Glues for Marquetry

In a corner of my shop there is just about every glue I have ever used. Of these only 3 are suitable for marquetry. There are many more on the market, but these are single-application glues. By this I mean they are intended for one purpose. It seems the research and development required to make glue compatible with all materials, under any condition, is too costly to persue. One glue that comes to mind is Titebond's Cold Press Glue. While this may be a good adhesive to glue up veneer panels, it is not usable for marquetry if the face side is assembled with veneer tape. The reason being that dampening the tape to remove it will cause the marquetry to delaminate. Another question that arises is how many of these new glues will be compatible with finishes yet to be developed.

My personal favorite is hide glue in either the hot or liquid form. I use it for pressing, veneer sizing and repair work. It is reversible and makes excellent filler which bonds to itself in the press by melding into one glue film. Can be manipulated for shorter or longer open times and is useful in creating faux finishes. And speaking of finishes, it is organic so all finishes are compatible. It is interesting to note that it has been in continuous use for 4,000 years. Some things man got right the first time.

Another glue is Carpenter's yellow glue. This is a synthetic polyvinyl acetate-based glue. Undoubtedly the favorite for marquetry in any type of press. But it can also be used without a press. Tape the marquetry on the face and place face down on a board. Secure the outside edges with veneer pins. Apply a coat of yellow glue to this and the substrate to which it will be applied. Let dry overnight and remove tape. Then with a household iron and the marquetry placed in position on the substrate, work from the center out to the edges. It is a good idea to place brown kraft paper between the marquetry and the iron. This is a good way to mount your marquetry if you do not have a press or are limited by space.

Contact cement is another adhesive that is useful in the above situation providing good ventilation is available. Two coats of glue are applied to both the marquetry and substrate. Use a slip-sheet to position the marquetry and with a veneer roller press into place. The key is to apply 2-3 coats and arrange the substrate perpendicular to the marquetry. Below is an example of what can go wrong.


Only one coat was applied and the substrate was oriented in the same direction as the marquetry. Movement in the veneer was not constrained which caused it to rise and crack. On the back the veneer ran perpendicular to the ground and developed no cracks and this with only one coat of contact cement.

Whenever someone shows me their marquetry I ask what glue and finish they used. The answer to the glue question is always one of the above. I have found it far easier to talk a craftsman out of their finish than it is of their glue.