Expert advice on choosing the right glue

Selecting the right type of adhesive is the first step in effectively binding two materials together. Not all types of glue work in all situations. It all depends on the materials you want to bind. Here are some helpful hints to determine which glue is right for you.

• Clear resin: Good for flexible materials such as card, leather and fabric-backed plastic.
• Contact adhesive Use with non-porous sheet materials — for example, laminate trims for kitchen worktops.
• Epoxy resin: Use for metal, china or glass. Good for mixed materials — for example, a glass pendant in a metal setting.
• PVA: Suitable for paper and wood, also for fixing ceramic to other materials such as felt.
• PVC: Use to glue plastic to plastic. Good for repairing plastic macs, blow-up children's toys and so on.
• Latex (white): Best used for fabrics and leather — for example, fashion embellishments or carpet edges.
• Super glue: Good for small objects, such as china ornaments and rigid plastic toys, and for binding metal parts to other materials.

These are the most common types of glues on the market and determining which one to use is all dependent on what you need to fix.  Using the right tool for the job is essential in doing the job right the first time.