Liquid nails vs Gorilla glue [Compared]

As an Amazon affiliate, we may earn a small commision from qualifying purchases.

When it comes to heavy duty construction adhesives, Liquid Nails and Gorilla Glue are the most popular options that you will come across.

Which then brings up the question: which is the better option between Liquid Nails vs Gorilla Glue?

Turns out that both have their pros and cons- and while they can both bond different surface types, one is best suited for bonding wooden surfaces while the other is an excellent choice for non-wooden surface types.

In this post, I will take you through key similarities and differences between Liquid Nails and Gorilla Glue.

So, let’s dive in.

Liquid nails vs Gorilla glue

To kick it off, we will first discuss each of the above on its own – we shall then compare them side by side a little later.

What is Liquid Nails – a quick dive

Liquid Nails, perhaps the most popular heavy duty construction adhesives brand, is very versatile.

Yeah, the most unique thing about Liquid Nail adhesive is that it works well for just about anything(from concrete, tiles, countertops, bricks, wood, to glass and so on).

And it’s true that liquid nails offer excellent adhesion power, making it one of the best heavy duty construction adhesive on the market.

Pros of Liquid Nails

Standout adhesion – bonds with almost all existing materials.
Remarkable bonding strength.
Unmatched durability.
Not subject to corrosion.
Does not destroy surfaces – unlike ordinary nails.

Cons of Liquid Nails

Some liquid nails sub-brands have toxic chemicals.

What is Gorilla Glue – a quick dive

Gorilla Glue is also another leading brand of construction adhesives.

What is important to keep in mind is that traditionally, Gorilla Glue is designed to bond wooden surfaces.

Okay, fine- I know that nowadays the company is manufacturing brands that can be used on myriad surfaces including metal, concrete, plastic and much more but it still does best on wood, in my opinion.

And one major strength of Gorilla Glue is that it tends to expand as it dries.

This makes it the perfect adhesive to fill gaps or bond uneven surfaces.

Pros of Gorilla glue

Exceptional adhesion and bonding strength on wood.
During bonding, it expands, making it ideal for bonding uneven surfaces.

Cons of Gorilla Glue

Its expansion quality means that during most bonding, it will inadvertently flow over your edges, which means more cleaning.

So your main takeaway here is this:

If your project mainly focuses on wood, you might want to use the Gorilla Glue adhesive as it offers a better hold on wood surfaces.

However, for bonding other surfaces, I recommend Liquid Nails as it is a multi-surface product.

Let us now proceed to look at the similarities and differences between the two adhesives.

Liquid Nails vs Gorilla Glue – similarities, differences, where the two draw, and where each wins [Gorilla glue vs liquid nails]

On Sealing gaps

Winner? Gorilla Glue.

At times, your surfaces may be porous, uneven, or have some small holes.

And we all know that using wood fillers is an added cost not to mention an extra job.

Enters Gorilla Glue – it slightly foams after drying so it’s able to expand and fill these holes and gaps.

And that means no more expenditure or sweating.

In contrast, Liquid Nails don’t expand during drying and are, therefore, not the best at filling gaps (it follows that they’re a bad choice for uneven surfaces).

On Durability

They are both durable- You can expect that either will last for two years from the date of manufacture.

Remember that it’s advisable to use any construction adhesive within two years from its manufacture date as after that date its bonding powers start to decline.

On Toxic fumes

Winner? Gorilla Glue

Liquid Nails are solvent-based so they release toxic fumes that could harm you.

The good news is that the amount of toxic chemicals used is pretty low and you’ll be just fine as long as you have your mask and gloves on while working with Liquid Nails.

Recommended masks: Base Camp construction masks

Recommended protective gloves: ForPro Disposable gloves

On the other hand, it’s pretty safe to use Gorilla Glue as Gorilla Glue doesn’t produce any harmful fumes(you don’t have to wear any protective clothing).

A word on Texture after curing

For Liquid Nails, once they are fully cured, they normally have a rubber texture.

On the other hand, Gorilla Glue will normally harden when fully cured.

Regarding Cleaning

Either way, you will need to clean off any overflows or mess as soon as possible.

That’s because they become hard to remove, once these adhesives begin to dry.

But overall, Gorilla Glue slightly edges this as it is significantly easier to clean off as compared to Liquid Nails.

On Curing time

When it comes to curing, a faster curing time means that you will get to complete your project faster too.

Now, there’s no huge difference between their curing times though Liquid Nails typically cure slightly faster than Gorilla Glue (Liquid Nails will commence curing at around 15 minutes as compared to around 30 minutes for Gorilla Glue).

That said, for both adhesives, you have to allow 24 hours for proper drying and (up to) 7 days for a full cure.

As regards Bonding strength (liquid nails Fuze it vs Gorilla glue)

Liquid Nails FuzeIt and Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive are the two best products under each adhesive type/family so we shall compare their bonding strength to get an idea of who’s stronger..

Now, according to their advertisements, FuzeIt can hold up to 252 lbs. of tensile weight compared to 198 lbs. for Gorilla Heavy Duty adhesive.

And so it is safe to say Liquid Nails FuzeIt wins it.

Liquid nails vs Gorilla glue – Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does gorilla construction adhesive work on metal?

Yes.

There are brands of gorilla construction adhesives that work on metallic surfaces including the Clear Gorilla Glue (it dries clear!).

Which is stronger – Gorilla Glue or Liquid Nails

These adhesives have varying strengths. However, of all the adhesive products marketed under the two brand names, Liquid Nails FuzeIt is arguably the strongest.

Can I use Gorilla Glue instead of Liquid Nails

The short answer is yes as there are Gorilla Glue adhesives made to bond with a variety of surfaces just like Liquid Nails.

But be sure to read the product description to be sure it will work for your surface.

Liquid nails vs Gorilla glue – recap

If your project mainly focuses on wood, you might want to use the Gorilla Glue adhesive as it offers the better hold on wood surfaces.