewelry adhesive, jewelers cement is at times sold as merely cement. This is great for working on meticulous details that involve small beads and embellishments. Jewelers cement is clear, dries quickly, and comes with an applicator. Thus, you won’t have a hard time working on small spaces on bead surfaces. It also works well when securing cord ends.
Epoxy
Considered as a multipurpose adhesive, epoxy is easy to work with metal findings, beads, and gemstones. If you want to use an epoxy that is heavy duty, consider using epoxy 220. You can also use this for casting small items like hobby parts and knobs.
Now always remember that not all adhesives dry clear. If you’re looking for a colored adhesive, check if it dries clear before using. If you’re working on items that move around a lot on the body or can be worn several times, use a flexible adhesive. For fabrics, a washable adhesive will do. Lastly, buy waterproof pieces if you think your jewelry creations will get wet with glue.
Regardless if you’re working on several jewelry projects or just bead as a hobby, it’s essential that you’re using the right adhesive for your creations. More importantly, read the product description first so that you’ll know if the adhesive is appropriate for your project.
What type of adhesive do you use frequently? Let us know in the comments below!