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Best adhesive to repair teak board

markvone

Sustaining Member
Howdy Vikings,

What is the best adhesive to repair the teak board below? It's 30+ year old teak with a clean break along the grain. It's trim from the floor around mast step.

I first thought wood glue, then epoxy, then I figured I should ask.

Mark

IMG_1357.jpgIMG_1358.jpg
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
Mark,

Thanks for the link! It recommends non-water-based adhesives for oily woods so I am going to use epoxy.

I have had good luck with wood glue so far, but I have only repaired small pieces of teak veneer back on to the plywood backing. This piece is very dry after 35 years so oil won't be a problem. Plus, it is screwed to the 3/4" plywood floor board below so I will first try just epoxy.

Mark
 

Timsb

Member II
You will want to use a dowel jointer or biscuit jointer to align the holes properly dowel jointer kits are pretty cheap. I have used gorilla glue with clamps with some success. But you must clamp it and be very stingy with the stuff though because it expands. The dowels or biscuits will add the real strength to whatever glue you use.
 

Slick470

Member III
I asked a similar question on Sailing Anarchy due to a split teak fiddle. It was recommended in that thread to use west systems g-flex epoxy due to it's added flexibility once cured. I'll use one of the fillers either 403 or 406 to thicken it up some.
 

Ian S

Member III
Believe it or not urethane glues work perfectly on teak. far stronger than the wood itself. Epoxy is total overkill because you are gluing with the grain where the wood is naturally weak anyhow. good old gorilla glue. wipe the joint with acetone first, then wet (as per instructions) and make sure to clamp. regardless of adhesive strength is in the tightness of the joint, use clamps. You will have to scrape the excess as the urethane expands.
done many glue ups of oily woods with urethane. I promise it works.

Good luck Capt. Ian
 

Dave N

Member III
I have had great success with biscuits and waterproof titebond III ultimate wood glue. I tried it on a practice piece first and could not break the joint.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I had no idea Gorilla glue surfaces ought to be moistened. Good to know, doesn't say so on my (four) shop bottles of it.
 

Ian S

Member III
I should be more specific in regards to moistening the surfaces. The original Gorilla glue, or their original polyurethane formulation as is true with all urethane glues need some moisture to activate. This is similar to polysulfides in which the cure time is accelerated with moisture ie. Boat life caulk.
I should also mention I work on the side (in addition to my remodeling business as part time shipwright, rigger and carpenter. There is no question in my mind that this is the best solution. Epoxies are to brittle typically for thin bonding applications on flexible or semi flexible substrates. The foaming or expanding action of urethanes insure penetration into the pores of the wood making them incredibly strong, semi flexible, easy clean up, less hazardous to use and much cheaper.

Capt: Ian
 
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