GORILLA Original Gorilla Glue, Waterproof Polyurethane Glue, 2 Ounce Bottle, Brown,

My workshop always has one brown bottle tucked into the glue caddy. It’s the Gorilla Glue I reach for when a repair spans dissimilar materials, will live outdoors, or needs some gap-filling help. After years of using it on wood, stone, metal, ceramic, foam, and glass, I’ve learned where this polyurethane adhesive shines—and where a different chemistry is the smarter play.

What it is and what it isn’t

Gorilla Glue is a moisture-curing polyurethane adhesive in a compact 2 oz bottle. It’s brown, cures with a tan foam, and expands up to about three times its applied volume as it sets. That expansion is the signature: it helps the glue key into pores and uneven surfaces, but it’s also the source of most user complaints if you’re not prepared for it.

This is not a fast, instant-bond cyanoacrylate (super glue), and it’s not a traditional PVA wood glue. It sits in its own lane: incredibly versatile across materials, truly waterproof once cured, and strong enough for permanent outdoor repairs—provided you apply it correctly and clamp it while it cures.

Application: the make-or-break step

Technique matters with polyurethane.

• Lightly dampen one mating surface. A quick mist with water is plenty; this glue uses moisture to cure. Too much water and you get excessive foaming.
• Use less glue than you think. Small dots or a thin bead set back from edges is ideal. The expansion will bridge the gaps.
• Clamp firmly for at least 1–2 hours; I prefer to leave parts under pressure overnight whenever possible. Constant pressure controls the foaming and improves bond strength.
• Clean up squeeze-out while it’s fresh with a dry rag or a little acetone on a cloth. After it cures, you’ll be chiseling or sanding.

Open time is generous compared to super glue; I usually have several minutes to position parts before clamping. Full cure takes about 24 hours, and humidity/temperature affect the pace.

Performance across materials

• Wood to wood: It bonds aggressively, and the expansion can fill tiny gaps in loose joinery. For high-visibility fine furniture joints, I still prefer a PVA that sands and stains more cleanly. For chair rungs, outdoor fixtures, or imperfect fits, this glue earns its keep.
• Ceramic and stone: Excellent results. I’ve repaired broken planters and decorative stone pieces that continue to hold through seasonal temperature swings. The foamed squeeze-out can be trimmed and blended on unglazed surfaces.
• Metal to non-porous surfaces: Works, but prep makes a big difference. I scuff smooth metals with 120–220 grit and degrease before gluing. Clamping is non-negotiable here.
• Glass: Surprisingly reliable when you can clamp it and keep the line-of-sight off the joint. The tan foam is visible, so it’s not for pristine, transparent seams.
• Foam: Safe for most rigid foams where solvent-based adhesives would melt them. Use a very light touch; the expansion can distort delicate pieces.
• Concrete and masonry: One of my go-tos for loose caps or chipped edges when epoxy is overkill. The waterproof cure and gap filling are assets outdoors.

A note on plastics: Like all adhesives, it struggles with low-surface-energy plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and PTFE. If you need to bond those, look elsewhere. For ABS and PVC, scuffing and clamping can yield serviceable bonds.

Strength and durability

Once cured, Gorilla Glue is impressively strong in shear and tension, especially with at least one porous surface. I’ve used it for exterior repairs that endure wet/dry cycles, and it hasn’t softened or let go. The adhesive line itself is waterproof; I’ve soaked test pieces without any signs of swelling or breakdown.

That said, the foamed portion of the squeeze-out is not the strongest part of the bond. Don’t rely on the foam alone to bridge large structural gaps. Best practice is still good mechanical fit and proper clamping, using the expansion to help fill micro-voids rather than to make a joint where one doesn’t exist.

Finish and appearance

The biggest trade-off is cosmetic. The cured glue is a tan foam that can stain and is very visible against dark woods or transparent materials. It doesn’t take stain like wood, and sanding can leave a halo. I mitigate this in a few ways:

• Mask visible edges with painter’s tape before gluing and remove the tape once the squeeze-out starts to gel.
• Apply sparingly away from edges to minimize cleanup.
• For visible fills, I reach for a matching epoxy or PVA instead.

If looks matter and the repair line will be seen, this may not be the right adhesive for that job.

Bottle, cap, and storage

The 2 oz bottle is a sweet spot for most households and small shops. The cap on recent bottles seals well and has kept the nozzle from clogging in my use, but polyurethane is unforgiving if you’re sloppy. Wipe the tip after each use, cap it snugly, and store the bottle upright in a cool, dry place. I like to squeeze a little air out of the bottle before capping to reduce moisture inside; it noticeably prolongs shelf life.

Safety and cleanup

• Wear disposable nitrile gloves. This glue is tough to remove from skin and can stain for days.
• Ventilation is a good idea. There’s a mild odor, and it’s still a reactive adhesive.
• Clean uncured squeeze-out with acetone or isopropyl alcohol. Once cured, mechanical removal is your option.
• Don’t use on items that contact food or on surfaces you can’t abrade if cleanup goes sideways.

Where it beats other adhesives

• Mixed-material repairs: wood-to-metal, ceramic-to-wood, stone-to-foam—cases where a single-chemistry solution is rare.
• Outdoor and wet settings: Truly waterproof once cured and holds up to the elements.
• Slightly imperfect fits: The expanding cure fills micro-gaps better than most adhesives, often salvaging joints that would otherwise be questionable.

Where I reach for something else

• Clean, tight wood joinery: A quality PVA like Titebond gives a cleaner squeeze-out, better sandability, and a stainable glue line.
• Invisible or clear bonds: For glass or transparent plastics, a clear epoxy or specialty adhesive makes more sense.
• Speed-critical fixes: Cyanoacrylate sets in seconds; polyurethane doesn’t. If you need instant hold, this isn’t it.
• Low-energy plastics: Dedicated plastic adhesives outperform Gorilla Glue on polyethylene and polypropylene.

Tips that improve results

• Lightly mist one surface. Don’t soak it.
• Use the least glue you think will work, then halve that amount.
• Clamp longer than the label’s minimum if you can—overnight is ideal.
• Pre-tape visible edges and remove tape as soon as squeeze-out appears.
• Scuff non-porous surfaces and degrease with alcohol before bonding.

Value

The 2 oz bottle goes further than it looks because you use so little per joint. For shops that don’t burn through adhesives daily, the small size also helps you finish the bottle before it thickens with age. Given how many substrates it covers, it’s a cost-effective “problem solver” to keep on hand.

Bottom line

Gorilla Glue has earned a permanent spot in my kit because it solves a class of repairs that other glues either can’t handle or complicate. It’s not a universal replacement for wood glue, epoxy, or CA, but within its strengths—dissimilar materials, outdoor durability, and gap-friendly bonds—it’s dependable and strong.

Recommendation: I recommend Gorilla Glue to anyone who needs a versatile, waterproof adhesive for mixed-material or outdoor repairs and is willing to respect the application nuances. If you can clamp, work neatly, and don’t need a pristine invisible glue line, it delivers robust, long-lasting bonds across more materials than most glues can manage. If aesthetics are paramount, or you’re bonding low-energy plastics or fine joinery, choose a different adhesive for those specific scenarios and keep this on the shelf for everything else.