I'm working on a picture frame project and ran into some trouble during my glue up. I used Titebond 3 and set the pieces in a strap clamp to dry. After about 45 minutes, I cleaned up some excess glue, but when I flipped the piece over to clean the other side, a couple of joints separated. They did come back together when I set it down, but I'm worried that might have compromised the glue joints. Is it safe to assume that since the glue was still wet, everything will be fine once it cures? Should I take the pieces apart and start fresh? I really don't want to mess this up after putting so much effort into it!
4 Answers
I think you should be alright, as long as the frame isn’t handling too much weight. If it’s just supporting some glass and a foam backing, it should hold up fine. Just remember to check the clamp times on your glue—every glue has its own timing, and it's important not to move the pieces before the right time has passed! I personally love Gorilla wood glue for its longer clamp time, which gives me extra room for smaller projects like this.
Better to learn from this now than in a future project, right?
When working with end grain, like in miter joints, it’s best to pre-glue the ends and let them soak in before reapplying glue and connecting. I also prefer using Clam Clamps for a tighter hold. They work wonders for getting the perfect joints without issues!
Just a heads up—mitered corners need to fit perfectly. If they’re nailed into place, the glue isn’t doing much of the work.
Thanks for the tip! I think I'll be looking into clamping options for my future miter projects. Strap clamps just don’t seem to cut it!
Sometimes, miter cuts are so smooth they don’t hold glue well. If you roughen the surfaces a bit before applying glue, you’ll increase the strength of the joints since it gives the glue more area to bond with.
I know it might sound counterintuitive, but that’s not a good idea. Keep the surfaces smooth for better outcomes!
By 45 minutes, your glue should have been pretty solid. If it separated, you might not have used enough glue or applied enough pressure with the clamps. I’d recommend reglue-ing at least those problematic joints to be safe, especially if a couple separated on a mitered frame.
I hope you're right! I was planning to add splines to the miter joints anyway, but now I think I'll need them for strength as well. I thought Titebond 3 needed only an hour before un-clamping, but I wanted to be careful since I was just cleaning while it was still a bit tacky.