There are times where you will need to join two wood boards together if you want to create something wide. One of the projects where you will need to do this process is when you are making a tabletop.
Gluing two boards together is needed to achieve the needed width that y want. And that is why in this article that we will be talking about different tips on how you are able to glue two boards together for your tabletop.
Materials needed
- Planer
- Wood glue
- Different sized clamps
- Clean rags
- Scraper
- Sandpaper
- Paint stirrer
Instructions
1) Run the boards through a planer
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One of the initial things that you need to do is to run the board through a planer first. This will ensure that your boards will be of the same size. Once you are also doing this one then you will make it easier to glue both pieces together. If you don’t have any player in hand then a hard planer can also do the work for you.
If you don’t have any experience with planning wood then you can also choose to do some heavy sanding. You need to lien the boards first to see if there are any bends or deformities in the edges. This will also help you find some matches which will make the clamping easier.
2) Work on a big and flat area
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Working on a big flat area will help you line up your boards easier. Having a flat and wide area to work on will also help you move the boards easier. This will also help in making clamping easier as well as maneuvering the boards in each of the seams.
3) Make sure to glue board together piece by piece
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If you are planning to glue a large number of boards together then see to it that you will not be gluing them all at once. You can start by gluing a group of 3 or 4 boards first. Once you will be doing this one then you can manage the boards better. This will help you line up the boards well compared to gluing them all at once.
If you have a limited supply of clamps then you can glue by sections. In each stage, you can add 1one or two boards. Once you are done gluing the group of boards then gluing them together in one piece will be easier on your part.
4) Avoid using too much glue
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You need to see to it that you will be using just enough glue for the project that you have. Avoid going overhead and also prevent using too little as well. You need to know the size of the surface area that you are clamping as this will be your basis for the amount of glue that you will need.
You will know if you have used too much once there will be close spitting everywhere after you clamped it. Once you will have this situation then you can use rags to wipe off the excess glue. This will help you save time in scraping and sanding the excess glue afterward.
5) Have another person to help out
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Gluing two board together can be done by one person but having an extra hand nearby will surely make the job a lot easier. This is true, especially when applying pressure on the clamps.
You can glue the pieces one by one but as it will get bigger, you will find it hard to bring them together. That is why you will need some extra help to keep the board inline while the clamps are being placed.
6) Make sure to have different clamps around
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You will need different clamps for the different parts of the board. The larger bar clamps will be used in the body of the wood while the smaller C clamps will be used on the ends of it.
The smaller the clamps that you will use in the end portions will be better. They will help keep the board lined up by playing pressure upward and below the boards.
7) Use paint stirrers to prevent denting the wood with your clamps
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You need to use these stirrers in between the board and the clamp. This will help in preventing any dentist once you will apply pressure from the clamps. Clamps can cause punctures and dents once you will not be protecting the wood. The paint stirrers will be the one that will endure the pressure and not the actual wood that you are working with.
Conclusion
Gluing two boards together to make a table top should not be that complicated. Having the right knowledge in gluing two boards together will make the project a lot easier and enjoyable at the same time.
