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Gorilla Glue and Loctite are two brands that have built incredible reputations over the years as makers of excellent glues and adhesives.
If you’re looking for a top-quality adhesive, then I have no doubt that you will have come across these two. They both offer excellent choices of glue which is why I’ve put together this article highlighting Loctite vs Gorilla Glue, I want to show you their pros and cons, so you get the best product for your project, each of these has their own specializations.
They both Loctite and Gorilla Glue make what’s termed an “All-purpose glue”. They also have specific products to handle particular types of materials, what do I mean by that? They have glues specifically designed for wood or plastic, among others.
They also have an area in which, as a company, they truly excel. For example, Gorilla Glue has products that work really well on the majority of materials, but they come up short when facing with plastics. While Loctite works amazingly well on plastic, but their bonding ability isn’t a strong as a Gorilla Glue.
Loctite Vs Gorilla Glue
Loctite Super Glue Vs Gorilla Super Glue
| Feature | Loctite Super Glue | Gorilla Super Glue |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Typically clear | Generally clear |
| Strength | High, bonding a variety of materials | Very high, known for its strong bond |
| Set Time | Quick, often within seconds to a minute | Quick, setting time can range from 10-45 seconds |
| Waterproofness | Water-resistant in many variants | Waterproof in most formulations |
Loctite Epoxy vs Gorilla Glue Epoxy
| Feature | Loctite Epoxy | Gorilla Glue Epoxy |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Often clear or slightly tinted | Typically clear to yellowish |
| Strength | High, suitable for a variety of heavy-duty applications | Very high, known for extremely strong bonds |
| Set Time | Varies; fast-setting options available (minutes to hours) | Generally sets in 5 minutes; full cure in 24 hours |
| Waterproofness | Mostly waterproof, depending on the specific product | Usually waterproof, ideal for indoor and outdoor use |
The Different Types of Gorilla Glue
Gorilla Glue is something that most handymen will have a bottle, or two stored away somewhere. There regular “all-purpose glue” can be used for an abundance of different things, which is why it’s handy to keep some in a cupboard or on a shelf in your workshop.
Though there are loads of different types of Gorilla Glue that work better in different scenarios.
Here’s a rundown of each one and what it’s used for, so you know which one is best for you
Regular Gorilla Glue works well on a wide range of different materials. You can use it on wood, metal, glass, foam, ceramic, and more. But its effects stand out most with wood. This glue dries in a few hours, but you need to be aware that this will expand slightly in volume when it completely dries off.
What I love is, when this is applied to wood, it retains the woods natural color and leaves no foam at all, which is unlike how it reacts with other materials. The is a fast-acting glue, it’ll set within 30 seconds, but will take a few hours to cure, you can follow some simple steps to make glue dry faster.
It’s also completely waterproof, this is a fantastic option for fixing most things around your home and workshop.
Clear Gorilla Glue is an alternative to their regular version, this is best used where you need your glue not to be noticeable. Such as using it on glass. It’s also much stronger than your regular gorilla glue, so if you need added strength, this is the version for you, this is great for using on those fragile objects as it will add strength.
It takes longer to dry, though, so you will need to leave it at least overnight to ensure that it’s fully cured.
Gorilla Wood Glue works best with, well you’ve guessed it, wood! This is a glue that’s been designed specifically for use on wood. While you can use regular glue on wood, nothing beats using a specialist wood glue. If you are a carpenter or working with wood, this is, without a doubt, your best bet. It dries quicker than your regular gorilla glue, taking somewhere between 15 to 20 mins to dry.
This is great if you need to move on quickly, as you can get two pieces stuck together quickly, so you can get your joints set up and the project completed in record time.
Gorilla Super Glue is a competitor to “Super Glue” and to be honest, there isn’t much difference between Gorilla Super vs. Super Glue or any other brand which has their own version of “super glue”. I mean look, it’s superglue. If you need an adhesive to join things around the house, then this is it.
If you are confused by that. my wife has some scales, the top of a bit of glass, and there is a metal piece that attaches to the piece of glass, which then attaches to the scales.
The glass and metal piece became detached, instead of spending ~$20 or so on a new set of kitchen scales, I pulled out some gorilla super glue, glued the glass back onto the piece of metal, let is set, then the kitchen scales were back to working order, saving my ~$20.
Now you don’t need to use gorilla super glue, there are many other cheaper super glue options out there that perform just the same.
