Choosing the wrong adhesive for a joint is worse than using no adhesive at all — it creates a joint that looks solid but fails under stress. Different materials and conditions require different adhesives. Here is a guide to the adhesives every workshop should stock.

Workshop Adhesive Guide

PVA Wood Glue (Yellow Glue)

Brand examples: Titebond Original, Titebond II, Elmer’s Wood Glue

The standard workshop adhesive for interior wood-to-wood joints. PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue is inexpensive, non-toxic, cleans up with water while wet, and creates a bond stronger than the wood itself when properly clamped.

Open time: 5 to 10 minutes (the time you have to assemble before the glue begins to set) Clamp time: 30 to 60 minutes minimum, 24 hours for full strength Water resistance: Titebond Original: not water resistant. Titebond II: water resistant (type II). Titebond III: waterproof (type I).

Best for: Furniture joints, edge gluing panels, cutting board lamination, face-to-face lamination, and any interior wood joint that will be clamped.

Not for: Outdoor projects exposed to weather (use Titebond III or polyurethane glue), gap-filling (PVA has no gap-filling ability), metal, plastic, or non-porous materials.

Polyurethane Glue (Gorilla Glue)

A moisture-cured adhesive that foams as it sets, filling small gaps. Bonds wood, metal, ceramic, stone, and some plastics.

Open time: 10 to 15 minutes Clamp time: 1 to 2 hours, 24 hours for full cure Water resistance: Waterproof

Best for: Outdoor furniture, mixed-material joints, gap-filling applications, and joints where clamping is difficult (the foam expansion provides some clamping pressure).

Drawbacks: Foaming creates messy squeeze-out that is difficult to clean. Does not sand cleanly (dried foam shows under finish). Must dampen one surface before applying for proper cure.

Epoxy

A two-part adhesive (resin and hardener) that creates an extremely strong, waterproof, gap-filling bond. Available in various set times from 5-minute to 30-minute formulas.

Best for: Structural repairs, bonding dissimilar materials (wood to metal, wood to fiberglass), filling voids, concrete and masonry repair, coating bar tops and tables, boat building.

Drawbacks: More expensive than PVA. Requires precise mixing ratios. Messy. Cannot be reversed once cured.

For workshop use, keep a dual-syringe 5-minute epoxy on hand for quick repairs and a pint kit of 30-minute epoxy for structural work.

CA Glue (Super Glue / Cyanoacrylate)

Bonds instantly on contact. Available in thin (penetrating), medium, and thick (gap-filling) viscosities.

Best for: Quick fixes, gluing small woodturning pieces, filling small cracks with CA glue and activator, bonding end grain (thin CA penetrates and strengthens), and tacking pieces in position before clamping with PVA.

Drawbacks: Brittle bond. No structural strength on large joints. Bonds skin instantly (keep debonder on hand).

Construction Adhesive

Heavy-duty adhesive in a caulk tube, applied with a caulking gun. Bonds wood, concrete, metal, drywall, and foam.

Best for: Subfloor to joist bonding, stair tread installation, paneling, and any heavy construction joint where clamping is impractical. Not for fine woodworking.

Contact Cement

Applied to both surfaces, allowed to dry until tacky, then pressed together for an instant, permanent bond. No clamping required.

Best for: Laminate countertops, veneer, and large sheet material bonding. Available in water-based (lower VOC) and solvent-based (stronger bond) formulas.

Hot Glue

A thermoplastic adhesive applied with an electric gun. Sets in seconds. Moderate bond strength.

Best for: Temporary fixturing, crafts, attaching jigs and templates, quick repairs that do not require structural strength. Easy to remove by reheating.

The Workshop Adhesive Kit

Stock these four adhesives and you are covered for virtually every situation:

Titebond II or III — daily-use wood glue
5-minute epoxy — quick structural repairs
Thin and medium CA glue — instant fixes and crack filling
Construction adhesive — heavy-duty installation

Add polyurethane glue and contact cement as specific projects require them. Store all adhesives in a cool, dry area and check expiration dates — old glue is weak glue.