Glues have become a necessity in our daily lives. Having pets and children that beak objects, or simply having to bond objects together calls for a reliable glue.
The products on the market are endless. They’re usually affordable, but you still don’t want to waste time or money on subpar glue.
You walk into your local store to find Gorilla Glue and Super Glue looking quite alike. You sense that they have different uses, but you’re not sure what.
That’s why we bring you this Gorilla Glue vs Super Glue guide. It will help you select the glue that suits your needs the most.
Gorilla Glue
Founded in 1954, Gorilla Glue is one of the best glues available in the market for wood and furniture bonding.
Porous materials in general seem to be the materials that you should use Gorilla Glue for. It will bond anything you apply it on, but it excels in porous materials.
Super Glue
Super Glue was invented in 1942 by Dr. Harry Coover. Unlike Gorilla Glue, it’s not designed for a specific surface. It’s made for versatility with an emphasis on weight holding.
Simply applying the Super Glue over the desired surface and waiting for a few minutes should be enough to give you a good bond.
Gorilla Glue vs Super Glue: Detailed Comparison
Can’t decide between Gorilla Glue and Super Glue? This detailed comparison covers all you need to know.
1. What Will They Glue?
Both types of glue are quite effective, but not both of them will suit the same surfaces.
Gorilla Glue
Gorilla Glue is the best glue on the market for woodworking. It’s always recommended to bond wood or fix furniture.
It’s not designed for extreme weight handling as it has a modest tensile strength. The tensile strength of the glue is its ability to withstand “pulling” forces without losing its bond.
Super Glue
Super Glues, on the other hand, are designed for maximum tensile strength and weight enduring.
A company named Loctite invented a Super Glue that holds a World Record. It managed to hold a 5-ton vehicle in the air using around 10 drops!
That being said, Super Glues fall short when it comes to holding porous materials together. The glue is often very thin and not enough to go deep enough into those pores.
It’s best to use Super Glue with house objects that need quick and reliable fixation. Mugs, small plastic objects, and toys are examples of such objects.
2. Setting Time
The setting time is how long the glue takes to give you an initial adhesion before max adhesion.
Gorilla Glue
Gorilla Glue is much slower to give you an initial adhesion than Super Glue. It could take up to 20 minutes to get a reliable bond.
You’d also need to wait 24 hours without disturbing your bonded surfaces to get the maximum possible adhesion.
Super Glue
Super Glue starts setting within a few minutes. Generally, you can keep working on your project 10 minutes after you’ve applied a Super Glue to it.
Those 10 minutes are often enough for the Super Glue to give you an initial adhesion that holds the surfaces together.
Still, for the best results, you should wait 24 hours for the adhesive material to fully cure.
3. Working Conditions
Both Gorilla Glue and Super Glue have different working conditions, as indicated below.
Gorilla Glue
Gorilla Glue can tolerate tougher working conditions than Super Glue. It’s waterproof and even water-activated.
You won’t need to worry about water touching your project as long as the glue takes a few minutes to bond first before being exposed to water.
Gorilla Glue can also tolerate temperatures as low as -40 °F up to 200 °F, which is a wider range than Super Glue.
Super Glue
Super Glue is somewhat moisture resistant but not as waterproof as Gorilla Glue.
Additionally, if the surface you intend to bond isn’t completely dry, you’ll have a longer curing time and a weaker bond.
Super Glue may not tolerate temperatures as extreme as Gorilla Glue. However, it can still keep a strong bond in temperatures as low as 50 °F up to 180 °F.
4. Method of Usage
Here’s how to correctly use both types of glue:
Gorilla Glue
To use Gorilla Glue, use the simple three-step guide. Dampen it, glue it, and then clamp it.
Since it’s water-activated, you need a couple of water sprays on your surface before you apply Gorilla Glue to it.
Once you spray the water, apply the Gorilla Glue and tightly approximate the objects to be bonded together.
If you think the objects might get disturbed in any way, you should clamp them together and wait for 24 hours until the bond is completely formed.
Super Glue
Super Glue needs complete dryness to give you the best adhesion. Clean your surface with a dry piece of cloth then apply the Super Glue.
The amount of Super Glue you should use is often a lot less than Gorilla glue. Just a few drops will get the job done.
Since most Super Glue projects are small, you could simply hold the surfaces together with your hand for about a minute then let them go. We recommend wearing gloves because Super Glues often burn the skin on contact.
Also, avoid smelling Super Glue as it has a strong smell that’s irritating to the nose, especially for children.
You still need to wait for 24 hours to get the maximum bond but you often don’t need clamping in this case.
In Short
If you have a woodworking project, furniture that needs fixing, or porous materials, then Gorilla Glue should be your choice.
Extra emphasis on that choice if your surfaces are often subjected to harsh temperatures or excessive water.
If you need a strong reliable bond for everyday objects like cups, handles, or plastic, then you should use Super Glue.
We recommend having both of them in your household as they’re not that expensive to get. Most people will occasionally need to use both of them anyway.