The 10 Best PVA Glue Brands

Polyvinyl Acrylic glue is one of the most popular genres of glue in the world. This is a synthetic glue that is made from polymers, and is most commonly used as “school glue,” for bookbinding, and for woodworking. But in reality, it’s a good all-around glue for almost any type of material. That’s why PVA is always in demand. Are you looking for a good glue? Then you will need to choose the right brand.

There are so many different glue brands that can be used for projects. Almost all brands involve at least one PVA glue among their fleet. The best brands for PVA glues include:

Glue is one of those things that can make or break a project. I ought to know. I flunked an art project of mine because it (along with my sanity) became unglued when I unveiled it. PVA glues are very hit-or-miss, both in terms of application as well as the actual glue formula that is meant to bind to everything.

While I want to say that the glue brand matters a lot, it’s not as important as the type of PVA glue that you choose. It’s important to remember that PVA is a massive umbrella of different types of glue. This is a glue genre that ranges from school glue with barely any stickiness, to tough-as-nails grips, to standard wood glue, to bookbinding glue.

To make sure that you get the best possible results for whatever project you’re on, choose a PVA glue that’s formulated specially for your project. With that said, almost all PVA glues can be used in woodworking. So, that’s good to know, right?

Elmer’s has so many different PVA glues, we could do a whole article about this alone. If you want to do a small craft project with the kids, then Elmer’s School Glue is the best choice for you. It’s easy to use, kid-safe, and washable. However, we’re a home improvement site and we have a lot of woodworking articles so we’re also going to have to choose more adult options.

Though we usually think of Elmer’s glue as that white stuff that every kid uses, their wood glue is actually pretty good. It dries quick, is non-toxic, and remains fairly popular. While it’s not the strongest glue on our list, the truth is that it’s super versatile and will hold onto most projects pretty well.

Gorilla Glue is a cornerstone of almost every craftsman’s toolkit, and rightfully so. It’s known for a grip that is as tight as the animal it’s named by. Most of the time, Gorilla Glue is used for woodworking projects as well as common repairs (like gluing a shoe bottom together). The one pain that people have with this brand is actually getting Gorilla Glue off your hands.

With that said, most Gorilla Glue products are PVA glues. This includes this clear type which is ideal for quick fixes and subtle additions to a project. With that said, we strongly suggest using material-specific glues for this. The good news is that you can usually find a Gorilla Glue product for the exact thing you need to glue together.

It’s good like that. Find out how long it takes for wood glue to dry.

Britain-based Stormsure is a company that is mostly dedicated to making adhesive and repair kits for outdoor equipment like trampolines. You might have even used one of their products to fix up your trampoline or repair an awning. While most of their glues come in tiny handheld tubes, their PVA glue tends to come in a large value-sized bottle.

The company has a lot of products, and it’s honestly a shame that their PVA glue is so frequently ignored. Their formula cleans up easily, is amazingly strong, and also happens to be way cheaper than Elmer’s. What’s not to love?

If you are a person who loves papercraft or needs to do a little bookbinding work, then you might want to go for a PVA glue that’s pH-balanced. The acidity in most other glues might be good for adding grip, but they have the unfortunate side effect of causing certain materials to yellow. This includes paper and cardboard.

Lineco is one of the only two PVA glue brands to be totally dedicated to making a formula that’s safe to use on books. This is a flexible yet strong glue that’s totally pH-balanced and will work well when you lay your book flat. With that said, you don’t need to be a bookbinder to make this glue work well for you. Almost any paper craft will be a good pick.

While we are on the topic of bookbinding, we might as well talk about the other major brand that is dedicated to making book-friendly glue. That company is called Books By Hand, and it’s great for people who want to fix up books that frayed due to heavy use. The bottles themselves are small, and what’s inside is pretty good stuff.

Like all other good bookbinding glues, the stuff produced by Books By Hand will not turn yellow in the sun. It’s pH-balanced and will dry clear. In other words, it’ll do your project good and will do it at an affordable price. Not too shabby!

If you like the idea of getting a gel-like glue that will keep things in place, then you might want to check out Mont Marte. This is a classic brand among schoolchildren in Europe as well as among art students around the world. Most people know them for their high-end art supplies, but their glues aren’t too bad either.

