# Which Glue?



## Tropic Home (Oct 12, 2007)

I am building my home here in Costa Rica with Sura (hardwood) and Teak. I need to order glue and was hoping for some help. I want to glue and screw my flooring which is 1"x4" tongue and groove over 2"x 10" joists (Sura). Gluing my joints on my exposed framed walls (Teak). Also glue for joints in making doors and cabinets (Teak and Sura).

Gorilla Glue? I'm hoping to cover all my bases with one or two products.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

Teak is very oily... IIRC you need to wipe it with Thinner then use either a polyeurethane glue (gorilla)or Epoxy.


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## Tweegs (Sep 8, 2007)

A recent issue of Fine Woodworking magazine (Issue #192 I believe) ran tests on several glues.

It turned out that Gorilla glue was actually the worst of the bunch in terms of strength. Seems odd given all of the hype about it. Another downside is the foam that it _will_ exude. Could make a real mess of your floors.

I use Titebond III almost exclusively and haven't had any glue failures to date, but I haven't tried to glue up an oily wood.

Sitting here reading the directions on the bottle. There is no mention of special concerns regarding these types of wood. That may be a good thing or bad.

I think you would have little trouble getting the epoxy to hold, but that is a lot of mixing.


I don't have any rosewood or teak handy or I'd give the titebond a try on it for you. Perhaps someone else out there lurking does.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

*WELCOME TO THE FORUM*

What works for me is to wipe down with acetone, and use a two part epoxy. Make sure you have adequate ventilation... that acetone stinks, and it's not good to inhale.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

I have yet to have a Failure with Gorilla Glue...... yeah It expands... But I've had the wood break first......... used it on Maple & Walnut and Again on a Jewelry box lid that is Maple, Wenge, Paduk and some Burl. It's been together for 2 years now.....


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## Orson Carter (Mar 24, 2007)

I've used Titebond II on Burmese and African Rosewood and on a lot of other hardwoods. I'm now using Titebond III and reckon it's the bees knees. The trick with oily woods I think is to do all preparation immediately before glue up.Don't try preparing the day before. Thats when you get into trouble.


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## Kingfisher (Oct 14, 2007)

Not sure where you are gluing, the T&G joint or the flooring to the joist? I would not use glue on the T&G and would probably not use any on the joist eather for a 1x4 that is screwed down. Is there a reason for this? Down in there you should have a stable temp and humidity year roung right? That would mean the floor shouldn't move too much and the glue is just waste of time and money.


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## Spyko (Nov 3, 2007)

Why glue the floor? The T&G is designed to let the floor move a little. If you do glue the floor you're creating a solid slab the size of the room. This may create expansion issues. If the flooring is T&G I'd go with the standard floor nailing methods. For the cabinets clean the oil from the wood right before glueup so you're joining the oil-free surfaces. Once it's glued the internal migration of the oil won't matter.


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## Tropic Home (Oct 12, 2007)

I was planning on gluing the flooring to the joist, like we glue the flooring to the joist back in Canada to minimalise Squeeks. I was also going to use screw, diaganal in the corner of the tongue so they are hidden. Unless someone knows better. The wood is so hard everything has to be pre drilled or the heads will twist off.


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## Corndog (Apr 26, 2007)

There's an on going debate in the luthiere community about exotics and glues...wipe them down, no, don't wipe them down. Personally I am from the "no wipe" camp.

If all else fails....West Systems 2 part. If it's good enough to keep your boat together...:thumbsup:


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## Grinder (Nov 17, 2007)

Tropic Home said:


> I was planning on gluing the flooring to the joist, like we glue the flooring to the joist back in Canada to minimalise Squeeks. I was also going to use screw, diaganal in the corner of the tongue so they are hidden. Unless someone knows better. The wood is so hard everything has to be pre drilled or the heads will twist off.



T and G plywood sub-flooring typically gets glued to the joists. If hardwood flooring is going over it, a layer of rosin paper is used in between to help prevent squeaks. If I was going to put hardwood T and G directly on the joists, I wouldn't use glue. Maybe strips of rosin paper over the joists would help.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I am familiar with the "tests" on the glues in that article and I question the "testers" ability to reproduce real world situations.

I too have used Gorilla Glue and have never had a single incident. I built up the beams for a boat hoist in 1999 on a boathouse I built on steel pilings over the lake. I had the crane operator drive them to refusal into the clay with a 5000 pound pile driver, and also built a floating dock that same year for another sling type boat hoist under a 30' x 30' roof and clear spanned it with 16" x 1 3/4" glulams for both docks. I sandwiched 3 of them together and staggered the butts of course, but these beams are simnply glued and screwed with carriage bolts near the butt sections. Those beams in both situations hold up large heavy boats during thunderstoms and ice and extreme heat and every condition you can imagine. These are just two examples, I have used it on dozens of other large applications (about 5 -6 other docks without boat lifts but for built-up beams roof girders etc.) and have never experienced the slightest failure.

If Gorilla glue was crap it would not have withstood such weight bearing under such extreme conditions. I will continue to use it, although I do use yellow glues for many applications, there are situation where i will use nothing but Gorilla.


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## Corndog (Apr 26, 2007)

Correct me if I'm wrong...[who am I kidding...of COARSE you will...] doesn't Gorilla expand as it cures????


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Yes it foams up/expands. Until you get used to it you will make a mighty big mess. You have to learn to plan for it and manage it.


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## Corndog (Apr 26, 2007)

Never used the stuff myself but I heard it's BULLETPROOF!!!!
Polyurethane if I'm not mistaken. What's the open time on it????


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