Do you remember gluing things in school when you were young? Perhaps I’m dating myself, but sure, the Elmer’s Glue, applied with a brush, making school projects, peeling off the dried chunks? It was cool.
Now, though, a much more mature home shop woodworking enthusiast, I play with glue seriously, using it to seal wood seams being joined. But, I have to say it’s still cool.
When it comes to wood glues, you’ll often see the acronym PVA. It stands for polyvinyl acetate, a rubbery, synthetic polymer that is used to make wood glue or carpenter’s glue. But, you first touched PVA in school because it was and continues to be used in the making of Elmer’s glue.
PVA enhances the adhesive qualities of glue and provides strength in the bonds. Its anti-shrinking properties make bonds long-lasting and resistant to stress. PVA glue is a strong glue for wood: it’s inexpensive, moisture-resistant, and non-toxic.
Does Wood Glue Dry Hard?
Well, yes, and YES.
While PVA glue does dry relatively hard, it does not dry as hard as polyurethane glue. Gorilla glue is an example of polyurethane glue, and it dries both quickly and very hard.
There is a third type of glue that is particularly good for wood-to-wood bonding: aliphatic resin. It’s a synthetic adhesive (an aliphatic compound) with a yellow color and creamy consistency that is particularly good to bond wood together.
Its chemical composition is similar to PVA glue, but chemical modifications are made to aliphatic resin to make it stronger and more moisture-proof.
Gorilla glue will adhere to more substances, but aliphatic resin provides a better and stronger wood-to-wood bond. For our discussion today, we’ll be considering aliphatic resin, and in particular, Titebond glues.
Titebond Wood Glue Details And Drying and Curing Times
Titebond, carpenter’s blue, or yellow glue – – it goes by all of these names – – offers a variety of glues, and which one you choose is determined by your project.
Titebond Original
The industry standard for wood glues. It’s for interior use projects only – furniture, cabinets, tabletops, etc. It creates a bond that is stronger than the wood it is bonding.
Titebond recommends clamping unstressed joints for between 30 – 60 minutes and allowed to cure for 24 hours, while stressed joints should be clamped for 24 hours and allowed an additional 24 hours to cure before stress is applied.
Excess glue can be cleaned with a damp rag while it is still wet at the time of application. After drying, excess glue can be removed by scraping (think sharp chisel) and sanding.
Titebond 2 (II)
A good choice for exterior use because of its water resistance qualities. As with Titebond Original, unstressed joints should be clamped for 30 – 60 minutes and allowed to cure for an additional 24 hours; stressed joints should be clamped for 24 hours and allowed to cure for 24 hours beyond that.
Excess glue can be cleaned with a damp cloth at the time of application, and after drying, can be removed by scraping and sanding.
Titebond 3 (III)
An even better choice for exterior use because of its water-proof qualities. Again, unstressed joints should be clamped for 30 – 60 minutes and allowed to cure for an additional 24 hours; stressed joints should be clamped for 24 hours and allowed to cure for 24 hours beyond that.
Remove excess glue in the same ways as with Titebond Original and Titebond II.
How long should wood glue dry before sanding?
For each glue, allow sufficient cure time, as noted before scraping or sanding any excess-accumulation. And, the sharper the chisel, the easier the scraping will be – just be careful not to gouge the wood you’ve just joined.
Does Titebond Glue Dry Clear?
Neither Titebond Original, Titebond II, nor Titebond III dries clear, and the colors they dry to are influenced by their water-resistance qualities. Titebond Original dries pretty much to its light yellow color; Titebond II will be a darker shade of yellow, and Titebond III will dry to a dark brown.
How To Make Wood Glue Dry Faster
Environmental conditions will affect glue drying time as you bond pieces of wood together. Such factors as temperature and humidity will slow down the drying process for your wood glues.
Keep the air flowing in your drying area, whether by opening windows or using a fan. In high humidity, use a dehumidifier. Drier, cooler air will aid in a faster drying time.
While this is fairly obvious, there are other steps you can take to speed up the drying process:
- Use new glue. This will ensure the glue will dry as it is supposed to dry.
- A hairdryer or a heat lamp may also speed up drying.
- A thin application of glue. Certainly, use enough to cover the surfaces of the pieces being joined, but don’t overdo it.
Quickening the drying time, though, does not lessen the curing time. You must allow the glue to set fully before scraping and sanding excess glue and continuing with your project. This is especially so with stressed joints, which will need 24 hours of clamping and another 24 hours to cure fully before stress may be applied.
However, ensuring an environment conducive to quicker drying time goes a long way in speeding things along. When accompanied by the use of new glue and a thin application, you’ve done what you can to reduce drying time.
When it comes to wood glues, you have choices. PVA (like Elmer’s Glue), polyurethane (like Gorilla Glue), and aliphatic resin (Titebond) will all create a bond between pieces of wood. However, those who work with wood know the yellow hue of aliphatic resin and Titebond Glues and most likely have some in their woodworking shop. It cures hard and forms a bond between woods that is stronger than the wood itself, cleans up easily, doesn’t shrink, and lasts long.
