If you’ve been looking around for an adhesive, the likelihood is that you’ve come across these two brands. They’re two of the most popular in the industry – some much so, that their names basically represent the type of product that they are. Both Loctite and Gorilla Glue are great options, but they don’t necessarily fit the same criteria.
The reality is that both of these companies have different variations of their product which are suited for different applications. Regular Gorilla Glue is awesome for use on a variety of materials – especially wood – but it doesn’t work so well on plastics. General Loctite super glue is great for plastic, but generally not as strong as Gorilla Glue.
So, we can clearly see that these products are different – the issue comes with the many different variations there are of each product, which can be confusing. So, we’ll look at what the different types of Loctite and Gorilla Glue there are so you can avoid any confusion if you’re trying to decide between the two.
The 10 Types of Gorilla Glue
Gorilla Glue is something that every handyman should have stowed away somewhere. Their regular product can be used for an abundance of different things, so it’s worth having some stowed away in your workshop. But, there are a ton of other types of Gorilla Glues too which work better for different scenarios.
I’ll give you a quick run down of each so you know which one is best for you.
Regular Gorilla Glue
- Incredibly strong and versatile; The leading multi-purpose waterproof glue
- Best for tough repairs on dissimilar surfaces, both indoors and out
- 100% Waterproof; Doesn't break down when exposed to outdoor elements
- Versatile; Easily bonds wood, stone, metal, ceramic, foam, glass, concrete and much more!
- Incredibly Strong: Expands 3 times into the materials to form an incredibly strong bond
Regular Gorilla Glue is available in both white and their regular tan color and it stays that color, so if you’re trying to avoid this, you’ll need to go for a clear option. It’s completely waterproof and is the best option for most things around the workshop or house – it works best on wood products. It only takes a few hours to dry so if you want some quick and easy, stick with regular gorilla glue.
Clear Gorilla Glue
No products found.
An alternative to regular gorilla glue, clear gorilla is best used if you’re going to be using your glue in a super noticeable place e.g. using it on glass. It’s also stronger than regular gorilla glue, which makes even more of a case for it to be used on fragile objects. It does take a little longer to dry though – you’ll need to leave it overnight, if not a little longer.
Gorilla Wood Glue
The regular gorilla glue works with wood, but not well. If you want something specially designed to work with wood then you can consider using their wood glue, specifically designed for wood work. If you’re a carpenter, then this is undoubtedly your best bet. It dries a lot quicker than regular gorilla glue in around 15-20 minutes, making it perfect for short term projects. You can also check out my list of favorite wood glues if you want to know more about this.
Gorilla Super Glue
No products found.
Gorilla Super Glue is just another competitor to your regular super glue – in all honesty, there isn’t a lot of difference between gorilla super glue and other brands of super glue. I mean.. it’s just super glue! If you need it for small things around the house, then you could opt to use gorilla super glue, as it is a safe choice. However, there are other cheaper super glue options I’ve talked about out there that perform the same.
Gorilla Glue Epoxy
Another good option for people looking for a a clear glue that works quickly is the Epoxy Gorilla Glue – though it does have a 24 hour set time, it will undoubtedly keep your stuff sealed tight. It’s awesome for using on your vehicles, as it works very well with metal products.
Gorillaweld
If you need something that’s heavy duty, then Gorillaweld might be a better bet for you. It’d designed to work with heavy duty stuff, so if you’re gluing heavier objects then Gorillaweld may work a lot better for you than their other products.
Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive
This is easily confused with regular GG, but it’s not the same and you shouldn’t use them for the same thing. This is made as a construction adhesive – this means it’s used for heavy projects outdoors. If you want to use this product properly, you’ll need to pick yourself up a good caulking gun.
Gorilla Glue Clear Grip
If you want regular gorilla glue but you need a clear adhesive, then it’s worth looking at Gorilla Glue Clear Grip. It works pretty much the same as regular GG, except it’s clear! You can consider GG Clear Grip if you’re need something for your average project around the house.
Gorilla Glue Sticks
If you’re going to use a glue gun, then you definitely need some glue sticks. There aren’t a ton of differences between these glue sticks and others, but if you want to stick with the GG brand then you can!
As you can see, there’s a ton of different variations on regular Gorilla Glue which might be better for your needs – though the standard version does a stellar job for the most part. Now, let’s have a look at Loctite to see the different versions of the product they have available.
Types of Loctite Threadlockers
There are hundreds of different Loctite products and unfortunately, I don’t have time to discuss all of them! So, I’ll go through some of the most popular and explain which type is best for each different need.
Threadlockers Loctite 242 and 243
Loctite 243 is the upgraded versions of Loctite 242 – it’s just an oil resistant version of the same product, and it’s also slightly stronger in my opinion. It works for smaller threads in the house, and it has a low viscosity, which is ideal for it’s purpose. I have a whole separate article dedicated to the virtues of Loctite 243 vs 242 right here.
- Advanced formula prevents loosening of metal fasteners caused by vibrations
- Protective design protects threads from rusting and corroding
- Medium-strength allows nuts and bolts to be removed with hand tools
- Locks and seals threaded fasteners that require disassembly
Loctite 221 & 222 – Low strength
If you need something for small threads in your appliances, then you can look at Loctite 221 and 222 as an option. They’re made for thread sizes up to M12, which is relatively small, and it they have even lower viscosity than Loctite 242., which makes it ideal for small metal threads.
Loctite 272 & 278 – Temperature Resistant
Sometimes, you need something that’s going to be temperature resistant, which can work for anything up to around 200 degrees (which yeah, is pretty high temperature coverage!). The likelihood is that the every day man isn’t going to need this for their workshop, but if you have bolts that get hot – think automotive and machinery – then Loctite 272 & 278 should be a good choice for you.
Loctite 270 & 276 – High Strength
Getting a high strength threadlocker is a great idea if you’re going to be using it on bolts that are vibrating a lot – machinery especially. Loctite 270 and 276 are good examples of this, and you should consider using these high strength threadlockers if you need something that’s going to stick. Personally, for the high strength stuff I usually choose Permatex over Loctite, which I’ve written more about right here.
Locktite 290 – Wicking Grade
If you need a wicking threadlocker, then Loctite 290 is your best bet. These type of threadlockers are awesome if you can’t disassemble your threads, so you can use a wicking threadlocker on your bolts without having to disassemble them.
Conclusion
Overall, these are the generally accepted definitions of each product – Loctite are best known for their threadlockers, and Gorilla Glue is best known for it’s flagship product, though they do make alternative products too.
There are a ton of different adhesive products on the market and it can be really difficult to know which one is going to work best for your needs, so hopefully this has cleared things up for you a little and you can find the best adhesive for your needs.