If you need a clear glue that works really quickly than a great option to look at is Epoxy Gorilla Glue, it does have a 24 hours set time, which you may think isn’t quick, but one this has fully cured, it’ll keep your stuff sealed together exceptionally tight.
This is perfect for use on vehicles and works incredibly well with metal products.
If you need a heavy-duty glue, then you should look at Gorillaweld. This is designed in heavy-duty applications, so if you need to glue heavier objects together, this is what you need.
This tends to get confused with the regular version, but it’s not the same and shouldn’t be used for the same uses. This is designed for use as a construction adhesive. This means it’s meant for heavy-duty projects outdoors. If you are going to use this properly, you’ll need to pick up a good caulking gun.
If you like gorilla glues regular version but want something clear, then gorilla glue clear grip is the glue for you, it works exactly the same, except it’s clear, so it’s perfect for your average project around the house.
If you use a hot melt glue gun, then you use glue sticks. There isn’t much of a difference between gorilla glue sticks and others. Still, some and myself included in that, like to stick with a top-quality brand such as gorilla glue, we know it to be reliable, and when working on projects, we want reliable.
Loctite Go2 vs Gorilla Glue
Loctite Go2 is a fantastic general purpose glue, but I prefer GG original, why? Well, Loctite Go2 is water-resistant, which is nice, but GG original is waterproof.
So no matter how much water exposure GG is going to stand strong. Think of your shoelaces, perhaps you’ve glued the tips because they’ve frayed well with GG they’ll stay bound together, but with Loctite… well, the glue will fail no after a few outings in those rainy autumn days.
Also, GG can handle temperatures up to 200 degrees F, while Loctite will start to fail when things get hotter than 176 degrees F.
It can be quite sticky to get off of your hands well, here are some general tips on how to use Gorilla Glue:
Something to note, neither of these works well with polyethylene, polypropylene, plastics (such as ABS), or anything with high plasticizer content.
Loctite epoxy or Gorilla Glue epoxy?
Epoxies can be used for virtually anything, including plastics, which is something the general-purpose glues mentioned above don’t do well with.
For general purpose epoxy use, Gorilla Glues Epoxy makes more sense, it’s got an easy application, and it’s 24-hour cur point leaves it stronger than Loctite’s, which is being able to handle 3300 PSI ver Loctite’s 3200 PSI.
Loctite excels, however, in the wide variety of epoxies they manufacture, if you need an epoxy for a specific purpose, Loctite without a doubt will have what you need. This of Gorilla Glues epoxy as a general-purpose one with Loctite gives you the specialist product.
Epoxy guidelines:
- You can use it for anything from steel, glass, or aluminum to ceramics, plastics, tile, etc.
- The most versatile bonding agent you’ll ever find.
- Not waterproof – epoxies are water-resistant, but more prolonged exposure to water will ruin them, so be careful.
Different Varieties Of Loctite Threadlockers
As you’ve seen there are many different version of Gorilla Glue, some which will work better than others for your needs, it’s standard glue does a fantastic job, so what does Loctite have to offer, well just like Gorilla Glue, Loctite has hundreds of different Loctite products, with so many there is no way for me to go through them all.
Plus, Let’s be honest, Loctite really excels in one type of product, and that’s Threadlockers, and when it comes to thread lockers, gorilla glue just can’t compete.
Threadlockers Loctite 242 and Loctite 243
Loctite 242 is classed as a medium-strength, all-purpose thread locker. You’ll find it uses for nuts and bolts applications, usually between 1/4 and 3/4 inches. This has a low viscosity, which is what makes it excellent for use in a range of applications.
Loctite 243 is just a slightly upgraded version of 242, what this includes over and above 242 is oil resistance. Also, Loctite 243 is stronger.
Loctite 221 & Loctite 222 – Low strength
If if you need to lock small threads, perhaps in your appliances, then you need to look at Loctite 221 and 222. These are two low strength and low viscosity thread lockers, ideal for use on very small-sized threads, right down to M12 sizes.
Low viscosity is incredibly useful when you are working with these small threads. It allows the thread locker to sit between the threads and create the hold you are looking for, rather than being removed as the bolts tighten over the threads.
Loctite 272 & Loctite 278 – Temperature Resistant
Where Temperature is a concern, such as working with machinery, automobiles, or anything that is going to get heated up.
