Adhesives are essential for countless DIY, crafting, and home organization projects. But with so many options on the market, it can be tricky to know which is best for your specific needs. Two popular choices are glue dots and double sided tape. But how do they compare? Which is the better option?
Bonding Strength
One of the most important factors when selecting an adhesive is its sheer bonding strength and ability to hold items together securely. Glue dots are renowned for their exceptional, long-lasting bonding power, often outperforming double sided tape.
The adhesive used in glue dots can withstand significant weight, pressure, and movement without losing its grip. This makes them perfect for heavy duty applications where a permanent, rugged bond is essential.
While double sided tape can still provide adequate holding power for many uses, glue dots form an incredibly strong, durable connection that simply won’t budge under force or impact. If you need two items to adhere securely for a long period of time, glue dots are likely the better choice.
Versatility
Another key consideration is the versatility of the adhesive and its ability to bond to different materials and surfaces. Glue dots have a distinct advantage in this regard, able to adhere firmly to an exceptionally wide range of surfaces.
Glue dots form excellent bonds on materials like paper, plastic, metal, glass, wood, and fabric. Remarkably, they even work on irregular, curved, or textured surfaces that may cause issues for other adhesives.
Double sided tape, while still versatile in its own right, can struggle with certain delicate materials or textured surfaces that don’t provide a perfectly smooth bonding platform. Overall, glue dots offer superior versatility for varied craft, home, and office applications.
Precision and Neatness
For many projects, the precision and neatness of the adhesive application is also an important factor. Glue dots excel in this area.
The small, pre-formed uniform dots allow for very precise, controlled placement. There’s no need to cut pieces of tape to size or apply liquid glue neatly. Just peel and stick the pre-cut dots where needed.
This precision also lends itself to a cleaner application with less potential for messy residues or overflow of adhesive. For delicate projects, or any application where tidy precision is paramount, glue dots deliver excellent control.
Ease of Use
Both glue dots and double sided tape are designed for convenience, requiring no advanced skills or special tools. However, glue dots offer slightly better ease of use for most basic applications.
After peeling off the backing, glue dots can simply be pressed firmly in place exactly where needed. There’s no alignment required as with tape, and no concerns about applying too much adhesive.
For simple household uses, crafts, and office work, glue dots provide a quick, mess-free way to adhere lightweight items. Their pre-cut form and lack of liquid adhesive makes them more user-friendly for many everyday fixes and projects.
Cost Effectiveness and Longevity
When evaluating the value of different adhesives, it’s important to consider both upfront cost and the longevity of the bond over time. While double sided tape may seem like the more affordable option per roll, glue dots often provide better value in the long run.
The superior durability and holding power of glue dots translates to bonds that can last for many years without failing. Double sided tape, though still useful for long-term applications in some cases, may weaken over time due to environmental factors.
Glue dots are also highly resistant to variables like moisture, temperature changes, and UV exposure. This improves their longevity versus many tape varieties when used for outdoor projects or in non-climate controlled environments.
Key Differences At A Glance
Here is a comparison table showing the key differences between glue dots and double sided tape:
| Factor | Glue Dots | Double Sided Tape |
| Bonding Strength | Exceptionally strong, long-lasting bond. Withstands weight, pressure, and movement without losing grip. | Provides adequate holding power for many uses, but can’t match the sheer strength of glue dots. |
| Versatility | Bonds firmly to almost any surface including paper, plastic, metal, glass, wood, fabric, curved, or textured surfaces. | Can struggle bonding to delicate or textured surfaces. Better suited for smooth surfaces. |
| Precision and Neatness | Small, pre-formed dots allow for very precise, controlled placement without mess or overflow. | Must cut tape to size. Potential for slightly messier application and adhesive overflow. |
| Ease of Use | Simply peel and stick pre-cut dots. No alignment or application tools needed. | Requires aligning tape and using applicator tool. |
| Cost Effectiveness | More expensive per roll but bonds last for years. Excellent durability and longevity. | Cheaper per roll but bonds weaken over time. More susceptible to environmental factors. |
What are Glue Dots?
Before comparing glue dots and double sided tape in more detail, it helps to understand exactly what glue dots are and how they work.
Glue dots are small, round adhesive dots made from high-strength glue. The dots have adhesive on both sides, protected by a backing that peels off to reveal the sticky surface underneath.
Glue dots come in various sizes, like small quarter-inch dots or larger dots around one inch in diameter. When pressed between two items, the high-tack adhesive bonds firmly to both smooth and irregular surfaces.
The glue itself is specially engineered to create powerful, long-lasting bonds between a wide range of materials. It can withstand heat, cold, moisture, and UV light without breaking down. This gives glue dots an advantage over lower-quality adhesives.
Glue dots have an impressive shear strength, meaning they can resist perpendicular forces trying to pull bonded items apart. And they often bond instantly with firm pressure, no clamping required.
Common Uses for Glue Dots
With their versatility and bonding power, glue dots lend themselves to a diverse array of applications. Some of the most popular uses include:
Crafting
For crafters and hobbyists, glue dots securely attach embellishments, photos, buttons, fabrics, and more to handmade cards, scrapbooks, wreaths, frames, and various papercrafts. Their clean application prevents wrinkling delicate papers.
