What's the best glue for model making?

Introduction

One of the questions we regularly get asked is what glue should I use for a particular job on our model railway or which do we recommend for use with our kits? With so many specialist glues available on the market, it can be very confusing to choose the correct one to use to assemble kits, fix track down or make static grass look realistic. We stock a comprehensive range of glues here at Scale Model Scenery which cover pretty much all aspects of modelling. It's therefore important to make sure you have the correct one for job at hand. In this guide, we’ll help guide you through the various types of glues and which ones we recommend for specific tasks. 

Why do I need to use certain types of glue?

Glues are designed & manufactured to use on particular types of materials & applications. Using the incorrect one can lead to problems when assembling a kit or glueing materials together by simply failing to stick or giving a very weak or bad bond between two or more components. For example, plastic kits are made from injected liquid styrene plastic or ABS plastic. So the likes of a plastic kit glue like Liquid Poly or similar, are required to these parts together. Plastic kit glue works by melting the plastic on application & welds the two components together to form a strong bond. 

An example of incorrect application of the wrong type of glue. Using a plastic kit glue on a different material such as say laser-cut wood. A glue designed for plastic just won’t work or bond the wood laser-cut parts together. 

It’s therefore important to make sure the correct glue is always used for whatever job you're tackling, such as building a kit. We’ll now look at the different glues in our range & what materials they are designed to bond.

Texture Sheets 

For glueing our photo-realistic texture sheets, such as our texture wraps supplied with building kits, wall kits, road & paving sheets, platform surfaces sheets etc, we recommend the following…

UHU Glue

An all-purpose gel-type glue. Spread a thin even coating on the rear non-printed side of the Photo Realistic Texture Sheets, or directly onto the component to be wrapped. Allow to go tacky then smooth the Photo Realistic Texture Sheets into place. It’s also ideal for general modelling too. One of Justin’s go-to glues for fitting texture wraps!

Deluxe Materials View Glue

Primarily designed for glueing backscene scenic sheets, View Glue is ideal for fitting texture sheets over large areas, such as railway station platform or road surfaces. This glue is applied by brush onto the non-printed side of the texture sheets or backscene sheets. A little goes a long way with this glue, so apply a thin even coating of View Glue with the likes of a 1’2” or 1”  brush. This glue has a good working time which allows the texture sheets to be repositioned if needed. It also allows for texture sheets & backscenes to be manouvered into place allowing final adjustments to be made. It dries without creases or wrinkles too… Bonus! It can also be used to glue backscenes & texture sheets to surfaces such as wood, painted surfaces, plasterboard & plastic surfaces. One of team SMS members Iain’s favourite glues for covering large areas with texture sheets.

Card & Grey Board Card

A number of kits feature Greyboard Card such as our wall kits, some building kits & some accessory kits. Suitable glues for use with Greyboard Card & also other types card we recommend the following glues…

Deluxe Materials Roket Card Glue

This one is one of the SMS team firm favourite glues for assembling our card kits. It’s one we recommend keeping a bottle of in your modelling toolbox!!

Deluxe Materials Roket Card Glue is truly amazing stuff, with a good working time yet a fast setting time that allows for speedy assembly of our kits. One bottle will last you ages as you only need to use it very sparingly. A single bottle will build many kits. Supplied with a fine-tipped glue applicator tube too! Apply a small amount to both parts that are being glued together, press both glued parts firmly together & hold for around a minute or so whilst the glue starts to set. Even though this glue is designed for card, it also bonds wood, laser board (ideal for our laser cut kits) & also some plastics.

Deluxe Materials Super Phatic Glue

This one is another modelling toolbox essential. Super Phatic Glue is a very strong, high-penetrating glue that gives very strong bonded joints. It comes with a precision fine-tip applicator which allows you to apply the glue in tight corners & exactly where you need it. 

