Hot Glue vs Super Glue
If you plan to do a lot of arts and crafts, glue is something you will almost certainly require. There are many types of glue available. The type of glue used to hold your finished product together will affect its quality. here we would be discussing comparison between Hot Glue vs Super Glue by taking into consideration various important factors right below.
Super glue and hot glue are the two most common types of adhesive used in arts and crafts projects. While neither is bad, they are fundamentally distinct in their own ways.
In this article, we will look at hot and super glue and compare them to help you decide which is right for you.
What is Hot Glue?
You might be familiar with hot glue when it comes to adhesives and glues.
Hot glue, also known as a hot melting adhesive (or HMA), is also known. This is a type of thermoplastic adhesive. Hot glue, also known as thermoplastic adhesive, is a type of thermoplastic. Hot glue is a type of plastic.
Hot glue comes in its original form, which is completely solid. To melt it into a liquid, hot glue must be heated. Hot glue can be considered an adhesive. However, hot glue uses no special ingredients to stick to materials. Instead, hot and melted plastic cools down and solidifies, thus creating a bond.
This is perfectly acceptable. It’s a cylindrical, solid stick that passes through the heating mechanism of a glue gun. When heated, the glue turns to liquid and can be used immediately. The glue will dry when it cools down.
Ethylene-vinyl Acetate (or EVA) is the most common material used for hot glue. Hot glue’s viscosity makes it ideal for bonding uneven surfaces together. Hot glue can be used on porous or non-porous surfaces and fills gaps well.
Hot glue can generally handle 600 to 700 pounds of weight. Hot glue cannot handle impacts, but it can handle some weight. If you were to use hot glue to join two items together, you might be able to snap them in half using some muscle power.
Hot glue Characteristics
- Hot glue forms strong bonds quickly. You can easily adjust it while it is still hot. It is more difficult to take off once it cools. This depends on the material.
- Hot glue sticks are available in many colors, including clear, rainbow colors (red and green), black, gold, silver, and glitter, for special purposes.
- It retains its primary color once it cools down. This depends on which stick you have. Like silicone, the clear and white sticks can become yellowish with time.
Pros & Cons of Using Hot Glue
Pros
- It is amazing for fabric. It is almost impossible to remove, even if heated, which makes it extremely durable but if you really want to remove it then rad this post on hot glue removal.
- It doesn’t stain fabric, making it invisible, unlike super glue. It is also safer and cheaper than industrial E6000 adhesives and their relatives.
- It is also very good on paper and doesn’t stain. It bonds well with any type of paper, including printing, tissue, and even cardboard.
Cons
- Hot glue has one drawback: it is not heat resistant. The bond can weaken if exposed to high temperatures for too long. In the worst cases, it could melt. Let’s say you apply it to a garden structure and that the glue is visible daily in the summer sun.
- The glue can melt, so jokes aside. It is, therefore, not recommended for external use. Instead, you should use wood glue.
- It doesn’t even hold up well on glass.
Uses
- Although hot glue sticks well to porous surfaces, it won’t adhere to smooth surfaces. However, hot glue is strong and durable for adhesives used on textured materials like wood, paper, and leather.
- It is strong and resistant to tension, almost impenetrable, and completely non-toxic.
- It is fairly shock- and impact-resistant. It isn’t as strong as other glues and doesn’t have the same heat resistance. It is not recommended for heavy-weight applications.
- Hot glue can be used for small and large projects. Hot glue is great for home decoration, arts and crafts, and simple repairs.
What is Super Glue?
Super glue (cyanoacrylate adhesive) is an instant, fast-bonding adhesive that bonds almost any material. They bond stone, metals, wood, plastic, glass, ceramic, paper, and other common materials.
It is important to remember that superglue does not contain water. Many adhesives are water-based, which can be problematic for solvents and weather resistance.
Cyanoacrylate is the main ingredient in super glue. Super glues are available in either liquid or gel form. Liquids work best for penetrating cracks and fractures, while gels dry much faster. Gels are more flexible than liquids and have a lower viscosity, allowing for more precise or vertical applications, such as fixing flatware or building models.
Considering its strength and ease of use, you might be wondering why it is only used for small repairs. Super Glue is a revolutionary industrial, medical, and technological product. However, it does not play a significant role in erecting buildings because it’s not a strong structural adhesive.
Superglue can be broken down by oil. This is why baby or cooking oil effectively breaks down superglue bonds and removes hardened glue from the skin. Hot water can cause superglue to harden. This is why hot water will only make the problem worse. Superglue found in shops is not recommended for skin use. Anyone who has had their fingers stuck together by super glue will know that the heat generated during bonding can cause severe pain.
Super Glue Characteristics
- Super glue doesn’t require heat to activate and sets in seconds.
- It suits almost all surfaces and forms a stronger bond to hot glue.
- Although superglue won’t cause any burns (unlike hot glue guns), it’s important to be careful with it. It can irritate the skin and can easily stick your fingers together.
- Avoid inhaling the fumes as they are toxic and can cause fainting.
- Super glue is extremely flammable, so don’t store it near flames.