Admittedly, this is a thicker consistency than what most people are used to using. With that said, the thickness isn’t something you should be afraid of. The truth is that it’s one of the best glues for quick touch-ups on art projects and can even help glue wallpaper back into place. If you need a wood glue, it works pretty darn well too.

If you are even the slightest bit into crafting, then you’ve heard of Mod Podge. Saying that name immediately conjures up thoughts of collages, paper mache, and other similar crafts. This water-based PVA glue is a classic among crafters mostly due to the strong hold it has and the versatility it offers. Look online, and there will be millions of Mod Podge tutorials for everything from adding paper to a cabinet to making a collage.

The company makes a wide range of different glues that work as a sealer, glue, and finish. The one we have pictured above is matte finish, but you can also choose gloss or semi-gloss if you want to stick to the basics. If you want to go for a more specialized glue, they also have fabric-safe ones that have been a mainstay in the fashion industry.

So far, we have seen a lot of glues that are gentle on stuff like books and wood. Sometimes, you want to have something that is meant to be used in construction-grade projects. When this happens, you will need to use a powerhouse of a glue brand to get your job done. Evo-Stik is that type of glue. This is a PVA solution that works to bind stuff together, prime surfaces, and also seal stuff in.

This stuff is strong, and pretty thick too. If you find that you need a more watery solution, then you have an option that most other glues can’t afford you—dilution. You can dilute it up to a 5 to 1 mix of water to glue and still get some sticking power. Not many other glues have that kind of versatility. Needless to say, this is a must-have if you want to do a ton of woodworking.

So, this is a rather unique PVA glue brand as far as marketing and design goes. This company has a total collection of wood glues that are dedicated to different needs. More specifically, they have levels of wood glue ranging from 1 to 3. Each level has is own uses. Tightbond wood glue’s waterproofing and durability goes up as long as the number goes up.

With Titebond III, you will be able to enjoy the highest grade of waterproofing that they offer as well as some of the most protective gluing action. Their big claim to fame is that their top tier product outperforms all other wood glues of its kind. So, if you need to have something that is seriously glued together, you can’t get much better than that.

If you’ve ever hung around a construction site, you probably noticed that the wood glues they use aren’t going to be named most of us recognize. With Pro Wood Glue, it’s pretty clear who the buying market they want happens to be: builders. It’s literally in the name, and unlike many other glues of its kind, it actually lives up to its name.

Pro Wood Glue is specially designed to be an aid to wood joinery. This means that the glue literally has to bond to the two wood pieces in question, and that it has to have extra resistance to impact. After all, you need to be able to trust that your wood will be able to hold up when you make a chair out of it or use it in part of your home. Having impact-resistant glue at your joints can help.

With that said,they have a full span of different PVA glues that you can choose from, with each one given its own unique perk or need.

Related Questions

Can PVA glue stick to fabrics?

While PVA glue is most commonly used in woodworking or paper-based crafts, it can also be used with certain fabrics fairly well. With that said, there is a limit to how much “stick” this type of glue can offer for fabrics. Most of the time, PVA glue that’s used on fabric will render the fabric item unwashable.The moment that water his fabric with PVA glue, the glue will dissolve and the fabric will stop being bound together. To prevent this, get fabric glue.

Is PVA glue toxic?

While you would be forgiven for assuming that the glue is toxic due to its name, the truth is you need not worry. PVA glue is fairly non-toxic, and is safe for use. With that said, you should always try to use the glue as responsibly as possible. Certain PVA glues can irritate skin if they get poured on there. This is especially true with high-grip glues.

Does Elmer’s Glue turn yellow?

Yep. Most PVA glues do not turn yellow over time but this is not the case with Elmer’s. This is because Elmer’s is technically only PVA-based, meaning that it has other ingredients that tend to contribute their stuff into the product. The other additional ingredients are what cause the glue to turn yellow as time passes.To avoid this, use a different glue or keep the glued item away from direct sunlight. (We suggest using a different glue, since this is somewhat inevitable with Elmer’s.)