Resorcinol glue, also known as resorcinol-

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is an organic compound with the chemical formula and structure , more precisely . The compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde. It is stored as ...

, is an adhesive combination of resin and hardener that withstands long-term water

immersion Immersion may refer to: The arts * "Immersion", a 2012 story by Aliette de Bodard * ''Immersion'', a French comic book series by Léo Quievreux * ''Immersion'' (album), the third album by Australian group Pendulum * ''Immersion'' (film), a 2021 ...

and has high resistance to ultraviolet light.Johnson, W. Curtis (September–October 1993)
"American Woodworker"
New Track Media. p. 30. The adhesive, introduced in 1943, has been popular in aircraft and boat construction. Until the invention of

epoxy resin Epoxy is the family of basic components or cured end products of epoxy resins. Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides, are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. The epoxide functional group is also co ...

resorcinol Resorcinol (or resorcin) is a phenolic compound. It is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(OH)2. It is one of three isomeric benzenediols, the 1,3-isomer (or ''meta- (chemistry), meta''-isomer). Resorcinol crystallizes from benzene as co ...

was one of the most common marine glues. Unlike epoxy, it does not have gap filling properties, requiring joints to be close fitting and clamped under pressure to achieve good results. The glue comes in two parts, a deep red syrup and a light brown powder, that are mixed to form a dark reddish-brown glue. The most common application for resorcinol glue is in adhering the plies of exterior and marine grades of

plywood Plywood is a composite material manufactured from thin layers, or "plies", of wood veneer that have been stacked and glued together. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured boards, which include plywood, medium-density fibreboa ...

. It is strong. Currently one of its main uses is to put together plywood, laminated support beams and other wooden structural elements. Wooden airplane frameworks have long been glued with resorcinol formulations. Uncured resorcinol has a relatively short shelf life of about two to three years, depending on storage temperature. Its use has declined since the 1990s due to the ease of use and versatility of

epoxy Epoxy is the family of basic components or Curing (chemistry), cured end products of epoxy Resin, resins. Epoxy resins, also known as polyepoxides, are a class of reactive prepolymers and polymers which contain epoxide groups. The epoxide fun ...

glues and fillers. Although the greater ease of use and versatility of epoxy makes it much more popular, epoxy has poor UV resistance and in most structural applications has only a modest heat resistance, making it less than ideal for many outdoor uses. Resorcinol remains a suitable adhesive for exterior and marine use. Unlike epoxy, it is not gap-filling, so requires a higher standard of workmanship and joint fitting.

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Adhesives {{material-stub

See also

References