In this test, we’ll examine what happens to Titebond Ultimate III (Class D4) glue when it’s left in the cold. We tested how the glue behaves when exposed to a temperature of -5°C. In the winter, wood glues are sometimes not shipped because they could freeze, which can cause the glue to form lumps, reduce its strength, or cause its components to separate.
Test with Titebond III Ultimate Adhesive:
1) We placed a small amount of Titebond glue in the freezer for 3.5 hours at -5°C. We wanted the sample to be rapidly cooled and continuously exposed to freezing temperatures.
2) After removing it from the freezer, we checked the adhesive’s appearance. It remained liquid and looked no different than before freezing. It had no frozen chunks, and its color hadn’t changed. One sample was frozen adhesive, and the other was fresh adhesive.
3) We then used this supercooled adhesive to make a bond. We did this immediately after removing it from the freezer, so the adhesive was not at room temperature. In doing so , we broke two rules of bonding— that the adhesive should not be frozen and that the temperature of the adhesive and the material should be the same. The temperature difference was about 20°C, which is not ideal because it can cause the material to expand and lead to moisture condensation on it. We let the joint dry for 24 hours.
4) At the same time, we created another joint under ideal conditions—with both the adhesive and the material at room temperature. We also let that one dry for 24 hours.
5) After they were completely dry, we tore both joints apart to determine their strength.
The test results showed that the joint made with fresh adhesive was very strong—it even broke away from the bonded area. In contrast, the joint made with adhesive that had been frozen had about 75% of the strength of the ideal joint. It was obvious that this joint had been glued, and in one spot, a small piece of wood had even been torn out.
The conclusion of the test is that even though Titebond Ultimate can withstand freezing temperatures without changing its consistency, it is important to follow the correct procedure and maintain the proper temperature conditions during bonding to achieve the best joint strength.