Titebond III Redwood Glue Up Problem

[Michael Causey]

I completed a redwood lattice using Titebond III. It very strong and I'm happy with the strength. Unfortunately, when I wiped it down with water to raise the grain, where I had wiped off excess glue during glue up, I had discoloration on the heartwood. The purple heartwood was discolored a dark gray.

I'm a new woodworker. I'm guessing whatever makes Titebond III waterproof reacts with the chemistry of redwood. Is there another glue that is better or does all glue turn heartwood gray?

[IMG]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/Jackson743/IMG_0062.jpg
[IMG]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g278/Jackson743/IMG_0061.jpg

[Greg Wease]

I have heard of this happening with Titebond II as well but haven't experienced it myself. Although I hate the stuff, I have had good results with Gorilla glue on redwood. You might try using oxalic acid to see if you can get rid of the gray marks on your lattice.

[Cody Colston]

I don't know about turning the wood gray, but all PVA glues will seal the wood and the area will show beneath a finish and sometimes with no finish, as you discovered. Wiping up excess glue with a damp cloth only dilutes it and helps it soak into the wood. The key to preventing that happening is to prevent squeezeout or keep the squeezeout off of the surrounding wood by taping it off first.

Epoxy or Polyurethane glue will also work outdoors but I have no idea if they will stain Redwood.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Wiping off glue squeeze-out ain't a winner - as you learned.

Let it sit there untill it "congeals" [30 - 60 min, depending on ambient temp], then take it off with a chisel, or an old card scraper, or whatever. It will peel off, and not get smeared into the pores - and, even worse - diluted by the water in the rag.

I learned this the hard way. That club is always accepting new members - welcome aboard.

[Stephen Tashiro]

Isn't gray the normal color of redwood as it ages? Is this an outdoor lattice? Is it expected to stay red?

[Ted Wong]

I typically prefinish all my parts. When it comes time for glue up I simply let the squeeze out dry and harden. Afterwards the glue does not stick to pieces that have been finished and it is an easy task to cut the excess off.