UNLOCKING THE SECRET OF FINGER-JOINT STRENGTH –

THE SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION BETWEEN FINGER-

JOINT STRENGTH AND GLUE SPREAD RATE

Lin Hu1 and Richard Desjardins2

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to quantify the relationship between finger-joint strength and glue spread rate.
A total of 48 finger-joint lumber specimens were made using an isocyanate (ISO) adhesive, while 36 specimens were
made with a phenol-resorcinol (PRF) adhesive. The profile, geometry, and machining parameters of the finger-joints
were maintained constant while the glue spread rate was varied. The measurements included the amount of fresh glue
applied to each joint and the joint tensile strength. A significant correlation was found between the tensile strength of
the joints and the fresh glue spread rate. The relationships were best described by quadratic equations, with a
correlation coefficient (r) of 0.91 for the ISO joints and 0.89 for the PRF joints. It is concluded that the glue spread rate
is a very important parameter affecting finger-joint strength, and that attention should be paid to maintain the glue
spread rate constant when finger-joint specimens are prepared to study the effects of other parameters on finger-joint
strength.

KEYWORDS: Finger-joint strength, glue spread rate, isocyanate adhesive, phenol-resorcinol adhesive

1 INTRODUCTION 123 geometry, and machining parameters of the finger-joints

Many studies have been conducted on finger-joints to
determine the parameters affecting finger-joint strength;
these have been summarised in an article by M.
Mohammad [1]. Although glue spread rate has been
recognized as an important factor, no quantitative
description of the effect of glue spread rate on finger-
joint strength has been reported to date. Because of this
lack of knowledge, studies of the effects of other factors
on finger-joint strength often did not include
measurement of the amount of glue applied to the joint,
or maintain a constant glue spread rate during fabrication
of the finger-joint specimens. Therefore, the results
obtained in those studies are questionable. To bridge
this knowledge gap, a pilot study was conducted at
FPInnovations to examine the quantitative relationship
between finger-joint strength and glue spread rate.
2 DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIMENS
A total of 84 finger-joint lumber specimens were made:
48 specimens were prepared using an isocyanate (ISO)
adhesive, while the other 36 specimens were made with
a phenol-resorcinol (PRF) adhesive. The profile,
1
Lin Hu, Building Systems Department, FPInnovations, 319
rue Franquet, Québec, Canada. Email: lin.hu@fpinnovations.ca
2 American finger-jointing industry [1]. Horizontal finger-
Richard Desjardins, Building Systems Department,
FPInnovations, 319 rue Franquet, Québec, Canada. Email:
richard.desjardins@fpinnovations.ca
were maintained constant while the glue-spread rate was
varied. More details are given in the next subsections.
2.1 FINGER-JOINTED LUMBER SPECIMEN
MATERIALS AND PREPARATION
In this study, 38-mm by 64-mm (2-by 3- in.) kiln-dried
planed Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF) lumber (no.2 or better)
was used to make the finger-jointed lumber specimens.
SPF lumber was used because these are the most
common species used in commercial finger-jointed
lumber in North America. The boards were placed in a
conditioning room at 20ºC and 65% relative humidity
(RH) to reach a nominal equilibrium moisture content
(MC) of about 13%. The boards were cut into wood
blocks about 0.91-m (3-foot) long. No special measure
was taken to select the wood blocks to reduce the
variation in their mechanical properties, but care was
given to ensure that the fingers did not contain large
knots that are not allowed by finger-joint quality
standards [2].
2.2 FINGER-JOINTED LUMBER SPECIMEN
DESIGN
A structural reverse profile was selected for this study
because it is the most common profile in the North
joints were produced. The finger-joint geometry was
28.27 mm (1.113 in.) in length, 0.76 mm (0.030 in.) tip
width and 6.69 mm (0.263 in.) pitch width, which are the
dimensions recommended [1] as the optimized profile The jointed pieces were cured for more than twenty-four
for SPF lumber. hours in a conditioning room at 20oC and 65% relative
humidity, before being subjected to a series of tests.
2.3 FINGER-JOINTED LUMBER SPECIMEN
FABRICATION
2.3.1 Machining the Finger-Joints
A Conception RP 2000 machine provided with a lateral
feed system, common in the North American finger-
jointing industry, was used to profile the fingers with a
cutter head speed of 3500 rpm for 2900 m/min (9506
feet/min) cutting speed, the recommended optimized
value [3]. The ends of the wood blocks were machined
across the width in order to obtain horizontal finger-
joints. An optimized chip-load or feed per knife of 0.84
mm (0.034 in.) is recommended to get a good finish on
the wood and to prevent burning of the cutters [3].
Chip-load is defined as the amount of material removed
by each cutting tooth or edge, with each revolution of the
spindle. The chip-load can be determined from the feed Figure 1: Jointing fingers using the JAFA device, the
speed, number of cutters on each wood block, and cutter steel block at the end of the specimen
head rotational speed [1]. To maintain the optimized
chip-load during machining, a feed speed of 20 m/min
(60 feet/min) was used for the process.

