Wood glue types
Four kinds of glue cover most woodworking: PVA (the yellow and white wood glues), liquid hide glue, polyurethane glue and epoxy. Each row below is the maker's own figure for its own product, at the conditions it states.
PVA wood glue
Titebond Original, II and III and Gorilla Wood Glue are PVA glues. Franklin says an unstressed joint in its PVA glues needs about 30 minutes to an hour in clamps, a stressed joint 24 hours, and the glue 24 hours to cure fully before machining. Gorilla prints 20–30 minutes of clamp time and 24 hours to cure for its wood glues.
Across the two makers, clamp an unstressed PVA joint for about 35 minutes, from two sources, Franklin International (Titebond) and Gorilla Glue Company (they span 20 min–60 min).
Only two sources publish this: Franklin International (Titebond) and Gorilla Glue Company
Full cure: 24 hours, from both makers.
| Glue | Open time | Clamp | Full cure | Lowest temperature | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titebond Original One source: Franklin International (Titebond), the maker of that product | 4–6 mintotal assembly 10–15 min | — | — | 50 °F (10 °C) | Not intended for exterior use or where moisture is likely |
| Titebond II Premium One source: Franklin International (Titebond), the maker of that product | 3–5 mintotal assembly 10–15 min | — | — | 55 °F (13 °C) | ANSI/HPVA Type II (water-resistant) |
| Titebond III Ultimate One source: Franklin International (Titebond), the maker of that product | 8–10 mintotal assembly 20–25 min | — | — | 47 °F (8 °C) | ANSI/HPVA Type I (waterproof) |
| Gorilla Wood Glue One source: Gorilla Glue Company, the maker of that product | — | 20–30 min | 24 h | 55 °F (13 °C) | ANSI/HPVA Type II (water-resistant) |
| Gorilla Wood Glue Ultimate One source: Gorilla Glue Company, the maker of that product | 15 min | 20–30 min | 24 h | 50 °F (10 °C) | ANSI/HPVA Type I (waterproof) |
Water resistance is the main difference between them. See Titebond I vs II vs III and what Type I and Type II mean.
Liquid hide glue
Titebond Liquid Hide is not meant for outdoor use or where moisture is likely. Franklin says its clamp time is hard to judge because the glue is sensitive to humidity, and suggests gluing a scrap alongside the work and unclamping when the scrap has set.
| Glue | Open time | Clamp | Full cure | Lowest temperature | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titebond Liquid Hide Glue One source: Franklin International (Titebond), the maker of that product | 10 mintotal assembly 20–30 min | — | — | 50 °F (10 °C) | Not intended for exterior use or where moisture is likely |
Polyurethane glue
Polyurethane glue cures with moisture. Gorilla says to dampen one surface (both on dense hardwoods) and that the glue expands about three times as it cures, so keep the joint clamped for the full clamp time.
| Glue | Open time | Clamp | Full cure | Lowest temperature | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Gorilla Glue One source: Gorilla Glue Company, the maker of that product | — | 60–120 min | 24 h | 40 °F (4 °C) | ANSI/HPVA Type I (waterproof) |
Epoxy
Two-part epoxy has a pot life in the mixing cup and a longer working time once spread thin. WEST SYSTEM's figures show how much the hardener matters: its slow hardener gives about twice the pot life of its fast one.
| Glue | Open time | Clamp | Full cure | Lowest temperature | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEST SYSTEM 105/205 (fast) One source: Gougeon Brothers (WEST SYSTEM), the maker of that product | 60–70 min | — | 24–96 hto working strength (1–4 days); solid in 6–8 hours | 40 °F (4 °C) | Moisture-resistant, by the maker |
| WEST SYSTEM 105/206 (slow) One source: Gougeon Brothers (WEST SYSTEM), the maker of that product | 90–110 min | — | — | — | Moisture-resistant, by the maker |
Not listed yet
Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue Max, Titebond Polyurethane and CA (super) glue are not in the tables: we found their figures only in retailer listings, not in the makers' own data, so we leave them out rather than guess.
All of these at a glance: the wood glue dry time chart.