Wheat paste is an effective alternative to glue sold in plastic bottles. (Go here for a rice glue recipe.)
Last month, I raffled off two beautiful bread saws that my partner Chandra made out of reclaimed, untreated wood. We raised $1,912 for fire relief! Thank you to everyone who entered the drawing.
Before we decided to do this fundraiser, I wondered what kind of plastic-free packaging I could use to ship the two bread saws. I have never found paper packaging tape in a store here (I’ve looked everywhere) and online, I’ve found only very expensive, very large rolls that I’d never be able to use up.
Chandra came to the rescue and said we could make our own paper tape (he actually did all the work). For each parcel, he made custom boxes out of an old cardboard box and cut paper strips out of heavy brown paper bags to use for tape. After making wheat paste and letting it cool, he brushed it onto the brown paper strips and secured the boxes with the homemade tape.
People had lots of questions about wheat paste on social media
Does wheat paste dry clear?
When dry, the glue is essentially invisible. If you use it on glass, you may detect a tiny bit of opacity.
How do I store this if I don’t use it all?
I’ve been storing this current batch of wheat paste in a clean jar in the refrigerator for two weeks. I used some today and it still works well. It does thicken up a bit, so after I removed some, I added water to thin it out before I brushed it onto my paper.
You can also add a splash of vinegar to make the wheat paste last longer. Chandra warns that the wheat paste will no longer be archival however. For most people just wanting to label jars or wrap gifts, that won’t matter.
If I mount a poster to the wall with wheat paste, will removal damage the wall?
Wheat paste is essentially wallpaper glue. When you remove wallpaper, you might damage the paint or the wall underneath. I would glue a test patch first in a closet or behind a dresser or elsewhere that won’t show. Leave your test up for a week or so, soak it with water and carefully remove it. If removing the test doesn’t damage the paint or wall, then consider mounting your artwork or posters on the wall.
Can I make a gluten-free version?
Yes! You can make glue out of leftover rice, for one alternative. Go here for the rice glue instructions.
If I glue homemade tape to a cardboard box, is the box still recyclable?
Yes, the cardboard can still be recycled. Depending on your city, waste management workers tear plastic tape off of cardboard boxes at the recycling depot before they recycle the cardboard. They may leave paper tape on. You can read more about recycling cardboard here.
Can I make tape and stickers in advance to use later?
Chandra told me that I could indeed make tape, stickers or whatnot in advance, let the wheat paste dry and wet it down when I want to use it. But I thought I better try it first. It worked! I cut open an empty flour bag, brushed it with a coat of wheat paste, let it dry and added a second coat a couple of days later (I could have brushed on the second coat sooner but was busy). I waited a day before cutting my strip, wetting it thoroughly and taping my box closed.
My favorite wheat paste use
I envision my Instagram feed filled with jars plastered with homemade labels. Gifts in jars would look super cute with homemade labels glued to them. When you want to remove the label, soak the jar in water for a couple of hours. The label should slip off. (Go here for more on de-labeling jars.)
While I can tell at a glance what my unlabeled jars contain, occasionally someone cooking in my kitchen will have trouble distinguishing spelt flour from whole wheat, curry powder from ground turmeric or, worse, paprika from cayenne. And then there was that one time I mistook confectioner’s sugar for cornstarch…
Several people over the years have asked me for a good way to label jars. I think I’ve found it!
Wheat Paste Recipe
When Chandra worked as the matter and framer at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford, he made wheat paste to hinge precious works of art. Yes, it’s that good.
Wheat Paste
Instructions
- Add the water to the pot. Over medium-high heat, while slowly adding the flour, whisk the mixture aggressively and continuously. The paste will begin to bubble. Keep whisking. Within a couple of minutes it will thicken. Turn off the heat.
- Chandra likes his wheat paste quite thick. You might want yours thinner. Remove from heat when the paste has reached the consistency you like.
- If desired, to extend the expiry date on the wheat paste, stir in the vinegar.* (see Note)
- Store leftover wheat paste in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator.
Notes
[…] Vá para a receita […]
How interesting. I remember my grandmother making this flour paste for us kids when visiting and to glue things. I am so proud to know it really works, because a s a kid I did not see clearly the real “recipe”. Thank you.
