One Adhesive Does NOT Fit All

Ask some manufactures what type of glue they use to assemble wood products, and they’ll casually respond, “Oh, the white stuff” or “yellow wood glue.” Such responses can exasperate those of us in the adhesives business. Wood glues are much more complex than that.

A number of adhesives manufacturers focus on producing a full range of wood adhesives to enable customers to better meet the requirements of particular applications. We see R&D as a science that enables us to develop the perfect product for an application. Rather than generic yellow glue, we provide you the optimal formulation for your production line – and in so doing, boost your productivity and product quality.

Many wood adhesives are based on formulations of polyvinyl acetate (PVA). PVAs – including the familiar yellow carpenter’s glue and good old white “school glue” – provide a vesatile base for creating adhesives for many uses, particularly in the bonding of wood to wood. PVA chemistry has been around for over 60 years and continues to evolve. For example, original formulations offered no water resistance; now, some PVAs are used in windows and doors.

When selecting adhesives for your production line, you might want to think past just ordering “the white stuff.” To start, try consulting an adhesives expert who has experience in your industry. Discuss your specific bonding needs, and find the brand and formulations that provide the right performance characteristics for your needs.Some considerations in selecting the right adhesive for your production line include application (edge-and-face gluing, finger joining) and application equipment (extrusion, spreader), type of equipment (cold press, radio frequency), ability to meet industry standards for water resistance (ASTM D-5751 and ASTM D-5572 Wet Use), level of heat and solvent resistance, operating range of product and minimum-use temperature. It is just not accurate to state that “one adhesive fits all.

”Sure, cost matters. But the cheapest glue isn’t always the best value. Even if higher performing adhesives cost more, they give you a valuable assurance of improved productivity at the plant and help you deliver quality to your customers.

Look past the product to the company that produces it. Does the company have a good reputation? Familiarity with your industry? You also want to work with a company that offers prompt, expert technical support, both to help you select the best adhesive for your needs and maximize its performance with your production line.You could just buy some of “the white stuff”; or you could buy the right stuff, from a company you really want to stick with.