# My love/hate relationship with Gorilla glue



## BigAl98 (Jan 29, 2010)

Yeah, the glue is essentially like "tough stuff"..ie a polyeurethene glue, that is water proof when cured, but can expand, and it doesn't last long if opened. what's nice is you can use it on wet wood.


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

Polyurethane glue (Gorilla glue) is my go-to glue when face gluing boards for side and top panels. Generally, I buy the small bottle when I need to glue up panels. I haven't had an issue with the glue setting up in the bottle or getting thick except if it is cold.

Unlike Titebond, no glue line shows up in a few months from the Titebond swelling from humidity. As with everything, Gorilla Glue has its place.


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## Albert (Jul 28, 2008)

Inside upside downside - i glued every joint when I built my greenhouse 10 years ago. Still standing!


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

agree with all said,i gave up on it.just never used enough and when i wanted to it would be hard.plus i dont like the clean up.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Love the stuff, but yeah, you MUST use it up quickly once the bottle is open as it will set up in the bottle FAST once exposed to any kind of air. They literally need a 1 way check valve / squeeze tube for that stuff instead of a glue bottle…

I don't care for their wood glue. I am finishing up a 16 oz bottle of the stuff right now. I am used to Titebond 2, and the GG wood glue is oddly thick, you end up using a lot more than you intended to.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Love the stuff, but yeah, you MUST use it up quickly once the bottle is open as it will set up in the bottle FAST once exposed to any kind of air. They literally need a 1 way check valve / squeeze tube for that stuff instead of a glue bottle…
> 
> I don t care for their wood glue. I am finishing up a 16 oz bottle of the stuff right now. I am used to Titebond 2, and the GG wood glue is oddly thick, you end up using a lot more than you intended to.
> 
> - dbhost


thanks i havn't tried that yet but you just saved me from wasting my time and money.


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## HapHazzard (Jan 9, 2016)

Thanks for all the great comments so far. Taken as a whole, I think they show that this is either a fantastic product or a real disappointment. It all depends on what you expect and how you use it. I hope this gives readers a good idea of what to expect and helps them decide if it's right for them. Thanks again!


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## HapHazzard (Jan 9, 2016)

> I don t care for their wood glue. I am finishing up a 16 oz bottle of the stuff right now. I am used to Titebond 2, and the GG wood glue is oddly thick, you end up using a lot more than you intended to.
> 
> - dbhost


I think they really should have quit with their original, and maybe added the clear version for variety. All the other products just weaken the brand. It's a phenomenon merketing types call the line extension trap. Their super glue is just like any other super glue; their E6000 clone is, unsurprisingly, just like E6000; their construction adhesives just add more clutter to the already overcrowded construction adhesive market; and their wood glue, clearly made to look like Franklin Titebond, doesn't measure up. It's a classic case of not quitting while you're ahead.


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## PCDub (Sep 24, 2017)

Several years ago, I bought a bottle of original GG to put my porch railing and balusters back together (& it's all still in one piece!)

To store what was left over, I squeezed the bottle to get the air out and put a small clamp on the sides of the bottle to keep the air squeezed (squoze?) out. The remainder lasted for months until a friend asked if I had any. What was left worked for my friend, and then it was all used up. So it is possible to keep some around for a while if it's stored carefully. In addition to making sure the air stays squozen out, putting it inside a jar with lid, or a plastic bag might add some extra insurance.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Yes, squeezing the air out does extend the life of Gorilla glue. It's been awhile since we've had any in the shop but I think opened bottles would last for 6 months or more as long as the air was kept out and somebody used a little periodically so the exposed glue near the top was removed.


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## Bill1974 (Mar 24, 2010)

If you can open the bottle/container and get the air out it will last longer. Argon gas works well to displace the air and creates blocks the water/humidity or anything in the air from reacting with the glue.

https://www.rockler.com/bloxygen-gas-for-preserving-unused-finishing-materials?country=US&sid=V91040&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CjwKCAiA6Y2QBhAtEiwAGHybPbXRyD3OkdAjjVaV7F3N3lfurfROfiUQguCD5ACGZ1h57akNOwU5QhoCIj4QAvD_BwE


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

Guess I've been lucky. Mine stays usable for over a year. It is moisture that triggers the curing process. So on porous items like wood it helps speed the cure by dampening one side of the joint. On non porous items I spray a little water on after the joint is clamped.

Mistakes most often made. 
1. Applying it too thick. Spread a very thin coat on one side of the joint. Keep squeeze out to a minimum.
2. Not clamping firmly. It expands (foams) as it cures and can push a loose joint apart and too much glue is even worse. An expanded glue joint is also not strong. Any squeeze out should be left to at least partially cure…..it foams and is easy to scrape off.
3. Wear gloves. If you get on your skin it will turn black. It wears off after a few days. LOL Clean off with Acetone as soon as possible.


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## HapHazzard (Jan 9, 2016)

I know about squeezing the air out of the bottle, and I do that, but it only slows down the setting process. Here's a picture of my current bottle:









As you can see, something strange is happening in the bottom of the bottle. It looks like an air pocket, but what's happening is that the glue in contact with the bottle is hardening and forming a shell that's pulled away from the bottle. The glue at the top of the bottle, meanwhile, is still somewhat useable. So the hardening that's going on at the bottom of the bottle has nothing to do with not squeezing air out at the top. Something else is going on. The bottle is made from HDPE, so it's not very permeable to air or water vapor. Could it be reacting to ambient light? That doesn't explain why it's only happening at the bottom. Whatever it is, it's just a matter of time before the whole bottle sets.

Applying Gorilla glue too thick is not always a mistake; sometimes it's a necessity. When you're using a bottle that's begun to thicken, you can't thin it, so you either apply it thick or throw it in the trash. Since I'm not made of money, I tend to keep using it as long as I can, so sometimes I have to apply it thick, but trust me, I know exactly what I'm doing.

I agree about wearing gloves, but I'd specify disposable gloves. If you get it on a good pair of work gloves, they're ruined. If you get it on your skin, it doesn't turn black, it just traps dirt. I've never tried to use acetone to remove it, because isopropyl alcohol works, and it's safer to put on your skin.


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## woodchucker1 (Aug 3, 2021)

sounds like a nightmare. Pure crapola !


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## awsum55 (Jan 3, 2017)

I wonder if putting the bottle in a jar with some desiccants might prevent the glue from drying up? This is what I do with CA glue and mine lasts for years.


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## chippewafalls (Oct 19, 2014)

Over the last several years I have used foaming Gorilla glue hundreds of times without any issues. After scraping off the hardened foam and finish sanding to this day I have yet to find any damage to the finish. I do have to say my finishing technique uses no or very little stain. If the client wants a stain, I will build and give them unfinished, and they can stain or finish themselves. If I do a finish, I use Watco Danish oil, unwaxed sanding sealer with several clear coats of oil based or poly topcoats. Most all of my work is solid hardwoods edge glued and biscuits. Just offering my experience over the past decade+.


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## woodnek (7 mo ago)

I wouldn't use the crap.


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