Home Organization
Around the home, glue dots can neatly adhere photos, notes, and lists to surfaces like refrigerators, mirrors, and cabinets without damage. They also help organize cables and cords by bundling and securing them together.
Office and School Projects
In offices, classrooms, and study spaces, glue dots mount artwork, charts, posters, calendars, and photos to walls or boards without leaving holes or marks. They also assemble presentations and displays.
Packaging and Shipping
Glue dots temporarily or permanently affix labels, instructions, and promotions to packaging, boxes, tubes, and bottles. They also seal boxes, envelopes, and bags for shipping.
Temporary Holds
For non-permanent applications, glue dots provide a temporary yet secure hold for positioning items during construction and assembly. Once bonding is no longer needed, the dots can be removed.
Kids’ Projects
Glue dots are an ideal adhesive for younger crafters and students. Their mess-free application and instant grab make them easy for kids to use safely and neatly.
Removable Glue Dots for Fabric
Removable glue dots designed specifically for fabric offer convenient temporary bonding. These special dots securely adhere to fabric surfaces like clothing, linens, and upholstery, but can later be taken off without damaging the material or leaving residue.
Removable fabric glue dots are useful for:
- Temporarily securing appliqués, embroidered patches, or other fabric embellishments during sewing and crafting. Once the permanent stitches are applied, the glue dots peel off cleanly.
- Holding fabric in place on a work surface when cutting patterns or materials. The dots keep textiles from shifting without pin holes.
- Assembling quilt squares and other fabric pieces for easy handling. Once finished, the dots remove without marks.
- Attaching fabric samples, swatches, or notions to display boards for presentations or exhibitions.
- Affixing fabric pieces to backgrounds or backdrops when photographing products or models.
- Staging home décor like curtain tie-backs, pillow arrangements, or table linens.
Removable glue dots for fabric provide all the bonding strength of regular glue dots, with the advantage of leaving no messy residue on delicate textiles once removed.
Glue Dots vs. Double Sided Tape: Direct Comparison
Now that the basics of glue dots are clear, how do they stack up against go-to adhesive solutions like double sided tape? Here is a detailed, point-by-point comparison:
Bonding Power
As previously mentioned, glue dots form remarkably strong, resilient bonds between materials. The engineered adhesive creates a long-lasting connection able to withstand significant weight, pressure, shifts, and impact without loosening.
Double sided tape provides sufficient sticking power for many everyday applications. But glue dots ultimately achieve a superior bond, particularly for heavy-duty uses. For this reason, glue dots are the best choice for permanent fixes requiring rugged, unmoving adhesion.
Ease of Use
Applying either adhesive is quite simple, not requiring advanced DIY skills. However, glue dots offer a more user-friendly experience for most basic tasks.
Rather than cutting tape to size and ensuring proper alignment, glue dots simply peel and stick. There’s less margin for error. The pre-formed dots allow anyone to neatly adhere lightweight objects without the precision of tape application.
Cleanliness and Precision
Glue dots deliver a precise, controlled application every time. Since the adhesive is pre-portioned into tiny dots, there’s no mess or overflow. This allows for very accurate placement of dots for delicate projects.
In contrast, double sided tape requires cutting to size, which can result in sticky adhesive oozing out from under the tape. Tape strips can also catch on surfaces and peel up if not applied evenly. For any application where neatness and precision are key, glue dots perform better.
Shelf Life and Durability
Properly stored glue dots have a remarkably long shelf life, maintaining their adhesive properties for over a year in optimal conditions. The engineered glue resists drying out, retaining bond strength and tackiness even after periods of non-use.
Double sided tape is more prone to deteriorating over time, especially when exposed to humidity, heat, or other environmental factors. For long-lasting applications, glue dots are the more durable and resilient option.
Surface Versatility
Glue dots can form strong, lasting bonds on an exceptionally wide array of materials with varied textures and surfaces. From glass to fabric to rough wood, glue dots grab and hold tight.
Standard double sided tape performs fine on smooth, regular surfaces like paper and plastic. But materials with more texture can pose adhesion challenges for tape, while glue dots bond tenaciously to nearly any surface.
Specialty Options
Glue dots come in an array of specialized formulas for particular applications, like extra strength bonding, extreme temperature resistance, and removable options. More specialty tapes exist, but glue dots offer superior engineering and performance.
Cost Effectiveness
At first glance, a roll of double sided tape seems like the more affordable choice. But glue dots often provide greater long-term value through their longevity, durability, and versatility.
Considering their superior bonding power and ability to outlast tape, glue dots are the smarter investment for demanding applications requiring permanent adhesion. For light duty tasks, tape will suffice, but glue dots deliver better return on investment.
Final Verdict: Should You Choose Glue Dots or Double Sided Tape?
With all factors weighed, which adhesive reigns supreme? For light duty applications, crafts, and home projects, double sided tape remains a solid pick – easy to use and readily available. However, for the strongest, longest-lasting, and most heavy-duty bonds, glue dots are the clear winner.
If your project or application demands rugged, unmoving adhesion and you want a long-lasting fix, choose glue dots for superior bonding power. For delicate precision work, the pre-formed dots allow for neater, more controlled application compared to tape.