Fabric Glue vs Hot Glue comparison

The main difference between fabric glue and hot glue is their using process, drying time, and working materials. When fabric glue is the best mending assistance for flexible materials rather than sewing. The hot glue is perfect for hard and thick material.

Lots of factors between these two glue types separate their functionality. Let’s explore how they differ.

In terms of the manufacturing materials, using purpose, application types, and other factors, you can not expect the same result from hot and fabric glue. 

Because these two types of glue are made for two different applications. Here are how they are different in their fundamental areas-

Specification Fabric Glue Hot Glue
Made of Water, Cornstarch, corn syrup, vinegar Polymers, and various additives
Using process Through nozzle of the tube Need glue gun & stick
Waterproof 100% 100%
User’s Type Anyone from children to adults Professionals only
Application Type Mending traps, vinyl seats, umbrella, clothing, cushions, and many more Repairing non-slip hangers, resizing rings, making wands, repairing decorative items like bath toys, and for many other industrial perspectives with wood, metal, etc
Temperature 32°C Max 375°F Max
Drying Time 2 to 4 Hours (48 hours to get the best results ) It releases fumes that can make it toxic in some extents
Toxicity It’s safe to use It releases fumes that can make it toxic in some extents
Diameter of Glue Stick N/A 12MM (full-size) & 7MM(mini-size)

It brings a terrible feeling if any of our favorite clothes are torn. It seems like throwing is the last solution unless it’s sewable. However, fabric glue is right here to help you repair your much-loved clothes in a quick way.   

A liquid adhesive that is made to mend or repair flexible materials, like vinyl seats, tarps, clothing, outdoor gears, etc. is mostly known as fabric glue. It is an ideal solution for constantly bending or stretching materials. 

Fabric glue is the perfect alternative to the most traditional thread and needle for sewing. Amazingly it is waterproof, and you can wash the materials after repairing. 

From upholstery to curtain, what not you can mend with fabric glue! It’s an easy yet strong solution to cloth tearing.

  • Usable for almost all types of materials
  • Easy to use and require no hassled process
  • Leaves the fabric flat and creates no ripples
  • Easy to remove & affordable
  • It needs a lot of effort to clean the glue from your skin.

Unlike fabric glue, hot glue isn’t that flexible. Although it’s waterproof, it’s not an easy solution for fabric-type materials due to its thickness. 

But, yes knowing your fabric types and their temperature resistance level, you can also use hot glue on fabric. Here’s a detailed discussion on how to use hot glue on fabric.  

This glue contains additives like resins, plasticizers, waxes, and polymers. It’s great to use on different materials for mending or fixing purposes. 
It gives a constructional strong bonding for bulky jobs with metal, wood, or other hard materials. It just can be an excellent way out if you need an immediate solution for crafting.

  • Offers a successful bonding for hard materials
  • Takes very less time to fix & efficient to last longer
  • Versatility & flexibility makes it easier to use
  • It can ruin some of the materials due to wrong application
  • It’s awfully risky to skin and your skin can be burnt if a single drop fall on your skin

Once you use them, you’ll understand how perfect these items are according to your necessity. However, all you need is to choose the right one. Various factors distinguish fabric glue and hot glue. Considering these factors, you’ve to find out which one is your best fit.

Both fabric glue and hot glue come in different types. Such as

The main three types are-

Household Glue: It’s perfect for temporary fixing to eliminate the sewn hassle.

Spray Fabric Glue: When you need to apply glue and wash it away after a certain period, the Spray fabric glue will be the right one.

Fusible Web Fabric glue: You can choose this glue to fuse the materials.

This glue comes into multi-temperature glue sticks to allow you to use it either for low-melt or hot-melt glue guns. Hot glue is also categorized into three different types-

High-Temperature Hot Glue: This high-temp glue will offer a tough and strong bonding for heavy-duty materials, for instance, wood, metal, ceramics, magnets, plastics, and other non-porous materials.

Dual-Temperature Hot Glue: This glue comes with high and low temp settings when dealing with bulky tasks. The high temp will deliver a quick and robust bond, and the low setting will provide the delicate touch.   

Low-Temperature Hot Glue: The low-temp setting is a perfect fit for melting the glue stick at cooler temperatures while working with fragile materials. 

Winner- Both

Both of them are in various types and aren’t the same in use. You have to choose them according to your necessity and material type.

It’s a multi-purpose repairing substance and easily usable for lightweight and small objects. The fabric glue is comparatively thinner and suits everyday usable craft items. Most interestingly, you can make fabric glue at home by following simple instructions. 

Besides clothing, you also can repair the soft items made of plastic, or leather. So, if you get a rip no matter whether on your clothes, camping gear, or any other toys,  get  your fabric glue out without worry. And, fix your favorite object to last for years. 

Since it’s found in different diameters, you can use it from all sorts of home repairs to tiny industrial repairing purposes. 

