If you've ever stood in front of a craft drawer trying to work out which UHU glue you actually need, you're not alone. Between the stick in the pencil case, the squeezy bottle on the craft shelf, the clear pen for cardmaking, and the thicker gel for sturdier jobs, it's easy to grab the wrong one and end up with wrinkled paper or a model that won't stay together. This guide walks through the four UHU products we stock for school, craft and scrapbooking work, and some honest answers to the questions parents, teachers and crafters ask most about UHU glue.
Meet the UHU Craft Family
UHU has been a staple in school bags and craft boxes for a long time, and for good reason: the core craft range is solvent-free and washable, which matters when small hands (or big, enthusiastic ones) are involved. For paper, card, photos and general school and craft work, there are really four options worth knowing, each earning its place for a different kind of project.
UHU Stic Glue Stick: The Everyday School Bag Essential
The UHU Stic glue stick (8g) is the one most people picture when they think "school glue." It's a solvent-free, washable, twist-up stick, so there's no mess and nothing to spill in a pencil case. A common question is is UHU glue stick permanent? Yes: once it dries on paper or card it sets permanently, even though it goes on washable and wet. That combination is why it works so well for classrooms, forgiving to apply but reliable once dry.
If you've seen people search for glue stick UHU 40g, it's worth knowing the UHU Stic range comes in different stick sizes for different markets, and we stock the compact 8g version, the practical size for a pencil case, craft box or classroom tray.
A few habits make a real difference: apply right to the very edges, not just the middle, or corners lift and curl later. Press down firmly while the glue is tacky, then twist the stick back down and recap properly. Left open on a desk, a glue stick dries out within days, usually the real reason a "broken" one is actually just a neglected one.
Because it's acid-free, UHU Stic is also safe for photo albums and scrapbooking, which brings us to a question a lot of scrapbookers ask directly: is UHU glue acid-free? Yes, the Stic formula is acid-free, so it won't cause printed photos to discolour or yellow over time.
UHU Arts & Craft Glue: For Bigger, Bolder Craft Projects
Once you move past flat paper into proper craft territory, cotton wool, pasta shapes, shells, cork, lolly sticks, the UHU Arts & Craft Glue (100g) is the better tool. Its squeeze bottle with built-in spatula gives controlled blobs exactly where you want them, much easier for building up collage work or sticking down natural materials a glue stick can't grip. It's solvent-free and washable like the Stic, and dries clear, a genuinely good all-rounder for a craft table where several materials get used in one session.
UHU Glue Pen: Precision for Cardmaking and Scrapbooking
For detailed paper craft, cardmaking or scrapbooking layouts, the UHU Glue Pen (50ml, clear) is worth having alongside a glue stick, not instead of one. It dispenses a fine, controlled line of clear, washable glue, ideal for small embellishments or layered paper elements where a glue stick would be too clumsy and liquid glue too messy.
If you're wondering how to use a UHU glue pen, draw a thin, even line of glue along the edge you want to bond, then press the pieces together while it's still wet. The question that trips people up more is how to open a UHU glue pen for the first time. Like most fine-tip glue pens, the nozzle needs priming: squeeze gently and dab the tip on scrap paper a couple of times until glue flows evenly, rather than assuming it's faulty if nothing appears on the first press. Recap it fully after every use; because the opening is so fine, a glue pen left uncapped dries out at the tip far faster than a glue stick does.
UHU All Purpose Gel: When You Need Extra Strength
The three glues above cover most paper, card and general craft needs, but sometimes a project needs something stronger, a 3D model, a repair, or bonding something heavier than paper. That's where the UHU All Purpose Gel (31ml) comes in. It's a thicker, non-drip version of UHU's classic all-purpose adhesive, so it stays put rather than running down a vertical surface while it sets, genuinely useful when gluing something upright or at an angle.
Unlike glue sticks and craft glue, it bonds wood, metal, glass, ceramic and most rigid plastics, plus Styrofoam, which the standard liquid version isn't rated for. It dries clear and won't wrinkle paper, a sensible step up for school projects that move into model-making, or for craft repairs around the house, though not a replacement for everyday paper work.
Scrapbooking Tips: Why Acid-Free Adhesive Really Matters
If you're building a scrapbook meant to last, acid-free adhesive isn't just a nice-to-have, it's the whole point. Acidic materials in some glues and papers can cause printed photos to discolour and pages to yellow over time, the opposite of what you want in something designed to be looked back on for years. Pairing acid-free glue with lignin-free paper or cardstock helps too, since lignin (found naturally in wood pulp) is another common cause of yellowing with age. Both UHU Stic and the UHU Glue Pen are acid-free and washable, which is why they're genuinely sensible choices for photo albums and scrapbook layouts, not just classroom crafts.
A couple of other habits help pages age well: use photo corners for anything you might reposition later, and apply glue right to the edges rather than just the middle, since lifted corners are usually what makes an older page look tired first.
Glitter Glue, Slime and Other Craft-Room Questions
If you're after glitter glue for a sparkly finishing touch, that sits in UHU's wider craft family alongside the Arts & Craft Glue, useful for a decorative flourish on cards and posters once the main construction is glued and dry.
On how to make slime with UHU glue, it's worth being straightforward: UHU doesn't officially market any of its glues as a slime ingredient, so slime-making is a crafter's own experiment, not an intended use. That said, PVA-style white craft glues are commonly used by home crafters for basic slime recipes, combined with a contact lens solution containing boric acid and sodium borate as an activator, plus a pinch of bicarbonate of soda, until the mixture turns stretchy. Treat it as a supervised, fun experiment rather than a guaranteed result.
Common Questions About UHU Glue
Is UHU glue PVA? Not exactly. UHU's craft range (Stic, Arts & Craft Glue and the Glue Pen) is a solvent-free, washable adhesive family that shares some handling qualities with PVA glues but is UHU's own formulation rather than a straight PVA product.
Is UHU glue vegan? UHU's solvent-free craft adhesives are synthetic formulations rather than animal-derived glues, reassuring for anyone avoiding animal products in craft supplies, though checking current packaging is always the safest step if it matters for a specific use.
Is UHU glue toxic? The craft range here is solvent-free and formulated for school and home use, which is why it's such a long-standing classroom staple. Younger children should still be supervised, and it shouldn't be ingested.
Is UHU glue safe for skin? The washable formulas are designed with everyday handling in mind, so the odd smear on fingers isn't something to panic about. Keep glue away from eyes, avoid prolonged contact, and give sensitive skin a quick wash afterwards.
How do you remove UHU glue from skin, hands, fingers or clothes? Because the craft range is washable, warm water and soap will usually lift it from skin with gentle rubbing while fresh; dried glue on fingers softens with a few minutes' soak in warm soapy water. On clothes, rinse in cold water, work in a little washing-up liquid or laundry detergent, then wash normally. Always check a care label and test an inconspicuous spot first on delicate fabric.
Which UHU Glue Should You Choose?
- Everyday school bag and quick paper fixes: UHU Stic Glue Stick
- Collage, natural materials and bigger craft table projects: UHU Arts & Craft Glue
- Cardmaking, scrapbooking and precise detail work: UHU Glue Pen
- 3D models, repairs and anything needing extra strength: UHU All Purpose Gel
You'll find the full range, along with the rest of our craft adhesives, in the UHU glue collection. Whether it's a last-minute school project, a rainy-day craft session, or a scrapbook you've been meaning to start, there's a UHU glue built for it, and the same simple habits (recap properly, apply to the edges, let it dry before handling) will make whichever one you pick perform as it should.
