What Is Hot Glue Used For? Ideas and Inspiration!

Hot glue is sold in solid form, shaped as sticks. It is placed inside a special glue gun, which heats up with electricity and melts the solid silicone stick into a thick, hot liquid.

Glue sticks most commonly have a diameter of 11 mm. They are inserted into the back of the gun until they reach the heating chamber. There, the glue melts when heated to a temperature of 210–220 degrees Celsius.

The glue gun has a trigger, and by pressing it, the stick is pushed forward, releasing the melted adhesive through the nozzle from the heating chamber.

Hot melt glue is completely safe, odorless, and non-toxic. It does not release harmful fumes and is resistant to various weather conditions. It is characterized by high adhesion, excellent bonding strength between surfaces.

It is used for joining and gluing various objects and elements. It is compatible with all types of materials — wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, foam, Styrofoam, concrete, ceramics, textiles, and more. It can even be applied on uneven or rough surfaces.

 

Types

Hot glue is sold in the form of rounded sticks. In this category, you will find:

• Glue sticks in various colors — white, black, pink, yellow, blue, brown;
• Decorative glue sticks with glitter — gold, silver, and more;
• Silicone melting cubes;
• Glue guns;
• Silicone melting trays.

 

Applications

Hot glue is one of the materials that finds wide application in home workshops, regardless of who the crafter is. It can be used safely by both adults and children.

It is used for:

1. Making holiday decorations

Hot glue is perfect for creating festive decorations. Since most decorations are made of paper and cardboard, this type of adhesive is ideal for the purpose.

It allows you to easily glue together all the components of your chosen design.

You can create Christmas decorations such as garlands made of colorful paper, glossy sheets, ribbons, and cardboard in any colors and shapes you like.

Each piece of the garland can be glued together with hot glue. Use a small amount — it will be enough to bond the individual parts securely.

In addition to colorful garlands, you can make hanging ornaments for the Christmas tree. Use different materials such as foil, cardboard, plastic, or glass to assemble creative shapes.

To make your ornaments even more festive and shiny, add glitter or other sparkling elements.

After assembling the Christmas ornaments, wait for the glue to dry before hanging them on the tree branches.

The satisfaction and joy of a job well done will make you shine on the holiday night.

Using hot glue, you can also create beautiful decorations for your holiday table — various ornaments made of cardboard, wood, or Styrofoam in the shape of trees, elves, reindeer, bells, and more.

Hot glue is also suitable for making decorations for other occasions, such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays, Easter, Valentine’s Day, bridal or bachelor parties.

It is clear that in most cases these events take place outside our homes, so the decorations we prepare should be easy to transport and arrange.

Most decorations for such events are made of lightweight materials — cardboard, Styrofoam, paper, and plastic — to make them easier to carry to the venue.

To assemble the decorations, you will need adhesive materials. Hot glue is perfect for that. You will need a few glue sticks and a gun to work with. The silicone glue dries quickly and ensures strong adhesion between the glued parts.

It is ideal for use on objects intended for festive decoration, as it is transparent and practically invisible. You can also use colored glue sticks that match the colors of your design.

 

2. Decoration

With the help of hot glue, you can create amazing decorations for your home or office. It is suitable for crafting a variety of art projects.

You can make souvenirs, figurines, decorative flowers, and small trees. Use any materials you like — decorative twigs, artificial flowers, planks, bottles, metal, plastic, or wooden pieces, textiles, leather, and wood.

Hot glue bonds different materials and surfaces, whether smooth or rough. It can also be used in combination with various paints and materials such as acrylic, watercolor, tempera, or oil paints.

 

3. Cards and invitations

Handmade cards and invitations are among the favorite crafts of many hobby artists. This activity includes using colorful cardboard, cutting dies, punchers, border and decorative scissors, appliqués, glitter, figures, and many colorful materials — acrylics, watercolors, pencils, and pastels.

Creating greeting cards requires a lot of imagination, as well as a variety of materials. Craft glue is often used in making these paper artworks.

The advantage of hot glue is that it is extremely fine, transparent, fast-drying, and does not leave marks on paper or cardboard surfaces.

It is clean, odorless, and safe for indoor use. You can glue all elements of your cards without worrying that they might come off.

For finer details, you can use silicone melting cubes in a small tray. With a flat brush or stylus, apply a small amount of melted glue onto the card’s surface to attach individual decorative elements.

To make your cards and invitations even more eye-catching, use glitter glue sticks. They work perfectly and add extra sparkle and elegance. They come in beautiful colors such as pink, blue, red, gold, and silver.

 

4. Rag dolls

Rag dolls are one of the oldest and most beloved types of toys enjoyed by millions of people around the world. They are suitable for children of different ages and are perfect for playtime and cuddling.

