E6000 Vs Gorilla Glue? My Surprising Recent Experience….
E6000 vs Gorilla Glue? Two awesome glues, both of them are solvent based and intended for use with hard nonporous surfaces for a strong bond.but just this recently I had two totally unexpected experiences come up. Long story short…I used Gorilla Glue
to attach the metal handle to the saucer that was tho be the cover for one of my my birdfeeders…one of my favorite projects I’d been working on this spring.
Now, I have a sort- of rule I follow to the letter….Never use/hang up/display, etc. something I have glued together unless it has set up for at least 5 days. I know that packages on the back always say “24 hrs” but dry doesn’t equal “fully cured”.
Well enough of that preachy stuff about glue…Here’s my story along with recommendations.
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My Story of 2 Glues
Anyway when I let my birdfeeder hang outside for the first time after it passed the smell test (cured for 5 days)..So far, so good. But then one day….I went outside and I found it had collapsed!
The lid (saucer) was still on the jar affixed but the handle had come off…What the….? That really sucked!
Ok, let’s be fair, we have been having some bad weather….. We’re still having lots of weird unexpected weather conditions (which is why I need a good strong glue.)
Now I did make 2 feeders and the other one was hanging just fine with the same kind of and amount of glue applied the same way, but it remained intact. (I hung it from the gutter – the other one from a shepherd’s crook) Maybe that was just happenstance, IDK…
How I Recovered
I thought about drilling into the saucer and handle and affixing them together with little screws but decided against it,; I feared that might not work (some plastics you do not want to drill through) and it could’ve disrupted the jar too so I decided I needed to try and glue it back together again.
This time I used my favorite old standby e6000. I did what I did earlier (I usually apply glue to both surfaces), clamped it for awhile and then left it alone to cure.
Repeat the curation (may have been 6 days) and this time I took it and hung it up outside (but now from the gutter in the front this time) and so far, it has been 5 days, (and some heavy rain has come through) Well, whattdaya know….
It’s hanging and looking good!
E6000 Glue Vs Gorilla Glue
Now if you’re still with me here and coming to the conclusion that you need to go for e6000 over Gorilla Glue, well, I’m not really biased either way. There’s things I like about both, and a few things I dislike…and that’s OK.
Truth be told, I have always used e6000 religiously, but the evening I got the Gorilla Glue I had something that I wanted to fix asap and didn’t want to wait for something to arrive in the mail.
So I looked over at Home Depot but apparently they stocked different types of Gorilla Glue and one other brand so I got it as it looked like it had what I needed to tick off the boxes…clear, work on nonporous objects, no having to mix together two different products…Have you ever done that? That’s a pain….
Pros of E6000
With E6000 I don’t have to mix anything, and I don’t have to moisten anything. It’s ready to go out of the tube. And I do mean out of the tube because the second you finish spreading a little ribbon on whatever object, it’s already got a bead of glue forming right at the spout.
If you’re unsure of how much you will need, you might try to get a small paper cup of piece of wax paper and try to squeeze out an amount, recap it quickly and use a toothpick to apply it to your surface. I ‘m linking to two venues as sometimes quantity can run out at one of them and prices can change:
E6000 craft adhesive 3.7 ozSee on Amazone6000 craft adhesive 3.7 ozSee on Blick
The line is expanding a little to include different formulas…for example, did you know E6ooo comes in black, and white, and now there is a formula for beads and jewelry too? I didn’t know that, either, until I did some more exploring further. Guess I learn something new every day!
Cons
It can be messy – I usually have to grab a paper towel and wipe the bead/spout off and recap it back in a hurry because it pretty much just flows on autopilot . Interestingly enough, it doesn’t just squirt out like toothpaste…I take the cap off and get my objects ready and a dab is formed right then and there.
Another negative, it does have an aroma to it (except that ONE formula above) It is a solvent and you may catch a whiff of it. But since you have to recap it quickly you may not be affected that much. When it gets on my skin (which it has -it’s unavoidable) I use a dab of rubbing alcohol to remove it (You can also use acetone nail polish remover too)
But that’s the breaks….It does bind everything with minimal balk or clamping time, dries clear, and great for repairs. And that includes clay projects, too. Not to be confused with liquid clay which is for surface bonding, not repairing – Recently I found an old decoration piece I made many moons ago, and one side of it got cracked off (I used Original White Sculpey, I think…) A dab of e6000 around the piece that broke off, and I’m back in business.
