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Kits do not include glue, so this is the first question everyone asks. The short answer: a white PVA craft glue or wood glue with a fine nozzle. Everything else is detail.
The glues, ranked
PVA / white craft glue — use this
Dries clear, gives you a minute to adjust, cleans up with a damp cotton bud and does not soak through printed papers. A "tacky" PVA (thicker, grabs faster) is ideal for tiny furniture. Buy a bottle with a fine nozzle or decant into one.
Wood glue — also fine
Stronger on the structural joints (walls to floor, roof beams). Slightly yellow when wet, clear when dry. Use it for the shell, PVA for the decoration.
Super glue — sparingly
Instant and brittle. Good for metal or acrylic parts (a lantern, a mirror, a crystal) where PVA will not grip. Bad for wood-to-wood, where it leaves a white bloom, and dangerous near printed paper. Never near the LED wire.
Hot glue — no
Too thick, too fast, and it lifts paper. Leave it in the drawer.
Glue sticks and double-sided tape
Fine for attaching printed paper to flat wall panels, which is how most manuals suggest it. Not for structure.
How much
Less than you think. A thin line along the edge of a joint, pressed and held for ten seconds. If glue squeezes out, you used too much; wipe it immediately. Excess glue is the main reason a finished nook looks home-made rather than made.
The five tools worth owning
- Fine-tipped tweezers. Books, bottles and cutlery are impossible without them.
- A craft knife. To free stubborn pieces and trim the little tabs cleanly.
- A cutting mat. Saves the table and gives you a grid to square things against.
- Cocktail sticks. The best glue applicator ever made, and free.
- A nail file or fine sandpaper. To take the burr off a pressed-out edge before it is glued.
Nice to have: a small set square, a pair of reading glasses or a clip-on magnifier, and a tray with a lip so parts stop rolling away.
Before you start
Batteries for the light are not included either; the type is on each product page. Everything else you need is in the box. The full checklist lives on our Build Help page, and our twelve build tips cover the rest.
