How Much Weight Can Wood Glue Hold?

Did you know how much weight can wood glue hold? In fact, it can hold more weight than you might think. This means that if you are looking for a strong and durable way to join two pieces of wood together, wood glue is a great option. Keep reading to learn more about how much weight wood glue can hold.

How Much Weight Can Wood Glue Hold?

When it comes to woodworking projects, one of the most important considerations is the strength of the joints used to hold the project together. Wood glue is a commonly used adhesive for creating strong, long-lasting joints, but how much weight can it really hold?

One of the strongest types of wood glue is polyurethane glue, which is known for its excellent bonding strength and water resistance. When used properly, a joint glued with polyurethane glue can hold over 2,000 pounds per square inch.

Other types of wood glue, such as PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue, are also strong, but may not be as durable as polyurethane glue. PVA glue is a good choice for general woodworking projects, but may not be suitable for use in outdoor or high-moisture environments.

It’s important to note that wood glue should not be used as a standalone fastening method for heavy loads. It should always be used in conjunction with mechanical fasteners, such as nails or screws, to ensure the structural integrity of the joint.

In addition to the type of glue being used, the amount of glue applied also plays a role in the strength of the joint. It’s generally recommended to apply a generous amount of glue to the joint, making sure to coat both surfaces evenly. However, it’s important not to use too much glue, as excess glue can squeeze out of the joint and weaken the bond.

The surface area of the joint is another important factor to consider. A joint with a larger surface area will typically be stronger than a joint with a smaller surface area. This is because the glue has more contact points to bond to, resulting in a stronger overall connection.

The conditions under which the glue is being used can also affect its strength. Wood glue is most effective when used at room temperature and in a dry environment. Excessive heat or moisture can weaken the bond, reducing the amount of weight the joint can hold.

