Customer walked into my shop last month and tried to tell me I was using the wrong kind of wood glue for a butcher block

He insisted Titebond III was overkill and that I should just use Elmer's white glue because that's what his grandpa used, has anyone else had a customer try to school them on their own trade like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlienelson1mo ago

Used to think Titebond was just marketing hype myself until I had a butcher block delaminate on me with white glue. Now I don't second guess the pros.

phoenix_carter1mo agoTop Commenter

@charlienelson that butcher block story hits different because most folks don't realize water resistance is the real difference, not just strength. Titebond's waterproof formula stops the exact problem that made your board fail while white glue soaks up moisture like a sponge. Ever tested a glue line by dunking scraps in a bucket overnight?

james_kim1mo ago

Totally agree with you here. The testing thing really opened my eyes too, a while back I actually took two scrap pieces and submerged them just to see, and the difference was crazy the next morning. The white glue looked like a sad wet noodle while the Titebond held up like nothing happened. @charlienelson your delam story is exactly why I switched years ago, one bad experience is all it takes to learn. It's funny because this same principle shows up everywhere, like how people buy cheap rain jackets that wet out in ten minutes instead of just spending a bit more on something that actually keeps you dry. We all learn the hard way that the real test isn't how strong something is brand new, but how it holds up when life gets messy. That's pretty much the rule for anything that deals with moisture, honestly.