How to Quickly Dry Elmer’s Glue
Elmer’s Glue is a popular type of crafting glue that you find used in schools and homes around the country.
It’s popular due to its ease of use, versatility, ease of cleaning, and fast-drying time. But, just how long does this type of glue take to dry, and are there things you can do to speed up the process?
Product specifications for Elmer’s Glue say that the glue will dry within 30 minutes, but you can speed up this drying time with a few easy environmental changes.
Also, the drying time will depend on the amount of glue you use, what you want to apply glue to, and how hot or cold the environment is.
If you’re curious as to how to use Elmer’s Glue and how to speed up the drying time, this is for you. We’re going to dive into this question below.
How to Use Elmer’s Glue
This product is very easy to use, and it’s easy to see why people love using it in craft projects or for smaller children in school during art class. To use this product properly, all you have to do is:
Apply a very thin layer of Elmer’s Glue to one surface before you lay the second surface over it. This will help you affix the two surfaces together by creating a bond. The more glue you use, the longer it’ll take to dry completely.
Get something to clamp the two surfaces together to hold them if you’re afraid that they’re going to slide apart and not stick properly. However, if it’s a thin enough layer of glue, you shouldn’t have a problem allowing it to dry without a clamp.
Put the items you glued together in a warm location that is at least 70-degrees Fahrenheit. It should also have plenty of air circulation going, and you can do this by setting a small fan upon it on low. This will encourage the glue to dry much quicker than it would in a cooler or humid environment.
Give the Elmer’s Glue 15 to 20 minutes to dry without disturbing it. If the glue looks clean and hard, this means that it’s dry. If the glue is still moist and opaque, you want to give it another 5 to 10 minutes to dry.
Ways to Make Elmer’s Glue Dry Faster
When you want to finish your newest projects, waiting for the glue to completely dry can be time-consuming and frustrating.
Different types of glue do come with different recommended drying times, and heat is generally the preferred method for drying glue quickly.
However, there are other ways you can dry it too, and we’ll go over them below. Always make sure your surface is dry, and you want to apply the thinnest layer of glue possible, so it dries faster.
Heat
You can leave your project in the sun if you want to dry bigger areas of glue, and your sunny spot can be either inside or outside. You should set it in the sun and leave it alone for several hours to dry.
It’s ideal because you don’t have to sit and monitor the glue’s process. For drying it indoors, pick out a well-ventilated room or open a few windows in the room the project is drying to encourage good air circulation.
You can also use a heater to increase the temperature in your room, and you want to put the project with wet glue.
Turn the heater on, set it to a comfortable temperature, shut any windows or doors in the room, and allow the heat to speed up the drying process.
Using a heater is better for the cooler winter months as it can be too much in the summer, and it works well if it’s taking too long to dry in the sun.
For small areas of glue, you can get a hairdryer out and hold it around a foot from your project and move it back and forth over it for two to three minutes.
You want to direct the air directly toward the wet glue and make sure you don’t use it for too long because the heat can damage your project. Keep a very close eye on it the entire time you’re using it.
Fans or Products
Elmer’s Glue will cure with exposure to air, so you want to use a fan and keep the area very well-ventilated.
The more air you expose your glue to, the quicker it’ll cure. So, you want to set up one or two fans around the surface of your project while you’re drying it, making sure that you turn the fans toward the sticky glue.
For super glue, you can apply an accelerator product because these products are designed to speed up the curing process.
Put your accelerator in a spray bottle and hold it around a foot away from the glue you applied.
Disperse it sparingly over the glue to give it an even coat while avoiding applying too much because this can make the surface turn white due to blooming. The glue will harden after a few minutes.
If you’re working with hot Elmer’s Glue, you can dry it instantly using a can of compressed air. Turn your compressed air can upside down and spray it over the glue you just applied to your project.
The compressed air will chill the glue and cause it to set, but you want to keep it away from your skin as it can burn on contact.
Tips for Applying Elmer’s Glue Effectively
You want to work in a warm environment that has a very low humidity level. Glue cures the fastest when the moisture levels drop, but the temperature goes up, so try to pick out a dry, warm day to work with your Elmer’s Glue.
A higher humidity level or a cooler temperature will slow down your glue’s drying time by several hours.
The surface should be clean and dry before you apply your glue, and you can wipe down the surface of your project to remove any excess water before you put down your coat of Elmer’s Glue.
If you’re working with wood that has a porous, damp surface, allow it to dry for two to three days until it feels dry to the touch. If you apply your glue to a damp surface, it’ll take much longer to dry.
Try to pick out a quick-drying glue if you possibly can. These types of glue are designed to cure quicker than standard types of glue.
Quick-drying types are great for simple projects, and you can get fast-setting glue in super or wood glues.
Make sure you use the smallest amount of glue you need for your project. Follow any directions you find on the glue’s label and only use as much as it states.
For Elmer’s Glue, you can easily spread a drop of glue out to one or two inches. You can use a toothpick or a thin piece of wood to spread it out thinner if you need.
Bottom Line
Elmer’s Glue is immensely popular for people of all ages due to how easy it is to use and how versatile it is.
You only need a little to tackle a huge range of projects, and it dries within 30 minutes to keep your projects on track. So, the next time you have a project, break out Elmer’s Glue and see how it works for you.
