Glue...Yellow/White?

[Derek Arita]

I've got Time Bond yellow glue and Gorilla Glue white. I prefer the white, cuz it tends to dry kinda clear, however I'm wondering what the difference is between the two with relation to holding power, etc.

[glenn bradley]

Your Gorilla glue is a variation of their polyurethane glue. Tite Bond is a PVA. They both have the characteristics of those glue types.

Poly glues are generally not water based (I don't know about the GG white) so they are surface adhesives. They bond through a film connection to the materials being joined. Poly-glues resist forces of 3000 psi. Poly-glues swell in response to moisture during cure but, do not provide what one thinks of as gap-filling properties as gaps filled with the glue are weak.

PVA glues are water based and, for wood at least, they are drawn into the fibers of the wood and in the case of TB-II and TB-III, also have polymer strands to make a water resistant bond. PVA's resist forces of 3500 to 4000 psi. PVA glues shrink while curing due to the water absorption/evaporation and also provide poor gap-filling properties. There are high-solids PVA glues and other types of adhesives designed for gap filling.

Both poly and PVA are strong enough for most applications.

[Bob Vaughan]

There's likely zero difference in "holding power" if you want to call it that. The rub comes with all PVA type glues in that they can cold flow. If the Gorilla Glue white is not a PVA glue, then it could well be superior. Stresses in the wood can cause the joint to drift over time without losing adhesion. This can be an annoyance with large glued-up panels. If joint rigidity is crucial then other adhesives like Cascamite or DAP plastic resin glue would be more suitable.

[Derek Arita]

No real special purpose needed here. I just use them as general purpose glues. I've always used the yellow glue from Tite Bond, but happened to pick up some of the Gorilla Glue just to see. I didn't even know it was white till I used it. The white ended up being nicer to use, just because it dried less visible. Only thing I don't like about the GG is that the bottle is very stiff and not easy to squeeze.

[Stan Calow]

I like to use the Titebond II Extend version which is white. Mostly because it has a longer working time. I don't see it in hardware or big box stores. You can order it from the usual suspects or get it at Woodcraft.

[Derek Arita]

I like to use the Titebond II Extend version which is white. Mostly because it has a longer working time. I don't see it in hardware or big box stores. You can order it from the usual suspects or get it at Woodcraft.

Stan, generally, I like the quicker cure times, white or yellow.

[Bill Dufour]

Can such glues be tinted like latex paint to match the final wood color? How much will that reduce the bond strength.
Bill D

[Jim Becker]

Gorilla has a PVA wood glue similar to Titebond...the brand name, while most often associated with polyurethane glues here in the forum, has a variety of glue products. So if it's the Gorilla Wood Glue product, there can be a good comparison to Titebond but that comparison should be made based on the actual glue properties since Titebond has multiple forumulas. Color is less important in that respect...

[Derek Arita]

Gorilla has a PVA wood glue similar to Titebond...the brand name, while most often associated with polyurethane glues here in the forum, has a variety of glue products. So if it's the Gorilla Wood Glue product, there can be a good comparison to Titebond but that comparison should be made based on the actual glue properties since Titebond has multiple forumulas. Color is less important in that respect...

Gotcha. All things being equal, I like the white.

[Steve Schoene]

Tinting glue, or light or dark shades don't make a lot of sense to me. A properly made glue joint will not show the color of the glue. If you can see any light between the joint when lightly pressed together it's not well made--except of course you have deliberately left a smooth "gap" for a spring joint. Also remember that you can't overclamp a joint as long as you don't mechanically distort the wood. In the end you shouldn't be able to even see the glue line--except by seeing that grain in the wood suddenly changes direction.

[Derek Arita]

What can I say...perfect, I ain't. ;)

[Jim Becker]

Just be sure that the glue you choose has the properties you want relative to things like moisture resistance, etc., as well as set time. It's honestly hard to use just one formula "all the time", although many of us do use one product "most of the time". For me, that's TB-III, but I could also be happy with TB-II. If you work with a lot of very light colored species, then the 'white' variety might be a good choice from the color factor as long as it meets any other requirements you may have. Glue is generally not horribly expensive so it's not a sin to have more than one choice available!

[David Utterback]

Also make sure that you mark the purchase date on the bottle of glue. I discard PVA glues if they are older than a year. I have several projects that serve as a reminder that it is not a waste to throw away older glue. Just because it holds for weeks after the clamps come off, there is no assurance that the glue will hold up for years. Best of luck!

[Jim Becker]

Also make sure that you mark the purchase date on the bottle of glue. I discard PVA glues if they are older than a year. I have several projects that serve as a reminder that it is not a waste to throw away older glue. Just because it holds for weeks after the clamps come off, there is no assurance that the glue will hold up for years. Best of luck!
Yea, that's a good point. I stopped buying larger containers of glue awhile ago, even though the smaller ones increase the cost slightly, I'm always using "fresh" glue no matter what.

[Derek Arita]

Just took a close look. It's a Type II glue, whatever that means. Also, it's not white. It's actually Natural. Seems to go well with Birch, Oak and Pine, so far.

[Jim Becker]

Probably similar to Titebond II, then...reasonably water resistant, but it can be taken apart by soaking. TB-III once it's cured is really, really, REALLY had to break even with heat. Water will not affect it. A "type II" glue is a great choice for general woodworking and has a decent open-time for assembly purposes.

[Stan Calow]

Just an an FYI, according to the current issue of Woodsmith magazine, all PVA glue is white. The yellow coloring is added to it to meet customers expectations.