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Wood glue
Three yellow wood glues for glue-ups: Titebond Original for indoor work, Titebond II Premium for outdoor projects and Titebond III Ultimate for more open time and water resistance, chosen from independent tests and guides.
Our picks
Wood glue for indoor projects
Titebond Original Wood Glue
Our pick for indoor furniture, boxes and repairs that stay dry. Woodworking Advisor suggests it for dry indoor work, and Sawdust Journey recommends it for interior projects.
Water-resistant wood glue for outdoor projects
Titebond II Premium Wood Glue
Our pick for outdoor projects such as planters and garden furniture. Woodworking Advisor suggests it for outdoor use, and Titebond says it passes the ANSI Type II water-resistance test.
Wood glue with longer open time and more water resistance
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
Our pick for bigger glue-ups that need more working time, and for projects that may get wet. It has the longest open time of the three (from the maker), which Sawdust Journey also points out.
Product images are from each maker’s product pages and are shown only to identify the products. The makers haven’t reviewed, sponsored or endorsed this page. If you own an image here and want it removed, email hello@sawdustsmart.com.
Photo credits
- Titebond Original Wood Glue: Image: Titebond product image
- Titebond II Premium Wood Glue: Image: Titebond product image
- Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue: Image: Titebond product image
Each price is the one we saw at that store on the date beside it. Prices change, so check the store before you buy.
What to look for in a wood glue
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Indoor or outdoor. Titebond rates Original for interior work only, II as passing the ANSI Type II water-resistance test and III as passing the stricter Type I test (Titebond). None of the three is meant for wood that stays under water (Titebond).
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Open time. Open time is how long you have to spread glue and close the joint. Titebond lists 3 to 5 minutes for II, 4 to 6 for Original and 8 to 10 for III, so a big panel or a glue-up with many joints is easier with III (Titebond; Sawdust Journey).
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Glue line color. Original dries translucent and III dries light brown (Titebond). Family Handyman notes Original can show through stain.
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Temperature. Each has a lowest working temperature: above 55°F for II, 50°F for Original and 47°F for III (Titebond).
How we picked
We didn't hands-on test these. We picked them by reading an independent strength test (Project Farm on YouTube) and independent guides (Family Handyman, Woodworking Advisor and Sawdust Journey), checking Titebond's product pages for the specs, and checking prices at The Home Depot. Every pick has at least three independent sources from at least two different outlets, including at least one independent test. They're all linked with the pick, along with what each one found. Project Farm's test is from 2020, and we also link Fine Woodworking's 2007 glue test, which included Titebond III. Prices, review counts and links were last checked on ; prices and stock change, so check the store before you buy.
No paid links. Every link on this page is a plain link: no affiliate codes or tracking, and no company paid or asked to be listed (disclosure). Links open in a new tab.
Some outlets we cite get review samples from tool makers; we don't use pieces a maker paid for or sponsored.
We pick tools from independent tests and reviews, not our own testing.