Wood Strength Table

Tree Species	Average Specific Gravity, Oven Dry  Sample	Static Bending Modulus of Elasticity (E)	Impact Bending, Height of Drop Causing Failure	Compress. Per pen.  to Grain, Fiber Stress at Prop. Limit	Compress. Parallel to Grain, Max Crushing Strength	Shear Parallel to Grain, Max Shear Strength
	(0-1.0)	10^6 psi	inches	psi	psi	psi
U. S. Hardwoods
Alder, Red	0.41	1.38	20	440	5,820	1,080
Ash, Black	0.49	1.6	35	760	5,970	1,570
Ash, Blue	0.58	1.4	–	1,420	6,980	2,030
Ash, Green	0.56	1.66	32	1,310	7,080	1,910
Ash, Oregon	0.55	1.36	33	1,250	6,040	1,790
Ash, White	0.6	1.74	43	1,160	7,410	1,910
Aspen, Bigtooth	0.39	1.43	–	450	5,300	1,080
Aspen, Quaking	0.38	1.18	21	370	4,250	850
Basswood	0.37	1.46	16	370	4,730	990
Beech, American	0.64	1.72	41	1,010	7,300	2,010
Birch, Paper	0.55	1.59	34	600	5,690	1,210
Birch, Sweet	0.65	2.17	47	1,080	8,540	2,240
Birch, Yellow	0.62	2.01	55	970	8,170	1,880
Butternut	0.38	1.18	24	460	5,110	1,170
Cherry, Black	0.5	1.49	29	690	7,110	1,700
Chestnut, American	0.43	1.23	19	620	5,320	1,080
Cottonwood, Balsam Poplar	0.34	1.1	–	300	4,020	790
Cottonwood, Black	0.35	1.27	22	300	4,500	1,040
Elm, Eastern	0.4	1.37	20	380	4,910	930
Elm, American	0.5	1.34	39	690	5,520	1,510
Elm, Rock	0.63	1.54	56	1,230	7,050	1,920
Elm, Slippery	0.53	1.49	45	820	6,360	1,630
Hackberry	0.53	1.19	43	890	5,440	1,590
Hickory, Bitternut	0.66	1.79	66	1,680	9,040	–
Hickory, Nutmeg	0.6	1.7	–	1,570	6,910	–
Hickory, Pecan	0.66	1.73	44	1,720	7,850	2,080
Hickory, Water	0.62	2.02	53	1,550	8,600	–
Hickory, Mockernut	0.72	2.22	77	1,730	8,940	1,740
Hickory, Pignut	0.75	2.26	74	1,980	9,190	2,150
Hickory, Shagbark	0.72	2.16	67	1,760	9,210	2,430
Hickory, Shellbark	0.69	1.89	88	1,800	8,000	2,110
Honeylocust	–	1.63	47	1,840	7,500	2,250
Locust, Black	0.69	2.05	57	1,830	10,180	2,480
Magnolia,Cucumbertree	0.48	1.82	35	570	6,310	1,340
Magnolia, Southern	0.5	1.4	29	860	5,460	1,530
Maple, Bigleaf	0.48	1.45	28	750	5,950	1,730
Maple, Black	0.57	1.62	40	1,020	6,680	1,820
Maple, Red	0.54	1.64	32	1,000	6,540	1,850
Maple, Silver	0.47	1.14	25	740	5,220	1,480
Maple, Sugar	0.63	1.83	39	1,470	7,830	2,330
Oak, Black	0.61	1.64	41	930	6,520	1,910
Oak, Cherrybark	0.68	2.28	49	1,250	8,740	2,000
Oak, Laurel	0.63	1.69	39	1,060	6,980	1,830
Oak, Northern Red	0.63	1.82	43	1,010	6,760	1,780
Oak, Pin	0.63	1.73	45	1,020	6,820	2,080
Oak, Scarlet	0.67	1.91	53	1,120	8,330	1,890
Oak, Southern Red	0.59	1.49	26	870	6,090	1,390
Oak, Water	0.63	2.02	44	1,020	6,770	2,020
Oak, Willow	0.69	1.9	42	1,130	7,040	1,650
Oak, Bur	0.64	1.03	29	1,200	6,060	1,820
Oak, Chestnut	0.66	1.59	40	840	6,830	1,490
Oak, Live	0.88	1.98	–	2,840	8,900	2,660
Oak, Overcup	0.63	1.42	38	810	6,200	2,000
Oak, Post	0.67	1.51	46	1,430	6,600	1,840
Oak, Swamp Chestnut	0.67	1.77	41	1,110	7,270	1,990
Oak, Swamp White	0.72	2.05	49	1,190	8,600	2,000
Oak, White	0.68	1.78	37	1,070	7,440	2,000
Sassafras	0.46	1.12	–	850	4,760	1,240
Sweetgum	0.52	1.64	32	620	6,320	1,600
Sycamore, American	0.49	1.42	26	700	5,380	1,470
Tupelo, Black	0.5	1.2	22	930	5,520	1,340
Tupelo, Water	0.5	1.26	23	870	5,920	1,590
Walnut, Black	0.55	1.68	34	1,010	7,580	1,370
Willow, Black	0.39	1.01	–	430	4,100	1,250
Yellow-poplar	0.42	1.58	24	500	5,540	1,190
U. S. Softwoods
Baldcypress	0.46	1.44	24	730	6,360	1,000
Cedar, Alaska	0.44	1.42	29	620	6,310	1,130
Cedar, Atlantic White	0.32	0.93	13	410	4,700	800
Cedar, Eastern Redcedar	0.47	0.88	22	920	6,020	–
Cedar, Incense	0.37	1.04	17	590	5,200	880
Cedar, Northern White	0.31	0.8	12	310	3,960	850
Cedar, Port-Orford	0.43	1.7	28	720	6,250	1,370
Cedar, Western Redcedar	0.32	1.11	17	460	4,560	990
Douglas-fir, Coast	0.48	1.95	31	800	7,230	1,130
Douglas-fir, Interior West	0.5	1.83	32	760	7,430	1,290
Douglas-fir, Interior North	0.48	1.79	26	770	6,900	1,400
Douglas-fir, Interior South	0.46	1.49	20	740	6,230	1,510
Fir, Balsam	0.35	1.45	20	404	5,280	944
Fir, California Red	0.38	1.5	24	610	5,460	1,040
Fir, Grand	0.37	1.57	28	500	5,290	900
Fir, Noble	0.39	1.72	23	520	6,100	1,050
Fir, Pacific silver	0.43	1.76	24	450	6,410	1,220
Fir, Subalpine	0.32	1.29	–	390	4,860	1,070
Fir, White	0.39	1.5	20	530	5,800	1,100
Hemlock, Eastern	0.4	1.2	21	650	5,410	1,060
Hemlock, Mountain	0.45	1.33	32	860	6,440	1,540
Hemlock, Western	0.45	1.63	23	550	7,200	1,290
Larch, western	0.52	1.87	35	930	7,620	1,360
Pine, Eastern white	0.35	1.24	18	440	4,800	900
Pine, Jack	0.43	1.35	27	580	5,660	1,170
Pine, Loblolly	0.51	1.79	30	790	7,130	1,390
Pine, Lodgepole	0.41	1.34	20	610	5,370	880
Pine, Longleaf	0.59	1.98	34	960	8,470	1,510
Pine, Pitch	0.52	1.43	–	820	5,940	1,360
Pine, Pond	0.56	1.75	–	910	7,540	1,380
Pine, Ponderosa	0.4	1.29	19	580	5,320	1,130
Pine, Red	0.46	1.63	26	600	6,070	1,210
Pine, Sand	0.48	1.41	–	836	6,920	–
Pine, Shortleaf	0.51	1.75	33	820	7,270	1,390
Pine, Slash	0.59	1.98	–	1,020	8,140	1,680
Pine, Spruce	0.44	1.23	–	730	5,650	1,490
Pine, Sugar	0.36	1.19	18	500	4,460	1,130
Pine, Virginia	0.48	1.52	32	910	6,710	1,350
Pine, Western white	0.38	1.46	23	470	5,040	1,040
Redwood, Old-growth	0.4	1.34	19	700	6,150	940
Redwood, Young-growth	0.35	1.1	15	520	5,220	1,110
Spruce, Black	0.42	1.61	23	550	5,960	1,230
Spruce, Engelmann	0.35	1.3	18	410	4,480	1,200
Spruce, Red	0.4	1.61	25	550	5,540	1,290
Spruce, Sitka	0.4	1.57	25	580	5,610	1,150
Spruce, White	0.36	1.43	20	430	5,180	970
Tamarack	0.53	1.64	23	800	7,160	1,280

How Much Stress Can You Put On Wood Glue?