2.3.2 Gluing Finger-Joints, Control and

Measurement of Fresh Glue Spread Rate
After machining, the blocks were immediately
assembled into finger-jointed lumber specimens. In this
study, the adhesives used were ISOSET UX
100/ISOSET WD3-A322, an isocyanate (ISO) adhesive,
and Cascophen LT-5210J/Cascoset FM 6210, a phenol-
resorcinol (PRF) adhesive. The PRF mixture was
prepared in the FPInnovations-Forintek Division
laboratory at a ratio of 71.4% Cascophen to 9.5% Figure 2: Close-up view of the JAFA device
Cascoset with 19.1% water, as recommended by the
producer, and at a temperature below 20oC.

To reveal the relationship between glue spread rate and

finger-joint strength, a data base with a normal
distribution in the strength of the finger-joints is
required. This was achieved through systematically
varying the glue spread rate, from very low values to
their optimum values. The adhesive was applied
manually on the two faces of each joint and the joints
weighed to measure the total glue applied, in order to
determine the glue spread rate from the weight of glue
applied and the joint profile. The spread rate of the fresh
glue was varied from about 25 g/m2 to 140 g/m2 for the
joints using the isocyanate adhesive (110 g/m2 is the
recommendation from the adhesive producer), and from
about 45 g/m2 to 307 g/m2 for the joints using the PRF
adhesive mixture.
3 MECHANICAL PROPERTY TESTS
The wood density and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of
the wood blocks were measured before prefabricating
the specimens. The MOE of the finger-jointed lumber
was also determined. Tensile tests were conducted on the
finger-jointed lumber to determine the finger-joint
tensile strength.
The moisture content (MC) was measured on each piece
of wood block and the finger-jointed lumber specimens
using a moisture content meter. The density of the wood
was determined from the weight and dimensions of each
piece of wood block, and finger-jointed lumber
specimen.

The assembled joints were pressed with a pressure of 3.8

MPa (550 psi) as recommended [3] for optimized joint
strength. The pressure was measured using a JAFA
device developed at FPInnovations-Forintek Division.
Figure 1 shows the jointing of the fingers using the
JAFA device to control the pressure, and Figure 2 shows
the details of the JAFA device.
3.1 FREE-FREE BEAM VIBRATION TEST TO
DETERMINE MOE OF WOOD AND FINGER-
JOINTED LUMBER
Free-free beam vibration tests were conducted on the
wood blocks and the finger-jointed lumber specimens in
flat-wise to determine their MOE values.

The free-free beam vibration test method was based on

the theory that for a beam, the natural frequency of each
vibration mode is a function of the beam dimensions,
geometry, density, shear and bending properties, and
support conditions on which the beam is vibrating. This
theory provides alternatives to the conventional
destructive static loading tests by non-destructively
determining mechanical properties of materials through
vibration tests.

A free-free transverse beam vibration test method to
determine shear and bending properties of beams was
developed by Chui [4], along with an algorithm and
computer program to simultaneously solve the two
frequency equations, and obtain the shear and bending
stiffness of the beams from the measured frequencies of
two free-free transverse vibration modes, and the
densities, dimensions, and geometries of the beams.
Figure 3 shows the concept of this method and the sketch
of the test setup described in Chui’s article [4] and used
in this study. Figure 4 shows the free-free beam
vibration test on a wood block.
Figure 4: Free-free beam vibration test on a wood block
in flat -wise before jointing
3.2 TENSION TESTS TO DETERMINE FINGER-
JOINT TENSILE STRENGH
Tension tests were performed on the finger-jointed
lumber specimens according to the SPS4 standard [2],
with a Metriguard testing machine (Figure 5). To
increase the probability of failure at the joint area, a one-
foot gauge length was used in the test. Failure modes
were examined around the joints and were classified
according to the SPS4 standard [2].

Figure 3: Concept of free-free beam vibration tests and

sketch of the test setup described in [4] Figure 5: Tension test on a finger-jointed lumber
specimen

4 DATA ANALYSIS
Single variable analysis was conducted on the database
to examine the correlation between finger-joint strength
and (1) the wood density properties, as determined from
the average density and the difference in the wood
density of the two wood blocks making the joints, (2) the
wood MOE properties determined by the average MOE
and the difference in MOE of two wood blocks making
the joints, and (3) the glue spread rate.

