Working on any wood project the question arises on what kind of glue should be used. Normally, the usual wood glue will get the job done for your project.
But in the case of using painted wood, it is normal to have doubts about whether wood glue can work.
So, does wood glue work on painted wood?
In short, not all wood glues can work on painted wood. The process is a bit more complicated. This depends on the type of paint used on the wood. Water-based paint will adhere to PVA glues. Whereas, oil-based paint and primer paint will need extra work to be done.
Now, if you want to learn more about the whole in-depth analysis, we have an article explaining all the processes to make your work easy.
SKIP AHEAD
Can You Wood Glue Over Paint?
In general, most wood glues are designed with the sole purpose to bond with wood. And bonding with bare wood with no surface coating of any sort gives more strength.
If a wooden piece is coated with paint, then not all types of wood glue will adhere to the wood.
Most of the wood paint uses oil-based paint. This gives the wood a good finish. As well as it also acts as a barrier for the wood to be protected from the elements. And oil-based paint does not adhere to wood glue.
This is due to the chemical composition of the oil paint. It prevents wood glues from penetrating the wood surface for a perfect bond. This is why, in the case of most oil-based paints, wood glues cannot work properly.
To ensure a better bond and the glue to work, there are some steps to maintain. Following these steps will ensure a good bond between painted wood and wood glue.
Step 1: Sand The Area of the Application
Before glueing the wood piece, you should first start by sanding the area. Sanding the glueing area will create a rough surface.
This will in turn ensure the wood glue sticks to the wooden piece. It also makes the chemical bond stronger.
To make the work faster, you can use a portable sanding machine to sand out the area.
These sanding machines will cut down your working time drastically. Make you finish the job before the deadline ends.
If there is any oil varnish being used, then you will need to remove that as well. Such as removing Danish oil from the wood.
Step 2: Scape/Cut Off The Paint
After sanding the area in which you will use the glue, you will need to scrape off any smooth edges or layers of paint.
You can also cut off the paint layer entirely to expose the bare wood. By that, you can ensure that the wooden surface is properly set to be coated with wood glue.
Step 3: Applying The Glue
After you are done scraping the paint, you can apply the glue over the wood. In this case, you have to be thoughtful about how much glue you are applying.
Normally you have to apply enough glue so that the glue is coating all the areas you are bonding with.
Overusing glue does not give you the result you would like. Too much glue can lead to your wooden piece being slippery.
That will prevent your wood from bonding well. You can use dowels within your joints to make them stronger. But you have to know how many dowels to use.
If you are not using any oil-painted glue, then you can use epoxy instead of wood glue. This will make your wooden piece not lose any painted coating. As well, it will ensure a permanent bond between the wood pieces.
What Glue Work on Painted Wood (Chart)
Type of Wood Glue | Works Best on |
PVA glue | Work on Water-based painted wood |
Epoxy | Work on Oil-based painted wood |
Polyurethane (PU) Glue | Work on Oil-based painted wood |
Hide glue | Work on Water-based painted wood (like PVA) |
CA glue | Work on Oil-based painted wood |
Wood Glue Over Water Based Paint
If the painted wood is done by using water-based paints, then some special wood glues will work. Water-based paints are of two types.
One is acrylic, another one is latex. The choice of wood glue will depend on the type of paint that is being used.
If you are using acrylic or latex paint and working to use wood glue to bond it, then you will need a type of glue. This is known as water-based wood glue PVA. This glue is used extensively when you have a paint coating over the wood.
PVA or polyvinyl acetate is mainly used for drywall. But in terms of having to glue over painted wooden pieces, you can use it to act as a binder between two wood surfaces.
The PVA has an absorption composition that does not need any rough surfaces to adhere to. PVA also has good water-resistant qualities. Making the bond better protected from water damage and rotting issues.
Does Hot Glue Work on Painted Wood?
Hot glues have a better performance than normal regular glue. In the case of painted wood, hot glues are effective adhesives.
The liquid glue has a gel-like consistency. The heat helps the glue to penetrate the painted wood inside. Making a better bond.
The temperature penetration characteristics of hot glue do not ruin the paint job on your wood.
Rather, the thermoplastic compounds used in the glue can mix easily with the wax of the paint. In turn, makes the glue work effectively and last longer.
