Elmer’s Wood Glue vs Gorilla Wood Glue: A Comparative Wood Glue Test Guide

Elmer’s Wood Glue and Gorilla Wood Glue are undoubtedly two of the best adhesives on the market. You may get confused about which one to pick when you are starting a woodworking project. To make your decision, you may want to know what the major differences between Elmer’s Wood Glue vs Gorilla Wood Glue are.

When comparing Elmer’s Wood Glue and Gorilla Wood Glue side by side, Gorilla creates a stronger bond. The glue will get stiff and hard to break when cured. Elmer’s wood glue is also strong but a bit flexible, making it better for furniture that requires bending.

Plus, their curing method, cost, and suitable application areas are also different. Let’s dive deep into the details of the differences between Elmer’s Wood Glue and Gorilla Wood Glue.

Elmer’s wood glue: Basics, Benefits, and Problems

Elmer’s E7010 Carpenter’s Wood Glue is one of the best wood glue for interior usage. One of the reasons why it is popular is its variable usability. Besides wood, you can use it for crafts, papers, and boards.

It’s a liquid glue and creates a super-strong bond. Elmer’s wood glue is ready-made slime out of the container. You can sand or paint on Elmer’s glue, which makes it better than others. Overall, it’s an excellent adhesive on a budget.

Benefits:

• The glue is not visible after curing.
• Easy to use and clamp.
• It doesn’t damage blades in case you need to cut through.
• Easy to clean.

Problems:

• Sometimes the nozzle gets stuck.

Gorilla  Wood glue: Basics, Benefits, and Problems

Gorilla Wood Glue is a water-based adhesive that is specially made for wood or carpentry works. It has one of the strongest adhesion power in the market. You can use the Gorilla Wood Glue for both indoor and outdoor projects.

The best temperature for applying the Gorilla Glue is between 55° to 75° F. It sets and cures pretty fast. The glue is also sandable and paintable. Plus, it is moisture-resistant, which makes it highly durable. In short, it is the best option if you want a strong bond.

Benefits:

• It has excellent strength and is best for heavy-duty wood projects.
• It has a grey wood color when dry to provide a clean look.
• Easy to clean.
• It doesn’t have unhealthy fumes.

Problems:

• The flat tip is a little bit messy.

Elmer’s Wood Glue vs Gorilla Wood Glue: Comparison Chart

Elmer’s Wood glue vs Gorilla Wood Glue: Key Differences

Elmer’s wood glue and gorilla wood glue are different from each other in many areas. Finding a clear winner in each category will be difficult as they both are good but in different sectors.

Let’s not confuse you anymore. Here’s the detailed discussion of the differences between Elmer’s Wood Glue and Gorilla Wood Glue:

Strength of attaching the wood

Who wins? Gorilla glue: It gets hard when dry and stronger than the wood.

Strength is one of the most important factors to consider while attaching two things together. If the bond is not strong enough to last a long time, then there’s no meaning in using the glue.

Both Elmer’s and Gorilla wood glue are PVA based, which is a strong chemical component for adhesion. But when comparing side by side, Gorilla Wood Glue creates a stronger bond on woods. It will feel stiff after curing.

Although Gorilla Wood Glue is stronger, many prefer to use Elmer’s Wood Glue for its flexible bond. When you need to blend or flex an item, using Elmer’s will be a better option.

Curing time for busy carpenters

Who wins? It’s a draw!

If you are a busy person and want your work to be done quickly, then you need an adhesive with a faster curing time. But there’s not much difference here between these glues.

Both Elmer’s Wood Glue and Gorilla Wood Glue require a clamp time of 20 to 30 minutes and cure within 24 hours. Depending on the surface of the wood, the time can vary a little bit.

You are probably thinking, why am I adding this here if there’s no difference? That’s because they cure in different methods.

Elmer’s Wood Glue is cured by evaporation, and the Gorilla Wood Glue is cured by moisture. If the environment in your area is moisturized, then Gorilla glue can be a better option, or else go with the Elmer’s.

Suitable application areas

Who wins? Elmer’s glue for fine woods.

Although both adhesives are good for woods, Elmer’s Wood Glue works better on finished woods. When you prepare the wood well, apply Elmer’s glue, and it will create a perfect bond.

When the wood is not in good condition or has a rough finishing, Gorilla wood glue can serve you well. Gorilla wood glue foams a little bit after drying, and that’s why it works better on such surfaces. As you are most likely to deal with fine woods, we selected Elmer’s glue as the winner.

Ability to fill gaps in porous woods

Who wins? Gorilla glue: the foaming nature of gorilla glue helps fill holes.

Porous woods consist of a lot of tiny holes that you may want to fill with glue. Although you can use wood fillers for larger holes, glues are enough for smaller ones.

Gorilla glue foams and expands after drying. It helps to fill tiny gaps in the woods. Elmer’s wood glue is thinner, and that’s why it is not suitable as a filler. However, you can add sawdust to the glue to fill the gaps more efficiently.

Cost: Which one is budget-friendly?

Who wins? Elmer’s wood glue: It is less expensive

If you are looking for budget-friendly wood glue, Elmer’s is the best option. It cost almost half of the cost of Gorilla Wood Glue. Although it costs less, its quality is superb.

If you ask for the price, there’s not a specific number. Depending on the pack size, the price will vary. Try to purchase a larger pack as per fluid ounce price for those are less.

Elmer’s wood glue: Why do I choose it for my wood project?

Elmer’s Wood Glue is a perfect choice when you want a perfect finish on your fine woods. Its thin layer makes it unnoticeable after curing. It also sets and creates fast.

Plus, when you want to save some money, Elmer’s Wood Glue is a better choice for its low cost. Elmer’s offers better flexibility for different wooden furniture and doors too.

Gorilla wood glue: Why do I choose it for my wood project?

If you want to create a super-strong bond between two wood pieces, Gorilla wood glue is the best adhesive. After curing, the connection will be so hard that if you try to separate the woods, you may end up breaking them.

It is slightly thick and excellent for filling gaps. You can use Gorilla wood glue in various types of wood surfaces, including softwood, hardwood, and natural wood composites.

FAQs

1. Is Gorilla Glue the same as Elmer’s glue?

Gorilla glue and Elmer’s glue are different adhesives that come from different companies. They have a separate adhesive for woods, plastics, metal, and other surfaces. In the case of quality, both of them are superior to most other adhesives in the market.

2. Is wood glue stronger than Elmer’s glue?

Elmer’s has different adhesives for wood and other surfaces. All of them are super strong. If you want to use the glue on wood, then the wood glue is stronger than Elmer’s glue. But it won’t work well on other surfaces such as metal and glasses.

3. Is wood glue or Gorilla Glue better?

Whether Gorilla glue or Gorilla wood glue is better entirely depends on your purpose. For carpentry works, wood glue is preferable. But for other surfaces such as plastic, paper, metal, etc., the original Gorilla glue will work better.

4. What is the best glue for wood to wood?

Gorilla wood glue is one of the best glues for attaching wood to wood. It is extremely durable and keeps wood together long, even in harsh conditions. Plus, the versatility and the ease of use make it my favorite for woodworking projects.

Elmer’s Wood Glue vs Gorilla Wood Glue: Who Wins?

After comparing Elmer’s Wood Glue vs Gorilla Wood Glue, there is no clear winner. If you want to apply glue on wooden furniture that has a fine finish and will require bending in the future, then Elmer’s Wood Glue is better for its flexible joint.

But if you are working on heavy wood items that will stay in a single place for a long time, then Gorilla Wood Glue will obviously be a better choice for its stiff connection.