Working with clients has made me realize that there are a ton of little tidbits of information I could share. Nothing earth-shattering, just little gems of knowledge to arm you with before you take on your next building project. Things like:
How much glue is enough?
Wood glue is strong but you’ve got to cover the wood for it to work properly. If you only partially cover the wood, your joint won’t be as strong as it could be — or should be.
NOT enough glue here.
Just the right amount of glue here!
The wood surface that is being glued up should be completely covered with glue. Smear some more on there…go ahead get dirty. It’s just glue.
I often apply glue with my finger. I just make sure to keep a wet rag around so I can wipe it off before I handle the wood so I don’t end up with glue fingerprints all over my cabinet.
When you screw the pieces together, it’s a good sign to see a little glue squeeze out .
You can clean up the glue squeezeout with a scraper after it’s set up a little. Or wipe it with a damp cloth.
Then carry on with your awesome project!
Other helpful glue posts:
Great tip Sandra. What are your takes on the “stainable” glue from Elmers? I’ve just built a table that I’m going to stain and I’m anxious to see if the glue is actually stainable. I probably should have tested it out before building a 8′ dining table with it but hey, you live and learn right?
What do you use to scrape your glue like when you built that countertop for your laundry room.
excellent points Sandra . . . I’ll admit – I’m like that guy at the company picnic with the mustard stain on my shirt. I mean – I’m usually just a little overzealous when it comes to gluing things up. Upside though, I’m seeking help – I hear glue both parts being joined and using a craft or, better – a flux (aka acid) brush always helps me spread my glue a little more … intelligently. cheers.
Thanks Sandra, I like hearing an experienced person tell me I am doing it right.
Thanks for the tip! I have not been using enough.
I’ve heard that wiping glue with a wet rag can actually push the glue into the wood fibers more. I’ve never tried staining after wiping with a wet rag, though. Have you noticed the stain not taking after wiping?
Instead of using your finger and getting plywood splinters in it, plue the glue not being evenly spread, order one of these brushes from Rockler.com. They are made of silicon rubber and the glue won’t stick to it. If you leave it and the glue dries, you can pick it right off.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=31128&site=ROCKLER
Great tip. I would love for you to do one on how to correctly measure when doing multiple cabinets that all need to be identical. That one would REALLY help me. I’m always 1/16 to 1/8 off.
We are doing this very thing currently and have found that when we cut all pieces before changing the saw settings, we get more consistent results 🙂 Hope that helps!