Adhesives are important to woodworking, but it isn’t often that new glues come to market. So, when we recently were given a sneak peek at Titebond’s newest formulation, called “Quick & Thick,” we thought you’d appreciate learning more about it, too, before it reaches store shelves and online suppliers soon.
Franklin International is dedicated to professional and hobbyist woodworkers with its extensive family of Titebond adhesives, including the popular Original, II Premium and III Ultimate wood glues — and nothing has changed in that regard. But this time, the company has developed a modified PVA glue that should appeal to a broader group of users, too. Quick & Thick’s silver bottle seems to be an indicator that this adhesive doesn’t quite fit the same mold as the familiar blue-, red- and green-labeled Titebond bottles many of us use so often.
“Since 1935, we’ve always strived to offer the best possible solutions for woodworking applications,” says Craig Stone, director of marketing innovation for Franklin International. “Now we have a product for home repair and craft projects, too.”
Franklin’s research of today’s consumer glue market has revealed that project-oriented people use glue for more than just bonding wood. Woodworkers, DIYers and crafters are also involved in “soft” crafts, which include paper, fabrics and home repairs. Up until now, Titebond hasn’t had a product targeted to these other applications that also bonds wood. Stone says consumers want a glue with thicker beading properties so it won’t run or drip, and the ability to fill small gaps. Fast setting time, invisible glue lines when cured and the convenience of soap-and-water cleanup are also desirable. Quick & Thick is formulated to satisfy all of these requirements.
In terms of Quick & Thick’s viscosity, it has a thixotropic (gel-type) consistency that is three times thicker than traditional PVA wood glues. Benefit? It can be applied to vertical surfaces without dripping. You might already be familiar with Titebond’s No-Run, No-Drip Wood Glue, which was formulated for attaching molding and trim. The new Quick & Thick, Stone says, is a modification of this product that provides additional benefits.
“We develop and manufacture the base polymers that go into our wood glues,” Stone adds. “For this reason, we can purposely modify our formulations regarding several performance criteria, including set time, water-resistance and bond strength to particular materials.”
Aside from neater gluing in vertical situations, Quick & Thick should squeeze out less than thinner, more fluid glues to help prevent waste. It’s also designed to fill small gaps in wood joints. Traditional PVA glues can, in some situations, handle gaps up to about 3 mil, but Quick & Thick will bridge gaps up to about 1/32-in. and still form a strong bond. Stone clarifies that Quick & Thick isn’t intended to fill gaps larger than this, “but it will provide a stronger bond than other PVAs on imperfect joints that may be associated with some woodworking and home repair projects.”
Crafters will appreciate the “Multi-Surface” attribute of Titebond’s new silver-bottled glue: Stone says Franklin’s extensive lab testing has proven that Quick & Thick surpasses other water-cleanup PVA glues on adhesion to pottery, ceramics, stone, fabrics, leather and even glass, as well as wood. Stone points out, however, that one of the two materials being bonded must be porous or semi-porous so the glue has an outlet for curing purposes. Up until now, a typical “yellow” or “white” glue would not have been the right choice for bonding most of these materials.
For other benefits, Quick & Thick sets twice as fast as traditional PVA glues, it dries clear, and the bond remains somewhat flexible for better impact resistance. It has a strong initial tack, with an open time of three to five minutes and a set time of 15 minutes. This should be long enough to position and realign pieces as needed but still require only about half the clamping time before the bond sets. Franklin reports that Quick & Thick offers excellent sandability and is not affected by finishes.
It’s important to note that Quick & Thick is not water-resistant or waterproof. It’s intended for interior applications only. “There are no cross-linking capabilities of this formula, and it will not hold up well to continuous moisture,” Stone says. “Pertaining to water resistance, it will compare to any of our interior woodworking glues.”
Quick & Thick Multi-Surface Glue will be packaged in 8-ounce bottles and sell for around $3.99. You’ll find it soon at Rockler and Menard’s stores, select Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and Do It Best stores, Homedepot.com and Amazon.
After 80 years in the glue business, supplying some 200 formulations to more than 60 countries, Franklin is a leader in consumer and professional adhesives. They’ve proven it to woodworkers through the Titebond family of products, and now Quick & Thick is poised to convince crafters and DIYers as well.
“Quick & Thick is a high-performance, cost-effective glue for woodworking, home repair and craft projects. It is non-oxic … easy to clean, doesn’t stain hands or clothes and works on a variety of materials,” Stone says. “It’s the perfect glue to have around the house.”
Learn more about Titebond products by clicking here.