Using good-quality hot glue is important as well. Otherwise, it will ruin the paint. As well as, not joining the wood pieces correctly. Having a damaging effect on the job.
These hot glue brands are made to last. They are high-quality products. You can use them without any worry.
Does Wood Glue Stick to Primer?
Primer is a coating that is used before applying the paint over any surface. This makes the material more airtight from any kind of outside contact. This is why primer has far less bonding capabilities with glue.
In the case of wood glue, it will not stick to primer as well as it would with bare wood. If it is a water-based primer, then there is no problem with using the glue. As water-based primer adheres to glues easily.
But, if the primer is an oil-based one, then the wood glue will fail to adhere to the wood at all. This will fail to give you a strong wooden joint. If you are going to glue primer-coated wood, you will need to follow some steps.
Step 1: Sanding The Area
Before even starting to glue the area of the wood, you will need to rough up the surface. Primer-coated areas will have a sealed smooth surface. That will not help the wood glue to bond properly with the wooden piece.
For that, you will need to sand the area you will glue down. Sanding it with sandpaper will rough up the top coat of the primer.
Letting the glue have a surface to adhere to. But a piece of advice would be to start this process only after the primer coating is bone dry. Otherwise, you will ruin the coat.
Step 2: Cleaning The Sanded Area
After you are finished with sanding the area, you will need to clean the surface of the dust. This is important for glueing primer-coated wood. As the primer dust will hamper the bond between the glue and wood surface.
Sanding down the primer will give you a coarse surface. That will help you to perfectly glue down the wood without any slippage.
Step 3: Applying The Glue
Finally, now you can apply the glue to the surface of the wood. Apply the glue evenly with total coverage. Do not let any surface bare. Otherwise, the bond will not be strong enough. Give the glue a little bit of time to air dry.
After the outer surface is a little bit dry, you can join the wood and apply balanced pressure throughout the joint.
In these cases, industrial wood glue is a better choice than the normal wood glue you would find. It will give a better bond with the wood.
What Is the Strongest Wood Glue?
Now that you have the idea about different scenarios and methods of glueing painted woods. It is time to have an idea of which kind of wood glue is the strongest for your work.
The normal wood glue can get the job done perfectly with bare wood.
But for painted wood, you will need to have a thought about the product you will use. There is also the factor of whether the wood glue will dry clear. You have to factor that into consideration as well.
The most effective wood glue to be used for painted wood would be Polyvinyl Acetate glue (PVA glue). It is also known as the “Yellow”. This compound is one of the most strongest and durable wood glue you can find in the market.
PVA glue has the best features to be used on painted wood. They are water-resistant. Preventing the joints from having any kind of water damage. As well as protecting it from moisture erosion or rotting.
The glue is also non-toxic. Making it sustainable for the environment as well. This will help you to achieve a green certificate for your project as well. Cutting down future maintenance costs.
The most beneficial thing about PVA glue is that it is versatile in use. You can use this both on interior and exterior projects.
As well as, on other surfaces such as tiles, concrete, ceramic and glass. This makes it possible for your woodwork project to be more creative and stunning.
You can use these PVA glues without worrying about the result. They are proven to be long-lasting and effective. It is also one of the best glues to be used for plywood as well.
That is all we have to discuss on this topic.
FAQs
Does super glue adhere to painted wood?
Yes. Super glue can adhere to painted wood surfaces. It will not have the effective bonding strength such as it has with plastic. But it can adhere to wood by moulding inside the wood and creating a bond. This will still ensure a much stronger bond than regular glue.
Do liquid nails work on painted wood?
If you are working with non-porous surfaces like painted wood or varnishes, liquid nails are the best option. They are much more effective in adhering to smooth surfaces like on painted layers. It is better to apply liquid nails than superglue on painted wood surfaces.
How long does super glue last on wood?
Superglue can last on wood for a very long time. The composition of a super glue compound lets it adhere to any wood very strongly. A good application of super glue can let you have a strong bond for years. Industrial superglue can last in wood for up to 30 years.
Conclusion
That is all we have to say about does wood glue work on painted wood. In short, wood glue can work on painted wood. But not all paint can be effective in adhering to the glue.
So, based on the information and recommendations, you will need to work accordingly.
If you still have any confusion regarding glueing painted wood, seek help from a professional.
Happy woodworking!
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