Gluing Fabric to Glass Tips: Best Glue and Helpful Guide
It is a neat way to turn cheap glass objects into decorative masterpieces. Gluing fabric to glass is just one way to upgrade the look of just about any household item made from that material. The tick is to use the right fabric glue.
One of the best tips you can get when you want to start on this type of project is to use a glue that dries without color. That one element will make or break your special craft project and either make it a million-dollar idea or a useless one.
To learn how to glue fabric to glass and make it look really nice just keep reading our article. It has the tips, the glue names and the details you need to know about to have your project looking like it belongs in the Louvre.
Gluing Fabric to Glass 101
Can You Glue Fabric to Glass?
This is not an impossible task to complete. All you need is the right glue, a plan, and some careful moving hands. If you have all of that then you should be able to glue fabric to glass.
Keep in mind that glass is not porous so there will be a lot of glues that just won’t work with that material even though they are perfect for fabric. As we said earlier, you want to use a glue that will dry and be transparent.
Mod Podge is an excellent glue for glass and fabric as it does dry clear and doe snot interfere with the look you are going for. The other key to gluing glass is to make sure it is clean, free from oil, and not dry. The oil freedom includes any oil coming from your fingertips.
Will Fabric Glue Work on Glass?
The vital factor in gluing fabric to glass is to read the label of the fabric glue you intend to use. The reason this is so important is that not all fabric glues are designed to bond to that glassy material.
To find the right glue you have to do a lot of reading and find out which ones will work when you want to place some fabric on glass. The fabric glue should easily work with any fabric you want but glass is going to cut your selection down quite a bit.
Then there may be those fabric glues that are too thick to flow across a glass surface. In those cases, you need to thin them down with acetone. In other words, there is going to be some work involved preparing the glue to adhere to the glass surface and remain there permanently.
Hot Glue Fabric to Glass
It is possible that you may think that hot glue is a one size fits all type of glue. That is far from reality and you should get rid of such thoughts. Hot glue has its place and its many uses but it does not seem to have a great bond with the glass.
But if you are stuck on using hot glue as you do not have a quality alternative then there is a trick you can do to make hot glue stick better. Just add some thick white glue to the surface of the glass and then add a drop or two of hot glue.
The hot glue drops will hold the items together giving the white glue time to dry. Also, watch out for the temperature you melt the glue at. Don’t go too high or you may burn or damage your fabric.
What Kind of Glue is Best to Stick Fabric to Glass?
There are several choices available that work quite well when you have a craft project that calls for decorating glass with fabric. One of the best choices is a spray glue that is designed to bond with glass and fabric.
Then you can use Mod Podge and do a decoupage treatment on the glass and fabric. That adhesive sticks well to both glass and fabric. Other top brands would include Gorilla, Aleene’s, Beacon’s, E-6000, and more.
You have a lot of brands out there that make a variety of adhesives that work on different surfaces. All you need to do is read the labels to find the one designed to handle glass.
It will take a little time but after reading the directions and instructions you should be able to come up with a top glue that handles glass.
Best Glue for Gluing Fabric to Glass
It is hard to say which adhesive is the best for sticking fabric to glass. There are so many good glues on the market that you should have no trouble picking out one or two to handle what you are working on.
Also, it will be a trial and error process as not all glues provide the same bond and some may be only for temporary use. You can try looking at those glues that are best for gluing glass to glass. Their bond may work well with the fabric.
Some of those brands are Loctite glass glue, Gorilla epoxy, Loctite super glass glue, Elmer’s china, and glass cement. Even if those suggestions do not work, those brand names do have alternative glues that may work well.
You can always as your neighborhood hardware store clerk or owner for their recommendations. They would have a good idea on which adhesive would work for glass and fabrics.
How do You Glue Fabric to Glass?
This will depend on the type of adhesive you are using. For example, the spray adhesive needs to be sprayed on evenly, holding the can back a few inches from the glass. Then you only need to wait about 5 seconds for the glue to be tacky enough to hold the fabric.
The good thing about using this option is that the fabric can be re-positioned until you place weight on it to finish the bonding process. For regular fabric glues or Mod Podge, you can brush the glue on to get an even coat and then apply the fabric.
You may not have the luxury of repositioning the fabric as you do with spray adhesives. The basic method is to make sure both the fabric and glass are very clean and dry. Also, watch out for hand oil that may contaminate the surface of the glass when you are not looking.
How to Glue Fabric to a Glass Plate
When you do this procedure keep in mind that the project you are creating is not going to be washable after you are done. These types of projects are for show only. So make sure the plate and the fabric are very clean and contamination-free.
The easiest way to apply fabric to glass may be the decoupage method. That is where you apply a coat of Mod Podge to your fabric using a foam brush. Make sure to get an even coat and no lumps.
Next, you apply the fabric slowly keeping it where you want it at all times. Once that is done, use a good tool to smooth out any wrinkles, lumps, or air bubbles. Then let dry for 30 minutes.
Apply another coat of Mod Podge over the back of the fabric and let dry. Then apply two more coats using the same process making sure you wait till the Mod Podge dries clear before starting the next layer.
You can then spray some polyurethane over the bowl and fabric to give it that protective coating that helps your project last.
Glue Fabric to Glass Jars
One way to attach the fabric to glass jars is to use a gel medium. That will help give you a nice bond between the two materials. The only thing you have to worry about is that the gel medium might make the fabric too wet and ruin the look of your project.
One recommendation is to use a spray adhesive as this is a dry glue that allows you to re-position your fabric until it is just right. These spray adhesives come in different strengths so you can find the right one for your task with ease.
The best thing to do is to read the labels carefully so you find the right product at the right price. The brands mentioned earlier will work on this project as they would on a glass bowl or plate.
Some Final Words
Glass is a difficult surface to glue a lot of materials to. Even glass has trouble being glued to glass at times. But if you use the right adhesive then this craft project is not out of your reach nor impossible to do.
Take the time to research the different brands to see which one will work best for you. Everyone has their own favorite glue to use so don’t be dismayed if you choose a different brand over a friend’s selection.
