Stick Together: The Right Glue For The Right Job

Let's put it this way. There are times in life when you need to be discreet. In the case of household repairs, sometimes using a fastener to hold two things together just won't do. The results will look silly, maybe even downright ugly. For instance, you wouldn't attach a loose tile by drilling a hole through it and screwing it to the bathroom wall.

Still, there are times when you could go either way. Let's say the handle breaks off the washing machine door. Sure, you can drill a hole and reattach it with a sheetmetal screw. But you also have another option: To use one of today's high-tech adhesives for a fast and discreet repair. The beauty of modern adhesives is that they make durable repairs with minimal fuss. And today's formulations are more versatile than their predecessors. As a bonus, there are single products that can do 90% of the bonding work you'll encounter around your home.

Yellow Glue

Yellow glue is a more muscular version of its familiar cousin white glue. Like white glue, it bonds a variety of materials, but it's used most widely in woodworking. There are several reasons for this. First, it withstands moisture better than white glue, and outdoor formulations of yellow glue offer even more moisture resistance than interior formulations of yellow glue. As far as woodworking is concerned, yellow glue offers several other desirable characteristics. First, it requires only brief clamping. For light-duty applications you can get by with 15 to 30 minutes, although 1 hour is safest for all applications. Second, it's a high-tack adhesive. That means it becomes sticky quickly. The advantage is that shortly after applying the glue to the workpiece you can stick parts together, and they will stay in position as you place the clamps. This also reduces the tendency of the glue to run down the workpiece. The converse is also true, however. You have to work more quickly with yellow glue than with white glue.

Below, we show Titebond II, an exterior-grade yellow glue. An 8-ounce bottle costs about $3 at hardware stores and home centers. For more information, contact Franklin International, 2020 Bruck St., Columbus, OH 43207; 800-347-4583.