Then you need glue or rather a thread locker than is resistant to heat. Otherwise, the compound may melt away and provide no locking benefit. So with that in mind, Loctite 272 and 278 have been designed to deal with high temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius of heat.
Loctite 270 & Loctite 276 – High Strength
Amazon productPerhaps you need a glue that’s high strength, something that will hold those threads locked even when they are under constant vibration. This is where you need an adhesive with a strong bond, that will resist and hold tight, preventing parts from detaching and machinery from malfunctioning.
This is where Loctite 290 and 276 come in, these are two high-strength ThreadLockers that will ensure that bolts and attached strongly.
Locktite 290 – Wicking Grade
Amazon productLoctite 290 is an interesting one, like WD40 it wickes it’s way down into assembly, locking nuts and bolts together without the need to disassemble anything, and this is handle when you just can’t take something apart.
Super Glues
Super glues have become ever more popular in recent years, they are incredibly handy, and people seem to be getting more handy, and taking on more projects, which is amazing.
But super glue has been around for a few decades, but it’s thanks to their amazing performance as adhesives and the ease of using them that has spurred the increase in popularity.
Super Glues are adhesives which provide and strong and fast bonding action, they do this by reaction with the surface they applied to and the air around them. They are assessed based on the speed in which the set and the strength of their bonding, versatility, ease of use, and efficiency.
You’ll find that how effective a super glue is will depend entirely on temperate, the type of surface you are glue, blooming, joint movement, and accuracy in which they are applied.
Let’s have a look at two incredibly popular super glues, one by Gorilla Glue and one by Loctite.
Gorilla Super Glue
One of the best super glues on the market is Gorilla super glue. This is a very reliable super glue that has built a strong reputation for being a strong bonding agent with a quick setting time. This works great on materials that are durable and will last a long time, the results from using this are almost instantaneous.
Like all other super glues, this is made from a cyanoacrylate formula that’s mixed with a reinforcement, which increases it’s performance and resistance power.
There are additional rubber elements that form the makeup of Gorilla super glue, giving it much higher bonding strength and also impact resistance, so it doesn’t crack when struck. This means you get your materials bonded more firmly, ensuring the best results.
The cap you get is an anti-clog cap, this ensures that the glue itself doesn’t dry out due to lack of use, something that is common with cheaper options, they are almost, use once and throw away. This isn’t the case with this adhesive, you will be able to use the same glue for a long time without having to buy new ones every time you start a new project.
This is a versatile glue that you can use on materials like metal, ceramic, wood, glass, plastic, leather, etc. This being an all-purpose glue means that you don’t need multiple adhesives, this will work for the vast majority of purposes. Though this doesn’t work with foam, which for anyone working with foam in their projects, that’s quite a drawback.
Perhaps one of the best features of Gorilla Super Glue is that is has a fast reactiveness. Within 10-30 seconds, the glue will set, and it doesn’t need any clamping, just apply the glue and leave the material to bond.
All in all, this is a fantastic super glue, which will benefit your DIY projects.
Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue
If you are looking for one of the top super glue products on the market, then this is it, like the gorilla’s version. This provides rapid bonding and outstanding resistance, even ion the harshest of weather conditions.
This is a glue that you can use outdoors and still expect the best results. The formula is toughed with rubber, which makes this glue strong while producing elegant bonds.
It’s resistant to impacts, even those which are of a twisting and pulling nature which lesser adhesives fail against. Once you apply this glue to two surfaces and attach them, bending the object will not ruin the bonds (once it set and cured)
This glue can handle all sorts of weather from scorching heat to freezing cold, even high humidities; it has no problems.
The Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue comes with a patented control applicator, this is excellent as it ensures that you apply the glue in a neat and controlled fashion really easily. It makes it possible to accurately target the area you want to apply the glue without using too much or getting it where you don’t want to.
This is multipurpose and will work with materials such as wood, metal, ceramic, and more. Still, it isn’t a strong or as quick reacting as Gorilla Super Glue, but this Loctite version is reliable, safe and works very well outdoors.
Wrap Up
The type of adhesive you end up using will depend entirely on the types of materials you are working with and the conditions in which they will be used.
Whether you want to use Loctite vs Gorilla Glue will come down to which works best for you. If it’s thread locking, then it’s Loctite all the way.
Hopefully, I’ve managed to give you an idea of the different brands and their best purposes, but if you have any questions, please let me know in the comment section below.
