Renia Aquilim — The Complete Guide for Leathercraft

Most leatherworkers start with whatever glue is nearest. Usually something from a hardware shop, or a tube from a starter kit. It holds. Sometimes. And then one day it does not — mid-seam, layers sliding, and you realise the adhesive was always the weak point.

Aquilim is what we stock at Hideout Craft because it is what we use ourselves. It is a German-made, water-based contact adhesive range built for the professional leather and footwear trade. No heavy solvent smell. No fume extraction needed for brush application. Dries clear. Works properly.

There are four products in the range. Each one does a specific job. This guide explains what they are, which one to reach for, and how to use them properly on the bench.

Which Aquilim Do You Need?

Start here. Four products, four jobs.

Aquilim 330 — permanent bond, optimised for leather. This is the one we recommend first for leatherwork. Faster grip on leather than 315, stronger final bond, and a long working window so you are not rushing. If you are building belts, bags, wallets or straps, start here.

Aquilim 315 — permanent bond, broadest material range. The original benchmark adhesive in the Aquilim range. Slightly slower to grip on leather than 330 — which is sometimes useful when you need more positioning time. Better choice if you regularly bond leather to cork, foam, cardboard or other mixed materials.

Aquilim GL — bond then sew. The adhesive film stays flexible once dry, so your needle passes through cleanly and stitch channels stay open. You have up to 60 minutes to reposition after joining. After that it is permanent. Use this when the seam is going through the bonded area.

Aquilim SG — positioning only. Apply to one surface only. Fully repositionable — peel apart and try again as many times as needed without losing tack. The stitch does the structural work. This just holds everything still while you get there. Particularly useful for linings, wallet interiors and complex panel assemblies.

Aquilim 330 — The One We Recommend First

Aquilim 330 is the newest adhesive in the range — an improved formula built specifically to perform better on absorbent materials like leather. It grips faster than 315 on leather, holds stronger, and gives you up to 8 hours of working time before the adhesive skins over in the pot.

Apply to both surfaces with a brush, roller or spreader. Keep the coat thin and even — a thick coat takes longer to dry and does not improve the bond. Allow 30 to 60 minutes for the adhesive to dry. It turns transparent when ready. Then press the pieces firmly together and you are done. Full bond strength builds over 48 hours, but the join is solid enough to work with well before that.

A useful shortcut for leather to leather. When bonding flesh side to flesh side, you can apply to one surface only and press the other piece directly into the wet adhesive — no waiting. The leather fibres absorb the glue and the bond forms immediately. This works for flesh-to-flesh only. For anything else, use the standard two-sided application.

Drying can be accelerated with a hair dryer or heat lamp if you are working in a cold or damp workshop. Never use a flame.

Detail	Aquilim 330
Base	Water-based neoprene
Working time in pot	Up to 8 hours
Drying time before joining	30–60 minutes
Full bond strength	48 hours
Shelf life (unopened)	12 months at 10–25°C
Thinning	Water
Storage	Above 4°C at all times — will not recover if frozen

Suitable for leather, cork, felt, textiles, wood, rubber and most workshop materials. Not suitable for soft PVC.

Buy Renia Aquilim 330 at Hideout Craft

Aquilim 315 — The Proven All-Rounder

Aquilim 315 has been the go-to in the leather and footwear trade for years. It is not the newest thing in the range — that is 330 — but it is still worth knowing because it handles a broader range of materials than 330 does.

Same working principle as 330: apply to both surfaces, allow to dry, press firmly together. The main difference on the bench is that 315 grips slightly slower on leather than 330. That can actually be useful when you need a bit more time to adjust placement before the pieces commit.

The flesh-to-flesh shortcut works the same way as 330 — apply to one surface only and press the other piece directly into the wet adhesive. No waiting needed. Same one-sided, immediate bond on absorbent materials.

Detail	Aquilim 315
Base	Water-based neoprene
Working time in pot	Up to 8 hours
Drying time before joining	30–60 minutes
Full bond strength	48 hours
Shelf life (unopened)	12 months at 10–25°C
Thinning	Water
Storage	Above 4°C at all times — will not recover if frozen

Suitable for leather, cork, felt, textiles, wood, foam, cardboard, rubber and mixed workshop materials. Not suitable for soft PVC.

Buy Renia Aquilim 315 at Hideout Craft

Aquilim GL — Bond It, Then Sew Straight Through

Aquilim GL is designed for one specific job: bonding leather pieces that are going to be sewn through afterwards. The adhesive film stays flexible once dry. Your needle passes through cleanly without dragging or gumming up, and the stitch channel does not close over.

Apply to both surfaces and allow to dry. Then press the pieces together. You have up to 60 minutes to adjust alignment after joining. After that it is permanent — so use that window if anything is not sitting right. Once you are happy, press firmly and sew straight through. No need to wait.

This is the right choice for belts, bags, straps and any assembly work where the seam is passing through the bonded area. If the needle never crosses the glue line, standard 330 is fine.

Detail	Aquilim GL
Base	Water-based neoprene
Time before joining	1–5 minutes after adhesive has dried on both surfaces
Repositioning window	Up to 60 minutes after joining — then permanent
Needle behaviour	Passes through cleanly — stitch channels stay open
Shelf life (unopened)	Minimum 6 months at 20°C
Thinning	Water
Storage	Above 10°C at all times — will not recover if frozen

Buy Renia Aquilim GL at Hideout Craft

Aquilim SG — Hold It Still While You Sew

Aquilim SG is a different kind of adhesive. It is not a permanent bond — it is designed to hold leather pieces in accurate position so you can sew them without them shifting. The stitch does the structural work. The SG just keeps everything still while you get there.

