Felt has a unique texture which can make it hard to get it to stick to certain surfaces. That’s not what you want if you have an idea for a project in mind involving felt. Luckily, some types of glue work better than others for gluing felt. But what’s the best glue to use for felt?
The best glue for felt is tacky glue, hot glue, permanent glue, or fabric glue. These glues create the strongest and most permanent bond while drying clear. However, some types of glue work better for gluing felt to certain surfaces than others.
In this article, I’ll explain more about the best types of glue to use for felt and why each works. I’ll also explain the pros and cons of each type of glue and what surfaces each type works best with. Finally, we’ll look at some more specific examples of the types of glue you can use with felt.
Quick Navigation
- Best Glue for Felt
- 1. Tacky Glue
- 2. Hot Glue
- 3. Permanent Glue
- 4. Fabric Glue
- How Do You Glue Down Felt?
- Can You Use a Glue Gun on Felt?
- Will Elmer’s Glue Work on Felt?
- Does Mod Podge Work on Felt?
- Do Glue Dots Work on Felt?
- Conclusion
Best Glue for Felt
When it comes to gluing felt, there isn’t just one type of glue that works best. Rather, there are several types of glue that work depending on what surface you’re gluing the felt to and the type of bond you want to create with the felt.
There are 4 larger categories of glue that work best for gluing felt. Each glue type has different characteristics, such as drying time, how you apply it, etc. That also means that each glue type has pros and cons, which might affect when you would use it. Without further ado, here are the best glues for gluing felt to different surfaces.
- Characteristics of each type of glue and why it works
- Pros and cons of each
- Which surfaces you can glue felt to with these glues
1. Tacky Glue
Tacky glue is the first type of glue you can use to glue felt. Tacky glue is the most similar to normal craft glue. However, tacky glue is thicker and stickier, which allows it to stick to the unique surface that felt has.
Other characteristics of tacky glue are that it is affordable, kid-friendly, and non-toxic. It also dries clear. However, tacky glue can take a long time to dry and it isn’t the strongest for gluing large pieces of felt or gluing felt to other pieces of felt.
It’s great for smaller craft projects or gluing felt to porous surfaces such as wood, paper, or cardboard.
2. Hot Glue
Any crafter is probably quite familiar with hot glue, the type of glue used with a glue gun. The glue gun heats up and allows the glue to melt. There are usually two types of hot glue, low-temperature and high-temperature. This glue is a quick, easy, fast-drying way to glue felt to a surface.
Due to how quickly hot glue dries, it’s best to only use it for gluing small pieces of felt to other surfaces. This is not something that you want to use with large pieces of felt. Hot glue is often preferred when making three-dimensional felt projects as it works for gluing to uneven surfaces, such as other pieces of felt.
High-temperature hot glue may also damage some types of felt, especially if the felt is made from synthetic materials. The hot temperature also means that this glue is not suitable or safe for kids to use. Hot glue may also not work well with super smooth surfaces as it may not create a permanent bond.
3. Permanent Glue
Permanent glue, such as super glue, for example, is a great choice to use for gluing felt if you want a super strong and permanent bond. This type of glue can be expensive in large quantities, but it works well on most surfaces, especially hard, smooth ones in which other types of glue don’t stick well.
You may wish to only use this glue for small projects instead of trying to apply it over a large area. If you use this type of glue to glue large pieces of felt, you will want to work slowly as this is the fastest-drying type of glue. Work in small sections and make sure you glue the felt right the first time because you may be unable to make adjustments.
Another thing about permanent glue is that it often emits a strong chemical odor. You want to make sure to use this type of glue outdoors or in well-ventilated areas. It can also get messy and can be hard to remove if you get it on your skin or other surfaces unintentionally. This is not a type of glue that you want to let children use.
4. Fabric Glue
The last type of glue you can use to glue felt is fabric glue. Fabric glue works best when gluing felt to other pieces of felt or other fabrics. However, it’s also great when gluing felt to other surfaces, including wood or hard, smooth surfaces. This is a good glue to use when gluing large pieces of felt.
The problem with fabric glue is that using too much can make areas of the felt hard where the glue was used and may be noticeable through the felt. However, fabric glue dries clear and fairly quickly, making it a good all-around choice for larger projects.
How Do You Glue Down Felt?
Now that you know what types of glue to use with felt, it’s important to know how to glue felt properly. Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all answer. How you glue down felt depends on the type of glue you use and the type of surface you’re gluing it to.
Some types of glue, such as fabric glue and tacky glue, work best when applied to the whole piece of felt or the surface to which you’re gluing the felt. Other glue such as hot glue and super glue may only need to be applied to the edges or corners of the felt.
Remember that hot glue and super glue can be harder to work with because they are fast drying, so you don’t want to apply them to the whole surface. Instead, you want an application that is more controlled to ensure that you place the felt in the right location the first time.
It’s also important to read the instructions on the glue packaging so that you know how to use it, as some types of glue are applied differently than others. Different types of glue have different drying times as well. Know how long it takes certain glues to dry so you can continue your project without interfering with the glue drying or messing up your project.
Can You Use a Glue Gun on Felt?
You can use a glue gun on felt since hot glue is one of the best types of glue to use on felt. However, it’s important to note that there are different types of hot glue and different types of felt. Not all hot glue will work on all types of felt.
Remember when I mentioned two types of hot glue, low-temperature and high-temperature? Different glue guns work with this type of glue, and some glue guns make the glue hotter than others.
The glue that is too hot may cause damage to felt made from synthetic fibers, such as polyester. It can be too hot for the felt and could melt or burn. Make sure to only use a low-heat glue gun and low-temperature glue when gluing felt made from synthetic fibers. If you’re unsure what the type of felt you have is made of, it’s best to stick with a low-temperature glue gun and glue.
Will Elmer’s Glue Work on Felt?
Elmer’s glue is one of the most commonly used types of craft glue. But, it is also technically a type of tacky glue. Tacky glue is one of the best types of glue to use on felt, so Elmer’s glue should work on felt.
But not all tacky glue has the same strength or consistency. Elmer’s glue may not be the best choice for gluing felt if you want a strong, permanent bond. It’s a better choice for kids’ felt craft projects, not necessarily projects you want to last a long time.
Elmer’s glue won’t work for gluing felt to all types of surfaces. It works well for gluing felt to wood, paper, or cardboard. But, it may not work well for gluing felt to other pieces of felt. You can use it to cover a large area, though. And it will dry clear even if it isn’t the fastest drying glue.
Does Mod Podge Work on Felt?
Another specific type of glue that works well for gluing felt is Mod Podge. Mod Podge is a type of tacky glue that is often brushed onto surfaces, so it’s easy to apply over a large area. You can also use Mod Podge to glue felt to different surfaces. However, it’s best to use Fabric Mod Podge, which is made specifically for gluing fabric to other pieces of fabric or another surface.
Another benefit of Mod Podge is that it also works as a sealant. So not only can you use Mod Podge to glue felt to surfaces, but you can also use it on top of the felt to help seal and hold it in place. You could add embellishments, sequins, or glitter on top of felt before using Mod Podge to help seal it. Using Mod Podge as a sealant can also give the felt a water-resistant finish.
Do Glue Dots Work on Felt?
You can use glue dots for gluing felt, but they’re better for gluing felt to other surfaces rather than gluing felt to other pieces of felt. A benefit of glue dots is that they come in different sizes depending on the size of the surface that you’re gluing felt to. Glue dots can be great for temporarily gluing felt if you need to hold it in a certain place to see how it looks or as a solution until you get a more permanent type of glue.
But, there are some glue dots that can create a more permanent bond. Permanent glue dots are great for attaching small pieces of felt for three-dimensional felt projects or for attaching felt to other surfaces at the corners.
Conclusion
So as you can see, several different types of glue work well for gluing felt. The best type of glue for felt depends on how permanent of a solution you want and the type of surface you’re gluing the felt to. Tacky glue and fabric glue are the best all-purpose options, but hot glue and permanent glue can be useful as well. If you found this article helpful, share it with others.