Uses
- Superglue is the most widely used adhesive. Superglue is versatile. It will not stick to certain things. It can be used on leather, rubber, and vinyl, as well as ceramics, wood, metals, stone, concrete, cardboard, and plastics, among other things. some people also use it for gluing plastic to wood, you can find more about it in before mentioned link.
- Superglue sticks to almost anything as long as it isn’t used on extremely smooth surfaces.
- Super glue can achieve unbelievable levels of strength depending on the surface you wish to bond. It can withstand temperatures up to 4000 PSI, making it suitable for complex repairs.
- Superglue is available in small tubes, so limiting your use to small-scale projects is best.
Pros & Cons of Using Super Glue
Pros
- Super glue is much easier to apply than hot glue. However, it’s more complicated to remove. However, acetone (nail Polish Remover) can be used to remove it from your skin.
- It’s ideal for non-porous materials like metal and glass. Hot glue should not be considered for this type of application.
- This glue is ideal for fixing jewelry. It’s strong and durable. This glue is great for jewelry makers.
- It can also adhere flat-back rhinestones to fabric or other materials.
Cons
- Super glue stains fabrics. It can either make the fabric appear darker (like it is wet), or it will whiten once it sets.
- It is great for adhering rhinestones to fabrics. However, it should only be applied in a very small amount to avoid staining the fabric.
- It can also stain the paper. It’s good for cardboard but won’t work for other paper crafts that need glue. You should choose a Crafts Glue with no such effect that is safe for children.
Comparison: Hot Glue vs Super Glue
After we’ve figured out many facts about hot glue and super glue, it’s time to compare them side-by-side.
Applications
It is important to note that hardware has very few applications.
Hot glue is often used for arts and crafts and small projects. Hot glue is the best choice if you are looking for the glue to glue beads onto fabric, glue fabric to painted cardboard, glue construction paper together, or for any other similar purpose.
Hot glue can bond almost any material together, which is a fact.
Most people agree that hot glues are strong because of their versatility. All that being said, Super Glue does not provide impact resistance or strength.
However, superglue is quite different. Super glue can be used for arts and crafts. However, it is not very flexible once dried, so it may not be the best option.
Super glue can bond any material except plastic switching. It has many uses. Super glue can be used for crafts and small repairs. Super glue can be used to fix the handle of your coffee pot.
Drying Time
Super glue takes longer to dry than hot glue. Hot glue takes 10-20 minutes to dry and can take up to 24 hours to cure. Conversely, superglue takes less than one minute to dry, depending on the condition.
This is the main reason superglue has become so popular. It doesn’t need to be dried at specific temperatures or UV exposure. If you need an immediate cure, superglue is your best choice.
Materials
Hot glue is the best choice for glues that bond materials. Because it can bond both porous and non-porous materials, hockey is more adaptable and easy to do yourself. It’s a great sport. Hot glue can bond almost any material.
Superglue is also extremely versatile and does not have the same problem bonding together non-porous materials. Super glue adheres well to porous surfaces. It can be used with cardboard, paper, fabric, metals, and rubber.
If the material is extremely smooth and flat, the Super glue will not be able to stick to it. This could make bonding difficult.
Shelf Life
Hot glue is more durable than super glue when it comes down to shelf life. Hot glue is made out of plastic. Plastic doesn’t deteriorate like other materials. This allows hot glue to be stored for longer periods. However, superglue is made of a chemical compound. Super Glue is made from a chemical compound, which can be degraded over time. It should be used within one year of purchase.
Cleanup
These glues can be messy and difficult to clean up. The truth is that superglue can stick to your skin. Super glue can dry very quickly. It’s resistant to most if it doesn’t contain all solvents. You can’t just throw it away. You can either rip off super glue or wait for it to dry completely on your hands.
Hot glue is, however, much easier to clean up. Its bond strength is lower than hot glue. Getting hot glue on your hands will be uncomfortable, but it will dry quickly. Moreover, you can pull it off without causing any damage to your skin. It’s not as strong as you might think. It can take super glue a while to dry. However, you can easily pull any large globs off once it’s dried. When it comes to cleaning up, hot glue is easier to use.
Conclusion
Now that you are familiar with the differences between hot and superglue, you can decide. Make sure you’re familiar with all details and issues associated with the bonds before comparing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Super Glue Toxic?
Although superglue is slightly toxic in liquid form, it bonds and cures so fast that it is almost impossible to ingest liquid superglue.
Can You Make Hot Glue Stronger?
There is no way to increase hot glue’s strength. Hot glues can be stronger or more durable, depending on the formulation. However, you cannot improve bond strength.
Some materials won’t adhere well to hot glue. You can, however, improve the adhesion by sanding your materials before bonding.
What materials will hot glue not stick to?
Hot glue won’t stick to anything completely smooth but will stick to anything greasy.
What are the drawbacks of hot glue?
Hot glue has some drawbacks. It can be melted away and doesn’t have any structural integrity. Also, it takes a while to dry.
Where is super glue most effective?
Super glue is ideal for small repairs and other projects. Super glue has a high bond strength. It should be fine as long as the project does not require a lot of shear strength.
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