What is in the Selleys repairs and craft section?
This section covers small home repair tasks and craft projects — the jobs that take an evening rather than a weekend. They fall into two groups: repairs, where the question is which glue will hold the two materials you have; and craft, where the glue is usually a PVA and the question is how long to let it dry.
If you take one thing from this section, make it this: the material you are bonding decides the adhesive, not the size of the job. A super glue that fixes a ceramic ornament in seconds will do nothing useful on polyethylene, and a wood glue that produces a joint stronger than the timber itself will not hold a shoe sole.
Repair guides
- Glue guide 101 — the overview of glue types and what each is for. Start here if you are unsure.
- How to repair shoes — worn soles and broken straps.
- How to repair a flexible toy — bonding something that has to bend afterwards.
- 5 tips to repairing sentimental items — ceramics, leather, wood and the things worth saving.
Craft projects
- DIY air dry clay — homemade clay from PVA and cornflour.
- DIY sun catcher
- DIY Easter string egg — yarn, a balloon and diluted PVA.
- How to create the perfect gift for Mum
- How to make a crown
- DIY Father's Day gift
- How to decoupage
- DIY Halloween decorations
- DIY Christmas ornaments
- DIY Christmas decorations
The adhesives these guides use
Selleys Power Grip
Selleys Power Grip is a high-strength household glue that is extremely flexible and shock and impact resistant, for interior and exterior use. It is dishwasher safe, paintable, and works on uneven surfaces. It sticks metals, wood, ceramic, stone, brick, concrete, masonry, glass, foam, leather, laminate, fibreglass, vinyl, fabric, cardboards and most plastics.
Setting time is 3 minutes and initial bond time is 12 hours, with a service temperature range of -15°C to +120°C. It comes in 4, 5, 8, 10 and 20 gram tubes. Its limitations: not for polyethylene or polypropylene plastics — use Selleys All Plastics for those; not for permanent water immersion; and it will yellow on direct exposure to UV.
Selleys Aquadhere
Aquadhere Interior is the PVA wood glue used in most of the craft projects here. It is interior-only, not waterproof and not for structural use — which is fine for a Christmas ornament and wrong for anything that lives outside. Aquadhere Quick Set is the fast version for softwoods, hardwood, MDF and particleboard, again interior, non-structural and not water resistant. For exterior woodwork, Aquadhere Exterior is the weatherproof one.
Super glue and specialist glues
Selleys Fix & Go Super Glue handles small, fast repairs. Selleys Shoe Fix is the specialist adhesive for soles, heels and leather. Fix & Go Multi Grip is the versatile option for minor repairs across a variety of materials, and Knead It Aqua is the mouldable epoxy putty for wet-area and underwater repairs.
Safety: the repair half and the craft half are not the same
This section splits into repairs and craft, and the hazard classifications split the same way. The craft guides run on Aquadhere Interior, which is not classified as hazardous under GHS 7 — no signal word, no hazard statements — which is why those projects work with children at the kitchen table. The repair guides run on four products that all carry Danger.
| Product | Classification |
|---|---|
| Power Grip | H318 causes serious eye damage (Category 1); H317 may cause an allergic skin reaction (Category 1A); H315; H335 |
| All Plastics, Shoe Fix, Fix & Go Multi Grip | H225 highly flammable liquid and vapour; H319; H336 may cause drowsiness or dizziness |
Power Grip's two Category 1 classifications describe different timescales. H318 is the single accident: serious eye damage is permanent, not irritation that passes, and this is a 4 to 20 gram tube squeezed by hand with your face over the work — the exact geometry for a nozzle that spits when a blockage clears. A tube that has warmed in a pocket or a car releases faster than you expect. H317 Category 1A is the opposite: nothing happens on any one job. Skin sensitisation is the immune system learning the substance, it is generally permanent once acquired, and it is built by small repeated contacts. A section like this one — a dozen little fixes over a year, fingers wiped on a rag each time — is precisely that exposure pattern. Nitrile gloves cost nothing and remove it.
H225 on the solvent adhesives is a floor-level problem. Repairs get done sitting on the lounge-room floor or at a bench in winter with the door shut. The vapour is what ignites, it is heavier than air, and it travels — so a bar heater or a gas heater low down on the other side of the room is still an ignition source. H336 belongs to the same enclosure: solvent narcosis in a small closed room is a real effect, not a warning-label formality.
