Menu
What is the best antique glue?
Repairing antiques can be stressful. Messing up the repair can mean ruining a piece of history or a precious family heirloom forever. So when choosing the best glue for your antique repairs, you need to consider what will be the kindest to your irreplaceable item. Here are the best glues for antiques.
Table of Contents
SaleBestseller No. 1
Mod Podge Antique Matte Waterbase Sealer, Glue and Finish (8-Ounce), CS12948, 1 Pack
- Easy to use
- Easy clean up with soap and water while wet
- Flexible and versatile
- All-in-one glue, sealer and finish
- Water based non-toxic
$12.30
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 2
Titebond 5012 4OZ LIQUID HIDE GLUE, 4 oz, Amber
- Item Weight: 0.3 lb
- Country of Origin: China
- Brand name: Titebond
- Item Dimensions: 1.0"L x 2.3"W x 5.8"H
Bestseller No. 3
Art3d Drop Ceiling Tiles 2x2, Glue-up Ceiling Panel, Fancy Classic Style, Antique Gold
- INSTALLATION: Easily lay into a standard 15/16" T-bar drop ceiling grid system or glued over any flat substrates
- MATERIAL ADVANTAGE: It's made out of lightweight PVC, flexible and will not crack, water and corrosion resistant for exceptional durability, safe and fully recycable
- PACKING QUANTITY: It contains 12 tiles of sized 24"x24", total covering 48 sq.ft
- CONSTRUCTION: It's thin and lightweight, pretty easy to work with, paintable, cut with a snip, scissors or utility knife for quick and easy installation
- MULTIPURPOSE: These elegant stylish 3D designs are excellent no matter for remodeling or new construction to ceiling or wall decoration
$99.99
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 4
Old Brown Glue 20oz
- Liquid Hide Glue: Made from just two non-toxic/organic ingredients - hydrolyzed collagen (hide glue) and urea. Superior strength in tight-fitting joints, and remains flexible after setting. It's the perfect glue for antique restoration, veneer work and lamination, instruments and modern woodworking.
- Open and Set Times: The formula has a 30-minute open time and requires 24 hours to dry completely. The glue dries by loss of moisture and starts to set in about an hour and be completely set in 24 - 48 hours. It's also reversible with heat and hot water, which makes repair or repositioning easy and convenient.
- Self-Bonding: Unlike modern glues, hide glue will bond to itself, so original hide glue doesn't need to be completely removed from components before reassembly, adding Old Brown Glue will reactivate the original hide glue and cure with it.
- To Use: No need for a hotpot! Stand the bottle in warm water for a few minutes until the glue becomes liquid and then use it as you would with any other glue. Viscosity is a function of temperature, it is best used at 120-140 degrees F, but do not exceed 180 degrees F.
- Shelf Life: Because it is organic and non-toxic, Old Brown Glue does have a shelf-life. Each bottle is marked with a “best before use” date for an 24-month shelf life from the date of manufacture so you can be sure of its quality, which can be extended if kept in a refrigerator, but is not required.
$28.68
Buy on Amazon
Bestseller No. 5
Antique Bronze Glue Gun Sealing Wax Sticks for Wax Seal Stamp, Great for Wedding Invitations, Letters, Cards, Envelopes, Snail Mails, Wine Packages, Gift Wrapping
- Package: 12 sticks in gorgeous packing (Color: Antique brass, Excellent color, good print looking), one pack to make more than 200 wax seals, 13-17 wax seals can be made per stick
- Size: The Sealing Wax Stick is 2/5 inch in diameter x 5 2/5 inch in length, Suitable for Standard Size Glue Gun, Melting the wax sticks by glue gun is very easy to use, no worry about burning your finger.
