Cooked wheat paste is a staple in any bookbinder’s glue arsenal. It’s inexpensive, easy to make, non-toxic, pH neutral and organic (if you use organic ingredients). Even better, it dries clear, remains flexible and doesn’t spread (also called “creep”) as much as PVA glue is known to do. Did I mention it can be used on any binding type? Yup! Be sure to print out this awesome wheat paste recipe & keep it nearby!

The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages, but there are two quick drawbacks to keep in mind:

  1. Gluten. Too much gluten can draw insects, which will eat away at your book and decrease its lifespan. For this reason, use only cake flour in your wheat paste recipe. It has the lowest gluten levels, so it’s far less likely to act as a bug beacon.
  2. Short life. Wheat paste can only be stored for 2-4 days in an airtight container. There are no preservatives here, so the paste will naturally go bad (read: mold up) after 2-4 days depending on your environment. For this reason, it’s best to make it in small batches.

Cooked Wheat Paste

Makes approximately (4) cups of paste

*Recipe can be doubled or halved, broken into thirds or quartered to make as much or as little as necessary.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup or one part cake flour
  • 4 cups or four parts distilled water (may substitute with clean or filtered tap water)

Instructions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan.
  2. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously with a whisk until mixture begins to thicken.
  3. Remove from heat and stir for roughly 3-5 minutes.
  4. Cool completely to room temperature (stirring once every 1-2 minutes as it cools) before using.
  5. Store any leftover paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
how to make cooked wheat paste recipe bookbinding

Alternative methods:

  • Double boiler over hot water – this method can improve consistency, but be sure to whisk continuously. Follow the same instructions as above for use and storage.
  • Microwave – when using a microwave, run for 2-3 minutes depending on your microwave’s strength. Be sure to stop and stir every 30 seconds to prevent clumps and bubbling over. Follow the same instructions as above to store.

Tips & Tricks:

  • To ensure a smooth result, add equal parts flour slowly into cold water, stirring continuously as you do so. Once all the ingredients are mixed, turn on the heat.
  • Alternatively, add cold water to a mason jar and then add the flour. Close the jar tightly and shake vigorously for 1-2 minutes. Add to cold pan and turn on the heat. Use a whisk to work out any little clumps that didn’t dissolve.
  • If your mixture still has clumps at the end of the heating period, run it through a fine strainer.
  • To extend the life of the paste, try adding a little PVA (around 1-2 tbsp per cup of mixture) while the paste is cold. Mix well and continue to keep covered. In my experience (I learned this from a fellow bookbinder), this seems to allow a few more days of storage.

Resources

So, what do you think? Which glue do you use? If you don’t use any of these yet, which one do you think you’re most likely to use? Pop over to Instagram or Facebook and share your thoughts with me!

ALL my best,

Misty