Tip of the Week: How to Adhere Metal to Just About Anything

Good morning, Everyone! Did you know that one of the most common questions I get asked is “What should I use to glue my metal filigrees?”

There is alot of “sticky stuff” out there to use, but my top two picks for metal are:

1. Glossy Accents
2. E6000

The biggest differences between these two glues are their consistency and flexibility.

Consistency

Glossy Accents tends to be not as tacky and more runny than E6000. As a result, I find it more difficult to layer several metal pieces without them shifting and moving when I use Glossy Accents without allowing it to dry between layers. Drying time for thin layers of Glossy Accents is approximately 30 minutes. Once dry, Glossy Accents offers a very strong bond.

Because Glossy Accents is fairly runny, it is not suitable for adhering metal to fabrics. The adhesive tends to soak into the fibers of the fabric and not bond to the metal.

E6000 is quite thick and gooey and starts to bond within 10 minutes. Because of this thick gooey-ness, it is easy to keep working and adhere several pieces of metal to your project without requiring much drying time. In many cases, you don’t require any wait at all.

This gooey-ness also makes E6000 the better choice for adhering metal to fabrics. The glue will bond to the fabric fibers and remain on the surface to bond with your metal, as well.

Flexibility

Once dry, Glossy Accents becomes quite hard, forming a really strong bond and not allowing any movement of your metal filigrees.

E6000, on the other hand, tends to sustain a little bit of flexibility – kinda like a hard rubber. This flexibility makes it more resistant to impacts and is, therefore, a great choice for jewelry that may get bumped and take some abuse by the wearer.

The Verdict?

Both Glossy Accents and E6000 are excellent choices for adhering metal to most surfaces, and I suggest you try both to see which one you prefer. That said, my personal favorite and go-to glue is…you probably already guessed it…E6000.

I love that it allows me to keep working without worrying about my pieces shifting if I am careful. It also works on fabric…and you know how much I love to use doilies and metal together.

Just remember that, when gluing any type of metal, to ensure that the metal surface is cleaned first…alcohol wipes are great for this. Scratching the surface of the metal using a file, emery board or even the tip of a paper piercer will also give the glue some “tooth” to grab onto and result in a stronger bond.

One last quick tip…if you are adhering your metal pieces close to the edge of a page, you can always use a binder clip to hold your metal piece in place while the glue dries. You will achieve a great bond while, at the same time, preventing your filigree from moving.

I hope you found this tip helpful!!!