Best Way To Glue Cardboard Together

Using cardboard as a craft medium or packaging solution is gaining popularity due to its affordability, ease of use, and versatility. Many brands use it to quickly test design concepts, more complicated designs, smaller structures, and simple mechanisms. After die-cutting, joining various box flaps together using glue or any other binder is mandatory. It keeps all the flaps in place to ensure the safety of packaged items.

Here we will describe the best way to glue cardboard together. We will also describe various kinds of glues and their benefits. This step-by-step guide can let you know how to glue a cardboard box for better results correctly.

The best way to glue cardboard together: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

This guide explains how to glue cardboard. Cardboard boxes are useful for props, paper products, packaging solutions, and other purposes. We'll start with preparing the surface to glue your cardboard pieces. You can also glue any two cardboard pieces together in minutes after reading this guide.

• Get the supplies

Get everything you need to glue cardboard. Materials will include:

1. Ensure both cardboard: pieces are clean and dry. Dust and dirt will prevent the adhesive from sticking. Wipe each cardboard piece with a dry towel to remove contaminants and prepare the surface.
2. A suitable adhesive: Super glue and hot glue are ideal for this guide as they cure rapidly and may be used within minutes. You can also use glue sticks, wood glue, or white glue.
3. Use a craft knife, X-Acto knife, scissors, or paper cutting board to cut cardboard. Make sure your blade is sharp before gluing.
4. A ruler or tape measure
5. An optional pencil is needed to note where to cut the cardboard.
6. Optional: Utilize a big, flat surface for gluing to prevent slippage throughout the operation. After the project, they make cleanup easy.

After gathering your materials, let's see the best way to glue cardboard together.

• Cut the Cardboard To Size. 

Plan your cardboard's appearance. After drawing your blueprint, use a ruler or tape to measure and pencil mark each piece's length and width.

After taking measurements, use the cutting tool to cut cardboard pieces to your preferred shape (square, rectangle, circle) and dimensions. Cut your cardboard pieces slightly larger than your specifications to allow the adhesive to bind and adapt.

• Put Each Cardboard Piece Together And Let It Dry Until Strong. 

Spread glue evenly on one cardboard piece. Carefully press and secure them. Give the glue a few seconds before pushing back to release air bubbles and excess adhesive. Wait if needed until dry. Glued cardboard usually takes 15 minutes or more to cure, depending on the adhesive strength, amount utilized, and size of cardboard pieces.

After the glue sets, carefully bend your new project to evaluate its strength. If the two parts fall out of position when bent, apply more adhesive and let cure for a few minutes before testing your product boxes again.

• Clean Up The Glue And Other Debris From Your Craft. 

Before drying, wipe up any spilled glue with a cloth or paper towel. You can also decorate the box using stickers or paint. Paint, sketch, or adorn with stickers or markers to personalize the glued box. 

Enjoy your creation now that it's finished and durable enough for daily usage. Now, you have learned the best way to glue cardboard together. It will help you create the most secure packaging solutions for your products.

Types of Glue 

The following are various kinds of glues that you can use to bind cardboard pieces together.

• PVA glue

The finest glue for cardboard is PVA or contact cement. Both types of adhesive are powerful enough to permanently attach any cardboard. Contact cement is more accurate but more expensive, whereas PVA glue is cheaper but less precise and takes longer to dry. Most cardboard artisans use either PVA or quick-dry Wood Glue.

PVA Glue is the best option for beginners in crafts. It is the easiest cardboard glue. Simply apply a little coating of glue to one side of the cardboard and press together for a few seconds. The glue should also hold the pieces together immediately, but it takes an hour to dry.

• Contact Cement

Contact cement is best for gluing cardboard to other materials. Apply a thin amount of contact cement to both sides to glue the cardboard. Continue drying the glue until it is no longer liquid but still tacky. It usually takes one or two minutes. Carefully align and push both pieces for one or two seconds. Both components will be permanently bonded.

The precision and convenience of usage of contact cement make it a favorite of many users. You can glue a little region or line. This is practically instant. Both parts will be strongly connected after pressing them together. The first adhesion is strong, but the glue will dry in an hour.

• Gorilla Glue 

There is a query Is Gorilla glue good for cardboard? This question is often asked because Gorilla Glue is so popular. Gorilla Glue works on cardboard but is much more expensive than PVA or Contact Cement. While useful, it's overkill for gluing cardboard. Gorilla Glue's wood glue is superior and cheaper than cardboard. While Gorilla Glue is great, it may be too strong for gluing cardboard.

• Super Glue

Superglue is also a popular kind of glue. Almost everyone has some at home, and it's easy to buy and use. Super glue is a robust PVA glue option for thin cardboard. This superglue can bond effectively to ordinary and sealed cardboard with a smooth surface. Super glue is strong enough for all cardboard, dries quickly, and is cheaper than PVA Glue.

Conclusion

You must go for the best quality glue when you need to glue cardboard pieces together. We have explained a step-by-step guide to let you know the best way to glue custom cardboard boxes together. You can follow this guide for impressive results. We have also explained various kinds of glues and their pros as well as cons. You need to pick the best glue that is easy to use and cheaper. It will help you reduce the cost of gluing cardboard.