Ask The Experts

Hello,

I want to build bookcases using your UV finished cherry plywood.

I am looking to join right angles with biscuits or pocket screws or both methods depending on joint.

My question is what type of glue is recommended to join the edges. Wood Glue or Gorilla Glue?

Will I get good adhesion using either? Is this recommended? What type of bond will I get?

I want the shelves to be at 90 degrees to the vertical and wondering best how to join them?

best regards,

Dave Klippel

678.773.2384

Dave, your best bet with a glue joint is one that joins raw wood to raw wood, leaving you a couple of choices. One is to rough up the finished area so as to allow at least some bite surface for your glue, which can be tricky with a UV finished panel product. Another is to use a joint that would by its design expose raw wood to raw wood such as 45 degree joints, tongue and groove, lap joints, or even blind dovetails. Biscuit joinery does allow at least some intimate raw wood contact between the plowed area of the work piece and the biscuit, so that may be a consideration, as well. As for the glue, Gorilla Wood Glue is a non-foaming formula that works very well, as do any of the conventional PVA based wood glues on the market. On another note, you may want to consult with the maker of the pocket joinery tool as I believe they tout their joint as not requiring glue. I don't have one of their tools (yet), but from what I have seen, it creates a strong, tight joint without any glue at all. From my experience, it is always best to play around with several options and choose the one that seems best suited for your particular job. Hope this helps!