Pros of Gorilla Glue
Gorilla Glue comes in a nice applicator (kind of like good old Elmer’s) so I always have a mess-free application. I get what I need and screw the top back on. And it has hardly any noxious fumes. It comes in differing formulas and sizes, all of which have an easy on-off cap – no ooze. and no odor… Amazon had the best price at the time of writing:
Gorilla 4500104 Clear Glue 1.75 Oz., Clear
Gorilla 5002801 Original Glue, 8 oz, BrownGorilla White Gorilla Glue, 2 oz, White
If you use the Original flagship formula, please be advised you’ll be asked to mist your surface a little due to the expanding nature of the product. It is funny I don’t think I saw that mentioned on the “clear” formula I used so for all we know I may have brought that fiasco earlier on myself.
I’ll admit I got a little confused at first, but here’s the skinny: The Clear formula (which I used) is actually labeled as “water resistant” not “waterproof” Which I guess means when it rains and something you fixed is left outside, it could depend on how much rain exposure.
Cons
One exception to the “bonds almost everything” rule is polyethelene or polypropolene , some type of plastic.
The Original formula is waterproof, and tends to expand and fill in gaps so you need to remember to mist your surface first and always apply sparingly. It may form bubbles around the seam, and later on you may be able to remove the exposed residue. This one might have been a better choice for my birdfeeder.
Summary
In short….Both glues are great…I’d recommend Gorilla Glue if you hate foul odors. I would consider the Original brand if it’s important for your project to be waterproof. I would recommend e6000 if you’re looking for a tough as nails adhesive but don’t mind the above minor caveats.
Best of all, it’s a permanent bond and I can go about the rest of my day worry free after putting something together. Now who can argue with that?
I’d recommend e6000 for hard surfaces, like hard plastic, metal, ceramics, beads, rhinestone gem backs, clay. I would not use it for fabric as it will bleed through and definitely show. Barring that, if you are trying to bind something leather or heavy canvas, you’ll be fine because those are not thin materials.
Good luck, and happy gluing!
Thank you so much for all the info. You answered questions I didn’t even know I had, very much appreciated. Happy crafting,!
You’re quite welcome! Glad I could be of assistance…being a “glue connoisseur” has its perks 🙂
Thanks so much! I used e600 to fix a handle on an d fly rod.
Your info was most helpful👍😊Don
Jennifer, I am trying to reattach a strap to a backpack. Do you think E6000 is strong enough? Or should I resew with strong thread?
If I were you, I would re-sew…Me, I hate sewing, but I will hand stitch something if there’s no better way to repair something fabric related ( such as the case of losing a button, or something like that) I do think e6000 is strong enough to handle this, problem as I see it is that it might leave a stain on the strap. In most cases, except for something like leather, e6000 will stain fabrics. Good luck to you 😊.
Lol yes…totally answered questions I didn’t know I’d have. Thank you! E-6000 for whatever reason is not easily available to me. However we are in hardware store heaven around here so I’m going to try my luck with some gorilla glue.
Good to know! Thanks for the info..i am very sensitive to the smell, I have to do any project with it outside I will now try the GG where that has less of an order.. FYI to all who buys e6000, Dollar tree has it most the Time for $1.25 😉
Lol. Dollar Tree has always lived up to its name except for the last two years now everything is $1.25…That’s a good deal on the glue, however, I didn’t see it at the location where i live, although I haven’t been looking for it there…I will try to keep my eyes peeled next time, though!
Last month I picked up some of the GG Carpenter’s variety for a project I was tackling from Lowe’s for about $4.
Thank you…. I love that the e6000 also comes in black it has been perfect for many of my projects. I agree with you regarding your findings somehow seeing your take on things has made me 100% sure! Having large tool box filled with different brands of glue I find myself reaching for e6000 9 times out of 10
Wow…First I have heard of it coming in black! Guess I learn something new every day 🙂 When something is clear right out of the gate, I’m always happy that it’s not going to show (I have stuff I’ve repaired that I completely forgot about for this reason – especially since this brand is so dependable) Is the black formula best for like, repairing electronic stuff – or just a matter of preference?
