I finally ruined a book cover with bad glue

I was binding a novel for a friend last Tuesday and used this cheap PVA I got from a dollar store near Cincinnati. The glue bled right through the spine fabric and left these ugly yellow stains that won't come out. Has anyone else had a glue brand totally wreck their project like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlesj467d ago

Oh man, that dollar store glue is always a trap. I tried some no-name craft PVA once and it left my covers feeling all sticky and weird even after it dried. The yellow stains sound brutal though, like it reacted with the fabric or something. I've had good luck with Lineco pH neutral PVA for bookbinding, it's a bit more upfront cost but it never bleeds or stains for me. That cheap stuff just isn't made for anything that needs to look nice, it's more for like, school projects that get thrown out.

ellis.charles2d ago

Did you try scraping some of it off while it was still wet? I had the exact same thing happen with a cheap PVA from the hardware store, that stuff is just not meant for paper or fabric. Mine actually turned a gross orange color over time and made the whole cover look like it had a tea stain or something. I feel like those no-name glues have some kind of filler or additive in them that reacts with certain materials, especially if the fabric has any kind of coating. It's a real bummer when you put the work in and then the glue ruins it. That's why I stick with the proper stuff now too, it's just not worth the headache to save a few bucks.

spencer_johnson227d ago

You try pulling it off at all or just letting it dry? Wondering if the glue soaked into the fibers or if it's sitting on top.