While the heart of scrapbooking may be paper, the soul of scrapbooking could indeed be adhesive. Scrapbookers use a variety of adhesives when working on their projects, and each adhesive type has its individual uses. It's easy to choose scrapbook adhesive when you understand the pros and cons of each type of adhesive.

Scrapbook adhesive can be divided into two major categories: dry adhesives and liquid adhesives. In general, dry adhesives are best for porous materials such as paper, and liquid adhesives are best for non porous materials such as plastic or metal. Liquid adhesives have a high water content, which can be absorbed by the paper and discolor it. However, liquid adhesives also generally have greater holding power, which is why it works best for chunky items.

Examples of dry adhesives are tape runners, double sided tape, Glue Stick, and adhesive sheets. Examples of liquid adhesives include craft glue, decoupage medium, and clear glazes.

When adhering paper to paper, it is best to use a dry adhesive. The moisture content in a liquid adhesive can be absorbed by the paper, causing the adhesive to bleed through the paper, resulting in a darkened spot or wrinkling of the paper.

Tape runners are great for applying adhesive to paper of just about any size, from small elements to large sections of a scrapbook layout. A tape runner provides a line of adhesive between 1/4" and 1/2" wide. If a large area needs to be adhered, a glue stick is easier and more cost effective to apply a thin layer of adhesive over a large area. Spray adhesives are also effective for large areas, but can be messy, particularly in enclosed spaces.

Xyron manufacturers a variety of adhesive application systems that allow you to effectively turn small shapes into stickers by pushing the shape through their applicator. These applicators are more expensive than tape runners, but far more effective for small die-cut shapes and letters.

Scrapbookers use a near endless array of embellishments in their layouts, so deciding which adhesive to use can be tricky. Choosing a scrapbook adhesive depends on the material that the embellishment is made of and whether or not the adhesive will be visible.

For small embellishments, such as gems, small flowers, and small buttons, glue dots are an excellent choice. Glue dots are small "dots" of dry adhesive that can be applied right to the layout and do not require drying time. They have excellent hold.

For larger embellishments or small embellishments that are chunky or heavy, a liquid craft glue can be used. The liquid formula allows the adhesive to flow into the nooks and crannies of an embellishment so it will hold it tight to the paper when it dries.

Recently, acrylic shapes have entered the scrapbooking world, from simple embellishments to full mini-albums. Acrylic provides a challenge because the elements are completely clear, so any standard adhesive will be visible. Vellum, while not completely clear, also has this problem, because any adhesive applied to the back side of the vellum is visible.

For clear elements that cannot be fastened via a mechanical means, such as an eyelet, brad, or staple, specialty adhesives are available to provide a clear layer of adhesive. Clear glazes, such as Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents, are clear acrylic adhesives that go on clear and dry clear. Clear glazes are best for acrylics, because they provide a crystal clear bond. However, as a liquid adhesive, clear glazes will be absorbed by vellum. For vellum, sheet adhesives that provide an adhesive layer over the whole piece of vellum are best.