Thanks to its extremely high density, teak is a remarkably durable wood. Pieces of furniture made from this tropical hardwood are some of the most exclusive indoor and outdoor home furniture items. It’s even more of a shame if these pieces of furniture are damaged due to carelessness or an excessively strong mechanical load. Teak gluing is often the last resort for saving valuable furnishings.
Teak gluing: problems with gluing teak furniture
In contrast to domestic woods, teak gluing is more problematic. Classic wood glue is water-based. If two wood surfaces are joined together, the adhesive hardens by evaporation of the liquid components and both surfaces form a connection. The reason for the difficulty in gluing teak wood lies in the special properties of this tropical wood species. Teak has a high content of natural oils. These prevent the evaporation of water, as they constantly ensure moisture penetration of the wood surface. This process is not visible to the naked eye, but even tiny amounts of oil impede the evaporation process.
Construction adhesive or 2-component adhesive as a solution
For gluing teak wood, a so-called construction adhesive or a 2-component adhesive is suitable. While the 2-component adhesive has to be mixed in a 1:1 mixing ratio, the construction adhesive is immediately ready for use. After the wood surface has been roughened with fine-grained sandpaper on the relevant areas, the adhesive is applied. The adhesion site should be as solidly fixed as possible. Handy screw clamps, with which a constant pressure is applied on the adhesive surfaces after tightening, are ideal for this. If the clamps cannot be attached, tear-resistant adhesive tape is an alternative.
Let the glue harden
Whether you want to glue a table leg to a teak table, or fix the broken bar of a garden bench, letting the glue set is important. Depending on the adhesive used, this process can take several hours. However, the furniture is usually fully loadable after a mere 24-hour drying time. After setting, the connection is examined for residues.
If there are adhesive residues in the vicinity of the break, they can only be mechanically removed by sanding with sandpaper. Curd soap and water remain ineffective in this case. For this reason, adhesive residues should ideally be removed while they are still wet. However, a quick wipe often leaves unsightly marks on the wooden surface. Carefully remove glue residue with a soft cotton cloth.
