PRESERconVersATION
What Glues Should I Use?
As there are so many types and brands of adhesive on the market today, it can be difficult and confusing trying to choose one that will not harm your artworks (prints, posters, watercolours), photographs, newspaper clippings, ephemera, etc. This article suggests some appropriate adhesives or other attachment methods for your valued paper items and some you should avoid at all cost.
Not recommended:
- Rubber cement - it is impossible to remove and will discolour and stain.
- Blu-Tack - leaves an oily stain or residue on paper in a short time and loses strength.
- PVA white glue (poly vinyl acetate) - impossible to remove and will stain.
- Animal glues - dry hard and brittle, with yellowing and staining. They are very difficult to remove.
- Gums, Mucilage (e.g. Clag) - difficult to remove and goes brittle and hard with age.
- Pressure-sensitive tapes (sticky tape, magic tape) - many yellow with time, stain badly and are very difficult to remove.
Recommended:
Recommended methods are those which do not damage or stain the item. Adhesives should be non-toxic and, ideally, should be reversible allowing easy removal.
- The best method is a non-adhesive one that uses plastic (Mylar polyester or polyethylene) sleeves. Insert the item into the sleeve with a paper backing sheet.
- Paper or Mylar corners can be used to hold items to pages; the corners are stuck to the backing page with double-sided acrylic tape or starch paste.
- Paste made from wheat or rice starch (not flour!) is the most highly recommended adhesive. Follow the recipe at the bottom of the page to make it, or you can buy a prepared wheat starch paste from archival suppliers. Another adhesive can be made from methylcellulose (CMC, Methocel) available in powder form from archival suppliers. Take care to follow the instructions supplied with the powder closely.
- Glue Sticks are lipstick tube like containers of acrylic paste and are reasonably safe in small amounts. Choose one that is white rather than clear. UHU is a suitable brand. They are OK for sticking items such as photos by the back corners to a paper page.
- Acid-free paper tapes with pressure-sensitive or heat-activated acrylic adhesives may be used for tears in paper and for hinging artworks to mounts. They are available from suppliers of archival products but may be expensive.
Avoid sticking any tape to the front or image area of any valuable item or artwork.
Starch Paste Recipe
Put one tablespoon wheat starch (e.g. Silver Star Starch) into a small microwave-safe bowl and add 5 tablespoons distilled water. Microwave on High for 20 seconds, remove and stir thoroughly with plastic or wooden spoon. Repeat about 4 times until paste is thick and translucent (recipe based on 650W oven). Let paste stand to cool, then force it through a plastic sieve and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator. To use, dilute the paste with water. This makes a small amount for immediate use. It will keep for a few days in the fridge.
