Glue for teak, interior cabinetry

[scherzoja]

I'm rebuilding my nav table and will use 6" wide tongue and groove teak flooring, but am not sure what kind of glue to use (weldwood, epoxy, titebond, gorilla-type glue, Resorcinal ?). It'll be about 42" athwartship and about 24" fore/aft (forwared facing seat) with a 3/4h by 1 1/4" tall teak trim covering up the end grain along the perimeter, all glued together and stained, then varnished or polyurethaned. When the glue (whatever it is) squeezes out and gets on the top surface, I can't have it disrupt the absorption of stain/sealant.

Has anyone glued teak and stained/varnished without having imperfections caused by squeezed-out glue? When gluing normal stuff together (Oak, pine, paint-grade) for shore-side cabinetry, I just scrape the glue up after it has setup, sand to get texture/desired smoothness and have no issues glue causing staining issues.

I've never glued/stained teak, so not sure what i'm in for.

Any advice?

Thanks

[roverhi]

Resorcinol will definitely leave a very defined glue line. The dark reddish brown color of the glue comes through. Using most other glue requires sanding the excess off. Haven't tried just scraping it but rely on sanding. Have a boatwright friend who is very traditional using primarily hand tools where others rely on power. When it comes to glue, he uses nothing but epoxy. Have gone that route with most structural bonding. TiteBond III and Gorilla Glue are easy to use with their non mix formulas. Haven't used them much with teak, mostly with fir, mahogany and oak with good results. Don't like Gorilla Glue because of it's foaming.

[Rainh2o2]

I've used gorilla glue with good results staining and vanishing it. The secret is very good clamping and well fitting joints to make the glue bond well and have as small of a glue line as possible. As far as foaming, let it foam and dry., don't touch it wet, it can then be trimmed off and then sanded smooth.

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[Clamdigger]

Would the above suggestions also apply if one was gluing teak battens on fiberglass gunwales for under 16ft boat? What glue would stick the teak on to the gelcoated fiberglass surface and remain adhered under service? I want to refrain from adding scres or bolts w nuts to attach it. thanks

[woodguy]

I would suggest epoxy. West System is the one I have a LOT of experience with. Teak has a lot of oil in it so just before gluing, wipe the to be glued surfaces with acetone to remove the oil. You'll get a stronger bond that way. You can run masking tape on the top and bottom surfaces along the edges so most if not all of the squeeze out can be wiped up w/o soaking into the wood. Pull the tape while the epoxy is still soft after a few hours and gently scrape off the remainder. A little light sanding after it has fully set up will give you a clean surface. An epoxy glue line will be very thin, clear and almost invisible especially if you can match the adjoining grain patterns. Good luck.

[mebccb]

G2 epoxy from System Three (used to be an Industrial Formulators product until bought by System Three). This is formulated specifically for oily tropical hardwoods. Wipe glue surfaces with acetone or alcohol just before applying epoxy. Don't use excessive pressure to clamp boards together.

[OS2Dude]

I have used Gorilla Glue to join various type of woods, including Teak. Works great. Does foam as another poster stated, but you can control this somewhat by adjusting the amount of glue used. You do have to wet the surfaces to be joined, and it can (will) get over everything that touches it. I have had no issues with scrapping and then doing a light sanding using it. If there is not a gap in the joint, there will be no glue showing when finished.

[Terra Nova]

Gorilla glue is inferior. Use WEST epoxy. Work neatly and do your cleanup before the epoxy goes off. Scrape of excess cured epoxy with a cabinet scraper; then sand.

[Isabella Jane]

Personally I do not like the look or feel of varnished teak. It is such a lovely, durable, easy to manage oiled finish. I despise polyurethane as it looks and feels like plastic on "furniture" and never looks better than the day it was applied, only deteriorates and cannot be repaired without complete strip back.

[hamburking]

I would use plain old white carpenter's glue. Clamp the wood together, then use a damp cloth to wipe away any excess glue. Leave it clamped at least 24 hours. You will get a bond that will last forever and looks great.

I have used this method for my own projects of different woods, including a teak counter section about 18" x 3'. Worked perfect. I finished with varathane for durability. Looked great.

[Nicholson58]

There are special Epoxy glues the oily wood like teak. I have used this one many times.
Oak & Teak Epoxy Glue

[Terra Nova]

Carpenters glue is not waterproof. Recorcinal and epoxy glues are superior.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Carpenters glue is not waterproof. Recorcinal and epoxy glues are superior.

That's not correct, as it depends on the glue and the ANSI type classification.

For 60 years my father always used "Elmer's Wood Glue", with no problems at all.

Today, you can buy Elmer's Carpenters Wood Glue Max. Non-toxic, paintable, stainable, 0% foaming, and ANSI Type I waterproof. One of the most waterproof glues, and if set properly the wood will break before the glue joint will.

Waterproof joints: "For joints that will definitely be exposed to moisture, it's important to use the most water-resistant glues available. ANSI has 2 standards for water-resistant wood glues, and ANSI Type 1 water-resistant glues are some of the most waterproof wood glues commonly available."

Wood-to-wood: Elmer's Carpenters Wood Glue Max (polyvinyl acetate):

Carpenter's Wood Glue Max - 8oz | Waterproof & Stainable

Best Glue for Wood to Wood - GlueHow

[darrelweb]

Always use epoxy glue on teak....never a plain white wood glue as it is not water proof or as strong.
When laying up teak, an oily wood, or staining or varnishing, I always wash the joints or surface with acetone several times to clean out the oils so the epoxy has a nice clean surface to grab on to. Use clean tight rags and wear rubber gloves.
My two bits worth......darrel

[Terra Nova]

I avoid rags, due to the extreme likelihood of contamination. Instead I always use paper towels, taking care to wipe away any paper towel "dust."