Today I have for you a short little guide on how to use a wonderful craft material called rubber cement. It may have an odd name but it is really simple to use and easy to find. I use Elmer's brand rubber cement.
Before we start, you need to know a couple of things. Rubber cement can be dangerous if you inhale too much of the vapors. What are these vapors? According to Wikipedia rubber cement is basically an elastic polymer like latex mixed together with solvents that liquefy it. When the rubber cement dries, those solvents evaporate and only the rubber part is left behind. A small, closed room probably isn't the best place to work with rubber cement, so wherever you are, try to open as many windows as possible and breathe in that fresh air. Try to leave them open even after you're done because there might still be a lingering smell. Also keep in mind that rubber cement is extremely flammable, so exercise the necessary precautions.
When you open the container you'll find a brush connected to the cap. When you're working on a project, don't leave the brush out of the bottle for too long because the rubber cement on it might gum up.
Rubber cement works best on paper although I have used it to glue fabric to paper and it worked wonderfully. Porous materials work best but I have also heard that it doesn't work on wood, though I have never tried.
To apply rubber cement, take out the brush and scrape it against the edges of the bottle to remove excess rubber cement. Then, brush it evenly onto the material that you are gluing. Wait for it to dry - don't worry, it dries in seconds - and then carefully stick the two materials together.
You have two options when working with rubber cement. You can either apply it to one of the materials that you're working with or both of them. If you go with the first option, you will have a temporary bond that is not very strong. I used this when I was making my journal and I needed to trace a half piece of paper onto cardboard for the cover. I brushed rubber cement onto the paper and stuck it onto the cardboard so it wouldn't slide around. Later, I was able to peel it off easily. On the other hand, when I was applying decorative paper to the cover, I used the second method. I applied rubber cement to the paper and the cardboard to create a very strong, permanent bond. You have to be careful, though, that when you stick your two materials together that they line up nicely because it will be very hard to separate them once they have come in contact and you will end up damaging both materials.
Rubber cement is great for crafting because:
1// It doesn't wrinkle paper like white glue does.
2// It can create a temporary bond or a strong bond.
3// Once it is dry you can rub it off if you got it somewhere you didn't mean to.
I hope you found this post helpful!
Thanks for reading!
P.S. When the next post is up, I'll be off on my three-week vacation. Don't worry, though. I've scheduled lots of posts for the Tuesdays and Fridays that I will be gone and it will be as if I never left!
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