How To Select a Woodworking Glue

Choosing a woodworking glue can be confusing; there are several on the market. There are wood glues designed for outdoor use, indoor use, flooring, laminates, and repairs. So, how do you know which woodworking glue will be the proper adhesive for your project?

If you only need to do small repairs, you'll want to use epoxy putty wood glue. This glue is a polymer compound that permanently repairs wood, and is fast setting. Epoxy putty wood glue is great for repairing knotholes, cracks, gouges, and scratches.

To repair or glue cabinets, or to finish carpentry and moldings, you will need a thicker epoxy glue to ensure you have no runs or drips. This glue will not only bond, but will allow flexibility while drying for any realignment of your wood pieces.

Any woodworking that will done with wood flooring, or laminate wood flooring, will require a tongue and groove adhesive. This glue is water based, non-flammable, and non-toxic. Tongue and groove glue is formulated to dry clear, and will not emit any odors.

Veneer woodworking requires a glue which is formulated for cold press laminating of solid or porous wood to solid woods. This glue can be used in place of contact cement, eliminating the harmful fumes. You'll have to move quickly, though: this glue has a set time of only 15 minutes!  It is fully cured in 24 hours.

Woodworking projects that will be displayed outdoors and exposed to the elements will require a glue that is weather resistant and  thaw/freeze stable.  Indoor projects that may get exposed to water such as coffee tables, end tables, or fireplace mantles will also require a waterproof glue.

If your woodworking project uses a dark wood, there is a glue that is specially tinted for dark woods.

There are several variables to consider when choosing a glue. The questions you will need to ask yourself are: What type of wood am I using? What set time do I want the glue to have?  Will my project's final home be indoors or outdoors?  After you have all the answers to your questions, choosing the proper glue will be easy.