What Wood Glue Should I Use For Outdoor Porch Railings Made From Red Cedar

[Dom Garafalo]

I plan to re-construct my front porch railings using Red Cedar 2x4 lumber because of its weather and moisture resistant nature. My plan is to attach the spindles and railings together using dowels and glue so no fasteners are visible.

The railings are under a roof but are exposed to sun, wind and rain so I'm trying to determine what's the best wood glue (or epoxy) to use.

Would appreciate any suggestions given the weather exposure as well as the characteristics of red cedar.

Thank you

[John C Bush]

I use TB III. No problems with Western Red Cedar out here in the wet PNW.

[Bill White]

TB III here as well. As long as it is not submerged, it works well.
Bill

[Phil Thien]

Typically, spindles are attached to thin nailers, and then these thin nailers are attached to the 2x4 top and bottom rails.

You can do the dowels, but I don't think it will really increase the lifetime of the railings measurably.

[Dom Garafalo]

Thanks for the quick responses. I was thinking TBIII might be the right product but haven't built too many outdoor projects so I wasn't sure.

Phil Thien, my current railings have thin nailers just under the top rail, but I'm thinking about just eliminating them by attaching the top of the spindles to the top 2x4 rails using dowels. The bottom of each spindle will be attached to the bottom 2x4 rail using screws up through the rail into the spindle where it will not be seen.

[Chris Padilla]

Cedar is indeed all those things but if you look at if funny, it will ding! I built my side gate out of 1x6 cedar and wow is it soft! I suggest using a good paint or stain/seal to keep it from greying on you unless you want that. FWIW, I used epoxy for my gate *mostly* because I needed a longer open time than the TB3 would have given me and also because I do not think it had come out yet when I built the gate! :)

[Phil Thien]

Thanks for the quick responses. I was thinking TBIII might be the right product but haven't built too many outdoor projects so I wasn't sure.

Phil Thien, my current railings have thin nailers just under the top rail, but I'm thinking about just eliminating them by attaching the top of the spindles to the top 2x4 rails using dowels. The bottom of each spindle will be attached to the bottom 2x4 rail using screws up through the rail into the spindle where it will not be seen.

I think the reason top and bottom nailers were used was to make replacing a few bad (broken, rotten, whatever) spindles easier. You can just cut the nailers on either side of the bad spindle(s) and then install new spindles on short nailers.

It sounds like your method will provide the same "replace a spindle here/there" handiness.

[Rich Enders]

Four years ago I built curvaceous outdoor chairs using WRC. Assembly was with a few SS bolts, and 20 min epoxy. I used no finish and the chairs have spent their entire life outdoors in the Phoenix, AZ weather (which is mostly hot) with no adhesion issues.

I want to second the Moderator's comment about dings. WRC is very soft and the early wood has eroded substantially. The surface has become grained like corduroy. It is an interesting textural effect similar to what you would get with sand blasting.

[phil harold]

I wood use a Resorcinol glue (marine standard) if i want to insure waterproofness
titebond 3 may work
but
I like tried and proven glues

[Jim Andrew]

I tried some TB 2 just to see how water resistant it is, glued a couple boards and leaned them against the outside wall of the shop, That stuff is near waterproof, only called water resistant.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I built a rather large western red cedar gazebo, ten years ago or so using quite a lot of TB2. It is still doing just fine. Ironically, I used a "super adhesive" one one detail, one of the Liquid Nails products, which failed within a year.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I used Gorilla Glue ( the horrible foamy brown junk) on a red cedar wishing well I made for my wife a good 10 years ago.
It's held up fine to the N.E. Ohio weather.

TB III is supposed to be the equal to Gorilla Glue so if I had to do anything like that again, that's what I'd use.

I also made some planter boxes out of red cedar two years ago & used TB II on them. They seem to be holding up fine so far.

[Joe Adams]

I called Franklin tech support about a similar project and they advised using TB3 and cleaning the surfaces to be glued with acetone right before application.

[Dominic Carpenter]

I agree with the TB III recommendation. I have a red cedar potters bench I built 15 years ago out back that is as solid today as the day I glued it up. I live in Northern Indiana 40 miles from Lake Michigan and get all kinds of weather that has put it to the test.