8 Super Glue Alternatives That are Safe & Can Paste Anything

Super glue is simply amazing it one of the strongest adhesives out there and it works almost instantaneously. But it does have its drawbacks, super glue’s main issues are:

It struggles to glue rough or bumpy surfaces together.
Is only strong in one direction and when pressure is applied either from flexing or bending the superglue bond are prone to breaking which is why it shouldn’t be used in high stress situations.
Can’t be used to fill gaps – thus why it’s so bad on bumpy surfaces.

Now because of these shortcomings superglue shouldn’t be used for every situation. And sometimes for better results, you would need to use other types of glues. So in this article, I gonna go through 6 different adhesives that you can use instead of superglue.

The Best Super Glue Alternatives are:

Adtech Hot Glue Gun (Very strong & works super fast on a wide variety of surfaces)
Gorilla Contact Adhesive (A durable, easy to use all-purpose glue)
Starbond (An Industrial-Strength Premium Super Glue)
Gorilla Epoxy Glue (Perfect for heavy-duty work especially on metal, glass, and ceramic parts)
Elmer’s Rubber Cement (A safe acid-free glue that is great for arts & crafts)
TiteBond Wood Glue (The best wood glue)
Loctite Vinyl Fab Plastic Adhesive (Ideal for gluing shoes, bags, cushions, tarps & any item made of vinyl)
DIY Glue

Contents show

1- Adtech Hot Glue Gun

Hot Glue Guns are great to use as an alternative to superglue this is because just like super glue they can be used on a wide array of surfaces. Citation.

And they work very quickly almost as fast as super glue. This is because glue guns deposit glue at a very high temperature which speeds up the rate at which the solvent in the glue evaporates. This allows the glue to quickly resolidify which forms a very firm and flexible bond in a few seconds.

Pros of Adtech Hot Glue Gun

Creates a very strong bond – Hot glues create a strong flexible bond that can handle both flexing and bending better than super glue
Cures Rapidly – Works almost instantly this is because the hot glue cools down rapidly usually within 10-15 seconds.
Works on most surfaces such as plastics, paper, wood, PVC, fabrics and can somewhat work on metal and glass.
Transparent – Glue sticks are clear and if applied in a good manner the bond will appear seamless so it won’t stand out.
Works on both flat and rough surfaces.

Cons of Adtech Hot Glue

Requires electricity to use – Glue guns require electricity to work.
Can potentially cause burns. – the tips of glue guns tend to be very hot which can cause burns so you need to be careful when using one.
Requires an Initial Cost – Hot glue guns, especially the good ones will have a higher initial cost compared to superglue since you would have to purchase the glue gun. But after you purchase the gun you would end up saving money since the glue sticks are very affordable and easy to get.

Where to Get Adtech Glue Gun

Now even though it’s a bit more pricey I highly recommend using Adtech Glue Gun. this is because it provides industrial strength bonding making it on par with superglue.

You can click here to see the price for an Adtech Glue Gun on Amazon.

And you would need to use their brand of glue sticks to actually get the high performance, you can click here to see the price for a packet containing 24 Adtech glue sticks.

2- Gorilla Clear Grip Contact Adhesive

Gorilla Clear Grip Contact Adhesive is a strong all-purpose water-resistant glue that can work on a wide variety of surfaces. And I highly recommend it as an alternative to superglue. Citation.

Pros of Gorilla Clear Grip Contact Adhesive

Very Strong & Effective – creates a strong and flexible bond that can handle flexing and bending.
Works on a wide variety of surfaces – such as metal, glass, fabric, ceramic, leather, plastic.
Water Resistant – so it can handle exposure to water and moisture, which means it can be used outdoors.
Durable – Contact adhesives are very tough and this is why they are commonly used for shoe repairs.

A bit slower than superglue and a glue gun – takes roughly 45-60 seconds to set in place
For some situations, you would need to apply pressure for the two objects together to achieve a durable bond.

Where to Get Gorilla Clear Grip Contact Adhesive

You can get the Gorilla Clear Contact Adhesive on Amazon, you can click here to see the current price for a tube there.

