Some wood glue is waterproof, while others are water-resistant.
Before you know which wood glue best suits your project, you must understand the difference between waterproof and water-resistant.
Waterproof means that water cannot penetrate the glue and cannot cause it to deteriorate over time if it is in constant contact with water or moisture.
Waterproof wood glue offers high and permanent protection from water.
Water-resistant means repels water (or moisture) to a certain point. If the glue is exposed to water for a longer period, after some time, the water will slowly soak into the glue, causing it to weaken its bond.
Water-resistant wood glue offers lower protection from water as it can only resist water penetration to a certain degree.
As you can see, there is a big difference between waterproof and water-resistant wood glues.
So keep reading to discover more about waterproof wood glues.
Wood Glue: How To Know If The Glue Is Truly Waterproof?
You can’t always trust the way products are marketed. You may run into some adhesives marketed as waterproof but would fall more into the water-proof category.
So how can you tell if the glue is waterproof and not just marketed that way?
Wood glues generally have the following indicators added by the manufacturers that will indicate just how waterproof the glue is.
These are the indicators to look for (and what they mean):
- ANSI/ HPVA Type 1: this indicator shows (Type 1) that the wood glue is pretty much waterproof under all circumstances
- ANSI/ HPVA Type 2: Type 2 indicates that the wood glue is considered water-resistant in most cases
- Type 3: these should be used for indoor applications only
Type 1 wood glue is so waterproof that it can withstand being in constant contact with moisture or even hot water, and it can also remain unaffected when submerged under water for some time.
If you need wood glue for your outdoor patio, it is the Type 1 wood glue you should be working with.
Conclusion
Some wood glues are made to be waterproof, while others are made to be water-resistant.
If you are working on a project with glue exposed to water or moisture, you must use waterproof wood glue for the bond to hold.
