This is Drying Time for Wood Glue and How to Control It. In this post, I’ll teach you all about wood glue drying time, and some of the things that you can do to influence it. There will be plenty of tips and tricks along the way too, so enjoy.
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How long does it take for wood glue to dry?
It’s very common to wonder how long it takes for wood glue to dry. After all, if you remove the clamps too early and start stressing the joints, you can end up with a project that falls apart prematurely.
In a case like this, a little bit more patience can make a big difference. However, this isn’t a lesson about patience, it’s a lesson about wood glue drying times.
I’ll show you this and more, plus a key distinction that you need to be aware of in order to have a successful glue joint.
This difference is where you learn the real trick to knowing if your glue is ready to be put to the test or not, and it’s really easy to remember.
See Also: 16 Awesome Reasons to Use Titebond Wood Glue
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Drying Time Can Vary by Brand
In general, wood glue typically takes 24 hours in order to have a full strength bond. However, this can vary between manufacturers. One of the most important things you can do any time you buy a new product is to actually read the label.
It’s amazing how many people don’t actually read the labels of the things that they use. The label itself will tell you so much about the product, including important things like what temperature it should be stored at, and how long it takes to dry or cure.
For your wood glue, read the label first. On top of that, I recommend reading the label in the store before you decide to buy. You don’t want to accidentally get a glue that either takes forever to dry, or doesn’t have the right open time for your types of projects.
See Also: 19 Incredible Tips on Working With Wood Glue
Open Time Vs Full Strength Time
In the world of drying, there is two types of dry. First is the open time, and the second is the full strength bond. This is the key distinction that I mentioned earlier, and here is why it’s so important to understand.
With wood glue, the initial open time is how long you have to work with the product before it’s too sticky. This basically is a measure of how long you have to get the pieces clamped together with glue in between them before you run out of time.
For most glues, this is several minutes or more. After that, the wood glue becomes too tacky to set up correctly, and you would need to start over. This does not mean the glue is dry, even if you can’t pull the pieces apart by hand.
The full cure is when the wood glue is fully hardened, and all of the liquids that are meant to evaporator are gone. This is where the glue joint has its full strength, and this is what you should consider dry when you are thinking about drying time.
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The initial tack, or essentially the end of the open time is not dry. Again, it may be confusing because you won’t be able to pull the pieces apart in most cases, but that’s still not a full strength joint.
It’s very important to leave your pieces clamped for the full-time duration that is required for the glue to cure. At that point you’ll have the strongest joint possible, and your woodworking project will be the most secure.
See Also: Glue Covered Problems Are Harder to Fix
How to Speed Up Glue Drying Time
As far as how to speed up wood glue drying time, there are a few things that you can do to goose the process along a little faster. That being said, make sure not to go overboard. Don’t cut corners, and don’t take any of these to the extreme.
First, if you glue your pieces together in a warmer area, your glue will dry faster. The initial tack will be quicker, the open time shorter, and the full strength bond faster. These are all good things with the exception of the open time getting shorter.
As long as you can glue your pieces together in the reduced time, you are fine. However, if you are used to running close to the end, then this is not for you.
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Also, don’t cover your joints with anything that doesn’t breathe like waxed paper or plastic. Bigger clamping cauls can cause slower drying too. Don’t hose your project with glue either, because a big mess of liquid glue takes longer to evaporate down to solids.
Finally, use dry wood. Wet or damp wood can take longer to glue together, sometimes even longer than the recommended time on the bottle. When in doubt, let your wood season a bit before gluing.
See Also: How to Save Money on Wood Glue
Wood Glue Tips and Tricks
- Use much glue as you need to coat both surfaces evenly.
- Don’t hose your project with glue, too much is not a good thing.
- It will take longer for wood glue to dry in a very damp environment.
- It will take longer for glue to dry in a very cold environment.
- For large joints, use a glue roller to help spread out your wood glue.
- In a pinch, your finger makes a good glue spreader, just wear a glove.
Your Action Assignment
Now that you know what influences would glue drying time, it’s time to get out in your shop and take action on what you’ve learned. Knowing the difference between the initial open time, the initial bond, and the full cure makes a difference.
Now that you can identify the differences, make sure that you consider these things when you were making your woodworking projects. Not only will they last a lot longer, but the joints will be a lot stronger in the end as well.
If you have any questions about with the drying time, please Post a Question in the Q&A Forum and I’ll be glad to help. Happy building.
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