How To Use Glue for Wreath Making and Crafting

When making wreaths and crafting one essential tool every wreath maker and crafter needs to have on hand is Glue and lots of it! Glue is so important in the wreath making and crafting process that I keep a large supply on hand and use a variety of tools to apply it with almost every project. Below you find a guide to some of my favorite tools and some designer tips and recommendations on how to use glue for wreath making and crafting.

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1. What’s the Best Type of Glue Should You Use?

Glue Sticks – When using a hot glue gun or glue skillet you need a large supply of hot glue as you will use quite a lot of glue when designing your wreaths and silk floral arrangements. I recommend purchasing in bulk if possible, saving you time and money. Having to reorder too often and then wait for your supplies to arrive to finish a project can easily add additional costs (like shipping) to your project, not to mention delays in quickly getting your project finished.

Designer Tip: I highly recommend and personally only use Gorilla Glue Sticks. I mostly use the 4″ inch sticks but I have purchased the larger size sticks on occasion. In my opinion and not sponsored, Gorilla Glue Sticks are the best glue to use in all my wreath making and crafting projects! I found it more cost effective to purchase them in larger quantifies online.

2. What Type of Glue Gun Should You Use?

High Temperature Glue Gun – One essential tool I recommend for beginning wreath makers as well as more seasoned makers is a high temperature glue gun. Using a high temperature glue gun to attach your floral stems, greenery bushes and any other wreath or floral enhancements to your designs will help assure that these elements are securely attached to your wreath base or floral containers. I have found that high temperature glue works better than any other glue type especially if your project is intended for outdoor use. I find that a glue gun is just enough to quickly fix an issue I may have without having to wait on a large glue skillet to reheat.

I personally use a cordless glue gun. I like that the cord doesn’t get the way of my design when applying the hot glue. The one I use also has an automatic shut off feature which on many occasions I have accidentally forgotten to shut the glue gun off so I love that if I do forget, I have that added security.

3. What Glue Skillet, Sometimes Called a Glue Pot Should You Use?

Glue Skillets – If possible, purchasing a good glue skillet is something I recommend highly and should be added to your wreath making and crafting maker toolbox as soon as possible. Although not necessarily needed at the beginning of your wreath making and crafting journey, it has many benefits and overall, you will not regret having this tool on hand! I believe in giving you more than one recommendation when it comes to glue skillets because not all makers and crafters are at the same point in their wreath making and home decor journey. Here are a few that I use and recommend.

My original glue skillet and one that I still use today is one that I purchased online. It’s really an ordinary “fry skillet” and they come in a variety of sizes. The 8″ inch skillet fits perfectly on my worktable but I have seen them in a 12″ inch sizes as well. You can find one similar to what I use here. The most important thing to remember is to purchase one that has a variable temperature knob and an on/off switch. Always be sure to turn your skillet off when your not working on your project.

Another glue skillet and one that I recently purchased and I highly recommend (not sponsored product) as well is the Sure Bonder Glue Skillet. It has a temperature regulation knob and what I love most is that it also has a “on/off” switch like my original glue skillet. This skillet is the perfect size, especially for beginners. It’s about 7″ inches wide and takes up very little space on my worktable which gives me more design space!

Designer Tip: I highly recommend placing any hot glue skillet on top of a temperature resistant surface to avoid any burns and/or damage to your work surface below. Years ago, I started using a ceramic tile from a local home improvement store under my glue skillet. I mentioned this in one of my wreathing groups I belonged to at the time and man did that tip take off like lightning and now everyone’s recommending it! I like using a great Silicone Work Mat and another good one and comes with some other useful hot glue tools here.

4. How To Tell When Your Glue is Ready for Use?

Another tip that I “must” include is how to tell when your glue is ready for use. First you need to adjust the temperature of the glue in the skillet. If your skillet is full of glue…I usually set mine at around 400 degrees but depending on the skillet you purchase, your settings may be different from mine. The temperature of the skillet can be affected by the amount of glue you have in the skillet. Sometimes if my glue is low and I have not adjusted the temperature or added more glue the skillet may begin to smoke. And sometimes, if I accidentally turn the temperature regulator too high it will smoke as well. Anytime you see smoke coming from your glue skillets immediately turn the temperature down. Be very cautious of not touching the glue because it can easily burn you. The smoke means that the glue is way too hot and you do not want to risk burning yourself. Once you lower the temperature and add more glue you can adjust and regulate the temperature back to a workable consistency.

I get asked a lot about what the consistency of the glue in the skillet should look like when it’s ready for use. The best consistency in my opinion is that when stirred the glue should drizzle like honey. I use a couple of dip sticks in my glue skillet when I need to add glue in larger amount to my projects. I mostly use a wooden stick like a wooden spatula, but on occasion I have used a chip brush with natural bristles and a wooden handle or even a leftover floral greenery stem. Note: I never use any metal objects with my glue skillet. The metal will get hot and you can easily burn yourself! The only metal I use “briefly” and “working quickly” is when I dip a floral stem that has steel pick on the end for a few seconds just enough to get glue on the end of the pick so that I can insert my stem into my project.

5. What About Using Glue on Sign Attachments?

Using glue when adding a wooden sign attachment to your Wreath is recommended for added security ensuring that your sign doesn’t come lose after you’ve added it to your wreath. I recommend using small dollop of Rapid Release Dap Glue your sign first, then press a Zip Tie Mount on top of the Dap Glue. You’ll need to give it a minute or two to set then your ready to add your wire or chenille pipe cleaners to finish sign attachment.

I hope this How To Use Glue for Wreath Making and Crafting will help guide you on your wreath making and home decor journey. I would love to know if you have a favorite tip for using glue, please comment below, I would love to hear about it!

Check out my YouTube Channel Sweet Tea Makery where I share video tutorials showing you in person many of the Designer Tips and Tricks I use.

XOXO, I am looking forward to sharing more about The Art of Wreath Making with you!

Peggy – Owner and Creative Designer

Sweet Tea Makery, LLC and TheArtofMakingWreaths.com