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Can’t glue wet wood

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I wanted to build some curved, laminated treated posts for my arbor. So I went to the lumberyard to buy 1x6s for the project. The only ones they had were still pretty wet from the treatment process, but man, were they flexible. I thought they’d make the bending during the glue-up much easier. Since I was using Titebond III, which is formulated for wet environments, I thought everything would be fine. Nope. After they had been in the form for several hours, I took off the clamps only to watch the laminations fly apart like a watch spring! Tried it again with dry wood, no problem. Good lesson.

— Travis Larson, Senior Editor

laminated treated postsclamping wood

 

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Where can I buy Titebond III glue?
You can buy Titebond III through our affiliate, Amazon.com: Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue, 16-Ounces

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    • by posted on

      Next time try Gorilla Glue, it requires the surfaces to be dampened  to activate. I used it to build a firewood rack out of pressure treated wood. As the wood was already pretty damp, I didn't wet it. There was enough moisture in the wood to make it activate. Worked great!

    • by posted on

      how would it have worked had you used gorilla glue which requires the surfaces to be moist?

    • by posted on

      In a college wood shop course, I once made J shaped coat hooks from oak laminate. We soaked the laminate until it was very plyable, then slathered it in glue and laminated it around a form. Clamped in place, it was then left to dry. Completely dry, it came off the form rough shaped and ready for tooling and finishing. I don't see why that wouldn't work on a larger scale, like you were trying here, but you'd have to wait (weeks? months? years?) for the wood and glue to completely dry before removing it from your forms.

    • by posted on

      You can also look into Excel Polyurethane Adhesives .

      Excel polyurethane adhesives are the ideal glues for wood to wood projects.

      How it works! Polyurethane glue works when the adhesive makes contact with the oxygen in the air, and the water that is found in the wood, causing a chemical reaction and creating a very strong, 100% waterproof bond.

      Advantages include longer open-times of 20-30 minutes allow larger glue ups at one time, saving time and money. Excel Glue dries clear for seem-less joints. Excel Glue does not clog sandpaper, and will accept paint and stain.

      Excel glues are 100% waterproof means they are ideal for outdoor wood projects as well.

      It is a simple to use, one part Polyurethane glue. Excel Glue expands and foams as it dries as much as 4 times to 1, so you can use less glue per square foot.

      Excel Glue can be found on-line at http:www.excelglue.com. You can view all Excel Products and the site is simple to navigate.  Use the interactive slider to select the product of choice. You can make your purchase on line or contact experts who are available for questions about your unique needs.

      Excel Glue

      Phone: 800-779-3935

      Fax: 734-726-5093

      http://www.excelglue.com

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