# A great glue which I have tested to the limit.



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Thanks for the review sounds like a good glue.


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## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

I thought all glues (of the same type) were alike. White is white, yellow is yellow, etc. Wonder what makes this glue different?


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks for the review and for sharing your experience.

I have no doubt that you aren't dogging Titebond in your review, but the comparison of this glue to Titebond II seems a little off. The suggested applications of TB III vs. the Gorilla wood glue would be much closer. The TB II is not intended to hold up to getting wet, though both the TB III and Gorilla glues are. The reason I bring this up is cost-I know the overall cost of glue in a project is pretty small compared to other stuff, but I can't help but noticing that the Gorilla wood glue is almost twice as much as TB III. I haven't seen anything that makes me think the Gorilla wood glue would justify this increased cost.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

Sounds like your project had a rough road. I am glad that glue and joints withstood the stresses and preserved it until it was sold. Great review and thanks for sharing.

To supplement David's (dfdye) comments regarding the difference between TB II and TB III, Wood Magazine had an article in their May 2009 edition that compared the outdoor qualities of type II, type III, epoxy, and polyurethane glues. Names were not mentioned, I can assume they used titebond but cannot state for a fact that they did. However, type II glues were slightly weaker than type III glues as far as external product uses. Type III wood glues were determined to be as strong as epoxy. During the joint torture test, the wood failed before the glue did. The glue joints the staff tested were placed on a roof for 9 months with a mixture of extreme cold, rain, and 100+ degree temperatures, so the joinery really got a good workout.

As far as the comment about a comparison between Gorilla Glue and TB II being a little off, Gorilla Wood Glue is a Type II glue, so the comparison is fair in that regards. Price will also depend on where you purchase it. Some of the big box stores sell small containers at a fairly large price, but the product is available on Amazon in 8oz bottles for around 5 bucks, which is comparable to TB brands. I see availability in many big stores being limited due to shelving space.

Thanks for posting your experience with the product,

David


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

David,

Thanks for noting that the Gorilla product is a type II glue. I was not aware of that, and their literature and advertising seems to imply that it is comparable to a type III. Thanks for the correction. Once I actually took the time to look, Gorilla clearly states it is a type II.

As for pricing, the best I could find on Amazon for the Gorilla Glue is $0.83/oz, whereas Titebond III is only $0.43/oz in quart bottles (both eligible for free shipping). If I bump up to a gallon, the TB III drops to $0.29/oz. I couldn't find a free shipping offer for TB II, but I typically see it for about $0.20/oz in gallon sizes (~$25/gallon), even locally.

I guess my point is this: if you are considering switching to Gorilla wood glue for weather stability, why not consider TB III for less money? Still, like I said, the overall glue cost per project is still REALLY small relative to most other components that will go into a project, so I am sure I am just splitting hairs and being really cheap here! I will gladly spend an extra $3-5/hinge for a project if they are more easily adjustable or easier to install, so I have no idea why I would ever object to anyone using a glue that would cost less than one hinge upgrade if it makes them more confident in their project (which probably means I just convinced myself to switch to TB III after I use up my current supply of glue! 

Regardless, this seems to be a great problem to have-both TB and the Gorilla wood glues seem to perform great, so I guess whichever you like should be what you use.

David

PS Thanks again, thatwoodworkingguy, for posting the review!


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## thatwoodworkingguy (May 19, 2010)

I did not bash titebond nor did I ask to get told about the prices. And actualy I dont remember comparing it to Titebond II. I was merely showing how well gorilla glue stands up to water by demonstrating how easily a glue that doesnt can get taken down.
Im noticing a trend of people reading a little to far into things here and Im getting sick of it.


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## thatwoodworkingguy (May 19, 2010)

This was a review of a glue. Not a way over brands and prices people.


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## bayspt (Apr 4, 2008)

Relax. No one said you bashed anything. Compare you did, and from the way I read it David from Indiana thought at first it was an unfair comparison. He was corrected and admitted the error, and again thanked you for your post. It is a review of glue, a certain brand of glue. If it wasn't about the brand it wouldn't be worth a flip. Price is very important to some people. Sometimes one of the most important items to determine if someone buys an item or not. If we never had a differance of thought, sure would make this world a boring place to be, what would we talk about. Maybe it's just the way I read it, but it seems to me maybe you could take your own advice and not read so far into things. Of course this is just my .02. Frankly, I have never tried Gorilla Glue, but may in the future based on your review since all I can get locally is TB II and by your experiance it is the better type 2 glue. Then again if the price differance is too great I probably won't.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Thanks David and dfdye for the extra information and discussion. I found it helpful.


