Just realized I've been wrecking my bookcloth with the wrong glue

Spent $60 on a roll of nice buckram and used regular PVA glue like I always do, but it soaked through and left ugly dark stains all over the cover. Found out after googling that you're supposed to use a paste mix or pH-neutral stuff for coated cloth. Anyone have a go-to glue brand that won't ruin expensive fabric?

2 comments

2 Comments

alexlewis18h ago

Tbh you need Lineco neutral pH PVA, that's the go-to for bookcloth. The regular school glue or cheap PVA has too much water and soaks right into the fabric. I switched after ruining a whole yard of Japanese bookcloth and never looked back. Also check if your buckram has a paper backing or coating cause that changes everything. Paste mix is safer for coated cloth but it takes longer to dry and can warp thin boards. Just stick with Lineco and test on a scrap first, that would've saved you the $60 mistake.

the_dylan16h ago

Dude, same thing happened to me last year with some expensive Italian bookcloth. Thought I was being smart using my standard PVA and ended up with this nasty, uneven blotchy mess that looked like water damage. So frustrating when you think you're doing everything right and then you find out there's some secret handshake for the right glue. Lineco is legit though, that's what I switched to after that disaster and it's way more forgiving. I also started keeping a scrap bin specifically for glue tests, learned that lesson the hard way after wasting like $40 worth of fabric. The paste mix thing scares me a bit cause I'm too impatient for slow drying stuff but at least now we know better.