Cardboard is paper. The fibers are a bit thicker and longer, and the sheets are a bit thicker than ordinary paper.

So, any glue or adhesive that works on paper will work quite well on cardboard.

But...

But... adhesives are different. Each type of adhesive has a different specialty. And, depending on what you want to do with cardboard you can use a different glue or adhesive to get the best results. I show all of this in action in the video. And I summarize it all in text below the video.

Overview and Summary of Best glues and adhesives for cardboard:

1. To Glue sheets of cardboard together to make a thicker and stronger sheet: The best thing to use is a spray adhesive. This is because spray adhesive is very dry. Any wet glue will cause the cardboard to warp.

2. To affix large pieces of paper to cardboard - think of like wallpapering the cardboard. You also use spray adhesive for this. It will prevent wrinkles.

3. large pieces glued together in 3-dimensional shapes. Hot glue is usually the best solution. This is because of the fast set time. You only have to hold the pieces together for 30 seconds or so. And youy can even speed this up, changing the dry time to 2 seconds by spraying it with a can of compressed air that you hold upside down. (Holding the can upside down causes the air to come out at near freezing temperature)

4. Adhering small graphics or pieces of paper to cardboard then use Glue stick. For small pieces spray adhesive can be messy.

5. Assembling small pieces of cardboard together: Use a common white glue like Elmer's. Hot glue can be difficult for smaller pieces. The only downfall with the common white glue for this is that it takes some time to set. So, hold pieces together with rubber bands or tape if needed.

6. Awkward assemblies where you might need to move pieces around before finding the right spot to glue. Use a heavy gel like Beacon 3 in 1. It will hold pieces together while moving and then during dry time.

7. Small detail pieces - Use a precision craft glue like Bearly Art - It is thin and easy to work with on small pieces. But it also has fine dispenser tips.

Amazon affiliate links to the products I use in the video:

The Best hot glue sticks is Gorilla: (For the large size glue guns)
Elmer's Purple Glue stick
Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue:
Beacon 3 in 1 Glue: