What Is Styrofoam Glue?

The first advantage of Styrofoam glue should be fairly obvious even if you aren't a serious hobbyist.  Anyone who has worked with small models or various hobbies knows how important it is to have the right tools for the job, and they also know that glue isn't just glue.  The difference between Gorilla Glue and the basic Elmer's white glue is huge.  The two aren't even close to being the same, and that's the same reason there are specialty adhesives just like Styrofoam glue or wood glue. 

What makes Styrofoam glue stand out for the use in hobbies?  In this case the glue is designed specifically to bond on a molecular level with Styrofoam, also known as polystyerene foam.  Because of the way these substances are created, normal glue can have a difficult time bonding with these surfaces.  However if bonding takes place down on the molecular level then you know the glue job is about as secure as you can possibly make it.

Another advantage of glue for Styrofoam is that it is relatively inexpensive.  There are several different companies that produce this epoxy and even more than one style: such as spray versus your more regular squeeze from the tube style.  One important note while we're on the topic: you should never apply glue from a hot glue gun directly onto a piece of Styrofoam.  This can cause melting, singing, or other damage and just isn't safe as that type of set up can increase the chances of injury.

This type of specialty adhesive isn't only used for specific hobbies and crafting individual pieces of slates of the material.  The Styrofoam spray glue can also be used on Styrofoam foam or other similar based materials that are in foam form.  This variety and ability to use for multiple types of projects is also a definite positive to going with the Styrofoam glue over a less effective and less specialized adhesive.

If you're wondering which Styrofoam glue is best, that's a hard question to answer.  The problem is that each project is going to be different and you might not want the same type of Styrofoam glue for a hobby building project as you do when working with a polyurethane foam.  In addition, any statement I make here for you about which brand is the best could change drastically in the future.  Two years ago many people considered 3M Styrofoam spray adhesive one of the best out there, but as of this writing it is the lowest rated of all the Styrofoam epoxies on Amazon.  Although another spray 3M has a pretty good rating at this point. 

Each brand is going to have it's own strengths and weaknesses.  UHU Styrofoam glue was another big name from a few years ago that you simply can't find anymore.  Right now three brands that really stick out as being some of the most popular are:

• FloraCraft
• Beacon Hold the Foam
• Crafty Dab

While there are others out there, when you're looking for the best when it comes to successfully gluing Styrofoam, these three are the ones that are going to really stick out.