PSA: Should we be using glue on dovetails or not? I keep going back and forth.

I got into a big argument with a older guy at the lumber yard last Tuesday about this. He says a proper dovetail joint should hold without any glue, and adding it is just a crutch for bad cuts. But I've had a coffee table from 3 years ago come loose in my shop because I didn't use glue on the drawer fronts. Do you think glue is necessary for strength, or does it just mask poor craftsmanship? I'm rebuilding a bookshelf this weekend and need to decide before I cut the tails. Has anyone else dealt with this debate on a real project?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_linda1mo agoMost Upvoted

Glue just covers up loose joints instead of fixing the real issue.

the_simon1mo ago

@the_linda, that "covers up" mindset is the SAME reason people patch drywall instead of fixing the leak behind it.

nathan9011mo ago

I actually just read this thing in Fine Woodworking about some tests they did on this. They clamped dovetails with and without glue and tested how much force it took to break them. The glued ones were like twice as strong, even with perfect cuts. It kind of settled it in my mind. That whole "no glue" thing sounds good in theory but falls apart in real life with humidity changes and wood moving around. I had the same coffee table issue you did, just with a chair leg. Threw some glue in on the fix and it's been solid four years later. Glue is not a crutch, it's insurance. You can have perfect joinery and still benefit from it.