This glue can be used on the likes of our Greyboard Card which is used in many of our kits across our range.  It is also ideal for bonding other modelling materials which include Laserboard, MDF Balsawood, Plywood, Plastic, foam, tissue, paper, card & also Carbon Fibre. It also becomes waterproof upon setting, giving stronger tougher bonded joints than super glue. From Railway modelling to radio-controlled aircraft, this glue has many uses.

Track Ballast

For a model railway to look more realistic, the trackwork needs ballast just like the real thing. Ballasting of track work is one of those love-it-or-hate-it modelling jobs, but if done correctly, is very satisfying. Mixing a glue mixture & glueing model railway track ballast can be a messy job, however, the next two types of glue make the job of ballasting much quicker, easier & less messy. 

Deluxe Materials Ballast Bond

Deluxe Materials Ballast Bond Liquid Adhesive as the name applies, is used for fixing down model railway track ballast. It’s pre-mixed & ready to use straight from the bottle. No mess or fuss. 

To use, first lay the ballast, dry, onto your railway trackwork. Then gently apply the Ballast Bond straight from the bottle onto the ballast. The Ballast Bond Liquid Adhesive has a wetting agent with low viscosity & capillary action which ensures rapid efficient spreading of the Ballast Bond. It has a fast drying time which gives minimal disturbance to the laid ballast. One bottle covers an area of 3.5sq ft (0.35 sq meter).

Deluxe Materials Ballast Bond Liquid Adhesive is also ideal for use for glueing scatter materials, stone & earth powders. Great for creating coal, stone, and ballast heaps along your trackside & yard scenes.

Deluxe Materials Ballast Magic

Deluxe Materials Ballast Magic starter kit is a complete ballast glueing kit with everything you need to get the job done. The kit contains a bottle of Ballast Magic (Bottles of ballast magic are also available to purchase separately), Ballast Spray, a Measuring cup & spatula. To use: mix the ballast magic with the ballast in the measuring cup. Then pour & spread the ballast/ballast magic mix onto the track. Once happy the ballast is where it is needed, fill the spray bottle with clean water & spray the water over the ballast  & allow 24 hours for the ballast to dry. Ballast can be removed & reused, by applying warm water onto the ballast which then reactivates the ballast magic allowing the ballast to be removed for reuse elsewhere around the layout. This is great if the track has to be lifted & relayed etc. Thus ensures that no ballast is ever wasted & can be reused time & time again. It’s also ideal for use on other scatter stone & earth powder materials too!

Laser Cut Kits - Wood, MDF, Laser Board

Many of our kits are laser cut & feature materials including MDF, Laserboard & other wood materials. Laser cut kits are precision cut for a perfect fit & allow for fast build time. You can of course use the PVA wood glue, but listed below are the glues that we recommend which give faster, more accurate results for laser cut kit construction. 

Deluxe Materials Laser Cut Kit Glue

Deluxe Materials Laser Cut Kit Glue is purpose formulated for Laser Cut Kits made from wood, laser board, Card & also Greyboard Card. Deluxe Materials also suggest that it can be used on plastics & painted wood too. It comes with a fine-tipped metal applicator along with a spare fine-tipped metal applicator too! The applicator is anticlog  & can be cleaned with water. Deluxe Materials Laser Cut Kit Glue gives clean strong bonded joints. 

To use, apply only the smallest amount to the parts to be bonded together, bring both parts together & hold for around 30 seconds whilst the glue grabs & starts to set. One small bottle will build a good number of kits. It can also be used to fill in gaps in joints. 

Top Tip: During use, have a beaker with some wet sponge or tissue in the bottom of it. Place the glue bottle upside down with the applicator resting on the wet sponge. This helps prevent the applicator from clogging up & also helps keep the tip of the applicator clean.

Deluxe Materials Super Phatic Glue

As already mentioned in the card & greyboard section above,  Deluxe Materials Super Phatic can be used on laser-cut kits which use materials such as wood, MDF, Laser board, Card, and Plastic. 

Deluxe Materials Roket Card Glue

Again as already mentioned in the card & greyboard section above,  Deluxe Materials Roket Card Glue can be used on laser-cut kits which use materials such as wood, MDF, Laser board, Card, and Plastic. 

Deluxe Materials Speed Bond

Deluxe Materials Speed Bond is a fast-setting PVA Glue & that can be used on laser-cut kits again which use materials such as wood, MDF, Laser board, Card, and Plastic. It can also be used for paper, foam & fabric. It’s fast drying and gives a high-strength bonded joint. It can also once set be sanded too. It’s great for all sorts of modelling tasks, like glueing bushes, trees, fences,  walls, etc. Can also be used in baseboard construction too!

Plastics & Plastic Kits

Many kits & models are made from plastics so having a fast-setting glue formulated for plastics is essential. From assembling plastic kits to fitting clear plastic glazing to fitting that small plastic bag of parts that come with many loco models these days. It pays to have at least one bottle of plastic kit glue in your modelling toolbox.

Deluxe Materials Plastic Kit Glue

A general-purpose plastic kit glue that bonds in seconds. It includes a fine tip applicator for precision application to exactly where you need it. The glue is formulated so it has an anti-clogging action. It can also be used with styrene, and clear plastic, & can also bond plastic to wood too! Ideal for fitting plastic detailed parts to loco buffer beams, and bodywork. Or for those repairs of refitting any detailed plastic parts that have fallen off your locomotive models.

Deluxe Materials Glue & Glaze

Formulated for clear plastic & plastic glazing. It bonds crystal clear windows & canopies. It dries to a clear film, perfect for your building kit window glazing, locomotive & coaching stock glazing, road vehicles & more. It can be used to create glazing across miniature windows in OO gauge up to 6mm across by running or dragging a bead of it across an opening & working upwards to create a film across the opening. Once dried you’ll then have a glazed window. As well as plastics it’ll bond to wood, metal & painted surfaces too! It’ll not craze plastics making it safe for all your model glazing needs.

Deluxe Materials Roket Plastic Glue

Roket Plastic Glue is a fast-setting alternative to liquid plastic cement. It has very little odour which is great for those of you who struggle with strong-smelling glues. It sets in around 10 seconds making for fast build assembly time. It comes with a super fine anti-clog applicator tip. It Bonds Styrene, polyester, butyrate as well as ABS. Bonding time depends on the plastic type and room temperature. It’s also water washable too!

Scenery Scatter Materials & Bushes/Trees 

Another one we regularly get asked is what glues to use for fixing scenic scatter-type materials & foliage in place. This can be done by applying PVA glue beforehand by applying the PVA glue or similar to the area receiving the scatter material, then using a brush to spread the glue to cover the area being covered with scatter material. Bushes & foliage can be fixed the same way but also using scenic spray-type glues, which we’ll look at now.

Deluxe Materials Scatter Grip 

Deluxe Materials Scatter Grip is a superior alternative to traditional PVA glue. It’s specially formulated to work with scenic scatter materials as well as foliage-type materials. It holds scatter & foliage materials firmly with a longer drying time to allow for making those final adjustments. It also has the added bonus of drying to a tacky finish, allowing for additional scatter material to be applied at any time afterwards without the need for any further glue application.

To use this glue, simply use a brush to apply the glue onto your layout & brush where needed. Apply the scatter over the glued area as required. It’s great for fixing foliage on tree armatures & for fixing bushes, grass clumps, etc.

Deluxe Materials Scenic Spray Glue

Deluxe Materials Scenic Spray Glue is a specially formulated scenic spray glue, which like the Scatter Grip Glue dries to a tacky finish. It comes with a spay pump attachment which is simply inserted & screwed onto the bottle. This glue is for use with a variety of scenic materials including grass, tree foliage, leaves, clump foliage & Turfs, & also snow scatter material.

To use, simply spray over the area which is to be covered with the scenic material. Then apply the scatter material, foliage, etc to the glued area. It can also be used on model tree armatures for fixing tree foliage into place. The glue can be applied over already scenic cover areas, to allow additional layers of scatter material to be applied. Once finished, unscrew the spray pump & refit the bottle lid. Then run warm clean water through the spray pump to clean & remove any glue. This prevents the glue from drying out in the pump & clogging it up. 