Apply to one surface only, let it dry, then press the pieces together. If the alignment is not right, peel them apart and try again. It does not lose its tack. Reposition as many times as you need. Once you are happy, sew straight through — the needle passes cleanly and the stitch channels stay open.

Particularly useful for linings, wallet card slots, pocket panels, bag interiors, and any fiddly assembly work where getting the position right matters more than speed.

Detail	Aquilim SG
Base	Solvent-free, water-based PVA
Application	One surface only
Time before joining	1–5 minutes after adhesive has dried
Repositionable	Yes — indefinitely, without loss of tack
Needle behaviour	Passes through cleanly — stitch channels stay open
Shelf life (unopened)	Minimum 6 months at 20°C
Thinning	Water
Storage	Above 4°C at all times — will not recover if frozen

Buy Renia Aquilim SG at Hideout Craft

How to Use Aquilim Properly — The Basics

The same principles apply across all four products.

Surface preparation. Clean surfaces bond better than contaminated ones. Water-based adhesives are less forgiving of contamination than solvent cements — this matters more here, not less. Remove dust, grease, wax and any finishing products from all surfaces before you apply anything. Compact materials like metal or hard plastic benefit from a light sanding to give the adhesive a key. Leather, textile and open-cell foam do not need roughening as long as the surface is clean.

Apply thin, even coats. A thick coat takes longer to dry, is harder to control, and does not improve bond strength. Thin and even is always better. The Renia silicone brush is the recommended applicator — it does not absorb adhesive, cleans easily, and does not deteriorate with use.

Wait until transparent. For 330 and 315, the adhesive turns transparent when fully dry. That is your signal to join. Do not press surfaces together while the adhesive is still milky or wet — unless you are using the flesh-to-flesh shortcut described above.

Press firmly. Once the adhesive is dry, bring the pieces together and press firmly — by hand, with a roller, or with an arbor press. Pay particular attention to edges and corners. Roll from the centre outwards on larger surfaces to avoid air pockets.

Cold workshops. All Aquilim products perform best at room temperature. In cold conditions the adhesive thickens, dries slower, and bond formation can be affected. If the adhesive has been stored somewhere cold, bring it to room temperature before use. A warm water bath is fine. Never use a direct heat source on the container.

Switching from solvent cement. If you are moving from a traditional solvent contact cement to Aquilim, give yourself a session on test pieces first. The drying behaviour and bond formation feel different from solvent adhesives. Surface prep becomes more critical. Once you have adjusted your technique the results are comparable or better — but the adjustment is real and worth taking seriously before working on a finished piece.

Storage — The One Rule You Cannot Ignore

All four Aquilim adhesives must be stored above 4°C at all times. This applies to storage and transport. Freezing destroys the emulsion — a frozen Aquilim product cannot be recovered and must be discarded. Do not leave Aquilim in an unheated garage, outbuilding, or vehicle in winter.

Keep containers tightly closed when not in use. Exposure to air causes skinning on the surface. If this happens, skim it off carefully before use — do not mix it back in.

Product	Shelf life (unopened)	Storage temperature
Aquilim 330	12 months	10–25°C (above 4°C minimum)
Aquilim 315	12 months	10–25°C (above 4°C minimum)
Aquilim GL	Minimum 6 months	20°C recommended (above 10°C minimum)
Aquilim SG	Minimum 6 months	20°C recommended (above 4°C minimum)

Shop the Renia Aquilim Range

Renia Aquilim 330 | Renia Aquilim 315 | Renia Aquilim GL | Renia Aquilim SG | Aquilim Glue Brush

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Aquilim 330 and 315?

Both are permanent water-based contact adhesives. Aquilim 330 is newer, grips faster on leather and holds stronger — it is our first recommendation for leatherwork. Aquilim 315 is the original benchmark, slightly slower to grip, and handles a broader range of materials. If you are working mainly with leather, 330. If you regularly bond leather to foam, cork, cardboard or mixed materials, 315 gives you more flexibility.

Is Aquilim safe to use indoors?

Yes. All four Aquilim adhesives are water-based and free of organic solvents. No VOC concerns, no flammability hazard, no fume extraction needed for brush or roller application. Normal workshop hygiene applies — wash hands after use, avoid eye contact, keep containers closed when not in use. Spray application does require adequate ventilation.

What if my Aquilim gets frozen?

Discard it. Freezing destroys the emulsion and the adhesive cannot be recovered. Store above 4°C at all times — including during transport and delivery.

Can I thin Aquilim?

Yes — all four products can be thinned with water. Add gradually and mix thoroughly. Fresh product from a new container should not need thinning under normal conditions.

What brush should I use?

Renia’s own silicone brush is the recommended applicator for the Aquilim range. The silicone construction means it does not absorb adhesive, cleans easily, and does not deteriorate with use. We stock it alongside the Aquilim range.

Do I need to roughen leather before gluing?

For flesh-to-flesh leather bonding, no preparation is needed as long as the surface is clean and free of wax, oil and finishing products. For grain side surfaces, a light roughening helps the adhesive key in. Compact materials like metal or hard plastic should always be sanded before application.

Which Aquilim should I use if I’m sewing through the glued area?

Aquilim GL is designed specifically for bond-then-sew work. The adhesive film stays flexible so the needle passes through cleanly and stitch channels stay open. If you need full repositionability before sewing, Aquilim SG is the better choice.