There are some serious woodwork projects out there where good, reliable glue is simply irreplaceable.
This guide contains everything you need to know about the best wood glues for your projects.
This guide is a thorough analysis of the strongest, most effective adhesives that are currently available on the market.
We’ve reviewed the pros and cons of each wood glue to help you make the right choice, along with the best wood glue brands and products to suit every budget.
To make sure you can make the best purchasing decision possible, we’ve listed our hand-picked recommendations to cover all eventualities.
If you’re looking for the best wood glue in 2022, you’re in the right place.
Name | Category | Product |
---|---|---|
FastCap 2P-10 Super Glue Adhesive 2.25 Ounce Thick and 12 Ounce Activator Combo Pack | Best Overall | ![]() |
Gorilla Wood Glue | Budget Pick | ![]() |
Flex Glue Strong Rubberized Waterproof Adhesive | Upgrade Pick | ![]() |
1. FastCap 2P-10 Super Glue Adhesive 2.25 Ounce Thick and 12 Ounce Activator Combo Pack
Pros:
- Comes with an applicator and activator
- One of the most popular wood glues on Amazon
- Holds up to 4,000 lbs
- Fast drying
- High-strength formula
- Sets within 30 seconds
- Easy to apply
- Great for a variety of materials, not just wood
- No nasty toxic fumes
Cons:
- Some reviewers have experienced the wood glue drying with a cloudy finish than they’d expected. Before using this product, it’s best to test it first.
- There is a formulation for indoor and outdoor use, so make sure you are using the right formulation in the right setting.
2. Titebond 1413 III Ultimate Wood Glue
3. Titebond 5004 II Premium Wood Glue
Pros:
- No mixing with water or clamps
- Cleans up with soap and water
- Good durability
Cons:
- Takes 24 hours to completely dry
- It is a bit pricey as compared to others
This wood glue offers excellent durability and offers a rapid onset of flexible and high impact strength it can be used to glue together tiny dovetails to massive case-mates. This glue also offers excellent tear and water resistance. Its long open time ensures that you have plenty of time to place the joint and eliminate the mess of glue squeeze.
This glue offers excellent durability and offers a rapid onset of flexible and high impact strength it can be used to glue together tiny dovetails to massive case-mates. This glue also offers excellent tear and water resistance. Its long open time ensures that you have plenty of time to place the joint and eliminate the mess of glue squeeze.
4. J-B Weld 8251 WoodWeld Quick Setting Wood Epoxy Adhesive
Pros:
- Bonds almost instantly
- Fast setting
- Works for repairs
- Excellent wood to wood bond
- Works on a wide variety of wood (alder, black locust, bloodwood, butternut, almond, beech, cherry, elm, hackberry, hickory, mulberry, osage-orange, pecan, limba, oak, poplar, sugar maple and walnut)
If you’re looking for the best wood glue to work with, then we highly recommend this one from J-B Weld called WoodWeld. This wood glue is formulated with polyvinyl acetate copolymer, which gives it the name WoodWeld.
You can use the WoodWeld to fix furniture, stumps and other objects with wood. It also can be used to fix leaky pipes that have wood casings.
When using this product, it needs to cure for a few hours before you can use it or it can be allowed to cure overnight.
5. Elmer's E7310 Carpenter's Wood Glue Max
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Water resistant
- Won’t clog, even for long periods
- Can be painted over
Cons:
- Prone to curing too quickly
- Expiration date is too soon
- Need to open it from the bottom as it sticks like coca cola
Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue is a favorite choice among users. It exits in two different volumes: 16 fl oz and 32 fl oz, but we’re more interested in the latter one.
This is a water resistant wood glue, which is a huge plus point. You can easily use it when a job requires working with wood and applying it outside. Above all, for outside applications, you have a painting option to improve its longevity.
It’s important to mention that the glue works only on wood. You can’t use it on other surfaces, such as ceramics.
6. Professional Grade Cyanoacrylate
Pros:
- Professional grade adhesive
- High-strength
- Can be used for wood and metal
- Glue is a semi-gel formula
- Quicker curing time
- Not very messy
- Has a quick run-off action
- Great for porous woods and plastics
- Cures in 30-60 seconds
- This formula will not damage wood or skin
Cons:
- It dries up pretty quick
- Clogs the nozzle
- The glue tends to go all over the place
- Hard to clean
- Hard to control
7. Gorilla Wood Glue
Pros:
- Adheres to both wood and metal
- Fast and effective wood glue
- Has strong bonding power
- Three times as thick as standard wood glue
- Has a water repellent formula
- Contains no solvents
- Non-toxic and dries clear
- Emits low levels of VOCs
- Easy to use (no mixing or clamping)
Simply the Best Wood Glue :
The Gorilla Wood Glue is by far the best wood glue you can get. Not only is it the thickest wood glue on the market, it's twice as thick as most wood glues. It also has a high concentration and lets you bond the toughest woods. It also gets rid of the cracking that often occurs with cheaper glues (even the name brand glues) and creates an exceptionally durable bond for outdoor applications.
The glue is stronger than most glues because it incorporates an extra thick adhesive that absorbs deep into the wood. It's so strong that it's rated as the best wood glue to use for making furniture. It's also great for outdoor and indoor projects, even high moisture environments.
8. Flex Glue Strong Rubberized Waterproof Adhesive
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Repairs wooden furniture easily
- Suitable for tight spots
- High quality rubberized formula
- Doesn’t get hard or dry
Cons:
- The instructions for use don’t seem to be clear
- It takes time to dry
This water and mildew resistant formula is effective for patching drywall, linoleum, cement, wood, ceramic, stone, and metal surfaces. It’s very easy to use and doesn’t require mixing with water.
The glue remains flexible and remains effective for a long time after application. It’s easy and simple to use and it doesn’t require special tools to apply.
You only need to spread the glue on to the surface to be repaired and press the broken sections together. Wait for a few minutes before gently prying the sections apart. The glue leaves no residue on the surfaces it’s applied.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the strongest wood glue available?
Have you ever used wood glue on a project? I find that the strongest wood glue available is the one I've been using.
In reality, the strongest wood glue available does not exist. But, there are unique glues for unique applications.
Now, what is the strongest wood glue available for your application?
That depends.
What type of wood are you gluing together?
What size is the wood?
Is it a curved piece of wood?
How big is the bond area?
Without answers to questions like these, you cannot know what is the strongest wood glue available for your project.
Luckily, there are many types of wood glues on the market. So, you can easily find glue for your project if you know what to look for and do some research.
Which is better titebond or Gorilla Glue?
As far as adhesive properties and flexible curing times, these two wood glues are up there, we like both but we will always mention a product that is significantly cheaper or has multitasking properties.
Reviewing the scientific data, we see no peak tensile strength differences between titebond and gorilla glue for household-based wood glue applications; but we did find gorilla glue curving back up to a higher breaking point than what was advertised.
Overall, both of these wood glues are of the highest quality, but we think the best choice for most people is the (much cheaper) titebond glue, which has a longer open time, and doesn't dry clear.
Is Gorilla Wood Glue better than Elmer's?
Gorilla Wood Glue is a much better option for waterproofing outdoor projects. On a 1:1 measurement, it appears far thicker than its competitor, making it a perfect choice for outdoor projects.
The best part is that you'll need less of it on a project. Further, it takes longer to dry, allowing projects to settle around it and hold the