If you plan on repairing or making your own wooden furniture, something you will need is the right wood glue for the job at hand. If you expect repairs to last, you need the best wood glue for furniture repair.
Without the right kind of glue, whether you are building or repairing furniture, you won’t get very far. So, today we are here to help you find the best glue for furniture. Not only have we reviewed five of the best options out there, but we also have a substantial buyer’s guide, so you know exactly what to look out for.
Glue For Furniture – Buying Guide
Before you go off and buy any type of wood glue, whether Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue or otherwise, it’s important that you know what you are looking for.
Purchasing Considerations for Wood Glue
Here we have what are by far the most important considerations to keep in mind before you buy any sort of glue for furniture making or furniture repair.
The Specific Application
One of the most important considerations to keep in mind here is what the specific application of the glue in question is. Some wood glues are designed for a wide variety of applications, whereas others are quite specific in terms of what they can be used for.
Some glue is ideal for furniture repair and furniture joints, some is ideal for sauder furniture, for PVC furniture, for oak furniture, and for maple furniture, as well as other types of wood too. Moreover, if you plan on doing decoupage, you need the best decoupage glue for furniture. Simply put, you need to ensure that the glue you get is ideal for the exact material and application at hand.
Heat & Moisture Resistance
Another thing to keep in mind before making a purchase is how heat and moisture resistant the glue in question is, which is especially important if you live in an environment with extreme temperatures. For the most part, you do want to go for glue that is highly moisture resistant or even waterproof, but for indoors work, you may also want to consider water soluble glue for repairing broken furniture.
Bond Strength
Bond strength is one of the more important factors to look out for, because this will decide what kind of projects the glue in question can be used for. For instance, glue for felt furniture pads or for dollhouse furniture doesn’t need to be as strong as for large and solid wood pieces. Be sure to take a look at the bond strength of the glue in question, specifically in terms of the PSI.
Indoor & Outdoor Use
Going back to moisture resistance, if you plan on using the glue for outdoor furniture, you need to ensure that it is waterproof. Being resistant to extreme temperatures and UV damage doesn’t hurt either.
Tack & Curing Time
You do also want to pay attention to the tack of the glue, which is how fast it can form a bond to wood in relation to the pressure being applied to it, usually with a clamp. This is important because solid wood pieces can take a lot of pressure, but chipboard furniture cannot be tightly clamped, or else it might break. On that same note, also pay attention to the total drying and curing time.
Dried Color & Workability
Finally, you also want to pay attention to the color which the glue in question dries to, and whether it is opaque or transparent. Any good wood glue worth its money should also allow you to sand it down and paint it once dry.
FAQ
Let’s quickly answer some pressing questions about wood glue to provide you with as much information as possible.
Is wood glue non-toxic and food safe?
Most modern wood glue are designed to be non-toxic. There are certain ones which are safe for indirect contact with food, such as glue used for cutting boards and the like.
Can I use indoor glue for outdoor applications?
Generally speaking no, indoor wood glue usually will not be as resistant to UV rays, temperatures, and moisture than outdoor wood glue.
What is tack in glue?
Tack refers to how much pressure needs to be applied to the glue in order for it to form a bond with the material, which in this case is wood. High tack glue is ideal for situations where only minimal pressure can be applied for bonding.
How long do I need to use a clamp for?
For most wood glue, the longest you will need to clamp for is 30 to 60 minutes.
How long does wood glue take to dry?
Most modern wood glue should dry and fully cure within 24 hours, give or take.
Can I glue together stained or varnished wood?
If you plan on using wood glue on wood that is already finished, you need to ensure that the glue in question is designed for this. Due to finishes not being very porous, the majority of wood glues will not adhere to them.
Best Wood Glue for Furniture
Here we have list of the best wood glue for furniture on the market right now. Let’s take a look at the top options you have access to.
The top best product
- 1 Purchasing Considerations for Wood Glue
- 2 The Specific Application
- 3 Heat & Moisture Resistance
- 4 Bond Strength
- 5 Indoor & Outdoor Use
- 6 Tack & Curing Time
- 7 Dried Color & Workability
- 8 Is wood glue non-toxic and food safe?
- 9 Can I use indoor glue for outdoor applications?
- 10 What is tack in glue?
- 11 How long do I need to use a clamp for?
- 12 How long does wood glue take to dry?
- 13 Can I glue together stained or varnished wood?
- 14 LePage Pro Carpenter’s Glue
- 15 Gorilla Wood Glue
- 16 Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue
- 17 Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
- 18 DecoArt Decoupage Glue
- 19 Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
LePage Pro Carpenter’s Glue
This particular glue features a two ton bond strength, so it actually dries harder than the wood itself, thus creating an extremely strong bond. LePage Pro Carpenter’s Glue dries to a translucent yellow color, and once it is dry, it is 100% paintable and it can be sanded as well. Once the glue is dry, while not totally waterproof, it is highly moisture resistant. It’s ideal for mostly any application which involves gluing two pieces of wood together.
Amazing bond strength;
Resistant to moisture;
Ideal for most types of wood and furniture;
Can be painted and sanded.
Hard to use on vertical surfaces.
Gorilla Wood Glue
This particular wood glue forms an extremely hard and tough bond which has the ability to stay intact even under a high amount of pressure. It is also water resistant to ensure that bit of moisture does not undo the glue. This glue is also very easy to clean up with water before it dries, but it can be difficult to clean once dry. Gorilla Wood Glue is 100% non-toxic and is therefore completely safe to use.
Easy clean up when we;
Moisture resistant;
Non-toxic;
Ideal for furniture repair and furniture making.
Extremely thick in the bottle.
Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue
This particular wood glue is also extremely long lasting, as it is resistant to mold, mildew, heat, and moisture too, although it’s less resistant to moisture than some other options. Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue features easy water clean up before it is dry. It is also non-toxic and does not release any harmful fumes. Finally, once dry, this glue can be sanded and painted over.
Very short clamp time;
Fast drying time;
Extremely solid bond;
Resistant to various elements;
Can be sanded and painted.
Extremely thick and hard to spread.
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
This glue features a long assembly time, which means that it does not have the highest tack, thus providing some breathing room when assembling or repairing furniture. It does cure in 24 hours. Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue does feature a very strong bond strength, stronger than wood itself. This glue can be cleaned up with water, it is solvent free, and non-toxic too, the point where it can be used for items that come into contact with food, such as wooden cutting boards.
Allows for slower assembly time;
Very high bond strength;
Non-toxic and solvent free;
Easy water cleanup;
Can be used for a wide variety of applications.
Tendency to set in the bottle.
DecoArt Decoupage Glue
Although it is not as durable as some other wood glues, it does dry very durably and is more than ideal for decoupage. Although, it’s not an option we would consider for creating a solid bond between multiple pieces of wood. Moreover, this is a water based glue, so it is very easy to clean up, although on the other hand, it is not moisture resistant and may degrade due to high moisture levels.
Dries clear;
Fast drying;
Ideal for decoupage;
Solid bond.
Not ideal for gluing multiple pieces of wood together.
Conclusion
When it comes to the best wood glue for furniture making and furniture repair, Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is one of the absolute best choices you can go with, although all products reviewed here today have their own specific benefits. Whatever your final choice may be, ensure that you keep our main purchasing factors in the buyer’s guide in mind. The most crucial aspect is that you get the right kind of glue for the exact 5 job at hand.
