Titebond III

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I have a large bottle of Titebond III glue that I bought 2-3 years ago. It's been sitting unopened for all that time. I can't find an expiration date on the bottle so I was wondering if its still safe to use. By "safe", I mean, will it still work the way it's supposed to?

The other factor is freezing. I'm 99% sure it hasn't gotten cold enough to freeze but there is a small chance it has. Very small.

Thoughts?

[Jay Allen]

I think it is "generally recommended" that you try to use PVA glues with-in a year. But, how would you ever know how long it was stocked at the store before you get it? If it was a huge thing, I would think that the manufacturer would put some kind of expiration date on the bottle. At 2-3 years though, I might test it first.

If it was frozen to the point of damage, I would think that you could tell? It would look gritty or "broken".

[glenn bradley]

From their website:

"When used in reference to wood glues, reaching the stated shelf life does not mean that a product will "expire" or become unusable. Instead, we view the stated shelf life of most of our glues merely as a guideline to avoid potential aging concerns. In reality, as long as products like Titebond Original, Titebond II and Titebond III remain fluid, without drastic change in appearance, they will continue to perform as intended."

Generally if the glue has not separated into what looks like glue with thick oil floating in it, it may be usable. I have remixed glue that has reached this state and tested it . . . it failed. I have given up on saving money by buying the gallons unless I have something coming up that will use it up in a reasonable time. I certainly wouldn't risk $300 worth of material and my time by trying to avoid spending $8 on some glue ;-) I would test on a couple scraps, leave it overnight and try to get it apart.

[John Gregory]

Like Glenn said, why gamble on your project for $8 worth of glue. Buy a smaller bottle of glue and discard the old one. That is what I do. If I have not used it within two years of opening the container, I discard it.

From their website:

"When used in reference to wood glues, reaching the stated shelf life does not mean that a product will "expire" or become unusable. Instead, we view the stated shelf life of most of our glues merely as a guideline to avoid potential aging concerns. In reality, as long as products like Titebond Original, Titebond II and Titebond III remain fluid, without drastic change in appearance, they will continue to perform as intended."

Generally if the glue has not separated into what looks like glue with thick oil floating in it, it may be usable. I have remixed glue that has reached this state and tested it . . . it failed. I have given up on saving money by buying the gallons unless I have something coming up that will use it up in a reasonable time. I certainly wouldn't risk $300 worth of material and my time by trying to avoid spending $8 on some glue ;-) I would test on a couple scraps, leave it overnight and try to get it apart.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Did some research on the code stamped on the bottle & it looks like it was manufactured in February 2006. I'm gonna trash it.

It's a full gallon or I wouldn't have thought twice about getting rid of it. Not worth the risk, though. Even for less important shop projects.

Thanks all.