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Stigmorgan

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What's the difference between PVA wood glue and PVA glue? Obviously they are both PVA but does the stuff advertised as wood glue have extra contents? I ask because working in a primary school provides access to all the PVA I could need if it is of use.
 
I’m certainly no expert on Pva but imo they are much of the same beast , different viscosity and of course some are water resistant others claim to be waterproof. My best guess is the Pva used in schools is super safe with no potentially harmful additives, very low voc etc . It’s the same as the Pva used in the building trade - is the £20-30 brands any better than the cheaper £15 - maybe 🤔
 
Extract from toolcrowd.com, please read full info on their sites, it gives far more clarity than this partial extract.

PVA Craft Glues vs. White PVA Wood Glues

Used by millions of kids worldwide, craft glue is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of PVA glue.

Here are some of the main features of craft glue:

PVA Craft Glues

Sometimes referred to as white glue or school glue, children and crafters used PVA craft glue to bond things like paper, cardboard, and fabrics, and it’s both odorless can be easily cleaned up with water alone.

PVA craft glue is usually a milky-white color in the bottle but dries almost colorless with a translucent appearance.

Its ability to be cleaned up with only water exposes one of its major disadvantages – it has little to no water resistance, meaning that craft glue will break down if exposed to moisture or if used outside.

It takes around 24 hours or so for craft glue to reach its full strength, meaning that whatever you’re gluing needs to be well supported and ideally clamped for a better bond.

The slow initial ‘grab’ of PVA craft glue makes it great for complex, time-consuming glue-ups as it gives you plenty of time to assemble everything or correct any mistakes.

Next up, let’s look at white PVA wood glue and some of the main similarities and differences between it and craft glue:

White PVA Wood Glues

As mentioned, PVA wood glues are essentially modified versions of standard PVA glue (both are formulated from the same synthetic resin – polyvinyl acetate), with some additional features and benefits that make them better suited to woodworking applications.

One similarity with regular craft glues is that white PVA wood glues can easily be cleaned up with water, making it easy to clean off any excess adhesive or glue squeeze from whatever you’re working on.

Another similarity is that white PVA wood glues typically dry with a translucent film that’s essentially colorless when completed dried.

In terms of differences, many types of PVA wood glue feature additional chemical properties or additives that make them stronger than regular PVA craft glues.

Also, while some PVA wood glues are available in slower setting varieties, most typically dry much faster.

Another significant difference and benefit of PVA wood glue is its superior water resistance. Whereas craft glue has little to no water resistance, most white PVA wood glues fare better, with even interior grades typically resisting a certain amount of moisture.

And finally, another area where PVA wood glue outshines craft glue is in its ability to be sanded once dry. PVA wood glues typically dry harder, meaning you can sand them to improve their look and finish, which is something you’d struggle to do with craft glue.


Can You Use PVA Glue Instead of Wood Glue?​

PVA craft glue is a multi-purpose glue that you can use to bond various materials, including paper, cardboard, and fabric.

You can also use PVA craft glue to bond wood, although you’ll be missing out on some of the refinements that make PVA-based wood glues a much better choice for timber.

Aside from PVA craft glue potentially being cheaper and easier to find than dedicated PVA wood glue, we’d struggle to find a strong enough reason to bypass wood glue in favor of craft glue for your woodworking projects.

A dedicated PVA wood glue gets our vote every time, and here’s why:

  • You can clean up most PVA wood glues with water alone (just like with craft glue).
  • They have a stronger initial tack or ‘bite’, which reduces clamping time.
  • They dry much faster
  • They’re stronger once fully bonded
  • They’re much less susceptible to creep
  • They’re more water-resistant and heat-resistant than craft glues
  • They’re sandable for a superior finish

In Summary​

Wood glue is not the same as PVA craft glue.
 
If you’ve got a local Howdens they have offers on their own brand glue from time to time and it’s very good - rapid setting and pretty strong. Was in the 10 for £10 promo a few weeks ago.
 
Thanks @Sachakins that's exactly what I wanted to know 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁 now I need to go spend more money I don't have 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪, guess I'll be selling some more of my creations in the staffroom 😁😁
Or you tamper with the school glue order and get a few wood glues delivered "in error" 🤣🤣😂🤣😂
 

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