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Gorilla Glue Test Shows It Might Not Be Good In All Applications

Gorilla Glue Test Shows It Might Not Be Good In All Applications

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Chris   December 05, 2013  
1   0  
Gorilla glue sucks (at filling gaps)

People thinking they can use Gorilla Glue (the original polyurethane glue) for every application might want to think twice. Matthias Wandel from Woodgears.ca put the glue to the test and found out what its strengths and weaknesses are.

Having an animal like a Gorilla associated with your glue might give people the impression that it is strong in all applications, but just like any product it has its strengths and weaknesses, and knowing what they are beforehand could save you a lot of trouble.

Doing tests on different types of glues on various woodworking joints, Matthias discovered that regular yellow wood glue is actually stronger if there is a slight gap between the two surfaces. Since you might be repairing some loose furniture legs, those small gaps actually turn out to be an added benefit. But in the same test Matthias also discovered that Gorilla Glue becomes almost useless if there is a gap between the surfaces. Because GG expands, foam ends up filling the gap, which turns out to be very weak. However, when there is no gap, Gorilla Glue proved to be quite a bit stronger than yellow glue.

This testing information might seem like a knock to Gorilla Glue, but I don't see it that way at all. It is better to know these weaknesses so we know how to avoid them. I usually don't turn to Gorilla Glue for woodworking always; I use it when I need to bond metal or plastic to wood. For wood on wood action, I tend to use Gorilla Glue's yellow wood glue, because I like its thickness.

So what is the lesson here? It is important to match the glue to your task to ensure a strong bond, and when in doubt, use clamps. Visit Woodgears.ca to read more about Matthias' glue test setup and Gorilla Glue's response.

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