The Best Glue To Use For All Of Your Pool Noodle Hacks & DIYs

Whether you're using a pool noodle to fashion a festive Fourth of July wreath or a floating tray for your next pool party, chances are, you'll need some glue. However, if you've ever attempted to make a pool noodle craft, you'll know that not all glues are created equal. Our tip? Reach for your hot glue gun. 

Hot glue is the best option for sticking pool noodles together precisely because of the heat. As pool noodle craft enthusiasts will likely already know, heat guns (without glue) are often touted as one of the best ways to bond polyethylene (that is, the material used for pool noodles). That's because high heat essentially melts the polyethylene, so it ends up really bonding to whatever it's being stuck to. Heat guns work in much the same way — though, thanks to the presence of glue, the temperature doesn't need to be quite so high. That's a major plus, as you won't risk messing with the shape of your pool noodle. That said, you'll be left with a very strongly secured craft. 

So, with that in mind, the next time you need to use glue in a pool noodle craft, reach for your hot glue gun. If you don't already have one, you can get a gun and glue stick combo on Amazon for under $10. 

Not a fan of using hot glue? That doesn't mean you have to stick with exclusively glue-free pool noodle hacks, just yet. Another effective option worth trying is Elmer's Rubber Cement, available at Walmart for under $5. Used on individual polyethylene pieces, and allowed to get tacky before sticking, rubber cement creates a super strong bond. Granted, it's not nearly as tight a bond as that which the glue gun creates, so if there's a chance your craft could be bumped, or if you're going to have it out in the elements where heavy winds could affect it, you may want additional reinforcements. Again, we're going to suggest looking into a heat gun, to really get that bonding effect. However, tape would work fine as a no-melting-risk add-on too. And if you're planning on sticking things to the craft, you might not even notice it's there, anyway.

Pool noodles are so often the basis of quick, easy, cost-effective crafts, but at the end of the day, you still want them to last. Using the right glue (and a little bit of heat) is a great way to ensure their longevity. With that in mind, we're team hot glue, all the way.