Not only does the wood’s strength play a role in how much weight it can support, but the type of glue used is also instrumental.

This table shows how various popular wood types of glue rank in terms of stress and strength. The three fields are Name, Type, and Strength.

Wood Strength Table:

Type	Wood Name	Strength (Shear parallel to grain)
Softwood	Cedar (Northern White)	850 psi
Softwood	Cedar (Western Red)	990 psi
Softwood	Fir (California Red)	1,040 psi
Softwood	Fir (Grand)	900 psi
Softwood	Fir (Noble)	1,050 psi
Softwood	Hemlock (Eastern)	1,060 psi
Softwood	Hemlock (Western)	1,290 psi
Softwood	Hemlock (Mountain)	1,540 psi
Softwood	Pine (Eastern White)	900 psi
Softwood	Pine (Western White)	1,040 psi
Softwood	Pine (Sugar)	1,130 psi
Softwood	Pine (Ponderosa)	1,130 psi
Hardwood	Ash (White)	1,910 psi
Hardwood	Ash (Green)	1,910 psi
Hardwood	Ash (Black)	1570 psi
Hardwood	Cherry (Black)	1,700 psi
Hardwood	Chestnut (American)	1,080 psi
Hardwood	Elm (American)	1,510 psi
Hardwood	Elm (Slippery)	1,630 psi
Hardwood	Elm (Rock)	1,920 psi
Hardwood	Hickory (Shagbark)	2,430 psi
Hardwood	Maple (Bigleaf)	1,730 psi
Hardwood	Maple (Red)	1,850 psi
Hardwood	Maple (Sugar)	2,330 psi
Hardwood	Mahogany (African)	1,500 psi
Hardwood	Oak (Northern Red)	1,780 psi
Hardwood	Oak (White)	2,000 psi

Glue Strength Table

Type	Name	Strength
PVA	Titebond Quick & Thick	3,000 psi
PVA	Titebond Original	3,600 psi
PVA	Titebond II Premium	3,750 psi
PVA	Titebond III Ultimate	4,000 psi
PVA	Titebond II Premium Dark	3,750 psi
Polyurethane	Titebond Polyurethane	3,510 psi
Natural Protein Solution	Titebond Liquid Hide	3,590 psi
2 Part Epoxy	Gorilla All-Purpose Epoxy Stick	1,550 psi
2 Part Epoxy	Gorilla Epoxy	3,300 psi
2 Part Epoxy	Gorillaweld	4,250 psi

Read Also: Does Wood Glue Work on Metal

The Different Attributes Which Determine the Strength of Wood Glue

Even though wood glues have a high-strength rating, your actual bond might not be as strong. Ideally, we want to get the highest figure possible.

Below are some of the more crucial details. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list there are many other things to consider as well. There are many types of glue. These have different properties. What is true for one may not be true for another:

Type of Glue Used

Although wood glue comes in various strengths, it’s not always the best idea to use the strongest option. Depending on your project, other properties of the glue may be more important.

The majority of woodworkers opt for one of the PVA glues because they are easy to use and can be cleaned up with water. Some PVAs are stronger than others, some can only be used indoors, and some are more resistant to moisture than others.

Temperature

The temperature can have an impact on how strong the bond of your glue is. Make sure to follow what the manufacturer says for whatever kind of glue you’re using. You might need to heat up your garage during winter so that you can apply the glue at the right temperature.

Clean Surfaces

In order to create a strong bond, it is essential that the surfaces are clean. A simple wipe with a rag will often do the trick.

Porous Wood Surface

The end grain is the grain that appears at the end of boards. It usually results from crosscuts made perpendicular to the grain. So, when you need to join one board to another, you often come across the end grain.

Because the end grain is so porous, it can “soak up” the glue and create a weak bond. To avoid this, woodworkers often cut angles or put “fingers” into the end grain. This allows the glue to bond to less porous parts of the grain and creates a stronger joint.

If you’re looking for a stronger joint, another option is to use an angle bracket or metal plate along with glue.

Oily Wood

woods with higher oil, sap, and resin levels can often inhibit woodworking glues from working properly. When this happens, the joints are usually weaker. Some of the more oily woods include Oak, Maple, and Teak. When working with oily wood, it’s best to use glue that isn’t water-based. Two examples of such glues are polyurethane and 2-part epoxy.

FAQs About How Much Weight Can Wood Glue Hold?

Last Words

Wood glue is a powerful adhesive that can be used to create strong, long-lasting joints. The amount of weight that it can hold depends on a variety of factors, including the type of glue being used, the amount of glue applied, the surface area of the joint, and the conditions under which the glue is being used. However, it’s important to remember that wood glue should not be used as a standalone fastening method for heavy loads, and should always be used in conjunction with mechanical fasteners for maximum strength and stability.

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