# Glue(s)



## drgwentzel (Apr 26, 2020)

Hello fellow modelers!

My name is Gene and I live in NJ. I just joined the group and I am definitely a beginner HO modeler. 

I am building a small layout for and with my grandchildren (5 and 6 years old). Therefore, I am not doing anything too big or too fancy.

My first question is: What is the difference between Woodland’s Scenic Glue, Elmer’s wood glue, Elmer’s Glue-All and PVA glue?

I will be starting my first wood model and I learned I can use Elmer’s Glue-All, but I could I use Scenic Glue?
Thanks for any help. 

Gene


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

The scenic glue contains talc which will settle down into a hard plug at the bottom of the vessel. It must be mechanically stirred, like paint, and then periodically shaken while using it. Elmers and other wood glues are polyvinyl acetate (PVA) based. The wood glues are good general adhesives, but not meant for ballast or scenery unless thoroughly diluted, with a couple of drops of dish detergent also added, to ensure penetration. On the other hand, the scenic glue, once thoroughly mixed, can be sprayed directly onto your prepared scenery, such as hard-shell scenery, to fix the crumpled bits of green and brown ground foam that passes for shrubbery, grasses, and so on. Do NOT use scenic cements or sprays as adhesives between layers of foam or wood. Use the white or yellow glues, or use PL-300.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

As Mesenteria indicated, there are several adhesives that are useful around
the Layout. I am one who found the plain ole Elmer's white glue to be as
effective as any for such as attaching road bed and track to the benchwork...
it is also widely available and economical. Another advantage, it's water
based, so you can tidy up easily, and remove it when you inenevitably
make changes. 

For model structures I used the
generic version of Super Glue available at Harbor Freight for a fraction of
the cost. 

Don


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

The Woodlands Scenics glue is meant to hold scenery items, such as ground cover and bushes, in place on the layout. It is not intended as a construction adhesive. Elmer's Glue-All is a slightly stronger version of their School-Glue, which in my opinion really should be used for nothing more the gluing sheets of paper together. Elmer's Wood Glue is designed for gluing two pieces of wood together. PVA is a description of the chemical composition of most white and yellow glues. Polyvinyl acetate - Wikipedia
For gluing scenery items in place, it is much cheaper, and just as effective, to use a mixture of Elmer's Glue-All diluted 3 parts water to 1 part glue. Add a couple drops of liquid dish soap to the mix to help break down the surface tension of the glue.
Enjoy the time with your grand-kids! They'll be all grown up before you know it!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Another alternative to the glues described is Aleene's Tacky Glue, which is just thickened PVA (white) glue. It has much better initial "grab", and is less likely to ooze out (if you don't use too much).

For scenery materials, Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement is a good choice, but there are products you can make yourself for a fraction of the cost. Woodland Scenics stuff is actually diluted acrylic matte medium. Matte medium is available in art supply stores for about $12 for a 16oz bottle. Dilute it 4:1 with distilled or filtered water, and add 2 drops of dish soap per cup of solution. Allow to settle over night. The talc will precipitate out, and you can decant the adhesive and discard the talc sludge.


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## Severn (May 13, 2016)

I've found the woodland scenics cement? Goes through a spray bottle head with ease. I've found it harder to get the watered down Elmer's quite right in this way but it works also to spray over things like fake grass to get them to adhere to a base... Elmer's is of course way cheaper.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I find that for many applications, drizzling it on with a pipette works much better than a spray bottle.

My recipe for diluted matte medium works in a plant mister, though.


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## Severn (May 13, 2016)

I just happened to have run out of elmers which is what I normally use -- and had the unused bottle of (expensive) scenic cement sitting there. So I used it. On the plus side it sprayed very easily out of an empty bottle of windex. That sprayer which visually looked just about identical to my old bottle's sprayer -- sprays these glue mixtures better. My best sprayer so far!

As for elmers -- i haven't come up with the exact "right" formula for a mix. I use a lot water and some alcohol and shake vigorously until it appears about right. But in truth, I have no idea how to properly thin it. Descriptions I've read tend to using either all water, a mix -- and quote some ratio. 

I will say that in using it even mixing it inconsistently like I'm doing -- it does work. And I do not get a sheen or anything either. (Note; this is on various kinds of small particle ground cover some of which appears as tiny fluffy balls to the "dust" as I like to call it... not sand or gravel mixtures which I have not tried yet.)


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