Glitter glue has always been a great thing to work with. Especially as an artist, I enjoyed using this sticky compound in my works, be it on posters or paper, or clay materials.
The glue is so versatile that you can use it in different scenarios. But before that, you have to know how long it takes for glitter glue to dry. Assuming that, you get to continue the work accordingly.
Depending on the quality, it takes approximately 30 minutes to hours for the glitter glue to dry. Sometimes, you might need a whole day to dry it up.
Complicated stuff, right? Let’s break them down properly. This article will give you everything you need to know about glitter glue and its nature and acting on a surface. Without wasting much time, let’s dive into it.
Important
If you are a glitter glue user like me, you must be aware that it takes almost forever to dry. And waiting for it to dry is the worst part of the work.
You don’t always have time to let the glue set on its own, waiting for a long time. So, you need methods of drying it quickly, using different tools like a fan, hairdryer, or proper ventilation with adequate sunlight to speed up the drying time.
If you’re working in a dry environment, it will take minutes for your project to dry. But what if you’re working on a non-porous surface like paper? It’ll be tougher to dry on surfaces like acrylic nails, glass, plastic, etc.
Talking of plastic, it’s essential to know that glitter glue has to struggle to stick on the plastic surface as it’s non-porous and has a smooth and glossy texture.
So, you’ll have different drying times depending on the surface you’re working on.
What is Glitter Glue?
Glitter glue is a favorite choice of the craftspeople as it is fun to use in home crafts and DIY projects. The sparkly texture of the glitter is its main attraction.
It’s an adhesive used for joining craft materials like papers, plastics or fabrics, etc. You can also use it for the embellishment of crafting.
In short, glitter glue is a water-based adhesive made with glitter particles enclosed within it.
There are contradictory opinions about the uses of glitter. Some craftspeople favor glitter, but some of them have strong opinions against it, as working with glitter is a messy job.
But along with me, every crafter is fond of the appearance of glitter. That is why glitter glue has a considerable fan base, as it allows the user to work with glitters in a hassle-free way. If you don’t want to use traditional glitter, it can be an excellent alternative.
The sparkles remain inside the adhesive in glitter glue, so the glitter flakes can’t get scattered all over the workplace.
Does Glitter Glue Dry Completely?
Yes, glitter glue dries out completely. But drying of glitter glue depends on the application and atmospheric conditions.
Glue is water-based. So, when the glue comes in contact with the sun’s heat, the water in the glue gets evaporated, and thus, it dries out.
If you’re having trouble drying it out, try to find a spacious place where sunlight is accessible. That will be helpful.
What if it’s nighttime or there’s no sunlight available? Well, nothing to worry about. You can use a hairdryer or a fan to get the job done. It will dry better in a warmer place than in a cold atmosphere. Moreover, if the material is cellular, it can be quickly dried out.
How Long Does Glitter Glue Take to Dry?
Before answering how long glitter glue takes to dry, we must consider some essential factors. They are-
Types of glitter glue
Taking about the types of glitter glue, there are various types. Such as-
- Mod Podge Extreme Glitter.
- Crayola Washable Glitter Glue.
- Liquid Washable Glitter Glue.
- Ranger Stickle Glitter Glue and many more.
Each type of glitter glue has a different drying time. For example, mod podge extreme glitter glue takes 15-20 minutes to dry. On the other hand, Crayola washable glitter glue takes 30 minutes to 24 hours to dry.
Uses and Applications
Different types of glitter glues have different applications and drying times depending on the surfaces. For example, glitter glue will evaporate quickly on fabric and paper.
Because fabric and paper have a lot of pores on their surfaces, these pores allow the liquid portion of glitter glue to evaporate through them and make the surface dry quickly.
In the case of fabric, you have to wait at least 2 hours to dry the glue completely. But it varies depending on how much glitter you have to dry. You may have to wait up to 4 hours.
So, be patient and check after 10 minutes whether the glitter glue is dry or not. The glue shouldn’t be touched until it completely dries.
So, we can say that glitter glue takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes to dry on a fabric completely, and the fabric is fully washable after 48 hours of applying the glitter glue.
Atmospheric condition.
Atmospheric Condition has a significant effect on the drying of glitter glue. It will dry faster in warmer conditions. Because in highly humid conditions, the liquid portion of the glitter glue will not evaporate faster.
So, a cold condition is required to monitor the drying fast. You can use a hairdryer, air conditioner, external fans, etc., to boost the process.
So, we have to consider these three factors before applying glitter glue on different surfaces.
How To Make Glitter Glue Dry Faster?
It takes a considerable time to dry glitter glue. You have to wait approximately 15 minutes to 24 hours to dry the glue completely, which is a waste of time.
But what if I want an instant solution? We have figured out some easy solutions to this problem.
Follow these techniques, and you will surely be able to save time by drying your glitter glue faster. Let’s have a quick look at those techniques.
Use Hairdryer
- Firstly, you need to plug in the hairdryer and set the dryer to low or medium heat. Because the hairdryer’s heat is too high, it will damage the wet glitter glue. And you won’t get the result that you wanted.
- Secondly, keep the hair dryer closer to the glittering surface and turn on the hairdryer.