Deluxe Materials Tacky Glue

Deluxe Materials Tacky Glue. This is a very sticky glue that dries clear. It can be used for fixing scatter materials to layouts & dioramas. It’s also suitable for bonding fabric, plastic windows, and Flower making. It can also be used to bond ceramic or flexible tiles. Other surfaces it’ll bond to include varnished & painted surfaces.

Anita’s Tacky PVA Glue

Anita’s Tacky Glue. This is another tacky glue which is a general-purpose tacky glue. Ideal for modelling, hobbies, arts, crafts & also DIY applications. It dries clear & is flexible. It’s ideal for fixing scatter materials to layouts & dioramas. It’s also suitable for all sorts of bonding including fabrics, plastic windows, paper, cards & also Flower making. It can also be used to bond ceramic or flexible tiles. Other surfaces it’ll bond to include varnished & painted surfaces

Model Figures 

Model figures on layouts dioramas can be fixed in place with the likes of UHU & Super Phatic Glue. But if needing your model figures so they can be removed  & repositioned then the next glue is ideal for temporarily holding figures. 

Deluxe Materials Tacky Wax

Tacky Wax is perfect for positioning your figures on your layouts & dioramas. It’s a sticky tack solution which means your figures are not permanently glued down. This means you reposition your figure time & time again without damaging the layout. It’s ideal for holding things like locomotive name headboards & loco lamps in place on your locomotive models.

Other Glues & Glue Tips

The next & final part covers two more types of glue, as well as an item for debonding glue joints as well as a range of replacement glue tips.

Deluxe Materials Roket Odourless

Deluxe Materials Roket Odourless is a fast-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive. Like the Super Phatic, dries clear with a very strong bond. It can be used on plastics, clear plastics as well as card, wood, metals, etc. It has a very low odour so ideal for those of you who are sensitive to the smell of glue. Ideal for a wide range of uses with modelling, layout building & kit building

Mod Podge

Mod Podge is a very popular all-in-one glue, sealer & finish Product that is water-based for easy cleanup. Can be used to create water effects like rivers, streams, ponds, puddles, lakes, etc. Also ideal for sealing baseboards, creating terrain landscapes, etc.

Glue Buster

Deluxe Materials Glue Buster. This one is worth keeping a bottle in your tool kit. Had an accident with spilt glue on a model or workbench? This solution is ideal for those little mishaps & accidents when using glue. It’s a glue de-bonder & dissolver which dissolves all types of superglues. It can be even used to release bonded skin (Handy for when you’ve accidentally glued your fingers together) & glue stains too!!

Glue Tips

It can be quite frustrating when your mid-kit build & find that the glue tip applicator has clogged up solid with glue. We recommend keeping a few spare glue tip applicators in your tool kit. Our own SMS metal tube glue tip applicators are available in packs of 5 with a choice of ¼” & !/2” inch long tips. These fit on Deluxe Material glue bottles & other similar- glue bottles.

Deluxe Materials also do a pack of six plastic tube fine-tip glue applicators, ideal for the likes Roket Card Glue. These if they get clogged can be cut down with a knife or pair of scissors. They can also be stretched to make the longer if required. Ideal for those really awkward joints & corners

And finally, if you lose the top of your glue bottle, Deluxe Materials does a replacement Re-Cap set, which also contains a fine-tip glue applicator.

To recap…

So in closing, this blog guide we hope the above information will help you with making a more informed decision when next purchasing that next kit, with what the correct glue you’ll need for the kit assembly. We recommend keeping various suitable types of glue in your tool kit, along with some spare tips just in case you get a clogged applicator!

Where Can I find the Glues & Glue Tips?

Head on over to the glues section of our website where you can find the above selection of glues & glues & applicator tips.  Check out the glues & glue tip applicators on our website here.

Happy Modelling!