Wood adhesives: bond formation and performance

A large portion of wood products made today are glued, or bonded, together. This is because bonding allows wood to be used in ways that would be impossible otherwise. We take wooden sheet materials, such as plywood, for granted, but they perform far better in some ways, and are far less expensive, than solid wood alternatives. Large structural pieces, such as the glulam skeletons in many buildings, would be impractical without adhesives. Everyday items such as wooden chairs would be extremely difficult to build without adhesives. In short, bonding wood products increases their value. This chapter is an introduction to wood bonding. Our primary goal is to provide an understanding of what makes good bonds and some principles that allow the reader to predict bond performance.