Gorilla Glue is a non-toxic, solvent-free polyurethane glue. Natural glues like white glues (e.g. Elmer’s glue) or mastic are optimal, but this glue is much less toxic than most. It works well on wood, but it’s not as specific as most wood adhesives. It bonds pretty well on metals, stone, ceramics, and many plastics. It is waterproof, meaning it doesn’t break down when wet, and doesn’t expand or contract with temperature. You do have to clamp stuff in place for a while while it dries, which you should do with any glue. If you glue infrequently, it is nice that Gorilla Glue has a long shelf life — three years as opposed to one, as with many other polyurethane glues. It’s available from: Amazon ($13 for 8 0z), and most hardware stores. Review via Cool Tools.

We’ve tracked down a more efficient caulking compound — one that does not contain toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) such as toluene and hexane. These are present in conventional caulk because they are cheap to produce. One company, AFMSafeCoat, produces a caulking compound that is a water-resistant, flexible sealant with excellent adhesion.

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Why are we featuring this dull looking tube of glue from Germany? Because it doesn’t suffer from the design flaw of every other household adhesive: toxicity. It is one of the few glues in the world that are derived solely from natural materials. How is this possible? This transparent glue’s main ingredients are dammar, latex, casein and orange oil. Dammar is a light and non-yellowing plant resin derived from the Meranti tree (see below) which is grown sustainably in managed forests in Sumatra.

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If you’ve got to fix a leak, you might want get some silicone sealant, instead of such things as Plumber’s Goop that contain toluene. Silicone sealants are often sold as aquarium or marine sealants. Some silicone sealants still contain questionable ingredients - best check the label. There are alternatives to any toxic substance they have in the hardware store.

When building, adhesives are often overlooked and considered at the last minute. However, adhesives are often more toxic than the flooring and other products they are made to adhere.

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