Wood glue comes in all kinds of varieties, with some being ideal for wood to wood bonding, some for flooring and large scale carpentry, some for crafts, some for repairs, and so much more. This can make finding the right wood glue for your purposes quite the challenge.
Today we are here to help you find the best glue for wood to wood bonding. We’ve got a good buyer’s guide with all the most important questions answered, so you know exactly what to look for when selecting the best wood glue. We’ve also reviewed some of the top options out there, a wide selection for a variety of applications.
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- Ideal for flooring and all sorts of wood bonding purposes
- Highly moisture resistant
- Indoor and outdoor use
- Dries fairly quickly
- Good color
- High tensile strength
- Good for large repairs
- Great gap filler
- Super resistant to mother nature
- Ideal for small projects and repairs
- Dries clear
- Dries very fast
- Rock solid bond
- Instant cure
- Ideal for a variety of materials
- Great for large scale flooring applications
- Waterproof
- Easy to clean with water when wet
- Extremely strong bond
- Suitable for all materials
- Very fast setting and curing
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
The overall number one rated pick for the best wood glue would have to be Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue. There are a variety of reasons as to why this is a preferable glue to be using for wood on wood applications.
- Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue features a very strong bond with extremely high tensile strength and the ability to handle lots of pressure.
- This glue is more than ideal for large scale flooring applications and large carpentry jobs, and for smaller jobs too, but just not for miniature repairs.
- Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is extremely moisture resistant, nearly moisture proof, and can therefore be used for indoor and outdoor applications alike.
- This glue takes only 10 minutes to set and can dry totally within about 24 hours of application.
- In case you make a mess, Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue can be easily cleaned up with water when it is still wet.
- This glue can be sanded and painted over once it is completely dried and cured.
Types of Glue for Wood
Are you short on time or just want a quick answer?
Check out our list below for a summary of our results.
- Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
- J-B Weld 8257 KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy
- Krazy Glue Fast Dry Wood Glue
- PC-Woody Wood Repair Epoxy
- Titebond 5064 Original Wood Glue
- Gorilla Wood Glue
- Glue Masters Wood Adhesive
- The Original Super Glue
- Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue
- Gorilla 6770002 Micro Precise Super Glue
What is important to note here is that there are various types of glue that can be used for bonding wood to wood, as well as for bonding wood to other materials too. Let’s take a closer look at the 5 best glues to use for wood.
Polyvinyl Acetate Glue (PVA)
Perhaps the most common type of glue used for bonding wood is Polyvinyl Acetate Glue (PVA), which is generally referred to as wood glue. This glue is a synthetic resin prepared by the polymerization of vinyl acetate. This is a rubbery polymer that forms what is generally referred to as a rubber or plastic. It is ideal for bonding wood as it remains quite flexible when dry. Keep in mind that while it is very resistant to water, high temperature water may dissolve PVA glue. This is a great woodworking glue and perhaps one of the best hardwood glues around.
Polyurethane Glue
The next type of glue that you may use, some of the best waterproof wood glue around, is polyurethane glue. This glue works by combining a variety of chemicals that then form what is known as polyurethane, a specific type of plastic. Keep in mind that this type of glue can come in 1 or 2 part solutions. This glue is known for being totally waterproof, and is also known for being some of the strongest glue around with the highest tensile strength, especially for wood bonding.
Cyanoacrylate (CA Glue)
Cyanoacrylate (CA Glue) is the technical term for super glue. Super glue is some of the strongest wood glue around, granted that you don’t use it for applications that need to take a lot of impact., Super glue dries hard and inflexible, and although the bond strength is very high, and although it is waterproof, its impact resistance is not great. That said, besides plastic, super glue will bond more or less anything and everything together.
Hide Glue
Hide glue is also known as animal glue, and yes, it is made by boiling down the bones of various animals. The glue itself consists mainly of collagen and other such substances. Hide glues work well for bonding wood as they have no VOCs, cure clear, cure at room temperature, and are very strong. Keep in mind that some hide glues are not 100% waterproof.
Epoxy Glue
The other type of glue that works well for wood is epoxy. Epoxies generally come in 2 parts, the glue itself and the curing agent. This type of glue is excellent for gap filling, it can bond a wide variety of materials, and is generally 100% waterproof.
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Safety Precautions
- Always make sure to read labels and directions before using any such product.
- Be careful with certain glues, particularly super glue, as it bonds with skin. Therefore, wearing gloves may be a good idea.
- You may be required to wear breathing protection such as a respirator if using industrial glue.
- Wear old clothes when using glue, as most will stain clothing.
- Wearing eye goggles to prevent getting glue in your eyes is not a bad idea either.
Best Wood Glue
The top best product [hide]
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
J-B Weld 8257 KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy
Moreover, this J-B Weld 8257 KwikWood Wood Repair Epoxy features a tensile strength of 900 PSI, it won’t shrink or crack when it dries, and it can be sanded, painted, drilled, and more once it is dry. Keep in mind that once cured, this stuff has a light tan color.
Krazy Glue Fast Dry Wood Glue
What is cool about this particular glue is that it is technically super glue, a type of glue that provides a super strong bond and is waterproof, but it is also designed to be wood glue, and it remains flexible when dry, it dries clear, and it has no problem bonding with wood. What is also neat here is that Krazy Glue Fast Dry Wood Glue takes only a few minutes to set and dry, thus providing you with the best of both worlds, both the advantages of wood glue and super glue.
PC-Woody Wood Repair Epoxy
You may like how PC-Woody Wood Repair Epoxy provides you with about 40 minutes of working time, but beware that it does take some time to fully dry. The high tack formula of it is something you may also appreciate.
What is cool is that this epoxy is made of out, and it dries to around the same density as wood. Moreover, this stuff is ideal for outdoor applications, as it resistant to mildew, dry rot, UV light, and fresh and salt water, or simply put, it can easily resist mother nature. It is also super resistant to both extreme heat and cold.
Titebond 5064 Original Wood Glue
What you may like about Titebond 5064 Original Wood Glue is that it can be used for all sorts of wood, whether hard or soft. Moreover, when it bonds, it actually bonds stronger than the wood itself, and it is highly resistant to moisture, temperature, impact, and more, although it is not 100% waterproof.
This glue has a short clamp time. You only need to clamp your project for about an hour, but it does take up to a full day to totally cure. That said, we do like how the precision applicator tip allows for easy and mess free application.
Gorilla Wood Glue
Gorilla Wood Glue requires only 30 minutes of clamping time and cures completely within 24 hours. Once dry, this glue dries to a natural wood color for a nice look. The bond and overall tensile strength of this glue is very high, and it dries quite flexibly too.
Glue Masters Wood Adhesive
This is a very thin glue which is quite runny, which means that application can be a bit messy, but it does work very well for getting into small cracks and gaps. Moreover, Glue Masters Wood Adhesive is completely waterproof, resistant to extreme temperatures, and very long lasting overall.
The Original Super Glue
This glue is designed to be used for wood, ceramic, fingernails, metal, pottery, plastic, china, jewellery, and many other materials too. In terms of repairs and finish work, The Original Super Glue can be painted and sanded. This is a fast drying formula which bonds instantly and dries completely within seconds. This epoxy, once dry, is also totally waterproof. Do keep in mind that this glue is an irritant and should never come into contact with skin, eyes, or anything else of the sort.
Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue
This wood glue does clean up easily with water when still wet, but is highly moisture resistant once dry. Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue is designed to dry quite flexibly, but still with a high tensile strength, this making it ideal for wood floors that see a lot of foot traffic. It’s an ideal indoor wood floor glue because it’s also non-toxic and does not release harmful fumes into the air. This glue features a 30 minute clamp time with a total cure being achieved in roughly 24 hours.
Gorilla 6770002 Micro Precise Super Glue
Gorilla 6770002 Micro Precise Super Glue does not require clamping and sets within seconds, achieving a full cure within minutes. This is an ideal option for small wood crafts and small scale repairs. The dispenser is very precise and accurate.
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
The reason for this is because it is ideal for most applications, especially large scale work such as for flooring. It’s got an incredibly strong bond, it’s flexible, and it’s highly resistant to moisture too. Whether being used for indoor or outdoor applications, Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is always a prime option to go with.
Wood Glue – Buying Guide & FAQ
How To Choose Wood Glue
You don’t want to buy just any wood glue, certainly not the first one that you see. Here are some important tips and pieces of advice on how to choose the best wood glue for your purposes.
