How to Adhere Fabric to Wood

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posted on 7 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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If you want to adhere fabric to a piece of wood without it peeling off, you'll have to use something that's stronger than a basic crafting glue. To glue a piece of fabric to wood, you'll need to sand the surface of the wood and then use mod podge to attach the fabric. Other glues have the tendency to show through the fabric or aren't strong enough adhesives and should be avoided. If you use the proper techniques and materials, your fabric will stay attached to the wood for the long run.

Steps

Preparing the Wood

Sand the wood with 100-200 grit sandpaper. Before you start to apply the fabric to the wood surface, you should make sure it's smooth. Get a 100-200 grit sandpaper and sand back and forth over the area that you want to adhere the fabric to. Creating a smooth surface will eliminate bumps.

Wipe down the surface of the wood with a damp rag. Remove any dust that was created from sanding your piece of wood by wiping down its surface with a damp rag. Don't use an overly saturated rag because you don't want to get your wood wet.

Let the wood dry fully before applying adhesive. The mod podge won't work as well if you try to apply it to a damp or wet surface. Make sure the wood is dried out before moving on.

Measure and cut your fabric to size. Lay your fabric over the piece of wood, leaving at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of slack around the fabric. This excess will ensure that you get complete coverage of fabric over the wood.

Gluing with Mod Podge

Purchase or make mod podge. You can buy mod podge at an arts and crafts store or you can purchase it online. This versatile crafting glue is an adhesive, sealer, and finisher and can be used on a variety of different materials, including fabric and wood. There are a variety of different mod podge options you can purchase. Matte, glossy, fabric, or wood mod podge will all effectively adhere your fabric to wood.

Apply the mod podge to the wood in an even layer. Use a painter's brush or a foam brush and dip it into your mod podge container. Work around the edges of where you'll be laying your fabric, then work your way towards the center of your wooden piece. Work fast because mod podge dries quickly.

Lay the fabric over the mod podge. Line up the fabric as accurately as you can as you lay it over the mod podge. Lay the fabric down and press the fabric onto the wood.

Smooth out any wrinkles with your hands. Use the palm of your hand and rub over the surface of the fabric to smooth out the wrinkles. Apply a small amount of pressure over the top of the fabric so that it attaches to the mod podge. You can also use a brayer, or a handheld roller, to roll over the fabric and get rid of the wrinkles.

Let the mod podge dry for 24 hours. Mod podge will dry fairly quickly, but leaving it to dry overnight will ensure it's completely dry. Return to your wood and lightly tug on the edges of the fabric to make sure that it's fully adhered.

Cut off the excess fabric. Use a scissor to carefully cut off the 1 inch (2.5 cm) of excess fabric. Your fabric should now be neatly attached to the wood.