Does Titebond glue expire?

[Justin Pfenning]

I bought one gallon of Titebond Original, 2, and 3, about 2.5 years ago, when I was making a bunch of cutting boards. I've noticed some separation in the jugs lately, and I wondered if the glue has gone bad, or if I just need to mix it up good before using it. If mixing is the solution, how should i mix it up?

[Ole Anderson]

I have heard that, yes, it does not have an indefinite shelf life, but were that so, why don't they put a "best by" date on the bottle? They would sell more that way as we would be inclined to toss a bottle rather than take a chance with a glue joint failing.

[Matt Day]

Yes, it expires.

Titebond uses an alpha numeric code that needs to be deciphered using a key which is on their website somewhere.

Edit: http://www.titebond.com/resources/use/all

I think the rule of thumb with glue is that if it starts getting lumpy it’s gone bad.

[Andrew More]

According to Titebond about 2 years. I personally mark mine with the date purchased for this reason.

http://www.titebond.com/App_Static/L..._ShelfLife.pdf

[Jim Becker]

This is one reason why I buy it in the smaller containers, even if the ultimate cost is slightly higher. I don't have to decant it into something easy to use while working and it's always "fresh". Years ago I did the gallon buy thing and ended up having to throw too much of it out because it went bad, especially since at that point, my shop wasn't conditioned space like it is now.

[Richard Coers]

Yes it expires. Call Titebond if you don't want to go to their website and read the information. http://www.titebond.com/resources/use/glues/faqs

[michael dilday]

If it looks ok I would test it on some scrap. If edge glued and the wood fails first it's probably good. From Titebond FAQ page.

Frequently Asked Questions
What does the term "shelf life" mean in regard to Titebond Wood Glues?

"Shelf life" is a conservative estimate of the minimum time period that we would expect a given product to remain usable, when stored as directed. This concept might also be called "useable service life" or "storage life," and it necessarily refers to both the physical handling properties and the ability of the product to perform properly. 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 a drastic change in appearance, they will continue to perform as intended. For a complete list of Titebond wood glues, adhesives and sealants shelf lives click here.

[Frank Pratt]

I had the tail end of a gallon of Titebond Extend go all lumpy & had to toss it, but it was over 5 years old. I've never had to toss Titebond II, which is my go-to. I buy it by the gallon & may go through that in less than a year, or it may take 3 years to use it up. It's so much cheaper, that even if I had to throw some away occasionally, I'm still money ahead. Not had to toss any yet though.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Now I buy a gallon of Titebond 1 at least once a year, as I am building more instruments, but in my salad days I had a gallon of Elmer's Wood Glue that was not new when I got it and I used it for 7 or 8 years before it ran out. It didn't get lumpy, or separated. I have no experience with Titebond 2 or 3, I use epoxy for waterproof jobs.

[Tony Zona]

I got this from the TiteBond site a few years ago.

I have used it in the store when I buy. Sometimes the glue at the rear of the shelf had not been cycled when the clerk restocked. It was old.

Titebond glue expiration
-- Shelf life of two years
Our current lot numbering system is a 10 digit code.

The format is: aymmddbat#.
-- a stands for Made in the U.S.A.
-- y is the last digit of the year of manufacture.
-- mm represent the month
-- dd represent the day of the month.

The final four digits represent the batch number used for quality control purposes. Therefore, a product with the lot number A104270023 was manufactured on April 27, 2011.

[Rob Luter]

I've got some that's 10 years old. It still works fine. I use it to refill my small bottles. That said, I'll never buy a gallon again. It makes more sense to buy the smaller sizes and pay a few pennies more.

[michael dilday]

I have kept glue for many, many years and it never went bad. I had a very old Elmers not long ago that I tested and it was fine. If kept at a good temperature I think it will last indefinitely IMO.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I’m with Michael and Rob. I’ve never had TB go bad. As long as you store the gallon jugs in the proverbial cool dark place it’s apparently effective indefinitely.

[Warren Lake]

my glue came in five gallon pails, I used four different Helmitin glues, two were contacts. White and Yellow glues have a shelf life. They have different properties. In the real world you dont dick around with well it still seems to be working. Glues should be stirred before use. Info is from the chemists who design the stuff and not a salesman with a shirt and collar.

[roger wiegand]

It does get thicker over time, sometimes lumpy. The thick lumpy stuff still makes a joint much stronger than the wood. "Best by" dates tend to be fairly arbitrary and meaningless; only in drugs and baby food do they have a legal definition, as far as I know. (In drugs it only means that that was as long as they tested it and it was still good, the studies are expensive, once it's "long enough" the study stops and that's the date they use, the drug might in fact be good for decades longer). I use it until I can't spread it easily; if it ever freezes and separated I pitch it. Glue is cheap, don't keep it if you're not comfortable with it for whatever reason. I now buy quarts rather than gallons just to keep the stock a bit fresher. My last gallon lasted many years.