3- Starbond Premium Super Glue

Starbond is way better that your average super glue. This is because it is an industrial-strength superglue that comes in a small and affordable bottle. Citation.

Pros of Starbond

It has the ability to work on a wide array of surfaces such as; plastics, rubber, metal, jewelry, orthopedics, and footwear, etc.
Works almost instantaneously: Starbond has a very similar cyanoacrylate-based formula just like other brands of superglue which allows it to dry almost instantly (dries within 10-20 seconds).
You Only Need to Use a Small Amount – A thin layer of Starbond will create a very strong bond.
Long-Lasting when compared to regular super glue
Can Handle Moisture and Water – Water and moisture won’t cause it to fail which means you can use it to glue things that are exposed to water.
Is thicker than the average superglue

Cons of Starbond

Costs More – Starbond is a bit more pricey in comparison to other brands of super glue
Has all of the drawbacks like super glue meaning that it works best in one direction and on smooth flat surfaces. And struggles on rough surfaces and can really handle high stress environment.

Where to Get Starbond

You can get Starbond Premium Superglue on Amazon, you can click here to see the current price for a bottle there.

4- Gorilla Epoxy Glue

Epoxy glues are very strong glues that can be used on a wide variety of surfaces. But their main strength comes from their durability and longevity. They can withstand high temperatures, high-stress environments and can handle exposure to moisture. Citation.

Epoxy glues are commonly used by mechanics, repair shops and carpenters.

Now the main drawback with them is that they do require a bit more work to use. You see epoxy glues come with two liquids the epoxy resin and the hardener. Both of these liquids have to be mixed together before they can be used as glue. You can see in the video below how to use it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-yfSvU3fCI

Pros of Gorilla Epoxy Glue

Very Strong Glue – industrial strength, so strong that mechanics use it as a handy alternative for welding.
Durable and long-lasting – This is why it is commonly used in the construction sector.
Used on a Wide Variety of Surfaces – such as steel, cement, aluminum, glass, wood, ceramic, tile, and most plastics. Citation.

Cons of Gorilla Epoxy Glue

Takes a bit longer to cure – takes 10-30 minutes to cure.
Might require clamping or pressure to set – for best results you would need to clamp the two surfaces together or at least put weight or pressure on it.
Requires more work – this is because you need to mix the epoxy resin and hardener before applying it.

Where to Get Gorilla Epoxy Glue

Gorilla epoxy glue is in my opinion one of the most effective epoxy glue available. And a bonus is that they come in a really nice easy to dispense container which makes your work a bit easier.

You can click here to see the price for pack of containing two Gorilla Epoxy Glue on Amazon.

5- Elmer’s Rubber Cement

Elmer Rubber Cement is a great acid-free glue that works brilliantly on paper, photos, and cardboard,

Now because rubber cement doesn’t contain acid and water it won’t wrinkle and degrade the paper when it’s applied instead it goes on smoothly. This is why I prefer using it on paper over any other glue.

Rubber cement isn’t a high-performance glue but it works brilliantly as a replacement for superglue or regular paper glue when you are doing arts and crafts.

You can click here to see the current price for pack containing 2 bottles of Elmer’s Rubber Cement on Amazon.

6- Titebond WoodGlue

Now if you are looking for a glue to work with wood I highly recommend using Titebond. You see Titebond is specially made to glue wood together which makes it very effective with woodworking. Its performances once properly set and cured completely is equivalent to if you had nailed the wood together.

Titebond is commonly used by woodworkers, carpenters, and hobbyists it sets within 6 six hours but cures completely within 24 hours and needs to be clamped for best results.

You can click here to see the price for a bottle of Titebond on Amazon.

7- Loctite Vinyl Fab Plastic Adhesive

Loctite Vinyl Fabric Adhesive is a clear heavy duty water resistant glue. It is super flexible and wouldn’t get brittle with time which allows it works well with vinyl, fabrics, and rubber. Citation.

This makes them a really good for gluing your shoes, bags, cushions, tarps, vinyl carpets, seats made of vinyl, and even leather.

Now the main drawback with Loctite Vinyl Fabric Adhesive is that it takes 30 minutes to set but once cured it would be very durable.