Best glue for a big mitered frame.

[Tony (Charleston WV)]

No.1 son is getting married soon (to a wonderful gal), and I've been "commissioned" to build a 6' x 3' floor mirror. Sits on the floor (duh!) and leans against the wall. Wood + mirror = 60 to 75 lbs., depending on the glass they want IIRC. I'm using splines (maybe x 2) to reinforce the end grain, and want to use the strongest glue possible. Plastic resin? Epoxy (West or its equal)? Can I (should I) "size" the glue?

TIA,

[rfd8w5]

Don't miter it. Use mortise and tenon joints and you won't need to worry about the glue. If you really need a mitered look, veneer your mortise and tenon frame and miter the veneer corners.

[cwarner]

Mitered half lap could be an option.

[Axehandle]

Miter with a floating tenon would work too. Since it is a floor mirror strength of the joint is not so critical as long as they are not moving it around all the time. But we all like doing bombproof joinery on principle right? In that case, draw bored M&T.

I'd use west system epoxy personally because it is what I have and it seems to be doing a pretty good job of keeping the legs and stretchers of my bench together.

[Anji12305]

Titebond II and a cross grain spline in each corner.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/1142...out-clamps

[JR1]

Most of the modern glues are stronger than the wood. I like TB III in spite of it's short open time. I'd reinforce all the corners with loose tenons or splines. You didn't say what wood but hardwoods don't need the sizing, by and large.

[Admiral]

cwarner said:

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Mitered half lap could be an option.

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^^^This, if you don't use M&T. Either way, with that big of a mirror, make a fairly wide rabbet on the back and nail in a plywood back to prevent racking, that is your structural strength, not the glue.

Any TB glue will do.

[RonB1957]

The above are good answers, but my first question would be what type of rails and stiles are you using. A basic rectangle as in 1 by ? Or something that has moulding routed into it, beaded corners, etc. I have made large mirrors using pegged mortise and tenon 1 x 4s with mitered moulding on top, etc. Lots of options. As far as glue. If in a bathroom, plastic resin or epoxy. If not good ole yellow Elmers has never failed me. Good luck with what ever you do.

[Blaine]

You might be surprised how strong a nicely fitting miter joint can be with no reinforcement.

I recently made this with no reinforcements. The wood is only 3/8" thick by 3/4" wide and I used Titebond III


This was a prototype and I wanted to test how strong the joints would be, so I tried to crush it in my hand.


It took more strength than I expected and some of the joints could only be destroyed using a clamp. Needless to say, I was surprised.

A couple of years ago, I made some larger picture frames for our church and put splines in the mitered joints. I can't imagine the joints ever coming apart. If you put splines in the joints of your mirror, I think it will be plenty strong. If you're still unsure, use two splines in each joint.

That said, if you rabbet the back of the inside part of the frame and use a piece of plywood to hold the mirror in place, that will add strength, even using a few screws.

I tend to over-engineer a lot of things. I'd consider glue in the joint and a spline to be plenty, even for a piece as big as you're planning to make.

Blaine