Gorilla Glue Original Review: A Waterproof Bond for Joints You Can Clamp, and Foam to Plan Around

Gorilla Glue Original 4 fl oz bottle upright: dark brown bottle, white ribbed cap with a tapered nozzle and a side cap, orange label with the gorilla emblem, GORILLA GLUE ORIGINAL lettering and three printed icon badges, on a white background

Product image supplied by the brand

In this guide

THE SHORT VERSION

Gorilla Glue Original is a water-activated polyurethane: the cure starts when the glue meets moisture, so the routine is to dampen one surface, spread a thin layer on the other, clamp and wait. Gorilla's Australian site sells it in 59, 118 and 236 ml bottles. The 118 ml size, the 4 fl oz bottle Gorilla sells in the US, was A$20.95 on Amazon Australia on 5 November 2026, shipped and sold by Glues Australia, a marketplace seller rather than Amazon itself.

Bunnings stocks the other two sizes, the 59 ml at A$13.50 and the 236 ml at A$25.28, but not the 118 ml. Three numbers from Gorilla Australia's own page decide whether any of them suits a repair: one to two hours of clamping, a full cure in 24 hours, and a bead that expands three to four times as it cures.

Our verdict

Buy the 118 ml bottle at A$20.95 for waterproof repairs across wood, stone, metal, ceramic and glass, provided one face is dampened, the joint clamped for two hours or more, and the foam planned for.

A good fit for: Anyone re-bonding outdoor or wet-area parts in mixed materials who can clamp for a couple of hours, wait a day for full cure and sand back a foam line.
We would skip it if: Instant fixes that need a super glue's seconds, polypropylene, polyethylene and oily rubber, joints with real gaps, or a visible seam that must stay clean and foam-free.

Reasons to consider it

100% waterproof for indoor and outdoor use, with Gorilla Australia quoting a cured range of -40 to 100 °C
One bottle covers stone, metal, ceramic, glass, wood and foam, including dissimilar pairs
Sandable and stainable once fully cured, and dried squeeze-out comes off by sanding, chiselling or scraping

The compromises

The bead expands three to four times and dries as a pale yellow foam that pushes out of the joint
Gorilla's own FAQ says it does not have gap-filling qualities: the tighter the joint, the stronger the bond
An opened bottle lasts about six to nine months by Gorilla's guideline, so the bigger bottle only pays if it gets used

What we have not verified: The A$20.95 offer comes from one marketplace seller and Bunnings does not carry this size, so the Australian price for 118 ml rests on a single listing. Gorilla Australia's page quotes 100 °C as the cured limit where the US spec table says 200 °F (about 93 °C), and gives no Australian standard or test method for its waterproof claim.

The things in this guide

A closer look at the products, who they may suit, and what to check before buying.

For waterproof repairs that can sit clamped overnight

Original Glue (4 oz)

A$20.95 buys 118 ml of a moisture-cured polyurethane that Gorilla says bonds stone, metal, ceramic, glass, wood and foam, stays waterproof indoors and out, and holds from -40 to 100 °C once cured.

Before you buy: The bead expands three to four times and Gorilla says it does not fill gaps; polypropylene, polyethylene and oily rubbers are out, and an opened bottle lasts about six to nine months.

$20.95 at Amazon Australia (Glues Australia)

Price checked 5 November 2026. Retailer prices can change.

Dampen, clamp, and leave it overnight

Gorilla Glue Original cures on moisture, so the first step is water, not glue. Gorilla Australia says to lightly dampen one surface without saturating it, and to dampen both on dense hardwoods. The glue goes on the dry face in a thin layer, because it expands three to four times while it cures and over-application is where the mess starts. Work above 4 °C; Gorilla's application range runs from 4 to 54 °C.

The clamp is not optional. The how-to says one to two hours of gripping pressure, the FAQ says a minimum of two hours and overnight for best results, and full cure takes 24 hours. Clamps, a heavy weight or a wrap of tape all count. Gorilla's own advice for a repair that cannot be held is that this may be the wrong glue, which rules out most awkward fixes before the cap comes off.

