How to Break a Wood Glue Joint

Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle

Last Updated: April 19, 2024

Joints in wooden furniture are often held together with wood glue. If you want to take a glued joint apart, there are ways that you can do it without destroying the surrounding woodwork. The glue inside of a joint can be broken down or softened with either a heat gun or denatured alcohol. If you can’t soften the glue first, it may be necessary that you manually break the wood pieces apart at the joint, which could result in damage to the woodwork.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Heat Gun

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1
Heat the area around the joint with a heat gun. Hold the heat gun six inches (15.24 cm) away from the joint and continue to move the gun around. Do not leave the heat gun in one area or you may end up burning your woodwork. Continue to move the heat gun over the joint and soften the glue holding the joint together.^{[2]
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- You can purchase a heat gun online or at a hardware store.
- If you don’t have a heat gun, you can use a hairdryer on the high setting.
2
Work a flat tool into the joint. Once the glue is hot, you should be able to penetrate into the joint with a sharp tool like a knife or metal wedge. Carefully work the tool into the glue while continuing to move the heat gun over the joint. Continue to wiggle the tool back and forth until you cut through all of the glue adhesive.^{[3]
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- Clean built-up glue off your flat tool with a damp rag as you work.
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3
Pull the joint apart. Once you cut the adhesive with the knife, the two pieces of wood should loosen. Use your hands and carefully pull the joint apart.
- If desired, wipe the glue from the wood with a damp rag while it's still hot.
Peter Korn, Woodworker and Educator

When trying to break a wood glue joint, first understand the glue type and wood grain orientation. Carefully warm the adhesive to soften it, then employ a thin blade, patiently working it along the joint line. Forcing the joint risks wood damage. If the joint resists moderate effort, consider cutting through it and planning a repair instead of potentially ruining the piece. Patience and care are essential.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Denatured Alcohol

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1
Inject denatured alcohol into the wood joint. Suck up some of the alcohol with a syringe or eyedropper and place the end of the dropper or syringe against the joint. Press down on the top of the syringe to inject the alcohol into the joint. Repeat this method until the entirety of the wood joint is saturated.^{[4]
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- You can purchase denatured alcohol online or at a hardware store.
- Work in a well-ventilated area when working with denatured alcohol.
- Denatured alcohol will loosen up and dissolve the glue.^{[5]
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2
Wiggle a knife into the joint after five minutes. Let the alcohol sit on the joint for five minutes, then wedge a knife in between the two pieces of wood. Work the tool on the edge of the joint until you can start penetrating into the joint. As you work the knife, the wood joint should start to separate.
- As the alcohol sits on the glue in the joint, it will start to break it down.
Keep working the joint open with your knife while spraying more alcohol over the glue that's holding the joint together. As you work the knife and continue getting the joint wet, you'll start to loosen up the joint.
Scrape away as much adhesive as you can. As the joint loosens, use your hands to pull the joint apart.^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Prying the Wood Apart

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You should only use this method if you need to break down furniture or wood and don't plan on using the wood afterward. Manually prying the wood apart can chip or crack the wood surrounding the joint.
Position the flat end of a crowbar or flat-bar in between the joint.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Interview. 17 February 2022.} Hit the opposite end of the bar to drive it in deep between the joint. Continue to pound the crowbar into the joint until it's at least three to four inches (7.62 to 10.16 cm) into the joint itself.^{[8]
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Apply a decent amount of pressure on the other end of the crowbar to pry the joint apart. This will break apart your wooden joint.^{[9]
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