Choosing The Right Glue Stick and Gun by Size
We often get questions from customers about the differences between the glue stick sizes accepted by glue guns and how to make sure the glue stick you're purchasing will work with your glue gun. To help make the shopping process less confusing, we have put together this guide to break it down.
The Different Glue Gun Stick Sizes
There are actually several different glue stick sizes. Each size has its own pros and cons, and the size you choose will largely depend on your application. Some hot glue stick sizes we review include:
- 5/16" Mini Hot Glue Sticks
- ½" (12mm) Glue Sticks
- 5/8" (15mm) Glue Sticks
- 1.75" (43mm) Glue Sticks
- 3M TC ⅝" x 2" Glue Sticks
- 3M TC ⅝" x 8" Quadrack Glue Sticks
- 3M PG 1" x 3" Glue Sticks
5/16" Mini Hot Glue Sticks
The 5/16" x 4" mini glue sticks are compatible with a typical craft store glue gun size. With these 'mini' glue sticks, options are usually limited to weaker adhesives with limited strength and low-volume output. Mini glue sticks may also include very specialized products like funky colors or glow-in-the-dark options. Essentially, these mini-sized glue sticks are not made for much more than craft projects.
½" (12mm) Glue Sticks
This is the most common size glue stick and also offers the most glue gun options. The ½" glue guns and compatible "regular size" glue sticks are a great option for most applications, including light industrial or packaging needs.
Recommended Products:
- General Use ½" Glue Sticks - SupertTAC 500
- Low-Cost ½" Glue Gun- Infinity Bond Mojo II
- Light Industrial Use ½" Glue Gun- HT Scout
- Adjustable Temperature Control ½" Glue Gun- Ranger Pro Professional Glue Gun
Browse our full selection of ½" glue sticks.
5/8" (15mm) Glue Sticks
The 5/8" large glue stick size gives you a higher output for more demanding applications and is still compatible with a lot of glue guns. Because the ⅝" glue stick size is larger, you get more adhesive dispensed with each trigger pull and have to 'reload' the gun less often. ⅝" glue guns are a great option for people who need a little more output than a standard ½" gun or for those who just want to spend less time reloading their gun.
Recommended Products:
- General Purpose 5/8" Glue Sticks- Infinity Bond Tough Guy Glue Sticks
- Industrial 5/8" Glue Gun- Infinity Bond Brute Heavy-Duty Glue Gun
Browse our full collection of 5/8" glue sticks.
1.75" (43mm) Glue Slugs
There are only a couple of manufacturers who make glue guns that are compatible with this hot glue slug size, but they are a darling of industrial users everywhere. The large 1.75" x 1.75" glue slugs are great for high-volume and industrial applications. These guns are available in all-electric and pneumatic versions. That means they can be used as a traditional glue gun with just a cord or connected to an air compressor for effortless dispensing. This setup can help reduce user the fatigue experienced with smaller glue gun sizes.
These are also some of the only glue guns that offer sprayable versions that can dispense long open time glue slugs in spray form. These guns can also cover larger surface areas in a shorter amount of time and can be great for heat-sensitive substrates. The downside of these guns is that they are typically more expensive and are a little bulkier than smaller stick-sized guns.
Recommended Products:
- 1.75" General Purpose Glue Slugs- Tecbond 213
- Pneumatic Glue Gun- Power Adhesives Tec 6300
- Low-Cost 1 3/4" Glue Gun- Power Adhesives Tec 3500
Browse our collection of 1.75" glue slugs.
3M TC ⅝" X 2" Glue Sticks
This specialty glue gun stick size is less common than some of the other options. It originally came from 3M, but now there are several manufacturers who make glue sticks in this size, so you have quite a few adhesive options to choose from. In terms of compatible size glue guns, the options are more limited.
Recommended Products:
- General Purpose TC Glue Sticks- SuperTAC 33
- TC ⅝" x 2" Glue Gun- 3M TC/TC-Q Gen II Hot Melt Applicator
Browse our selection of TC ⅝" x 2" glue sticks.
3M TC ⅝" X 8" Quadrack Glue Sticks
Another specialty hot glue stick size from 3M, the ⅝" x 8" 'Quadrack' glue stick is designed to offer good output and reduce reloading compared to a standard glue gun stick size. While originally made by 3M for their guns, there are some other manufacturers for the quadrack glue stick size but very limited gun options.
Recommended Products:
- General Purpose Quadrack Glue Sticks- 3M 3792 Q Glue Sticks
- Quadrack Stick-Compatible Glue Gun- Infinity Bond Brute Heavy Duty Glue Gun
Browse our selection of Quadrack glue sticks.
3M PG 1" X 3" Glue Sticks
The 1" x 3" PG size glue sticks are a high-volume specialty glue stick size originally from 3M. There are now a number of manufacturers for the PG glue stick size, so there are a wide variety of options for adhesive properties available at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, the compatible glue gun options are once again more limited.
Recommended Products
- General Purpose PG Glue Sticks- Infinity SuperTac 55 PG Glue Sticks
- PG-Compatible Glue Gun- 3M Polygun II
Browse our catalog of 1" x 3" PG glue sticks.
Questions? We Are Here to Help
You want to ensure you purchase the right size hot melt glue sticks, so you are not wasting your company's time or money. But with so many different size glue sticks and glue gun options, it can be hard to know exactly what is best for your needs. If you need determining which product you need or want a recommendation for your specific application, just contact us. You can work with an adhesive expert who can point you in the right direction.