- Next, hold your hairdryer about ten inches from the surface of your glitter glue and point the hairdryer to the glitter glue. If the distance between the hairdryer and the glue surface is maintained correctly, the wet glitter glue won’t wrap.
- Don’t keep the hairdryer steady. Move the nozzle of the hairdryer back and forth over the surface of the glitter glue to give an equal distribution of heat.
- Repeat this process for 2 to 5 minutes. After five minutes, check the glue to whether it is scorched.
- To check whether the glitter glue is dry or not, check the color. If it’s clear, that means the glue has dried properly.
Fan will work
Use a fan to make the glitter glue dry faster. It is one of the most common and easiest drying methods. To try this-
- First, you need to make sure your glitter glue surface won’t move with airflow.
- If you’re using a large standing fan, hang your glitter glue surface up so that the airflow can hit the surface directly.
- Turn the fan on and keep the fan speed medium to low. Then, point the fan to the glitter glue surface.
- Then, you have to wait at least 10 minutes to dry glitter glue completely. But it varies depending on how much glitter you have to dry. So, you may have to wait up to 20 minutes. You have to be patient and check after 10 minutes whether the glitter glue is dried or not. You shouldn’t touch the glue until it completely dries.
- Thus, you can dry your glitter glue surface within 10 to 20 minutes by using a fan.
Sunlight Helps
Have you ever thought of taking help from sunlight to dry the glitter glue? It’s a complete solution for drying the surfaces. For doing this-
- Firstly, you need to keep your glitter flue surface for 20 minutes on a sunny spot in front of a window. The heat of the sunlight will help to evaporate the water from the glue and make the surface dry.
- If the weather is rainy or dumped, you shouldn’t be trying this method.
- Then, you have to wait for at least 20 minutes. Check the glue after 20 minutes, whether it is dried or not.
- Generally, this process takes more time than the other two techniques of using a hairdryer and fan.
Try Room Heater
Ever tried a room heater for drying the wet glitter glue surface? Let’s try this method.
- First, keep the glitter glue surface in the room where the heater was set up earlier.
- Then, you need to shut down all the windows and doors available in that room.
- Finally, turn on the heater. Tune the heater to a warm temperature and let the heater work properly to dry the glitter glue surface.
It takes 10 minutes to 20 minutes to dry the glitter glue properly. This is an excellent method when the sun is unavailable for too long. You should try this method, especially in damp or rainy weather.
FAQs
Why does your glitter glue not dry?
Glue is a mixture of polymer and water. So, it’s a water-based substance. The drying of glue takes place when it comes in contact with the sun’s heat. The heat causes the water in the glue to evaporate, and thus, it dries out.
Sometimes, it is difficult to work with glue when it’s not drying correctly. There are specific reasons responsible for this.
The glue dries and cures the fastest when subjected to heat or a comparatively high temperature than usual. So, if you are working on a day where the temperature is shallow, then the glue or glitter glue won’t be able to dry.
Choose a sunny, warm day of low humidity. When the amount of moisture in the air is low, then the water particles of the glue are quickly vaporized. Otherwise, you might face your glue to being not-drying.
If the glue is inside a bottle, it won’t get dry. Because there is not enough air inside a bottle for the glue to evaporate the water and it’s unable to form a chemical bond with the plastic surface.
Does glitter glue dry on glass?
Indeed, you can apply glitter on glass. But if it’s not applied correctly, it’ll simply peel off the glass surface. The glitter has to be sealed to stop it from falling off the glass. There are several ways to get it done.
Does blowing on glue make it dry faster?
After working with glue, we often try to blow it up so that it dries out faster. But what is responsible for it is the humidity of your breath.
Usually, glue is a component sensitive to temperature. So, a little touch of warm air can help to speed up the time and go a long way to set the glue. Blowing makes the glue fog up and its surroundings from the fumes released by the glue.
Does glitter glue dry faster in the freezer?
As discussed earlier, glitter glue or any kind of adhesive dries better in a warmer place than at a low temperature. So, putting glitter glue in the freezer to dry it faster isn’t the best decision.
If you put the glued object inside the freezer, it will not recover properly. So the bonds will be broken easily and become fragile. Hot glues tend to harden quickly when kept at low temperatures.
But usually, it is not necessary as they can dry in a familiar atmosphere without any extra help.
Does glitter glue dry on plastic?
The plastic itself is a glossy and smooth surface. So it’s tricky to stick glitter on such a surface. But with some strategies, a durable finish can be obtained. When the glitter glue on the plastic surface dries, it peels off quite easily.
To seal the glitter on a plastic surface, use a decoupage medium. Mix the glitter directly with mod podge and apply it to your project with the help of a foam brush.
Let it dry and put another coat on. Repeat the last step to get a dewier finish. Thus, you can get your job done even on a plastic surface.
Final Words
Now it’s time to enjoy working with it. Implement the techniques discussed in ‘How Long It Will Take for Glitter Glue to Dry’ accordingly to make it an excellent experience for your craft life.
Whether you like to work with glitter or not, it indeed gives your DIY projects a delicate and sheen finish. Once you get the techniques for the drying glitter glue, the game is in your hand. Keep on flourishing your creativity using colorful glitters and bring out its best.
Related Content: