Liquid Nails vs. Wood Glue: Which One You Should Use?

When it comes to woodworking or carpentry, there are many products we have to use if we want to make the finished products look good. Some of these are the machinates required to complete the job properly like sanders and saws, whereas there are other items like glue and nails that hold everything together.

Today we are going to go over and finally decide which product is the better one, liquid nail or wood glue. Both of these are needed for basically the same task, and would, in turn, provide a very similar result as well, but they do have a number of differences.

So, in this Liquid Nails vs. Wood Glue comparison guide, we are going to dive into the depths to find out all that we can about these two.

What is Liquid Nail?

While there are many of us who have worked with wood for a very long time, know all there is to know about the work and have worked their way around everything, there are some out there who are very new to the whole experience. So, we are going to break down the whole thing and start from the very beginning.

First of all, the name itself should clue you in on what liquid nail is supposed to do. Well, if you don’t have a clue, then the simple answer to the questions is that this product is used when putting together wooden pieces. This works like an adhesive that keeps everything locked in place.

Liquid nails are mainly used for construction work, so if you are planning to build something heavy-duty, then you can’t go wrong if you decide to work with liquid nail. However, if your plans are along the lines of an arts and crafts project, then you don’t really need to use this as this might be in a much higher grade.

If you are someone who regularly works with heavy wooden pieces or even metal, then the product for you would be the liquid nail. The kind of hold and strength you will get from this is unbeatable. You will be astonished to see how great this performs as opposed to all the other types of adhesive.

When you use this for your projects, you will not only see the outstanding strength of the adhesive, but you will also be very surprised to see how long-lasting this product is. And when you use this for your holding or even for paneling, you will not have to keep going back and fixing loose work.

You should be set for a very long time if you decide to work with liquid nails.

• It will adjust to the temperature really well
• Great for neat work as it is paintable
• Extremely strong and lasts for a very long time
• Should perform great on both wet and dry timber

Cons:

• The clean-up process is very hard and requires a good amount of petroleum jelly
• Need to use oil to get it off the skin

Which One is the Best Liquid Nails?

There are many different liquid nails you could use for your job. Most of them are going to give you an outstanding result, and you are sure to be amazed by the outcome. So, here I am going to name an option you could get and really enjoy using on the job.

Liquid Nails LN-2000

When talking about liquid nails, it would be wrong of me to not mention Liquid Nails LN-2000. This is said to be one of the best you will be about to find in the market. And there is a good reason why such word is out on the street because it really does get the job done without a hitch.

This particular product is low-odor, which makes this a very attractive product for those who are averse to the strong smell of adhesives. Along with that, you should be able to use it perfectly both indoors and outdoors; this is usually not an option for many liquid nails and other types of adhesive.

You should be able to make this work in most temperatures, in cold, dry weather, and even hot and humid weather. The bond would be strong, regardless.

Not only would it work great with wood and metal, but you would also be amazed to see the results. So, I believe if you are looking to get a liquid nail, then this is a great option for you to exploit.

There are a few other options available for you, which would work pretty much in the same way. So you can give them a go as well to see if they work better for you or not. There is a trial and error process in some cases before you find one you keep going back to.

What is Wood Glue?

At first, we tackled all the information about liquid nails. Now we are going to move ahead and get to know a bit more about wood glue. This is something you might have used a few times before if you have done this form of work with wood or even some type of art and crafts project.

Well, if you haven’t, then don’t worry. We are going to give you all the information you would need about these products so you can come to the decision to use it for work.

Even though it is called wood glue, don’t let the name fool you into thinking that it can only be used on wood. This is a very versatile product, and you should be able to use this when you’re working with wood, metal, porcelain, or plastic. It will work great with those and many other elements as well.

You will find this to be useful even if you are not into construction work, as this could be a great addition to your home maintenance kit. Whenever you see some loose ends somewhere, you should be able to patch it up in no time using the wood glue. Once you get the item, you’ll find many little things around the house you can fix-up.

For example, if you have old furniture at home which lost an arm or a leg then be sure that the wood glue is going to come to your aid and sort out the issue in no time at all as long as you have an arm or a leg to attach to the piece of furniture.

