Characteristics of reactive synthetic glues
| Cyanoacrylate - Epoxy - Polyurethane - | Urea resin glue (1 part) | - | Urea resin glue (2 part) |
Cyanoacrylate
| Applications | • best used for rapidly bonding small wood and nonwood workpieces. • not as effective when bonding highly porous materials or large surface areas. • sensitive to joint surface conditions like pH, moisture and grime. |
| Availability/ using | Ready to use |
| Typical working time # | 30 sec to 5 mins, depending on volume of glue applied |
| Clamp time # | 2 sec to 4 hrs |
| Cured working properties | • hard to very hard; • can be brittle; • machines and sands well; • resists some stains and finishes. |
| Cured properties | • very strong and rigid; • fair durability (when used to bond small surface areas). |
| Longterm properties | • good moisture and heat resistance; • poor solvent resistance and shock resistance; • yellows and may degrade with exposure to UV light. |
# depending on glue formula, moisture content of workpieces, working temperature, atmospheric humidity etc
Epoxy
| Applications | • waterproof exterior timber; • marine wood bonding; • bent laminating and veneering; • sealing; • topcoating; • casting; • embedding. |
| Availability/ using | • 2 part (resin and hardener); • can be coloured with specialty epoxy tints. |
| Typical working time # | 2 mins to 2 hrs plus |
| Clamp time # | 4 mins to 48 hrs |
| Cured working properties | • hard; • can be cut with hand tools if warmed; • machines and sands well; doesn't dull cutting edges as quickly as urea resin glue; • resists stains and finishes |
| Cured properties | • excellent combination of strength, rigidity, creep resistance and durability. |
| Longterm properties | • waterproof; • can be weakened, broken down by some solvents; • fair to adequate heat resistance; • superior shock resistance; • may gradually degrade if exposed to UV light. |
# depending on glue formula, moisture content of workpieces, working temperature, atmospheric humidity etc
Polyurethane
| Applications | • water-resistant exterior wood bonding; • laminating and veneering; • bonding nonwood materials; • develops full strength only in well-fit, tightly clamped joints; • modern formulas cure faster than the older ones. |
| Availability/ using | • ready to use; • work can be moistened before applications to speed hardening; • to prolong shelf life, squeeze air out of bottle, keep tightly capped and keep away from moisture and humidity. |
| Typical working time # | 10 to 40 mins |
| Clamp time # | 45 mins to 10 hrs |
| Cured working properties | • cured foamout is soft and cuts easily with hand tools; • machines and sands well; • compatible with most stains and finishes |
| Cured properties | • good strength, rigidity, creep resistance and durability; • fills gaps but only with foamed glue (which has no structural strength). |
| Longterm properties | • excellent moisture, solvent and shock resistance; • superior heat resistance; • not completely waterproof. |
# depending on glue formula, moisture content of workpieces, working temperature, atmospheric humidity etc
Urea resin glue (1 part)
| Applications | • exterior wood bonding; • bent laminating and veneering; • pressing plastic laminate; • one-part ureas tend to be easier and less hazardous to use than two-part ureas. |
| Availability/ using | • mix powder with water; • can be coloured with dyes etc; • can be mixed with PVA. |
| Typical working time # | 15 to 35 mins |
| Clamp time # | 4 to 10 hrs |
| Cured working properties | • very hard; • machines and sands well but dulls cutting edges quickly; • resists stains and finishes |
| Cured properties | • very strong, rigid and creep resistant; • good durability. |
| Longterm properties | • fair to good shock resistance; • good heat resistance; • can have excellent solvent resistance, depending on formula; • low-grade formulas may craze, become brittle with age. |
# depending on glue formula, moisture content of workpieces, working temperature, atmospheric humidity etc
Urea resin glue (2 part)
| Applications | • exterior wood bonding; • bent laminating and veneering; • pressing plastic laminate; • two-part ureas have better performance and cured properties than one part. |
| Availability/ using | • two parts (liquid resin and powdered catalyst); • can be coloured with dyes etc; • can be mixed with PVA. |
| Typical working time # | 15 to 35 mins |
| Clamp time # | 4 to 10 hrs |
| Cured working properties | • very hard; • machines and sands well but dulls cutting edges quickly; • resists stains and finishes |
| Cured properties | • very strong, rigid and creep resistant; • good durability; • moderate gap-filling ability. |
| Longterm properties | • fair to good shock resistance; • good heat resistance; • excellent solvent resistance, depending on formula; • low-grade formulas may craze, become brittle with age (especially in thick bond layers) |
# depending on glue formula, moisture content of workpieces, working temperature, atmospheric humidity etc
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