How do you GLUE?

[KregRep]

At Kreg, our position has always been that glue is completely optional - which stands in stark contrast with other wood joinery techniques.  However, we also suggest that if you want the strongest joint possible, adding glue is the way to go.  The great news is that if you do use glue, there's no need for hours of clamp-ups since the screws act as mini internal clamps while the glue dries.

 

Inquiring minds want to know... when you're building your own projects with Kreg Joints:

• Do you use glue?
• All the time, some of the time, none of the time?
• Are there situations where you feel glue is more needed?
• If you don't use glue, why not?  Do you foresee disassembling your project later on?  Are there any particular issues you've had (mess, frustration, finishing inconsistency, etc.)

[Jay Boutwell]

Steve, I used franklin's tight bond when I make cope and stick joints on doors.  A trick I have learned along time ago is I use 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar to remove the glue residue and insures me that I will not get the dreaded blotched finish at the glue line.  Anytime I have a glue squeeze out I use it as an insurance that I get a clean surface.  I have a spray bottle mixed up that I keep aroung when I do my assembly.

steve kidd said:

have made dozens of projects with pocket screws and never used glue. i know the joints would be stronger, but after making these projects and the abuse i put some of them thru, i really dont see the need for glue. in the future i want to start useing glue, will just make the joints that much stronger.

[Jay Boutwell]

Hello Michael,  I glue most of the time when I make a joint of any kind. Makes the wood fibers more stable .  A trick I learned several years ago is to use a mixtue of 50/50 water and white vinegar to clean the glue squeeze out.  This insures me that I will not get a finish blotch.  I keep a spray bottle of the mixture aroung when I do my glue ups.  I do this especially doing at the joints of doors.   When I do glue up of large panels I wait until the glue sets and then use a razor blade and shave it off and wipe it down with the mixture.  How is your big projects going?  I did add my method on the angle joints but don't think I alerted you to it.  

Michael Campbell said:

I always use glue.  dampen both pieces with a wet rag, apply glue to both pieces, even the glue with my finger,  screw it together and wipe the excess  off  with wet rag.

[Jay Boutwell]

Adding to the discussion about the glue and joints, Most of the time I use glue on all of my joints unless of course I know that there is a chance that it will need to be disassembled.  I feel that it adds strength to the wood fibers.  Even on the end grain it seals the wood from moisture changes.  A trick I might add is that I use a mixture of 50/50 water and white vinegar to clean off the glue squeeze out.  I build alot of doors and the mixture gives me some added insurance that there will not be the dreaded finish blotch appearing.  It seems that when making the cope and stick door joint or other fine detail joints there will always be some missed glue in the pattern cuts and or other details in the door.

Another thing I often do, when applying  glue to a surface to aid in controlling the slippery problem between the two surfaces.  I will use a pocket screw to set the piece in correct alinement and then remove the screw,  sand off the little bump that appears where the pocket screw comes through the wood apply the glue and then the pocket screws.  Screw in the pocket screw you used to make the alinement first and it will line up your pieces. 

 When doing panel glue ups I will wait until the glue starts to set and use a razor blade to cut most of the squeeze out away and then wipe it down with the water and vinegar mixture.

[John]

I use glue on all my projects for the extra holding power

[lou perez]

I use glue depending on the specific purpose of the piece, i.e shelving. 

[Allan Lamothe]

I never use glue on pocket hole joints.  I've built aquarium stands that hold in excess of 1,000 pounds and have never had any problems.

[DJL]

I use Titebond III - I use glue for every joint , unless it is something that will need to taken apart later , glue will make you project super strong , if your taking the time to build something , why not make sure it will stand the test of time

[don carmen]

Man! Glue is but one component of a strong joint. I was more than pleased to see (on a Kreg site)

that pocket hole joinery is not a panacea. I am a growing fan of the kreg system as I use it

more and more in its place, but I have a cabinet door that (okay I admit it) didn't fit. To make

an example of the errant door I cut a couple of inches out of one of the stiles(the door was intended 

for a glass panel so no center part). Considerable brawn has unsuccessfully tried to pull those 

mortise and tenons apart.

As for glue, would someone tell me the three components of a strong glue joint.

Don.

[Dave Wise]

Thought I'd throw in a tip about glueing up a project, especially the part about using your finger to smooth out the glue.  Keeping your fingers clean of the excess glue is a problem.  I have found that after using my finger, I wipe the glue residue on my finger across the palm of my other hand.  With typical yellow glue, the glue in the palm will be sufficently dry within a minute or so, allowing me to peel it off, roll it up in a little ball, and drop in the trash can.  No need to continually wipe my finger on an ever-increasingly glue-gobbed rag.

[Robert D Shore]

I use glue for exterior applications and some interior.  When joining treated lumber , I always use glue.  Titebond III is my preference.

[don carmen]

Hey Dave: One of the components of a strong glue joint is "wettability" of the material being

glued. That is, how well the material soaks in some of the glue to the adjacent fibers. Some

woods allow this better than others. Also, some glues feel relatively  thick to me.

For these reasons I think people would be well advised to spread and coax the glue with

a finger. For edge banding I most often use Lee Valley's 2002GF glue for its high solids 

content (I also really like titebond 111). I just feel better for working it in a bit.

I don't know about you but a few minutes of peeling glue of ones hand can be quite

therapeutic and fun if you are trying to convince some young kid that you have leprosy. 

Dave Wise said:

Thought I'd throw in a tip about glueing up a project, especially the part about using your finger to smooth out the glue.  Keeping your fingers clean of the excess glue is a problem.  I have found that after using my finger, I wipe the glue residue on my finger across the palm of my other hand.  With typical yellow glue, the glue in the palm will be sufficently dry within a minute or so, allowing me to peel it off, roll it up in a little ball, and drop in the trash can.  No need to continually wipe my finger on an ever-increasingly glue-gobbed rag.

[Al Barale]

I use glue on all my projects where required, in some areas of a project I won't add any glue to allow for wood movement, and I don't add any glue if a part of a project is going to be taken apart to be moved into a different location, etc.