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## Abbott (May 10, 2009)

The first day it absolutely POURED rain and my boxes were exposed to the wet element. Now I am in no way bashing titebond here and I hope it doesnt get taken that way but I have to say a box I have glued together with titebond 2 and I got some separation but the Gorilla glued box remained rock solid.

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*My first thoughts were also why compare a waterproof glue to Titebond II. That's Titebond IIIs territory. Anyway that was easily enough misunderstood by a few people including myself if a misunderstanding is what it was. ~shrug~*

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I did not bash titebond nor did I ask to get told about the prices. And actualy I dont remember comparing it to Titebond II. I was merely showing how well gorilla glue stands up to water by demonstrating how easily a glue that doesnt can get taken down.

Im noticing a trend of people reading a little to far into things here and Im getting sick of it.

-thatwoodworkingguy.com ~Eagle America~ ~Woodcraft~

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*Hehe, that's pretty good after two weeks *

~smiles~ I have been wondering about how well Gorilla glue holds wood as I have never tried it because I have been using Titebond III.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

thanks for the review. and thanks for the added info in the comments from dfdye, and David. these types of comments usually add extra beef to the overall overview of a product. no need to get offended from it.

Cheers


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## jimp (Feb 7, 2008)

You can buy Gorilla White Wood Glue at Home Depot for $5.97 for the 18 oz bottle ($0.33 per oz), which is basically the same price as TB II in the same bottle size.

I use Gorilla White Wood Glue and love it.


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## woodcrafter47 (Nov 24, 2009)

I have been using for a long time, like it for glue up for bowls and etc. White dries in 2 hrs ,brown takes it time, Must wet dampen hard wood to open pores . Great stuff though.Brown stain on fingers if not wiped off quickly. 
I use carberator spray.Comes right off.


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## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

I'm sure it's me but I can't quite understand this. The Gorilla glue is a TypeII and when compared to another TypeII glue like Titebond, it's more water resistant? Why? I thought the Type determined whether it was water resistant. Is Titebond III a Type I or Type II or Type III or what?


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

FYI, I just stopped at Home Depot and picked up an 18oz bottle for $6 (including tax) as all I have is TBI and will need something water resistant, and FSA approved for indirect food contact for butting boards I plan on making.

Thanks again for the review. nice to know it holds well


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## woodywoodpecker64 (Mar 26, 2010)

Hey all
why so much confrontation? I tried Gorilla glue and the bottle I bought was coming out like water, not sure what caused that but I returned it and bought some TBII. Most of my projects are not outside so water is not a problem. I keep reading the ads that say Gorilla is really good but my experience was not good. I'll try it again, maybe it was a bad bottle eh? I love TB and have been using it for years. Anecdote; my wife makes custom drapes and she needed a 22.5 degree rod glued up so I cut the rod and glued it up with TBII. She grabeed it about 15 minutes after i set it out to dry and started working it through the drapes. It held! This was a butt joint of 1.5 " fluted rod! I was amazed to say the least. I usually like a couple of hours for the glue to set but now I know I can start working in as few as a half hour. Nice review BTW.
Dan


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

I've used Gorilla Wood Glue and was happy with it's performance. I noticed that it is a little thinner than my standard glue choices (TBII, TBIII, RooGlue). In most applications this is not desirable because it runs and drips a bit more. However, I occasionally use multi-surface joints, and if you're not careful, excessive glue can keep the joint from closing completely. Being thinner, Goilla Glue squeezes out of these joints more easily, allowing them to close.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

reading the label, the Gorilla glue is has a rather short open time and only requires 20min of clamping - which might explain it being thinner than other alternatives for better for worse - just different characteristics.


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

Jim, Titebond III is rated waterproof, type III, and all of the reviews I have heard of that have tested it confirm that it really will hold up to wet environments well.

Jimp & PurpLev, thanks for the cheaper source! Great information, and great addition to the discussion.

Finally, thatwoodworkingguy, please understand that no offense or confrontation was ever intended from my comments. My only goal is to add information, ask some questions, and possibly provide an alternative viewpoint. Personally, I sometimes get more out of the comments and questions in LJ reviews than the actual reviews themselves since that is where questions are asked and answered, and supporting and differing opinions are offered. (The great examples of this were the posts noting that the more reasonable price of Gorilla Wood Glue from Home Depot vs. Amazon, and the different texture and open times of the Gorilla wood glue vs. TB II that was not in the original review.) It has always been my understanding that this is the point of comments on tool reviews on this site, and is one of the reasons I think LJ reviews are some of the best on the web!


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## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

David, you seem to know where to get the definition of Type I, Type II, Type III, etc. Can you post the source? If not, maybe someone can explain to me how one brand of Type II can perform up to Type II standards and another can fail, unless there was a bad batch of glue or a user error?