However, you have to be a little mindful when using this product, as there are variations for indoor and outdoor items. Say if you are to place the old furniture outside on the deck or the porch, then you would have to use a different type of wood glue than you would if you were to keep it inside the house.

Another thing you might have to keep in mind when it comes to this is that sometimes different types of material might require a different grade of wood glue. So you have to do a little bit of research before you put it to use. If the adhesive doesn’t bond properly, then you might have problems holding the item together.

• It dries very fast, so you don’t have to wait for a long time
• Wood glue is water-resistant, so this is going to be good for the outdoor
• Does not have a harsh odor
• If it gets on the skin by mistake, you shouldn't have a problem removing it

Cons:

• You have to keep indoor and outdoor in mind
• Might need different types of wood glue with different types of wood

Which One is the Best Wood Glue

Wood glue is very common, and you should be able to find it just about anywhere, especially hardware stores, you can also find them online. So you have a lot to choose from. But to make your life a little easy we are going to name a wood glue that you might really enjoy using.

Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue

I have already said that most wood glues are either good for indoor or outdoor, but Titebond III is one that is going to work great for both. You should see amazing results in both of these settings.

Along with that, you will get a waterproof adhesive, which is also non-toxic. All these great features built into one product, what more could you really ask for here?

Some of the great features you will get using this product is that the bond you get from this is unmatched by any other wood glue. You will not be able to dislodge two pieces of wood attached using the Titebond III.

Sometimes we see that after opening a container of glue, you do not have much time to work with it as it starts drying out quickly. But this is not a problem you are going to face with this. You will have a long time to work with the wood glue without having to worry about drying it out.

Liquid Nails vs. Wood Glue

Both of these products are very similar, and the way they are used is also the same. But we are not here to talk about the similarities between the two products so you can understand which one is better and which might be the right option for you.

Drying Time

One of the most important factors when it comes to adhesive is drying time. This would have a great impact on the finished product and the quality of your work. There are cases where you might have to work fast, and in other situations, you might have more time.

Depending on your urgency, you might have to use different products. The liquid nails, for example, takes about 24 hours to dry, but you will not be able to do much before a whole week is up as that is how long it will take for the liquid nails to dry completely and cure.

However, when you are in a hurry, your best bet would be wood glue, this is going to dry much faster. Actually, for the layer of glue to dry, it would take around 15-20 minutes to dry. But if you put any stress on the wood before the 24-hour mark, then chances are it will dislodge.

Strength

Now, when it comes to strength, they have their strengths in their own areas. They are not always used for the same work, so you might not put them against one another.

Liquid nails work great with plywood, fiberglass, and foam boards. It will demonstrate its strength with these products. Whereas, for wood glue, you would find it has great strength in indoor and outdoor furniture.

However, if I am to compare these two products, then I have to say that liquid nails would get my vote. Its hold and strength are unmatched by most other types of adhesive.

Removal from Your Skin

While working with adhesive, it is very common for it to get stuck on your skin, This is very annoying, and if you’re doing things like this often, then you might see yourself scraping adhesive off most of the time.

Since you will be getting it on yourself so often, you would much rather use something that does not take too long to take off.

Liquid nail is very strong and bonds well to your skin as well. And therefore, you might take a long time to take it off as well. You need to use some type of oil or petroleum jelly to get it off.

Whereas the wood glue is not an issue at all, you can very easily wash it off with water and soap.

Fumes

The adhesive, at times, might have to vary harmful fumes. This would have a very bad impact on your health. If you are exposed to this for a long time, then you might get very bad headaches and nausea.

Wood glue is like school-grade glue, which means this does not have any harmful fumes in it, so this is very safe to use. The liquid nail, however, emits a strong fume which needs to be ventilated. You would feel the harmful impact of the fumes if you work with it in a small room.

Conclusion

You will get amazing results from both of these products. The wood glue has its own strengths and attributes, which makes it a wise choice, and the same goes for liquid nails. You have figure out what you want most from your adhesive of choice.