Your guide to successful wood bonding with Titebond!
Our reliable wood glues provide strong, lasting bonds for everything from furniture making to major building projects. This page offers expert recommendations, practical advice and tips for excellent results.
Once the glue has dried, the initial bond is sufficiently strong.
You can continue working on bonded components as soon as the glue has dried. However, curing takes from several hours to several days, with strength increasing accordingly. Heavily loaded joints should remain unloaded for 24–48 hours until the bonding reaction is complete. The glue reaches maximum strength after 48 hours, so strength tests should also be carried out after 48 hours.
Use masking tape when bonding parts that will later be painted or stained.
Glue squeeze-out can make finishing difficult. Use masking tape to cover areas where glue must not soak into the wood. The taped areas will be protected from glue that would resist the finish.
Determine the best clamping time for Titebond Liquid Hide Glue.
Titebond Liquid Hide Glue is particularly sensitive to humidity, making it difficult to know when to remove clamps. A useful method is to place an offcut coated with Liquid Hide Glue beside the freshly bonded, clamped assembly. When the glue on the offcut is dry, the clamps can be removed. Wait at least 24 hours before applying a full load to the joint.
Take particular care with projects that combine different wood species.
When using several wood species in one project, all pieces should have the same moisture content. Store them together in the same warm, dry location to help achieve this.
How to add colour to Titebond wood glue correctly.
Aniline dyes can change the colour of aliphatic resin glue. Mix the powdered dye with one or two drops of water to form a paste before adding it to the glue, preventing lumps. Start with a small amount because a little can change the colour considerably. Let a sample of the tinted glue dry before deciding on the final colour, as the dry mixture may differ from its wet appearance.
Reduce clamping time in a vacuum press.
To reduce clamping time, place a thick piece of wood inside the vacuum bag to absorb moisture from the glue. This works best when laminating several thin veneers, because water from the glue saturates them.
Improve results when bonding oily woods or woods with high tannic-acid content.
For oily woods or those with high tannic-acid content, wipe the joints with acetone before gluing. Acetone removes contaminants from the wood pores at the bonding surface and evaporates quickly without residue. Sanding or planing immediately before gluing also produces a good bonding surface.
Prevent stepped joints in your projects.
Raised joints usually occur when pieces with different moisture contents are glued together for a tabletop or cupboard door. Ensure all the wood in the project has the same moisture content before starting. One way to achieve this is to let it acclimatise in the workshop for a week or two.
Prevent sunken joints in your projects.
Water-based glues such as Titebond Original and Titebond II develop strength as they release moisture into the surrounding wood. This slightly swells the wood on either side of the glue line. If the assembly is planed or sanded before the swelling subsides, the damp wood near the joint will continue drying and shrink slightly below the surrounding surface. Allow the project to dry for several days before sanding or planing.
When clamping a bonded assembly may be useful.
Although clamping is unnecessary for most projects, it may be desirable. Clamping makes the glue line thinner and more attractive. If the substrates have significant spring-back, holding them flat while the glue cures also helps produce a better bond.
How long can wood glue be stored?
Most manufacturers set a conservative official shelf life to limit liability where poor storage has damaged the product. The stated shelf life of wood glue is usually about two years, but its actual usable life is often much longer. White or yellow PVA wood glues stored under ideal conditions can last 10 years or more. This also applies to our popular Titebond® Original, Titebond II and Titebond III glues.
Bob Behnke, senior technical specialist at Titebond manufacturer Franklin International, says a cool, dry cellar is an excellent place to store wood glue. He adds that refrigeration can extend its life. “The worst storage conditions involve allowing glue to freeze and then thaw,” Behnke explains. “Most wood glues are formulated to withstand at least five freeze/thaw cycles.
With each cycle, the glue thickens into a gel. Stirring restores a uniform consistency. These gels disperse easily at first, but each subsequent freeze/thaw cycle makes them harder to mix out.” Eventually, gelled glue can no longer be stirred back to a usable consistency and remains solid. Heat can also cause the polymer to contract and form a gel.
How can you tell whether glue has deteriorated? “If it pours, it is probably good,” says Behnke. If the glue has thickened, shake vigorously and tap the bottle against a hard surface until it returns to its original consistency. You can also add up to 5% water to water-based glues such as PVA to make them flow more easily. If the glue dispenses in lumps or as a paste and does not adhere to wood, it has probably exceeded its usable life. If Titebond II has turned orange, it is time for a new bottle.
We want you to get the most from every bottle of Titebond, however long it takes you to use it.
