Glue Guide 101

Which glue should you use? A guide to matching the adhesive to the job

At some point you are going to need to stick some stuff together, and if you do not use the right glue it is easy to come unstuck. The useful way to think about it is not "what am I gluing" but what does this bond have to survive — load, movement, water, heat, or just being handled. Those four questions sort the whole Selleys range into five groups, and once you know which group you are in the choice is straightforward.

This guide walks through construction adhesives, all-purpose glues, epoxies, wood glues and contact adhesives, with the cure and strength figures from each product's technical data sheet so you know how long to leave the job alone before you load it.

Building, construction, landscaping and flooring

For building, construction, landscape and flooring projects, Selleys Liquid Nails is the glue for the job. It is the original construction adhesive and works indoors and out on a range of building materials — timber, metal, aluminium, concrete, tiles or ceramics — even where the surfaces are rough or uneven. Use it to attach plasterboard to studs, bond paving to concrete, stick timber panelling to walls, or any other job that calls for gluing and screwing together.

Liquid Nails Heavy Duty is the variant to reach for on broad, flat surfaces. Its data sheet gives numbers worth planning around: beads spaced at 40cm intervals on broad flat surfaces, roughly 3 metres of coverage per cartridge from a 5mm bead, pieces repositionable for up to 20 minutes, mechanical fasteners removable after about 8 hours on porous surfaces, and full cure at 7 days. It is non-slump, so it holds position on vertical and overhead work.

Two limitations are worth carrying with you. Construction adhesive should not be the sole bonding agent in a structural application — it works alongside mechanical fasteners, not instead of them. And it is not the product for mirrors: Liquid Nails Original is not suitable for mirrors or for metals heated by direct sunlight, and Liquid Nails Mirror & Metal is the specified alternative. Polystyrene foam is likewise a job for Liquid Nails Fast Grab. For other specialised surfaces, check the construction adhesive range for a suitable product.

If you want an all-purpose construction adhesive that does not need clamping, screws or nails even on vertical surfaces, Selleys Hold Up is the one. It comes in a tube, so no caulking gun is required. Its data sheet gives a holding capacity of 240 kg/m² on vertical surfaces, an adjustment window of about 15 minutes after application, and at least 48 hours before the bond should be disturbed. It will not bond PE, PP or PTFE plastics or some rubbers, and for heavy objects, overhead work or non-porous materials like glass and metal, Selleys recommends adding clamps as a precaution.

Quick everyday fixes

For the times a quick, easy fix is needed, Selleys Power Grip comes in a squeezy tube that is easy to whip out and apply to broken mug handles, handbag straps, garden pots or toys. It is genuinely versatile, and once set it is shock resistant.

The published timings tell you how to plan a Power Grip repair. Set time is 3 minutes, and practical strength arrives at about 12 hours on porous surfaces such as wood and ceramics. Non-porous surfaces — metals and plastics — take longer, and the data sheet's hint for those is to apply the adhesive and then keep the surfaces apart for about 30 seconds before bringing them together, which reduces set time on difficult materials.

Power Grip's limitations are specific and worth respecting:

• Not for polyethylene or polypropylene. That covers most moulded plastics — think garbage bins and fridge drawers. Use Selleys All Plastics for those.
• Not for permanent water immersion. It will not hold a bond that sits underwater.
• It yellows on direct UV exposure, so it is not the choice for something on permanent display in the sun.

Clean the nozzle, replace the cap tightly, and keep it in the top drawer for when the time calls. Fix & Go Multi Grip is a similar multi-purpose solvent adhesive in a 50mL tube, suitable for fabric, paper, wood, ceramics and plastics other than polyethylene and polypropylene — and, like Power Grip, not for underwater use or constant moisture exposure.

Heavy duty home fixes

Drawer handles, jewellery, crockery, ornaments, light fixtures, a loose chair leg — the mental list of annoying things. Selleys Araldite 5 Minute is the epoxy for those: high strength, fast grip, and it comes in two parts that are mixed and applied to both surfaces before bringing them together.

Mix thoroughly, until the mix goes creamy and small bubbles appear. Then work fast — the data sheet gives a working time of 2 to 3 minutes at 20°C. Do not strain the joint for the first 30 minutes, and for full-strength bonds clamp or hold the join with tape or weights. The page advice of at least 12 hours is a safe minimum; the technical data sheet puts full cure at 16 hours, so 16 hours is the figure to use if you can wait.

On strength, Araldite 5 Minute's data sheet quotes up to 75 kg/cm² on clean, abraded steel. That is a stress figure, not a hanging weight — the load a bond can carry depends on how much surface area you have glued, so a large, well-prepared, well-abraded joint is worth far more than a small one.