Some people who love fabric dolls even collect them, dedicating entire shelves in their homes to their collections.

To make such a doll yourself, you will need yarn, thread, fabric pieces, textile scraps, buttons and beads, a needle, scissors, or hot glue. You can also use leftover cloth pieces.

The design of the doll is entirely up to your taste and creativity. It can be very simple and made with minimal materials, or, if you want it to look more interesting, you can add extra details.

Start by shaping the body and head. There are many ways to do this — you can simply use rags and thread, or make them more voluminous by filling the body with cotton or foam.

This will give your doll a rounder, fuller appearance. To create the hair, attach strands of yarn or thread in the colors of your choice.

Next, move on to shaping the face. The eyes, mouth, and nose can be made using buttons or beads. If you’re wondering how to attach the body parts and facial features, you can do this in two ways — by sewing or by gluing.

For gluing, use a hot glue gun. This method makes the process easier, as you don’t have to thread needles or sew. Simply load the gun with a glue stick, wait for it to melt, and begin gluing.

This way, you can attach buttons or beads for the face, add arms and legs, and glue additional decorations — ribbons, little shoes, organza flowers, small handbags, and other elements.

Hot glue is a quick and easy adhesive material for making dolls. It saves time and doesn’t require any sewing skills from the creator. It is completely safe, odorless, and non-toxic. It can be used by people of all ages, including children over 10 years old.

 

5. Gluing different materials

Hot glue can be used to assemble templates for boxes made of cardboard, plastic, or wood.

It can also be used to repair broken items that can be glued with hot materials — such as glass, rubber, fabric, plastic, ceramics, and wood. For example, it can be used to attach foam inserts to lids.

The adhesive can also be used for fixing hooks, stands, and shelves — even in damp environments.

 

6. Making souvenirs

Hot glue is compatible with all kinds of materials, which makes it perfect for creating souvenirs made from a variety of components.

It is suitable for gluing metal, wood, textiles, and plastic. Thanks to this, you can create interesting art objects and crafts.

There are many techniques you can use to create unique souvenirs. Hot glue allows you to bond different surfaces — for example, wood to metal, fabric to cardboard, or plastic to metal. This makes it easier to bring your creative ideas to life.

Thanks to the wide range of colors available for glue sticks, you can match them to the color of the base material you’re working with.

With the help of hot glue, you can easily create beautiful handmade souvenirs to give as gifts for any occasion. To make your crafts even more eye-catching, use decorative glitter glue sticks — available in a variety of shimmering shades.

 

7. Mixed media

Mixed media is an art concept developed in the 20th century. It emerged when postmodern artists began combining traditional art forms such as sculpture and painting.

Mixed media can be found in any creative work that combines more than one or two different materials.

Today, this art form is used by both professional artists and hobbyists to create a variety of cards, souvenirs, collages, paintings, panels, and decoupage art.

What characterizes mixed media is the use of absolutely any materials, not only classic paints, cardboard, and pencils.

To create different art objects, the technique often includes various paints, fabric, leather, paper, beads, stones, buttons, coins, cutlery, dried leaves, bolts, screws, and many other small metal, plastic, or wooden elements.

The use of punchers, stencils, and border scissors is very common to achieve additional ornamentation of certain parts of the mixed media artwork.

Mixed media is a truly rich and fascinating form of creativity. The resulting artworks are unique and remarkably beautiful.

Hot glue is used for attaching various items, appliqués, and decorative elements onto the base of mixed media projects.

It is compatible with all materials, and the effect you achieve with its help will be truly one of a kind. You can use different colors of glue sticks, depending on the shades included in your project.

 

8. Creating jewelry

Hot glue is an excellent choice for jewelry making. It can be used to bond glass, plastic, wood, and metal elements to various bases.

The wide variety of colorful materials allows you to create truly beautiful jewelry, and you can paint over the glued pieces with any design your imagination suggests.

The decorated elements can then be used to make earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings.

With hot glue sticks, you can easily attach finished components to metal, glass, plastic, wooden, or ceramic bases.

Apply a small drop of glue, press the bead or element onto the surface, and wait a few minutes for it to dry. Once the glue cools, it hardens and provides a strong bond between the two surfaces.

To make your jewelry even more eye-catching, use glitter glue sticks. Even if the adhesive is visible, it will add a decorative touch that enhances the sparkle of the jewelry.

If you haven’t worked with hot glue before and are unsure how to use it, don’t hesitate to look for information and tutorials on how to work with this material.

In crafting guides and online video tutorials, you’ll find valuable tips on how to use glue sticks effectively.

Don’t hesitate — include hot glue in your creative work, as it will help you turn many of your ideas into reality.

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Let your inspiration flow and turn your most unique ideas into reality!

 

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