You’re the one that told us that it came in black, a discovery you made while. Doing research….
That’s good info! I did not know there were so many glue aficionados out there! Me, I collect the stuff, and keep it until it dries out!
Thanks for writing this! Doing some crafting and I have both glues and, although I am experimenting with both, it was definitely good information to read your experiences with both so I can get an idea of which is better for what project! =)
Glad you enjoyed it! Good luck to you with your projects and happy glueing 🙂
Next time try the Gorilla Contact Adhesive. It’s in a grey tube similar to the E6000 and it works exactly the same. No need to wet the surface prior to.
Thanks for the tip! Haven’t tried that kind yet, but will keep my eyes open for it next time I’m out and about.
I have been upping my glue game with E6000 being my go to. I have been looking for an all-in-one product…I girl can dream. Lately I had the questions you just answered in great detail. Thanks for doing the work!
for this to be a fair test you should have tested E600 on a wood surface as Gorilla glue “original” formula is actually a wood glue. and while it will hold most things very well, it was designed to hold wood, not porous items like ceramics. however Gorilla glue does have a ceramics version that most hardware stores don’t carry as it is not in a high demand.
Very interesting test!
I just came home with the Gorilla Clear Grip adhesive, and it says ” Waterproof’ on the tube, and “100% Waterproof” on the back of the package. It also says ” Use like E6000″ on the package. They obviously know their competition!
Rod J
LOl! Thanks for sharing Rod 🙂 I know I used to puzzle over that whole issue once of “waterproof” vs “water resistant” for sure.
Me and many other moms use E6000 to adhere sparkly stones and beads to skating costumes. This glue works great on fabrics. The trick is to place a piece of cardboard inside the piece of clothing so if the glue seeps through it does not make front and back of clothing item stick together.
Another tip I learned is that dry cleaning the article of clothing will dissolve the glue. This is good if you want to place clothing in bag, get it cleaned in bag, and reuse the expensive sparkly stones on the next costume.
That’s a great hack Renee! It kind of takes me back to when the “wearable art” t-shirt craze was going on (early 90s) and I would stick a piece of cardboard inside the shirt while decorating it to keep the paint and glue from seeping through, even though I usually used something like Aleene’s to attach faux gems, every so often one of them would come off in the wash (I did try to turn it inside out in the wash too) and sometimes I’d use a teeny dab of e6000 where Aleene’s let me down.
I have no experience with dry cleaning my “arted” garments, so thanks for that tip, too 😊
Hi 👋 thanks for the great info! I have a question for you 😁 you mentioned possibly removing exposed residue…. I used e6000 clear on some pebble artwork and apparently used too much glue so you can see it on some of the stones 🤦🏼♀️ (New to this ) so my question is …… is there anyway to remove it from the stones without damaging the artwork? Thanks 😊
Hi Becky –
Honestly, it is tough to remove some of the residue – if it’s partially dry, the excess can be scraped off. If you can get to it within the 24 hour cure time, that is. But when it is DRY dry, it may be hard to do.
How much excess is showing? If you used clear glue (good idea) and it’s just a little bit of excess, it might not be as noticeable.
I guess that’s par for the course as this is a permanent bond glue 🙂 I’d love to see your pebble artwork 🙂 I’ll bet it looks interesting! Wish you could share a pic on here so I could give you better advice.
HELP!!! I’m working with a wood that was painted then vinyl applied and poly over it. The vinyl curled in some spots. I’m trying to decided which to use but everyone says something different.
Are you referring to svg vinyl like for decorative cutouts? Apologies but I have never worked with vinyl used for svg.
I will not use E6000 because everything I have read about it is that it’s highly toxic. It even says that on the label.
So I am trying to find another glue that’s as good as E6000 but not toxic.
I’m trying to decide if E6000 will hold and prevent a person from sneaking in my window I’ve bought a new sash and what I’m glueing it to is a wood window. Thank you, lisa
Oh, gee…I would talk to someone @ Home Depot or Lowes, I know e6000 is pretty strong but don’t want to say yay or nay for certain on a home improvement topic. Good luck to you 😊.