If you need higher strength, the rest of the Araldite range steps up:

• Araldite Super Strong — 5 minute set, 30 minute initial bond, maximum bond at 16 hours, full cure around 24 hours, up to 150 kg/cm².
• Araldite Rapid — 90 second set, initial bond at 10 minutes, maximum bond after 16 hours. Suited to intricate repairs where clamping is not possible.
• Araldite Extra Time — 60 minutes of working time for large areas or multi-part assemblies, initial bond at 6 to 8 hours, maximum bond after 24 to 72 hours, up to 150 kg/cm², and a higher heat tolerance of 80°C.

Across the epoxy range, the shared limitations are that none of them will bond PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene, that bonds soften above 60°C (80°C for Extra Time) and recover their strength when the temperature drops again, that cold weather extends bonding times, and that leather and rubber should be pre-tested. Surfaces need to be abraded, clean and dry.

Timber and woodwork

Whether it is a simple craft project, building a timber cabinet, or repairing and restoring furniture, the Aquadhere range has it covered.

Selleys Aquadhere Interior is the one for school projects and little fix-it jobs around the home, especially wobbly timber chairs. It is a PVA wood adhesive for interior work — and the important limitation is that it is not waterproof and not suitable for structural use.

For heavier work — timber joinery, cabinet or furniture making — use Selleys Aquadhere Exterior. It is an industrial-grade cross-linking PVA that bonds stronger than most woods, so the timber breaks before the glue does, and it is weatherproof, which makes it suitable for outdoor projects. Clamp times are 30 minutes for softwoods and 1 hour for hardwoods, then leave the joint unstressed for a full 24 hours; cold, damp conditions or dense timbers need longer. Coverage is approximately 5 m² per litre.

Two Aquadhere Exterior cautions that save a lot of frustration: it is for exterior non-structural use and is not recommended for joints under constant high stress, and it is not suitable below the waterline or for continuous submersion. Keep iron and steel away from the wet glue line as well — contact with nails, fasteners or steel tools can cause brown or black staining from the reaction with rust.

Bonding large flat surfaces: contact adhesives

Sometimes the bond has to be over a whole surface rather than at a joint. That is what Selleys Kwik Grip is for — bonding laminated plastics to bench or table tops, installing lino, patching vinyl flooring or repairing holes in tents and outdoor equipment.

Contact adhesives work differently from everything above: you coat both surfaces, wait for the solvent to flash off, and then bring them together, at which point they grab instantly. The open time for Kwik Grip Horizontal and Kwik Grip Vertical Gel is about 20 minutes and no more than 40. Because the grab is immediate, position carefully before contact — dowels laid between the two surfaces let you line everything up and then be pulled out. Secure the bond with a roller, and allow 24 hours for full strength. Both are rated for heat resistance to 130°C.

While Kwik Grip suits a wide range of materials, it can react with some surfaces, so it is always worth checking with the manufacturer of the material before you commit.

Quick reference

Job	Product	Key timing
Plasterboard, panelling, paving, gluing and screwing	Liquid Nails / Liquid Nails Heavy Duty	Repositionable 20 min; fasteners out at 8 hrs; full cure 7 days
Vertical fixing without nails or clamps	Hold Up	Adjustable 15 min; 48 hrs before disturbing
Mug handle, toy, garden pot, strap	Power Grip	Sets in 3 min; practical strength 12 hrs on porous surfaces
Handles, crockery, light fittings, chair legs	Araldite 5 Minute	2–3 min working time; 30 min initial; 16 hrs full cure
Heavier load-bearing repairs	Araldite Super Strong	Max bond 16 hrs; full cure ~24 hrs
Indoor timber repairs and craft	Aquadhere Interior	Interior only; not waterproof; not structural
Joinery, cabinets, outdoor timber	Aquadhere Exterior	Clamp 30 min softwood / 1 hr hardwood; 24 hrs unstressed
Laminate to benchtop, vinyl, lino	Kwik Grip Horizontal / Vertical	Open time ~20 min (max 40); full strength 24 hrs
Polyethylene or polypropylene plastics	All Plastics (with primer pen)	Grabs in ~30 sec; 30 min initial; 24 hrs full cure

Figures are from the products' technical data sheets and are indicative results rather than a basis for preparing specifications.

Before you start: the safety differences between these adhesives

Choosing a glue by the job is only half the decision. The products on this page carry genuinely different hazard classifications, and on some jobs that is what should decide between two otherwise workable options.