- High quality: Smokeless, non-toxic, no bubbles, melt easily and dry quick. They are made of wax and a little resin, so they are more flexible than traditional wax, not easy to be broken under the external force
- Easy to apply: These wax sticks are super easy to use in the wax glue gun, no worry about the soot will drop on your beautiful wax seals, If you plan to seal dozens of envelopes or invitations, this is a more efficient method
- Multi application: suitable sealing wedding invitations, envelopes, cards, manuscripts. Also perfect idea for decor your gifts packing, wine bottle, tea or cosmetics packaging, party invitations.
$9.99
Buy on Amazon
Without a doubt, the overall best glue for antiques is Titebond Leather Glue Wood Glue. Titebond Leather Glue Wood Glue is perfect for antique wood furniture because it is a hide glue. Hide glues are basically animal collagen that are the closest modern, manufactured approximation to glues used by older generations. Titebond Leather Glue Wood Glue is much kinder to old woods as it doesn’t contain a lot of the harsh chemicals that most modern adhesives use. Titebond Leather Glue Wood Glue can also be painted once it is fully cured, so you can get it to match your antiques perfectly without harming them.
Best Waterproof Antique Glue
If you need something waterproof for your antique repair, the best product is Gorilla Glue. Gorilla Glue is 100% waterproof and bonds to a wide range of materials, including ceramic, wood, metal, stone, and much more, so it will be able to fix whatever antique needs repairing. On top of that, Gorilla Glue is sandable, stainable, and paintable, so it will be able to blend into your antiques perfectly. Gorilla Glue can also withstand weathering and extreme temperatures with ease without losing its incredible strength.
How to Glue a Joint in an Antique Chair
- Whatever your reason for removing antique chair joints, gluing them back together will be the same. First, it's most important to remove all of the old glue.
- Once all the old glue is removed, apply an ample amount of the new adhesive to the area you are putting into the joint.
- From there you can line up the chair pieces to the joint and gently tap them into place, making sure there is support behind the chair to ensure you don't accidentally break the wood.
- Once the joint is in place, you need to clamp it in order for the adhesive to work. If the wood is very sensitive, a light clamp will be okay, otherwise, the clamp should be firm.
- After the clamp is in place, wipe away any excess glue as quickly as possible so you don't ruin the wood.
Best Glue for Antique Ceramic
For antique ceramic, the best glue is undoubtedly Loctite Stik n’ Seal Extreme Conditions Adhesive. Loctite Stik n’ Seal Extreme Conditions Adhesive bonds sets quickly, cures in 24 hours, is resistant to extreme conditions, and will even bond to wet surfaces. Not only that, but Loctite Stik n’ Seal Extreme Conditions Adhesive is will not crack, shrink, or peel after it dries and it always stays flexible.
Best Glue for Antique Glass
The very best glue for antique glass is Loctite Glass Glue. Loctite Glass Glue is perfect for antique glass because it can bond with any type of glass under the sun, including stained glass and crystal. Loctite Glass Glue is specifically designed for glass and after it is fully cured it is completely resistant to heat and water, so the antique glass can be washed with no problem.
The best overall glue for antiques is Titebond Leather Glue Wood Glue. The best waterproof glue for antiques is Gorilla Glue. The best glue for antique ceramic is Loctite Stik n’ Seal Extreme Conditions Adhesive. And the best adhesive for antique glass is Loctite Glass Glue.
Hide glue is definitely better for antiques than PVA glue because it is a lot more gentle than PVA. Hide glue is not as permanent as PVA glue, but you are more likely to ruin an antique than hide glue, which is very unlikely to harm antiques.
If left unopened, the shelf life for Titebond Leather Glue Wood Glue is one year. After it is opened, it is difficult to exactly assess how long it will last because it depends on how much moisture it is exposed to.
While Gorilla Glue is non-toxic after it is fully cured, the manufacturer does not recommend using it anywhere that comes into direct contact with food as they cannot ensure that it is completely food safe.
Loctite Stik n’ Seal Extreme Conditions Adhesive can withstand temperatures ranging from -58°F (-50°C) to 248°F (120°C).
No, Loctite Glass Glue does not yellow over time and will be able to maintain its clarity just like the day you applied it.