- The Specific Application
What you always need to keep in mind before making a specific purchase is what you need the wood glue for. Whether you need the best wood glue for furniture, the best wood glue for cabinets, the best wood glue for wood crafts, or whatever else the case, knowing what exactly you need it for may very well be more important than any other factor. Now, most wood glues will be fine for various applications, but nonetheless, not all wood epoxies are ideal for all applications, so be careful in this regard when making a selection.
- Moisture Resistance
Whether you are looking for the best glue for fabric to wood, the best glue for glass to wood, the best glue for plastic to wood, or the best glue for wood to wood, something that is always important is that the glue in question is waterproof, or at least water resistant. Glue that cannot resist moisture will come apart as soon as it gets wet, and will therefore be rendered useless. If you expect it to last for some time to come, the glue in question needs to be able to deal with moisture.
- Indoor or Outdoor Use
Speaking of being moisture resistant, if you are looking for the best exterior wood glue, make sure that it is 100% waterproof, mold and mildew resistant, and resistant to temperatures. Glue for outdoor applications needs to be much tougher and more durable, as well as more resistant to various elements than glue being used for indoor applications.
- Materials other than Wood
Something else to consider before making a purchase is if you plan on gluing wood to wood or if you also want to glue other materials to wood, such as metal to wood. The best glue for metal to wood, for instance, needs to be able to bond with various materials and surface types, which also makes it important to consider if the materials you are bonding are porous or not. You may want to glue wood to glass, plastic, metal, fabric, paper, or a number of other materials.
- Bond Strength & Flexibility
Of course, how strong the glue bonds once dry is a big deal too. The more pressure the wood needs to handle, such as for a floor with a lot of foot traffic, the stronger that bond need to be, which is usually measured in PSI. Moreover, if you are making furniture or chairs, you need the best wood glue for furniture or for chairs, which means that it does need to be slightly flexible when dry. It needs to be able to handle some movement.
- Viscosity
How thick or viscous the glue in question is will make a difference too. Thicker glue usually takes longer to set and bond and is generally best for large scale work, especially for wood to wood bonding, but they an also be a bit messy. On the other hand, thinner glues, such as epoxy or super glue, tends to be best for smaller scale crafts and repairs. The thinner options usually dry much faster, such as super glue for instance.
- Setting & Curing Time
If you are doing large scale projects, something with a longer set time may be ideal to allow you to work before it dries. How fast you need the glue to dry and cure does somewhat depend on the project at hand. Fast drying and curing times are usually best for smaller projects and repairs.
How Long Does Wood Glue Need To Be Clamped?
This all depends on the specific type of glue in question. Some wood glue needs to be clamped for 10 minutes, some for 30, and some never at all. Generally, most wood glue will benefit from around 1 hour of clamping, but options like clear super glue may not require any clamping at all.
How Long Does It Take For Wood Glue To Dry & Cure?
Once again, this will depend on the specific glue in question, as well as the temperature and humidity, but that said, any glue, resin, or epoxy worth its money should dry and cure within 24 hours.
Can Wood Glue Be Sanded & Painted Over?
Whether or not the wood glue can be sanded and painted over also depends on the specific product in question. Most wood glues should allow for painting and sanding, especially those designed for repair work, as well as those made for furniture making.
Is Wood Glue Stronger Than Screws Or Nails?
While wood glue tends to be stronger and more durable than wood itself, if you are making joints and furniture, it is recommended to use fasteners such as screws for increased durability.
How Do You Break Wood Glue?
The best way to break and remove old wood glue or glue that has been applied improperly is to use a heat gun to heat it up, then some sort of scraper or flat tool to remove it.
Should I Sand Wood Before Gluing?
While it is OK to lightly sand wood before gluing, most wood glue usually works best and bonds better to porous surfaces. Most wood glue is not going to do too well with very smooth surfaces.
Conclusion
Perhaps the most important aspect to keep in mind before making a decision is what you need the glue for. Different wood glues and epoxies are designed for different tasks, and you need to ensure that the glue matches the task. Today we have gone over some important purchasing factors to remember and we’ve also covered some of the best possible products on the market. The final decision now rests firmly in your hands.
