Woodworking adhesives for window and door frames
Windows are the soul of a house, and its doors symbolize the border between the outside world and the privacy of the home inside. These two building elements stand guard and protect what is precious inside. To manufacture window and door frames, one must consider many factors — from the type of wood, the purpose of use, and manufacturing processes to the perfect woodworking glue.
Choosing the perfect woodworking adhesive affects the quality of the window and door frames.
Types of woodworking adhesives
Working with wood soon brings up the question of adhesives. First, let’s look at some of the most widely used types of adhesives for creating window and door frames.
- PVAC or polyvinyl acetate-based adhesive is also known as white glue, wood glue or carpenter’s glue. It’s low cost, safe, easy to use and convenient. It is widely used for various porous materials, like wood, paper, or cloth. It is a formaldehyde-free, user and environmentally friendly product. It can be used in cold, hot and HF presses. It can be used with all types of wood, such as solid wood, plywood, chipboards and MDFs. It dries fastest at room temperature and provides a very high bond strength. In addition, it’s water-soluble and thus easy to dilute and clean.
- EPI adhesive is, in fact, a two-component emulsion polymer isocyanate. It is especially recommended for bonds with direct exposure to weathering and bonding of modified wood. EPI-adhesive adheres very well to most types of wood and cures at low temperatures. EPI-adhesive is used to glue wood to wood and wood to metal, such as aluminium and modified wood. EPI adhesives can replace PVAC adhesives if higher strength is needed.
- PUR polyurethane reactive (PUR) adhesives are one-part adhesives. That is, they don’t require mixing before application. However, PUR adhesives have a very different method of bonding. They are used as PUR prepolymers or as a hot melt, PUR is applied to a porous surface like wood as a liquid. There, solidification forms the initial bond, after which the PUR adhesive starts to react with moisture. It forms a strong bond and watertight seal.
Durability groups
D grade stands for durability and is part of the European standard BS EN 204, which governs the classification of wood glues for non-structural applications. It helps to show how resistant the adhesive is to water.
D1 are the lowest on the scale of durability. They work well in interior areas or materials where moisture does not exceed 15%.
D2 are also more appropriate for indoor work. They can handle occasional temperature swings and work well with materials with a maximum humidity of 18%.
D3 are considered water-resistant. They can be used indoors with occasional exposure to moisture or high humidity. They are also appropriate for outdoor projects where the product will not be exposed to the weather.
D4 are considered waterproof. They can be used inside for frequent water or humidity exposure. They work well outside, too, as long as the product has an adequate surface coating.
D4 adhesives are the most appropriate for bespoke furniture — windows and doors.
MITOL woodworking adhesives
MITOL offers a variety of woodworking adhesives. The best choice for manufacturing windows and doors are MEKOL PVAC, MEKOL EPI or MITOPUR polyurethane adhesives. They mostly fall into the D3 or D4 category while giving you a choice in pot life, viscosity, pressing time and other features. This gives you options for any product and production process, making your job easier and keeping you one step ahead of your competition.
To wrap up
Windows and doors fulfil a unique function in every building. However, these elements are also exposed to extreme temperature swings, moisture, water, snow and, of course, the burden of constant wear. That is why choosing the correct woodworking glue is essential. In addition, windows and doors are made of hundreds of tiny parts, meaning the bond between them needs to be impeccable. MITOL woodworking adhesives give you all the options you need for your manufacturing process.
