Wood glue is for tight, clamped wood joints: Titebond says to clamp an unstressed joint for 30 minutes to an hour. Construction adhesive, such as Liquid Nails, bridges gaps and bonds wood to other building materials.
Wood glue: clamp it
| Glue | Clamp time | Water |
|---|---|---|
| Titebond (most of its wood glues) | 30 minutes to an hour unstressed; 24 hours for stressed joints | Titebond III waterproof (ANSI Type I); Titebond II weatherproof (Type II) |
| Gorilla Wood Glue, Dries Clear | 20 to 30 minutes; open time 5 to 10 minutes | Both pass ANSI/HPVA Type II |
| Gorilla Wood Glue Ultimate | 20 to 30 minutes; open time up to 15 minutes | Passes ANSI/HPVA Type I |
| DAP Weldwood Original Wood Glue | At least 30 minutes; dry overnight before sanding | DAP’s FAQ says interior grade only |
Titebond says not to stress a new joint for at least 24 hours, and Gorilla says complex or heavy projects may need clamping up to 24 hours. DAP’s Weldwood data sheet calls it water resistant while its FAQ says interior only; we go by the FAQ for outdoor use.
Construction adhesive: bridge the gap
Gorilla says all of its construction adhesives are gap-filling, and Liquid Nails’ latex Heavy Duty says it bridges gaps. Its Subfloor & Deck bridges gaps up to 3/8 inch and bonds wet, frozen and treated lumber.
| Product | Bonds | Where | Not for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Duty (LN-903) | Wood, treated wood, plywood, OSB, tileboard, exterior foamboard | Interior and exterior; 0 to 140°F | Plastics, vinyl, ceramics, mirrors, granite, marble, flooring, subfloors |
| Subfloor & Deck (LN-902) | Wet, frozen and treated lumber | -20 to 140°F | See its data sheet |
| Projects (LN-704) | Won’t attack foam insulation; bridges 3/8 inch | Interior; up to 120°F | Exterior use |
| Projects & Foamboard (LN-604) | Won’t attack foam insulation | Interior; up to 120°F | Exterior use, plastic, vinyl, foamboard to foamboard |
From each product’s data sheet (Pittsburgh Paints Company, which makes Liquid Nails).
Some construction adhesives give a clamp time: Loctite’s PL Premium data sheet says 24 hours.
Which to use
- Furniture, cutting boards, tight wood joints you can clamp: we’d use a wood glue.
- Subfloors, paneling, wood to masonry or foamboard, uneven surfaces: we’d use a construction adhesive that lists those materials.
- Outdoors: check the label. Titebond III passes ANSI Type I and Titebond II Type II, while DAP’s Weldwood Original and Liquid Nails’ Projects line are interior only.
Gluing wood to something else?
Glue finder