There are specially made window bars for this purpose. I strongly recommend because safety is PARAMOUNT. If you are thinking about this, then get the BARS!!
Agreed 🙂
I’m attempting my first pebble art picture. It’s for my granddaughter and I’m hoping to avoid any problems making it. I plan to glue the stones to 1/16th thick backing board. I believe it’s the same as matting for pictures. I plan to use white gorilla glue. I would like to paint the backing board first with acrylic paint. My husband mentioned that the paint could cause the stones to NOT bond to the board, do you believe this could be an issue? TIA
This sounds like a lot of fun! If I were you, I would use the clear formula instead. The white dries white, and would probably show through. (It’s hard to tell, I know, because the bottle doesn’t look it.) I don’t think there would be any negative effect from painting the backing board first, as long as the coverage looks good. Here’s a project I did a few years ago in which I glued stones and beads onto a painted surface – I used Aleene’s Clear in this case, not Gorilla Glue…So never had trouble with glue reacting badly to a painted surface; I mainly was concerned with how good the coat of paint looked before proceeding to the next step. Good luck to you!
I like Gorilla glue because the superglue is gel-based, which flows a lot more slowly than the regular liquid-based super glue. This glue is very easy to apply on whatever surface you’re gluing together without running or dripping. The formula is also infused with rubber to make the gel thicker and improve its already excellent bonding strength.
I agree 😁. Thicker glues always have a way of performing better. First time i used “Super Glue” I was in for a rude surprise…it isn’t all that thick, and second, I glued my fingers together…until I managed to get ahold of some acetone (read: nail polish remover) to get unstuck!
Thanks so much for reply! I really like your post that useful and interest. I will follow more of your posts.
I have a black vinyl box seat on a desk chair that is coming apart on the front seam where the vinyl on the seat meets the.front of the box cushion. This opened area is about 5″ long. It also has welting in the same color & vinyl as he seat. I want to pull it tightly together with either E6000 clear or Gorilla Super Glue Gel, but the Gorilla glue does not mention using it on vinyl. Which one would you use? I probably will have my husband pull it together as I put a bead of one of those glues and then use a belt or tie it with rope to hold the seam together. Hope this makes sense. Think that will work with either of those glues?
Thank you very much for your help!
Oh wow…I would check with GG’s website and see what they have to say? I don’t think I have heard a mention specifically about glueing on vinyl, I think the one no-no substance always seems to be something like polyacetate -some recyclable plastic, but that’s the exception. Still I would check with the site’s FAQ section just to be on the safe side, or email them if you need to. Sorry that my experience with vinyl is a little limited. Good luck to you!
Thanks for the info.I purchased the E6000 for my project knew nothing about.I am making a horse single tree with real deer antlers chandelier so I need something really rugged to hold weight I plan on using chains on both side n ends to help hold antlers to the horse single tree.This will also have 6 candle lights 15 watts on it….so as you can see I sure am hoping it all holds today then falling apart after I get it hung. Thanks again
That sounds like an exciting project! I wish I could see a picture of what you’re doing, as it’d be easier to give advice, best I can offer is work with one piece at a time. Good luck to you!
How can u stop e6000 from busting out the bottom of tube? What can you do to prevent?
Oh this….Honestly, when I first discovered e6000 I admit I made this same mistake too by squeezing on the tube more than was necessary. I’ve learned over time you don’t need to but very little. Be sure to push near the top of the tube as well. e6000 tends to ooze from the tube on its own, which can be annoying unless you recap it quickly. I use the trick of getting a toothpick and letting the right amount I need ooze into a piece of wax paper and the toothpick as an applicator then I recap it quickly. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the gorilla glue vs e6000 pros and cons information. My experience with gluing, other than small items and super glue, is nonexistent. I appreciate your experienced voice as I hope to tackle my planter project.
Hi Jennifer,
I was lucky to get to this page when searched for Gorilla and alternative glues’ properties. Thank you for explaining the details and, as said above, for answering the questions I didn’t yet thought to ask. 🙂
Take care – about yourself, your cats and birds!
Hugs 🙂
Glad I could be of help! Good luck with your projects 😊 The cats and birds say hi, too 🐱🐤
Thank you