Thread: What is the longest lasting glue?

Originally Posted by echnidna

What is the longest lasting glue?

I've got a 500ml bottle of triton woodworking glue that has lasted me around 5 years.
Wouldn't it be dependent on how much you use it?

For instance, at my place, a jar of raspberry jam lasts about 1 week compared to around 4 weeks for blackberry jam and around 2 months for vegemite.

If you are talking about shelf life, hot melt glue can sit there forever.

After it has been applied? Good question...look below for the answer

I have some PVA that has been in my glue cupboard near on 20 years and while i dont use it on quality work it works perfectly on more utility items.

Ross

The one that is holding together the mistake you made that you only realised was a mistake after the glue had fully set

I think the answer will depend on the use and abuse. Will the item spend it's life inside, protected from extremes of temperature and moisture? Or will it be out in the garden in full sun/rain? What are you gluing: timber type, other materials?

If there was a simple answer that covered all situations, I doubt there would be as many types of glue on the market.

ahhh a serious answer, Thankyou Switt
I was beginning to think I'd posted in the jokes section.

Say for indoor use

I would say resorcinol would be the longest lasting glue, next would be melamine resin. Good luck getting your hands on these though. The one that will be readily available to the average user is epoxy. Many glues will state they're long lasting but few can actually show that with actual evidence. By long lasting I think along the lines of a minimum 30 years.

Seriously, for indoor use, the toughest and strongest and longest-lasting that I know of is a good woodworking epoxy like Techniglue.

During a very long period of woodworking inactivity I've had a gallon of yellow glue that lasted about a decade.

There are brands of Polyurethane glue that will last a few years with some care. (Teflon pipe thread tape between the bottle and spout and a good seal between the cap and spout.) I seem to have better luck with the "Elmer's" brand. (Blue rhino or blue bull or blue ox)

Originally Posted by jmk89

Seriously, for indoor use, the toughest and strongest and longest-lasting that I know of is a good woodworking epoxy like Techniglue.

I have always considered epoxy to be the most durable but on reading the links in this post it seems it isn't. Rescorcinol is out as it has a dark glueline.

Might have to consider hide glue

We seem to be talking about two different things: shelf life and durability. Which one are you interested in?

Either way, I don't think there's going to be any definitive answer to the question.

durability.

The only tried and test truly durable glue that has been tested in actually real life testing is hide glue. Furniture objects made from hide glue have now lasted 5000 years intact dating back to ancient Egypt. This is partially due to the fact that hide glue is hydroscopic and absorbs water. This means that it resets and hardens all its life with the change in climate, this however is not a problem because wood is also hydroscopic.

The only drawback is that you cannot keep your furniture at the bottom of the pool. I have been however surpised how durable hide glue is in the weather, as long as it is not sitting in water it will soften up but as soon as the air dries so will it. And be as good as new.

Also its the only glue that can be reversed by injection of water into a joint and its the only glue that will glue to itself. Its also completely non toxic.

I doubt anything made from PVA, or Epoxy will be around in 5000 years.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

The only tried and test truly durable glue that has been tested in actually real life testing is hide glue. Furniture objects made from hide glue have now lasted 5000 years intact dating back to ancient Egypt. This is partially due to the fact that hide glue is hydroscopic and absorbs water. This means that it resets and hardens all its life with the change in climate, this however is not a problem because wood is also hydroscopic.

The only drawback is that you cannot keep your furniture at the bottom of the pool. I have been however surpised how durable hide glue is in the weather, as long as it is not sitting in water it will soften up but as soon as the air dries so will it. And be as good as new.

Also its the only glue that can be reversed by injection of water into a joint and its the only glue that will glue to itself. Its also completely non toxic.

I doubt anything made from PVA, or Epoxy will be around in 5000 years.

In the right circumstanced hide is a great glue but in the often sustained crushing humidity of australia I think it wouldn't be the ideal glue due to the reasons you have noted - its ability to aborb water. Most northern hemisphere nations where hide was very popular the humididty isn't near as bad or long lasting as it is here.

If you placed a piece made of epoxy and put in the same situation where the hide lasted 5000 years I suspect you'd find the epoxy would be in just as good shape if not better. Those conditions are most likely the desert conditions of such places like egypt where humidity is almost zero most of the year.