Hi Andrea,
It works SO well and costs so little to make. Your grandmother was a wise woman 🙂
~ Anne Marie
That’s a nice reminder from my childhood! I used to make glue out of potato starch and it worked very well 🙂
Thank you for the tip, Liis 🙂
~ Anne Marie
If you use it to put labels on jars and want to repurpose the jar, how do you get the label off? For manufacture labels on jars I use a mixture of coconut oil and baking soda. Would that work on the wheat paste to remove it? Would just soaking in water work?
Hi Patti,
You would just soak it in water. The label will slip right off. Thank you for asking. I’ll go update the post with that info.
~ Anne Marie
We used homemade flour paste for paper mache when we were kids. I haven’t thought of that in years.
You can also use straight milk to adhere labels to glass jars. I use cow’s milk and don’t know if nut milks would also work, but it’s so easy and works really well. I use this method when labeling my homemade wine, and haven’t ever lost a label, even if it got wet. Also, it comes off easily, so it’s a good choice if you don’t already have flour paste made up.
Wow! Thank you for the idea Suzanne. I will try that.
~ Anne Marie
This is the most environmental friendly tape I’ve seen! Wow. Chandra did a great job packing them up so nicely! I will use this to label my jars. I have forgotten what’s in them sometimes (especially when I make a homemade mix- like fajita seasoning or curry powder). I had been using cellulose tape from http://www.wisdomsupplyco.com in SF. They have kraft paper tape too (sold out of both tapes right now though) in case you need a back up!
Hi Christine,
Thank you. Chandra does great work 🙂 And thank you for the link for tape. That’s good to know. I’ve never seen kraft tape down here on the Peninsula.
~ Anne Marie
Ooo… I scrapbook A LOT. I’ve felt bad in the past for not using more low-waste / zero-waste options. I will definitely try this!
Great! I’m glad you like the tip. This would be great for scrapbooking. Enjoy!
~ Anne-Marie
This is so great, thank you for the reminder, I use to make when I was a kid. A few years ago I found a roll of brown Kraft paper, I used it that year to wrap my Christmas gifts, and I have saved each piece I cut, for the last 3 years and reuse them every year, but I find the ribbons and such(I have always saved them over the years), don’t hold the paper closed enough, so now, thanks to you, I can make some paper tape. Thank you, I just love all your posts, I currently have apple scrap vinegar fermenting
The lights have just gone on…I remember my mother making this but as kid I didn’t know what with…I do remember it working well and also the paper mache figures and pots we used to make and paint 🙂 Happy Days 🙂
[…] At last, I wanted to share ideas on how to keep it low waste with décor and wrapping. Wrapping paper: Just don’t buy it! Use what you have. Brown grocery bags work great, you just need to cut up one side and you are good to go! Using cloth, a reusable napkin, or a cute scarf to wrap up the present gives it a personal touch and no tape is needed. Saving giftbags is something I actually watched my mom do so they would be reused for future gift giving. Using a reusable bag to give the gift is also a good alternative. But what if you don’t have any of these on hand? Then I would recommend buying butcher paper to wrap those gifts. Using ribbon or tape? Look for ribbon made out of natural materials, or use natural twine. For tape, I recommend using washi tape, or even naturally made glue, which I haven’t had the chance to use yet but here’s Zero Waste Chef’s recipe! […]
Do you have any thoughts on using wheat paste with tracing paper to create a see through label?. At my job, we use plastic tape. It would be nice to have an plastic free way to adhere a printed label. Thank you. I look forward to making and using this paste. ‘Love your IG. Congratulations on your book. It’s on my list.
Hi Kelly,
My daughter has some tracing paper so I’m going to have to try that. The paste itself dries quite clear so it shouldn’t add opacity to the tracing paper. I think it’s a great idea.
Thank you for the kind words 🙂
Anne-Marie
There’s also a traditional Japanese glue (used for the hilts and scabbards for knives and swords) made by mashing cooked sticky rice with a little water. It’s called sokui, and the blacksmith at this link is using it for the blades he makes…http://islandblacksmith.ca/2015/10/making-sokui-rice-paste-glue/
So for people who have sticky/glutinous rice around a lot for making congee and rice wine, this is a quick way to also make exactly the amount of glue you need for a specific project without worrying about trying to prevent mold in stored starch-based glues.
Thank you very much for the tip, KT!
I’m going to try this for assembling print-at-home sewing patterns!