Warning: That cheap PVA glue from the dollar store wrecked my book project

I thought I was being smart saving $12 on a gallon of store brand PVA glue, but it dried all cloudy and cracked after 2 weeks. The pages started falling out of my journal binding and the spine looked terrible. Has anyone else had this happen with off-brand adhesives, or did I just get a bad batch?

2 comments

2 Comments

gonzalez.wesley18d ago

Sounds like the book still works even if it looks bad, right? Pages falling out is annoying but you could just glue them back in with something better next time. Seems like a lot of drama over a $12 mistake.

grant.jade18d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah exactly "pages falling out is annoying but you could just glue them" - I've been there. Honestly a good bookbinding glue or even a PVA glue from a craft store works way better than whatever they used originally. I've fixed like three paperbacks that way and they hold up fine for years after. The cover might still look rough but who cares if the binding's solid. $12 is nothing for a book you actually want to keep reading.