Contractors pva

[Monkey Mark]

I know contractors pva is usually for the likes of sealing before plastering, but is it any good as a wood glue?

Just been given 10 litres of the stuff and I'm reluctant to just throw it (I hate waste).

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Depending on exactly what the manufacturer's data sheet says, you can usually use this kind of PVA for wood etc. - I'm not sure I'd use it in any particularly challenging application, just in case! Don't forget that it doesn't like frost and has a shelf-life.

Cheers, W2S

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I used builder's PVA from Screwfix for quite a while, maybe 15 years ago. Nothing has fallen apart yet !

 

[alan24]

I used B&Q 'decorators PVA' for a table I built as a first project many moons ago. I laminated fence boards to make 4" legs, one of which I wasn't happy with. I decided to pull it apart and it was pretty hard to do. At some points the wood gave way before the glue!

The table is still solid but like W2S I'd only use it now with a strong feeling of scepticism on something I wasn't too fussed on.

 

[Monkey Mark]

Thanks guys, that's great. It's the screwfix stuff. I'll keep it and use it on non critical things. Cheers.

 

[ED65]

It might be nearly as good. You have some dedicated woodworking adhesive presumably? If so you can do a direct comparison of joint strength to find out if you're inclined that way.

Up to a point there's not much to choose between PVA-type glues if they're white in colour, once you're on a level playing field. In terms of strength the main difference is just the thickness, the thinner ones are literally more watery. This means that you can actually turn a watery one into something better by just letting it dry out a little until the viscosity is similar to what you're used to from UniBond, Evo-Stick or whoever.

 

[sitefive]

I have not found any difference between the expensive ''branded'' ones and the cheaper ones as long as the specs are the same,
using this 1litre for £4.44 from http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p31670?table=no at the moment (you can buy it online for like £3 a bottle) , would not want to use the 10litre pots where they sell it for like £10 just so I can sleep better at night.
after all how much of that stuff do you really need?

 

[Eric The Viking]

I did a direct comparison between the PVA from Toolstation above and Titebond II. This isn't the mix sold as a bonding agent, but the wood glue.

I went back to Titebond, mainly because of the physical properties - viscosity, open time, ease of spreading over the surfaces, etc. Cheaper PVA certainly works and seems to make joints that are just as strong, but I don't find it as easy to use. I was cramping extra pieces on the bottom of 4.5m lengths of skirting, with biscuits every eight inches or so to keep everything aligned. Both glues did work, but I think the "cheap PVA" ones were starved in places by over-enthusiastic clamping on my part.

Two key things about the "502" Toolstation stuff: I found it too viscous, and the nozzle is truly awful. I know you can just add water in theory, but you don't want to be guessing that in the middle of a glue up, and if that's their idea of a good nozzle I simply don't have any respect for their QC processes.

If/when I can take the risk I'll use it. Otherwise Titebond 2.

E.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've not had a problem with Everbuild 502 (or any other Everbuild, come to that) but I'd pay a quid or two more for their D4 - easier to use and totally waterproof.