Expands three to four times, and still no gap filling

The expansion and the gap rule sit side by side on Gorilla's page. Carbon dioxide released during the cure foams the glue three to four times its applied volume, which Gorilla credits for pushing it into the material. The same FAQ says it does not have gap-filling qualities and that the tighter the joint, the stronger the bond. A loose joint cures into a loose joint lined with foam.

That foam dries pale yellow with a honeycomb texture, so any squeeze-out shows. Wipe it while wet with a dry cloth or one soaked in isopropyl alcohol; once dry it comes off only by sanding, chiselling, scraping or picking. It sands and stains once fully cured, and Gorilla's US spec sheet adds that oil-based and spray paints go straight over it. A furniture seam that must disappear is the wrong job for a foaming glue.

Stone to glass, but not PP, PE or oily rubber

Gorilla Australia lists stone, metal, ceramic, glass, wood, foam and brick, including two different materials glued to each other. The surfaces must be clean, and the US page asks for the shiny faces of metal, glass and some plastics to be roughened first. A test piece is worth the minute on any material you have not glued before.

The exclusions are named: polypropylene and polyethylene plastics, and any rubber with a high oil or plasticiser content. Many storage tubs, cutting boards and garden-hose fittings are PP or PE, so read the recycling code on the part before blaming the bottle. Gorilla's US spec table adds an ANSI/HPVA Type I waterproof rating; the Australian page states 100% waterproof without naming a standard.

Gloves on, and 13 11 26 if it is swallowed

Gorilla's Australian page tells you to wear gloves and warns that the glue stains skin and ruins clothes; the US page adds that it can be a skin sensitiser for people prone to reactions. Glue on skin comes off with a dry cloth while tacky, then soap and cold water or a gritty exfoliator, then lotion. Alcohol, acetone and other solvents are off the list for skin.

For a swallowed mouthful Gorilla Australia gives the Australian Poison Centre number, 13 11 26, and says to call a vet for an animal. The risk is real: a 2021 veterinary case series covered 22 dogs whose stomachs foamed polyurethane glue into a hard mass. Keep the bottle high, capped and out of the bathroom, kitchen and laundry, which Gorilla names as the damp places that cure glue inside the bottle.

Original, Super Glue or Wood Glue

Bunnings stocks all three Gorilla chemistries. Gorilla Super Glue Gel, A$14.98 for 20 g, is a cyanoacrylate that sets in 10 to 45 seconds with no clamp and no foam, and it bonds paper, leather and rubber, which Original does not suit. Gorilla Wood Glue, A$15.62 for 236 ml, is a PVA for wood only, clamped 20 to 30 minutes and rated water resistant rather than waterproof, with no expansion.

So match the glue to the clock and the weather. Seconds-long fixes on small parts go to the super glue; indoor joinery with a glue line that should vanish goes to the PVA. Mixed materials, outdoor service and anything that will sit wet belong to Original, the only one of the three Gorilla calls 100% waterproof.

A$0.18 a millilitre, against A$0.11 for the 236 ml

At A$20.95, the 118 ml bottle works out to about A$0.18 per millilitre. Bunnings sells the 236 ml for A$25.28, about A$0.11 per millilitre, so double the glue costs A$4.33 more. The 59 ml at A$13.50 is the most expensive per millilitre, about A$0.23, but it is the size a one-off repair finishes.

Shelf life decides how far up to go. Gorilla gives up to two years unopened from the date of manufacture and about six to nine months once opened, and it asks for the air to be squeezed out before re-capping because trapped air carries the moisture that sets the rest. The 236 ml is the better buy for a run of projects within that window; for a single repair the 59 ml wastes less.

Who should skip it

Skip it for quick fixes: a super glue sets in under a minute, against two hours of clamping and a day's cure here. Skip it for PP, PE and oily rubber, which Gorilla says it will not hold, and for joints with gaps, which the foam will not fill. A seam that has to stay clean will show a pale yellow line.

Buy it when the repair is outdoors or wet, mixes materials such as stone and metal, and can be clamped and left overnight. Buy the smallest bottle that covers the job, store it dry and capped tight, and expect it to harden within months once opened.

How we put this together

Built from the product pages and listings below, without test scores or results we have not measured. Specifications and prices change, so check the original page for the exact model, current price, delivery, and returns.

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