Q&A for How to Use a Glue Gun

Just add another glue stick and use it to push through the shorter one.

No, the glue stick can remain in the gun until your next project.

Simply unplug it.

Yes. Glue sticks come in different sizes.

Give the gun 3 minutes to warm up, and then squeeze the trigger to check if the glue is flowing.

First, make sure you purchase the correct size glue stick for your gun—different guns take different diameter glue sticks. Slide the glue stick into the back of the gun, then press and release the trigger a few times. That will pull the glue stick all the way into the gun.

Usually the glue gun will start to drip hot glue when it's ready to use. That's why it's important to keep a silicon mat under the gun, so the glue doesn't stick to your surface.

Fabric glue is the best glue for fabric; it can be obtained from craft stores, stores stocking craft supplies or sewing/fabric stores. If you don’t have fabric glue, many craft glues will be suitable for gluing fabric; they should mention fabric on the label as one of the suitable surfaces. If you need a permanent, long-term adhesive for fabric, leather cement can be good, especially for affixing embellishments to fancy costume designs for theater, etc.

Yes, you can use hot glue on fabric, it is a good glue to use for this purpose. The recommended type of glue gun for use with fabric is a low temperature one (or you can use an adjustable temperature glue gun set to low). It is important to use the low temperature, to prevent burning the fabric; you’ll also need to use low temperature glue sticks or all-temperature ones. Always test a small piece of fabric first, to check it works well and use the usual safety precautions when handling the hot glue gun and glue.

Cool-melt glue sticks can be used in the hot glue gun provided it is a low-melt glue gun or an adjustable temperature glue gun. Do not use cool-melt glue sticks in a hot-melt glue gun.

Long strings of glue can be one of the problems of using hot glue. To fix this problem, use a hair dryer on the strings. A quick, short blast of the hot air will melt away the strings. Only do a short heating, as leaving it too long might melt the rest of the glue you’ve just added. If you’d rather rub off the strings, use rubbing alcohol or clear alcohol and a bit of paper towel to rub the strings away from the craft project; you can let the strings soak briefly in the alcohol before rubbing away if the glue is stuck.

The I and the O are international symbols referring to the power being on and off. The “O” stand for OFF, while the I or “ˆ––” means ON. These symbols will be found on other appliances with rocker switches, not just hot glue guns. Always turn the glue gun to the Off position when not in use.

A definite answer cannot be given without seeing the gun in question. However, there are things you can look for, such as: Check the trigger for the gun is working properly and pushing the glue sticks fully into the gun. Or, check the the glue sticks are the right type and/or size for the glue gun. Or, try turning off the glue gun and letting it completely cool down. Once cooled down, check for melted plastic and try to remove if there is any present (it can clog the passage of glue). Then, turn it on and try again; if it fails to work this time, it might be that the gun’s thermostat has broken and you will possibly need to buy a new glue gun.

Hot glue, also known as hot-melt adhesive, is a thermoplastic adhesive that has been poured into cylindrical tubes or sticks and sealed. When the stick is placed inside the glue gun, the glue is heated before pushing it through the gun onto the relevant project. Benefits of hot glue include ease of use, low toxicity and fast drying. Glue sticks can be bought for different temperature levels (low, medium and high) or for all-temperature use, depending on which hot glue gun type you have.

Yes, a hot glue gun can be used on paper and is ideal for paper projects that have a lot of detail or need assembling into three dimensional shapes, etc. Just be aware that the glue is hot and is not suitable for use by small children; for older children, use low-temperature glue and supervise their use of it.

Sometimes during the first use, the glue gun may have heated up no glue is coming out. If so, push the hot glue stick while pressing the trigger and this should engage the stick and cause the hot glue to come out. If not, test the temperature of the stick by pressing it against another stick on your hot melt glue (it should melt when coming in contact with the hot tip. If none of these methods work and you are certain your glue gun is faulty, then arrange for a refund/exchange of goods.

No, but it can protect your work surface. You can even use a sheet of paper. Hot glue will sometimes drip out of the nozzle when you are not using it. The sheet will catch these drips and make clean-up easier.

It depends. If you hold the glue gun handle and it's warm, it's most likely ready. The warming up period usually takes around five minutes. Read the manual accompanying the glue gun, as it will tell you how long it takes. Never overcharge it.

Of course! Just wait until the gun has cooled down and slide that sucker out.

Generally no, as most hot glue guns are relatively fume free or produce very little fumes. It would be a good idea to avoid intentionally breathing in the fumes or working in a confined area.

Turn the glue gun on, then while it is heating up the glue will melt away. If it doesn't melt away, you could try to take an unbent paper clip, and while it is on, stick it in the hole of the nozzle to unjam the glue. This can be a bit dangerous though, especially if you touch the nozzle accidentally while putting the clip in. It is best just to use the first method, and if it doesn't melt away, get a new glue gun.

The brand does not matter, but it should be the same size and temperature. Some hot glue guns are labeled as "hi-temp" or "low-temp." You should get a glue stick whose temperature matches that of your glue gun. For example, a low-temp glue gun will need low-temp glue sticks; it will not melt hi-temp glue sticks.

Keep the glue in and keep the glue gun on for about 1 hr. Then, as you use it, the glue stick should melt out. Make sure to use caution and do not leave the glue gun unsupervised

You may not have waited long enough for the gun to heat up to start melting the glue for use, so first try waiting a few minutes. Alternatively, the glue may not be fed into the gun enough. Try pushing it in a bit more. If neither of these steps fix the issue, you can always return a faulty item where you bought it.

It is probably best to get a new glue gun. There might be glue clogged up in your old glue gun. Or, maybe something is broken in your glue gun.

When it has trouble getting up and down stairs. Ha! But seriously, glue gun sticks are solid and smooth at room temperature, so they don't really have an expiration date.

Yep. Luckily, they're cheap and couldn't be easier to reload.

It depends what kind of glue gun you bought. A cheap glue gun will usually work for up to a year. A more expensive one can last from a few years to a lifetime

It takes about 5 to 10 minutes to warm up a glue gun.

It would take about 2-4 minutes for it to dry.