Step 4: Microwave Wheatpaste

Step 5: Uses...

Wheatpaste will glue any porous paper to another with ease and dry to a rock-hard finish. It will also stick to many other porous materials such as co...

Wheatpaste is a very simple glue that will cost you under a buck a gallon to make. It's just flour and water. The main advantage of wheatpaste is not only its cost, but if you need large quantities of glue, you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen. No need to run to the store and buy anything.

Step 1: Background (skip to recipe below)

There are lots of different ratios for flour to water posted online, but people who make it in large batches, and actually know what they're doing for recommend a ratio of flour to water 1:4.(As in one cup flour and 4 cups water.) This ratio is suitable for glue, and when dry it will appear fairly clear, so it is the ratio I will use.

Wheatpaste is known to be just as strong as diluted white glue (stronger than straight glue) when used on paper or pours materials.

White flour is recommended over whole wheat flour, although whole wheat can be used. Whole wheat contains all parts of the wheat: fiber, protein, and endosperm. White flour has been processed to contain only the endosperm which is almost entirely starch.

Step 2: Basic Recipe

Combine 1 part flour to 4 parts water in a large saucepan.Whisk constantly to prevent chunks from forming.Heat to just below a boil until it has reached the desired consistency.

The glue can now be used immediately. If you plan to use your glue when it has cooled, be sure to make the glue a little thinner than you want it, because it will thicken up. Also, glue feels a lot less disgusting on your hands when it's not cold.

You should use the glue soon, because un-dried glue will start to smell after a couple days if nothing is added to prolong its shelf life.

It's boorish to be this pedantic, but since you asked... not only it's cost -> its cost skip to recipie below -> recipe There is a lot of different ratios -> There are the people that make it in -> the people who Basic Recipie -> Recipe to prolong it's shelf life -> its shelf life disprove the flowing, it it simply -> the following, it is

Being boorishly pedantic... I'd like to correct 2 of the corrections... In both cases, since the subject of the sentence is the wheatpaste (it), it is perfectly correct to state "it's" since the cost and the shelf life are related to "it". "It's" is not only a contraction for "it is" (which I agree is often misused) but can also be used to show possession, which the author did properly.

actually, you're incorrect here. "it's" should not be used to show possession. Here's a quick test you can use to check which one should be used: Try replacing "it's" with "it is" in the sentence. If it sounds wrong, change it to "its"

I was a little confused on this point so to clarify. In nearly all cases the apostrophe can be used to signify possession, however in order to stop any confusion between "it" and "it is" "its" is the exception to this rule. You've gotta' love the english language, its got a rule for everything and an exception for every rule!

Sorry, please check your grammar source. "it's" is Always IT IS. The easiest way to remember is- "The cat lost its tail." See, there's no "tail" or rather no apostrophe. The other way to remember is to try to say "it is" wherever you have placed the apostrophe. Can you say, "The cat lost it is tail"? Nope, not really. ;-) Yes, grammar IS my life. LOL Or at least a part of it!!

I find nowhere that "it's" may be used to show possession. The American Heritage Dictionary and Strunk's Elements of Style are both quite clear that "its" is the possessive, and "it's" is only a contraction for "it is" or "it has"

Thanks for the recipes. Made some paste in the microwave: convenient and easy to clean up :) I used a glass jar with a lid, and instead of whisking, I just put the lid on and shook it up (while wearing oven mitts from IKEA).

I used whole wheat for my wheat paste so it obviously came out brown. Will this effect my image when I use the paste? Should I have added more water than usual? I added an extra cup, so the ratio was actually 1:5, but it still seems thick. I feel like the brown paste is just going to cover my image.

I use this paste (or have used a commercial version in stage craft for years. Making a batch with this recipe to see if it will replace the commercial stuff which is no longer available. The two differences that I can see now are; 1) commercial paste does not have to be heated and 2) I will have to see how this mix works when saturating fabric to glue to wooden pieces. I will post the results of tests. Thanks for posting the recipe and thanks to whoever posted the additives too!

I know this is an old comment but ill post this for the sake of everyone. It's from BombingScience. These additives are mostly for street art poster...

Here are some good things to add to your paste to increase its performance....ADD THESE WHEN PASTE HAS COOLED DOWN TO ROOM TEMPERATURE AND NOT WHILST IT IS STILL HOT!!!

White Sugar or Corn Starch: Add about a handful of either to your paste when cooled for added stickiness/strength!

Wood Glue: Add LAST MINUTE (in other words, add it in the paste right before you leave to go paste....i'd say add 1 parts Wood Glue for every 5 parts paste......it helps increase its strength, and makes it more waterproof....

Minwax Polyacrylic: An idea of my own...like Polyurethane, it creates a stong clear finish....Make it waterproof, and a lot stronger....ADD THIS LAST MINUTE ALSO!!!!

Clove Oil or Witch Hazel: I'd say 10 Drops per 3 cups will keep your paste from molding for longer....i'd say it would extend the shelf life with refrigeration to about 2 weeks tops....good stuff!

"Alum" by itself usually means Potassium Alum or "Potassium Aluminum Sulfate"; I'm not sure if plain Aluminum sulfate counts, but there is also Ammonium Alum and Chrome Alum. Alum used to be a pretty common household chemical, but now it's pretty hard to find, and most likely to show up (overpriced) in a kid's crystal growing set, or as a "natural deodorant crystal"

You can buy Alum at most large grocery stores in the spice section. It also works in homemade play dough to help it last longer before spoiling. If you want a lot of it, places that sell fabric dyes will also have it in larger containers, as it is used in some dying processes.

any kind of flour or starch can be used for this glue, starch is released from the flour when heated in water, I have used this glue with paper and its actualy better than white glue and mutch more cheaper.

Another use for this, and my personal favorite, is to tar and feather someone. Since this doesn't stain and tar does (plus, let's be honest, who has tar anymore!?), it's a much less evil way of doing it, though still equally embarrassing!

I make paper mache masks . I have never had to heat up my wheat paste . I have thought about wood glue and a little bit of paint . Is there a reason for heating it up' try this soak newspaper in water .It gets the ink out . Mash it up with your hands until it turns granular . Then add a little bit of flour to it . This makes a cheap form of clay .

Don't forget to clean your cooking ware immediately afterward!!! Although not sticky while wet, this is a pain to remove once dry. Save yourself some hassle and clean your pot asap after the glue is mixed. Great tut, I've been searching for that ratio.. THanks!

Argentine recip:If you want to keep this mix very long without rotten, just ad a spoon of acetic acid (vinegar) and will prevent from bad smeling.we use this mix to fix political adds during pool campaigns...and we have campaigns almost always!!!!

um.... that's like asking if a certain nail is strong enough to hold together a house in a hurricane. Not enough information. If you use it on paper or cardboard properly, the cardboard will rip before the glue.

Once this glue dries: 1. Is there any powdery residue as it ages and do excess globs flake off? 2. Does this stuff attract bugs when cured? I don't want to build a cardboard couch to find it is a big roach/ant/termite/etc hotel because it draws a crowd from the patio door..

no. flour to water by volume. use a knife to get rid of air pockets and lightly level the top. you can change the consistency by cooking longer/shorter so the exact ratio isn't necessary. Especially since the other ratios online vary as much as 1:2 to 1:8