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Short Summary
Main recommendation: Use Titebond II as the everyday wood glue, and Steve Ramsey does not recommend Titebond III, which he found left horrible stains on a glue joint on his patio table. He states Titebond II has worked fine in outdoor projects held together for years, and he finds the label's "waterproof" logo is the same on both products, so he does not know Titebond III's benefit. He also recommends against damp cloths or sponges for cleaning squeeze-out, though he admits he may be in the minority on this, and dislikes polyurethane, construction adhesive, and cyanoacrylate for most woodworking.
Key Points
- Titebond III left stains on the glue joint in Ramsey's patio table, which he has never seen with Titebond II; he admits his experience with Titebond III is limited.
- The two Titebond products carry the same waterproof logo on their labels, which contradicts the idea that Titebond III can be submerged while Titebond II is only water resistant.
- Wet cloths or sponges spread watered-down glue into the wood, causing ugly spots that show up under stain or finish; he sees a damp rag as creating more problems than it solves.
- Gluing both surfaces is unnecessary and usually just squeezes out excess glue; he says he's never seen over-clamping starve a joint and considers it a woodworking myth, though the worst he's seen is dents.
- Polyurethane glue is messy and fussy, construction adhesive is too thick for precise work, and super glue seems brittle, so he uses it mainly for temporary holds.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: Apply Titebond II to one surface only, slide the boards back and forth until they grab, then clamp; do not wipe glue with a damp sponge or rag, since it can stain later. Write the purchase date on each new bottle to track how long it lasts; he typically goes through a bottle in about a year to a year and a half. For mixing wood-filler for nail holes, he mixes glue with sawdust from the same wood, though a perfect stain match is hard to achieve.
- Polyurethane glue (Gorilla Glue) requires misting both wood surfaces with a spray bottle before applying glue, and it foams up like a baking soda volcano; its main advantage is filling gaps between imperfectly fitting boards.
- Construction adhesive (Liquid Nails) suits carpentry, such as attaching a stud wall to a concrete floor or hanging bead board, but not precise woodworking.
- Two-part cyanoacrylate glue is applied to the wood and then sprayed with an activator; he has not tested this but says it seems to work.
- For glue bottles, the red lid often fails to stop the tip from drying out, and its seal wears out, so he suggests an old mustard bottle or a squeeze bottle from a dollar store instead.
Bottom Line
Titebond II is the glue Ramsey trusts for outdoor and everyday work, and the specialty adhesives he tried are suited only to niche tasks.