However, it’s not suitable for lightweight or thinner materials, instead it is designed for heavy materials. So, applications like furniture making are well-suitable with hot glue.

What’s more, it’s even highly appreciated as a car dents removal. Incredible!

Winner- Depends on your necessity

You can distinguish them easily considering their temperature-

The temperature ranges between 10°C and 32°C or 50°F to 90°F. And this temperature is perfect to get a good bond. 

The difference is huge when it’s the temperature for hot glue. It ranges between 120°C 190°C or 250°F and 375°F. This temperature brings a negative impact at bonding the repaired parts if there’s excessive humidity in the air. 

Winner- Fabric Glue

They don’t come with a similar usage procedure. Fabric glue requires no additional accessories like glue gun or glue stick whereas these are the must-have add-on to apply hot glue.  

The bottle of fabric glue comes with an already-attached nozzle, so you don’t need to spend extra money. Here’s how you can apply it- 

  • Apply the right amount of glue in the required surface
  • Press the parts tight 
  • Keep it in a safe place to dry (Ensure the mending parts won’t slip away)
  • Don’t wash until it dried perfectly

To apply the hot glue, you need a glue gun along with a glue stick. Remember the glue stick comes in different diameters  according to the glue gun size. 

If you use a full-size gun, it will require a 12mm glue stick where the diameter will be 7mm in terms of a mini-size glue gun. This is how to apply hot glue-

  • Load the glue gun with glue stick and nozzle
  • Plug in the gun and let it heat up
  • Now squeeze the gun trigger and release as much glue as you need
  • Let it dry 

Winner- Fabric Glue’

The drying rate is another essential factor that makes a huge difference between these two items. 

This thin glue liquid has a slow drying process, and it takes around 2 to 4 hours to dry. Therefore, material slippage is a serious concern in terms of this glue application. 

The materials can be slipped away if you are unaware of where to keep them for drying. It requires around 48 hours to get you the best results when you can be confident enough to wash your glued materials.

Tip: Using a hair dryer can speed up your drying process.

When you need to dry, the hot glue comes in opposite of fabric glue. The hot glue requires less time to dry and gets a quick fix. So, there’s no material slippage issue. It takes only around 10 minutes to give a good dry on the applied materials. So, it will offer top time efficiency than fabric glue. 

Unlike fabric glue, you don’t have to wait around 48 hours to get the best of it. Only 12 hours is sufficient where you can save 24 hours compared to fabric glue. 

Winner: Hot Glue

Using glue can risk your job sometimes as they are made of different addictive substances. 

This glue is made of water, corn syrup, cornstarch, and vinegar. So, using it won’t require any risk if it sticks to your skin. Although the fabric glue isn’t dangerous to skin,  we recommend removing it soon if it sticks.

It is made of additives that are completely vicious to human skin and if eaten. So, clean it as soon as possible once it sticks to your skin. And, of course, you should be careful while applying it. 

Tip: Wear safety gloves on your hands before you use this glue

Winner: Fabric Glue

The fabric and the hot glue are almost the same in their cleaning procedure. However, there’s a little difference between them-

You can use water to remove or clean the fabric glue. It’s easily removable and won’t make you much hassle. This glue is highly water-soluble due to its manufacturing materials. 

Leave your glued materials soak into cold water for hours/overnight. Then scraping off the glued parts using a knife will help you remove it with ease. 

On the other hand, hot glue requires a strong glue removal or acetone to remove it perfectly. Many users try water to remove it. Although water is workable sometimes, glue removal is the perfect substance to remove it.

Winner: Fabric Glue

To know, check this post about the procedure of how to remove glue from clothes.

There’re a few similarities between fabric glue and hot glue, for example-

Both the hot glue and fabric glue will give you a permanent solution. However, ensure the glued parts are carefully dried and not washed before they sit strong.

Once the repaired parts are dried properly, they won’t get damaged or tear/break again in touch of water. Because both the hot glue and fabric glue are water-resistant.

Choosing the right glue after researching all the above crucial factors is not a big deal. The fabric glue and the hot glue aren’t the same in their working areas and also in the application methods. These are fully different in their usage purpose. 

You can’t think of making wooden furniture with simple and child’s usable fabric glue. At this point, you must go for the hot glue to meet your professionalism.

To fix the regular stretching or breaking items, you can use fabric glue.

So, decide your purpose before choosing the glue. Remember, the simplest way to choose the right one is to consider the material and job type. Such as, hot glue is a perfect fit for heavy-duty work when the fabric glue is suitable for light work.

Fabric glue and hot glue are incredibly useful substances to repair things. You can use them from craft to all construction-related requirements. These household and construction adhesive agents are highly reliable to make your life easier. 

Therefore, we suggest you study all the essential factors that will help you purchase top-notch glue between fabric and hot glue. 

Leave a Comment