From DIYinfo.org
[edit] Introduction
Contents |
There are virtually hundreds of different brands of glues suitable for the woodworker, and at least half of these have been introduced in the past 25 years. Unfortunately, there is no single glue that is perfect for every situation in woodworking. So confusion may arise when the average woodworker is trying to select the appropriate glue for their job . Adding to this confusion is the advertising hype or old wife's tales that some glues are superior to others, this is not true. While most glues will form a bonding strength that is stronger than the wood itself, different glues do have different characteristics that make some glues better than others for certain jobs. So let us try and guide you through the maze, explain the different types of glues and point out how some glues are better for specific jobs than others.
There are five different types of glues suitable for woodworking, but before discussing them, it's necessary to understand how glues work. This will make the differences between them easier for you to understand. So we suggest that you read the following articles in the below order.
[edit] What Makes Glue Stick
- There are two kinds of forces involved in a glue joint. One is adhesion - the molecular force which makes the glue stick to the wood. For many years, it was assumed that the adhesive formed tiny hardened tendrils within the porous structure of the wood which interlocked the two pieces of wood together, much like hundreds of tiny mortise and tenon joints. Read More
[edit] Glue Terminology
- It is important to define some terms that are used to describe physical features of glues throughout the Gluing articles. These features vary from glue to glue and are what make each glue handle differently. Read More
[edit] Types Of Glue
- All glues discussed below will produce adequate bonds on wood but the difference is their handling characteristics which will dictate which one is better for a specific woodworking situation. Read More
[edit] Avoiding Gluing Problems
- "There is an old saying in woodworking that glues don't fail, only woodworkers do." This is absolutely true. A well executed glue joint will probably never fail under normal use, but unfortunately, much can go wrong during the gluing process that will contribute to joint failure. Read More
Some more handy glues are covered under Adhesives & Sealants and are well worth a read for all those other gluing jobs.
[edit] Glues, Adhesives, Sealants And Gap Fillers
- There are adhesives for sticking all kinds of materials to each other. There are also many kinds of sealants and fillers used for gap-filling and waterproofing. However, sealants are often used where an adhesive would be more suitable. Read More