Product	Classification	What it means in practice
Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive and Heavy Duty	Danger — H225, highly flammable liquid and vapour	Solvent-based. The vapour is what ignites, it is heavier than air and it travels
Kwik Grip Horizontal, All Plastics, Fix & Go Multi Grip	Danger — H225	Also solvent-based, same precautions
Power Grip	Danger — H318, causes serious eye damage	Permanent injury, not a sting. A hand-squeezed tube used at close range

What follows from that

Ventilation is the control that matters for the solvent adhesives. H225 is not a caution about naked flame alone. The vapour ignites, it is heavier than air, and it pools at floor level — so an ignition source some distance away and low down is still a source. That matters most in exactly the places construction adhesive gets used: subfloors, wall cavities, under baths, roof spaces. Those are enclosed, poorly ventilated, and frequently where the pilot light is.

If the job is in a confined space with no ventilation, or where an ignition source cannot be removed, a solvent-based adhesive is the wrong choice. Two alternatives on this page avoid it entirely: Liquid Nails Fast Grab is water-based and carries no flammability classification at all, and the moisture-cure construction adhesives in the range are not classified as flammable liquids either.

Power Grip is the one to wear eye protection for. H318 means serious eye damage — permanent, rather than irritation that passes. It comes in a small hand-squeezed tube used at close range, which is precisely the geometry that puts your eyes near a tube that can spit when the pressure releases. A splash needs a 15-minute flush and a call to the Poisons Information Centre, not a rinse and a blink.

For all of them: nitrile gloves, eye protection, a ventilated space, and no smoking. Wash hands before eating or drinking. Poisons Information Centre — 131 126 in Australia, 0800 764 766 in New Zealand.

Each product page carries its own full hazard classification, composition, protective equipment and first aid. If you are choosing between two adhesives that both suit the job, comparing those sections is often the deciding factor.

Common questions about choosing a glue

What glue works on polyethylene and polypropylene?

Selleys All Plastics, used with its primer pen. Neither Power Grip, Fix & Go Multi Grip nor any of the Araldite epoxies will bond those plastics. Apply one coat of primer to each plastic surface, let it dry clear, then apply a small amount of glue to one surface only and press together for about 30 seconds. Do not use the primer pen on non-plastic surfaces.

How much weight can Araldite hold?

Araldite 5 Minute and Araldite Rapid are rated up to 75 kg/cm² on clean, abraded steel; Araldite Super Strong and Araldite Extra Time up to 150 kg/cm². Those are stress figures per square centimetre of bonded area, so the size and preparation of the joint matter as much as the product.

Do I have to clamp an epoxy repair?

With Araldite 5 Minute you do not have to, but you should not strain the bond for at least 30 minutes, and tape or weights give a better result. Araldite Rapid is designed for repairs where clamping is not possible.

Which wood glue is waterproof?

Aquadhere Exterior is weatherproof and suited to outdoor projects. Aquadhere Interior is not waterproof. Neither is suitable below the waterline or for continuous submersion.

Why do contact adhesives need drying time before I join the surfaces?

Because the bond forms on contact, not while drying. Coat both surfaces, keep them apart for about 20 minutes and no more than 40 while the solvent flashes off, then bring them together and roller them down. Once they touch, you cannot reposition.

Can I use construction adhesive on its own to hold something structural?

No. Liquid Nails Heavy Duty's data sheet states it should not be the sole bonding agent for structural bonding, and it should not be used in tightly clamped joints such as cabinet making or joinery.

What glue should I use on a mirror?

Liquid Nails Mirror & Metal, not Liquid Nails Original. Mirrors also should not be fixed directly to unpainted timber, plaster, concrete or brick — paint those surfaces first.

Will these glues survive heat?

Epoxy bonds soften above 60°C (80°C for Araldite Extra Time) and regain their strength when the temperature returns to normal. Kwik Grip Horizontal and Vertical are rated to 130°C.

What if it is cold in the shed?

Allow longer. Cold weather extends bonding times across the epoxy range, and Aquadhere Exterior needs longer than its stated clamp times in cold, damp conditions or with dense timbers.

How do I clean up before the glue sets?

Power Grip and other solvent adhesives clean up with mineral turpentine or acetone before the adhesive sets. Uncured Hold Up comes off with white spirits or turps. Uncured All Plastics is removed with acetone; once cured it has to be sanded or scraped.

What should I do with the tube afterwards?

Wipe the nozzle, replace the cap tightly, and store in a cool dry place. All Plastics should be stored upright with the primer pen cap closed tightly.

Where can I see these products applied to a specific job?

Try how to fix metal to wood, how to repair a flexible toy, 5 tips for repairing sentimental items or the glues and adhesives section.