The substitution that is already in the range: for a porous timber repair that does not need flexibility, the craft-side product is the right one. Aquadhere Interior carries no classification at all, and it will outperform a general adhesive on a wood-to-wood joint anyway.
Poisons Information Centre — 131 126 in Australia, 0800 764 766 in New Zealand. A Power Grip splash in the eye needs a 15-minute flush and that call.
Common questions about repairs and craft
How do I choose a glue?
Start with the two materials you are joining and check them against the product's listed surfaces, then check the limitations. Glue guide 101 sets out the types.
Which glue works on almost anything?
Power Grip covers the widest range of household materials, but it is not for polyethylene or polypropylene plastics and not for permanent water immersion.
What if the plastic will not stick?
It is probably polyethylene or polypropylene. Selleys All Plastics is the product formulated for those.
Can I use craft PVA outside?
No. Aquadhere Interior and Aquadhere Quick Set are interior-only and not water resistant. Anything living outdoors needs Aquadhere Exterior.
How long do I have to wait before using a repair?
It varies by product. Power Grip sets in 3 minutes but its initial bond time is 12 hours, and porous surfaces such as wood and ceramics usually reach practical strength within that period — allow longer for non-porous surfaces such as metals and plastics.
Will glue show on the finished piece?
Power Grip is transparent with a yellow tinge and will yellow further with UV. Keep glue lines tight and inside joints where you can, and wipe excess before it sets.
Can I paint over the glue?
Power Grip is paintable. PVA glues need to be sanded back if any residue is left on a surface you intend to finish, because they seal the timber and stop stain taking evenly.
Is any of this safe for children?
The air-dry clay and string-egg projects use Aquadhere Interior, which is a non-toxic PVA. Adults should still handle the mixing and read the label; other adhesives in this section are not craft materials.
Can I speed up drying?
Not usefully, and with some products you can make it worse. Follow the published times — they are the point at which the bond is actually strong, not just dry to the touch.
What removes glue I have got where I did not want it?
PVA comes off with water while wet, and has to be sanded or scraped once cured. Power Grip cleans up with turps or acetone before it sets; cured product can be sanded and scraped.
What is the Selleys 'Repairs & Craft' page about?
The Selleys 'Repairs & Craft' page (at selleys.com.au/home-improvement/repairs/) provides inspiration for craft projects and DIY repairs, covering topics such as air-dry clay, decoupage, and other craft techniques.
Who publishes the Selleys website and what is the company background?
The Selleys website is published by Selleys, an Australian adhesives, sealants and fillers brand and a division of DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd. Selleys was founded in 1939 in Sydney, Australia, by Martin Selley.
Which Selleys product is recommended for repairing small cracks and dents on interior surfaces?
Selleys No More Cracks Small Cracks & Dents is recommended for repairing fine cracks, chips, and small shallow surface imperfections on interior surfaces like plaster and plasterboard. It is ready-to-use, dries in 1-2 hours for thin applications, and is easy to sand for a smooth finish.
What product should be used for larger holes and cracks in walls, and what materials does it work on?
Selleys No More Cracks Large Cracks & Holes is suited for larger holes and cracks. It provides superior adhesion to plaster, mortar, concrete, timber, and primed metal, can repair holes up to 6mm deep with minimal shrinkage, and can also be used on exterior surfaces when properly primed beforehand.
What is Spakfilla Rapid and what surfaces can it be used on?
Spakfilla Rapid is a lightweight, fast-drying filler suitable for wallboard, wood, masonry, plaster, and plasterboard. It can be painted within 30 minutes for thin applications, making it ideal for quick repairs and emergency fixes.
What is Selleys Knead It Multipurpose and what can it be used for after curing?
Selleys Knead It Multipurpose is a hand-kneadable epoxy repair system suitable for rebuilding, reshaping, or repairing surfaces around the home or workshop, including timber, metal, masonry, ceramics, and plastics. Once cured after 60 minutes, it can be drilled, sawed, sanded, filed, and painted.
What is Selleys Knead It Steel used for?
Selleys Knead It Steel provides industrial-strength bonding suitable for repairing small engine parts, radiators, petrol tanks, and rust-damaged equipment bodies. After 60 minutes of curing, it can be machined, drilled, sawed, and painted.
Is there a Selleys Knead It product designed for wet areas or underwater repairs?
Yes, Selleys Knead It Aqua is specially formulated for wet area and underwater repairs.