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

OutPutter, here is a good breakdown of the three types of PVA glue by FineWoodworking

The little bit of confusion is in the numbering. Tightbond III is a type I glue not a type III.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

I hate to disagree swirt but types, in the context of outputter's question, deal with water resistance. I will try to find a good source for it. Titebond III is a type 3 glue as it provides the most waterproof protection. Type II and Type III are both used for exterior applications while Type I is strictly interior as it is not designed to be waterproof at all.

David


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

Crud. I knew that and got completely twisted around. Thanks, Swirt, for the clarification. I tried to get the actual ANSI documents, but they want $100 to download the file! I guess we will have to do without.

Anyway, OutPutter, my guess regarding the Titebond II vs. the Gorilla Glue is that both pass the type II test, but the origin of the results that thatwoodworkingguy reported are that Gorilla wood glue may either have slightly better water resistance than required to pass type II standards, or that there was some other difference in the finishing or box construction that resulted in the Gorilla glue joints being exposed to less moisture. Obviously this is just speculation on my part! If we really were hard core, we would just re-do the test ourselves, but where is the fun in scientifically comparing the performance in two products in an objective and controlled manner to actually see which is better?


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

David, you and I both actually got that backwards. ANSI/HPVA Type I is waterproof, Type II is water resistant, and type III provides no water resistance. Titebond's own literature points out this distinction. Even thought they brand their type I glue as Titebond III, it passes ANSI/HPVA Type I water resistance specifications.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

I can laugh at myself, yeppers, I am definitely wrong. Should have known, us woodworkers like to make things more complicated then they need to be. "No, no, no you idiot, Brand III is really type I, Brand II is always Type II…"


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## Abbott (May 10, 2009)

I am trying to understand what the advantage would be using Gorilla Glue over Tightbond III. I think the extra step of having to wet the surface before using GG would be a bit of a PITA. Anyway, thanks for the review because I have been wondering about GG.

I don't build cutting boards but as *PurpLev* mentioned is it's "indirect food" qualities what gives it an advantage over Tightbond III or is it just another product/option we have?


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

Abbot, this review is about Gorilla brand PVA glue, not polyurethane glue. No wetting is required for this variety of Gorilla glue. I have a feeling it will take a little time for Gorilla to become more of a brand name like Titebond or Elmers, rather than a synonym for polyurethane glue.

Also, TB III is considered safe for indirect food contact, and cutting board use is specifically mentioned by Titebond, so no benefit there. . . .


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## skidooman93 (Jul 8, 2009)

I switched to gorilla over titebond about 2 years ago. It runs the same around here for titebond II or gorilla WOOD glue. The gorilla glue sets up faster and the real bonus is the fact that it dires completly clear. No yellow color like titebond I or II. I still use titebond III when I need something with longer open time and I do like the brown color it dries to in certian circumstances. Many times I will stain 1st then assemble and if you get a little squeeze out in a corner tought to get to the gorilla dries clear and you will never see it. Unfortunatly it still doesn't stain though so if you stain after assembly you better get it all cleaned up. When you are a one man shop with limited resources it is nice to beable to clamp for 30 minutes and go on the the next. With titebond III you have to clamp for about 12 hours in my opinion. The orginal titebond and II about 2 hours is necessary. Elmers pro bond is also good for fast clamp times and water resistance but it is tough to find and still dries yellow. Good old white glue all is also nice for longer open times and many shops still use that as a staple. I prefer gorilla and titebond III though.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

*Hi skidooman*...this is from Titebond regarding their clamp times. Maybe it can save you some time in the shop : ) 
What is the clamping and drying time of Titebond Wood Glues? 
"For most of our wood glues, we recommend clamping an unstressed joint for thirty minutes to an hour. Stressed joints need to be clamped for 24 hours. We recommend not stressing the new joint for at least 24 hours."

After more than 20 years of woodworking , I've had the best luck with the Titebond glues on all of my projects to date . Countless cutting boards have been made using TBII with only one failure due to the person putting it into a dishwasher …...I always stress test my joints in the cut-offs from my projects and so far , the wood breaks before the glue joint does.
I think that we just need to remember that *water resistant* and *water proof *are two totally different animals : )
Nice review here …You've got folks talking and sharing their experiences with wood glue : )


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## skidooman93 (Jul 8, 2009)

I appriciate the info Dusty.

I have not had good luck clamping titebond III for such short time. I have had joint failure while moveing the piece when only clamped for 2 hours. Titebond orginal and Elmers I have clamped for and hour and ran through a wide belt and the joint held. Gorilla wood glue advertises shorter clamp times and have been very impressed with the joints after 30 minutes.


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