How I learned the hard way about glue drying times

Last month, I landed a big order for custom kitchen cabinets. The client wanted them installed in two weeks, so I rushed the glue-ups. I used a fast-setting glue, but even then, I did not let it cure fully before sanding. The joints moved a bit, and I had to fix three drawer fronts. This added two full days to the job and cut into my pay. Now, I always wait for the glue to set completely, no matter how tight the schedule. I even check the moisture in my shop to see how long things will take. A bit of waiting now can stop big problems later.

3 comments

3 Comments

ninamartin1mo ago

That five year wobbly table from Emma_burns96 is living on borrowed time. A loose joint is a failed joint, period. It might hold books now, but the second someone leans on it or moves it wrong, it's going to give. The glue might feel rubbery but it lost its real strength. Rushing glue is just asking for a call back later, and that costs more than waiting a few extra hours.

murphy.keith1mo ago

Was it extra humid in your shop? I rushed a glue-up on a rainy day and the joints never set right.

emma_burns961mo ago

But is a slightly loose joint always a disaster? I had a wobbly table from a humid day glue-up that's held up for like five years now (it's fine for books). Sometimes the glue just cures slower and stays a little rubbery, but it still holds. Are you sure the joints actually failed, or did you just panic and redo them too soon?