5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1 provides general information on the finger-
jointed specimens used in this study. A total of 34
specimens made with the PRF adhesive, and 43
specimens made with the ISO adhesive were used to Table 2: Statistical summary of measured density and
study the correlations between finger-joint strength and MOE of wood blocks used in making the finger-joint
wood density, wood MOE, and glue spread rate, and to specimens
derive the correlation equations between finger-joint Average density of the two wood
strength and glue spread rate. blocks used to make the ISO joints:
Mean (kg/m2) 527
Table 1: General description of the finger-jointed (FJ) Min. (kg/m2) 408
lumber specimen database Max. (kg/m2) 569
Standard deviation (kg/m2) 30
ISO FJ PRF FJ COV (%) 6
Total number of Average MOE of the two wood
specimens 48 36 blocks used to make the ISO joints:
Mean (GPa) 11.9
Number of specimens
Min. (GPa) 9.2
that did not fail at the 5 2
Max. (GPa) 14.4
joint
Standard deviation (GPa) 1.2
COV (%) 10
Table 2 provides a statistical summary of the density and
Average density of the two wood
the MOE of the wood blocks used to make the joints
blocks used to make the PRF joints:
with ISO or PRF adhesives.
Mean (kg/m2) 528
Min. (kg/m2) 454
Table 3 shows that regardless of the variation in the
Max. (kg/m2) 587
density and the MOE of the wood used to make the
Standard deviation 24
finger-joint specimens, a significant correlation was
COV (%) 5
found between the tensile strength of the joints and the
Average MOE of the two wood
fresh glue spread rate. The relationships were best
blocks used to make the PRF joints:
described by the quadratic equations shown in Figures 6
and 7, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.91 for the Mean (MPa) 12.0
ISO joints, and 0.89 for the PRF joints. The quadratic Min. (MPa) 8.9
relationship between finger-joint strength and glue Max. (MPa) 14.3
spread rate is similar to that experienced in the industry, Standard deviation 1.2
i.e. starving, or over-gluing has a detrimental effect on (COV) 10
the quality of the finger-joints.

Table 3 also reveals that, within the variation in glue

spread rate, no significant correlations were found Table 3: Summary of the parameters affecting finger-joint
between finger-joint strength and the MOE properties (FJ) strength, indicated by the correlations coefficients (r)
described by the average MOE and the difference in of the relationships between finger-joint (FJ) tensile
MOE of two wood blocks making the joint. This strength and the particular parameter
observation also holds for the relationship between the Parameters affecting FJ strength r
strength and the density characteristics described by the Difference in density of the two wood blocks
average density and the difference in densities of two used to make ISO joints 0.03
wood blocks making the joint. However, some degree of Average density of the two wood blocks used
correlation of finger-joint strength with wood density, or to make ISO joints 0.23
with MOE was observed. This observation appears not Difference in MOE of the two wood blocks
to follow the findings reported in the literature [1] that used to make ISO joints 0.11
wood quality indicated by wood density and MOE were Average wood MOE of the two wood blocks
important parameters affecting finger-joint strength. The used to make ISO joints 0.45
poor correlations between finger-joint strength and wood
quality found in this study are thought to be due to the Fresh ISO glue spread rate (g/m2) 0.91
fact that the variation in the glue spread rate was much Difference in density of the two wood blocks
more significant and overshadowed the existing used to make PRF joints 0.33
correlations between finger-joint strength and wood Average density of the two wood blocks used
quality. This confirms the theory that if the glue spread to make PRF joints 0.30
rate is not kept constant during the preparation of finger- Difference in MOE of the two wood blocks
joint specimens used to the study of the effects of other used to make PRF joints 0.34
parameters on finger-joint strength, then the true Average wood MOE of the two wood blocks
relationships between finger-joint strength and these used to make PRF joints 0.34
parameters will most likely not be revealed.
Fresh PRF glue spread rate (g/m2) 0.89
 [3] Bustos C., Hernandez R., Mohammad M.:
Tensile strength vs. fresh ISO glue spre ad rate
60
Investigations on the wood machining parameters of
finger-jointing process of black spruce. In: Wood
Tensile strength of FJ joint

50 Conference on Timber Engineering, 3: 130-136,

40 2002.
[4] Chui Y. H.: Simultaneous evaluation of bending and
(MPa)

30
shear moduli of wood and the influence of knots on
20 these parameters. Wood Science and Technology.
10 y = -0.004x2 + 0.804x - 1.122 25(2): 125-134, 1991.
R 2 = 0.816
0
0 50 100 150
2
Fresh glue spread rate (g/m )

Figure 6: Correlation between ISO finger-joint strength

and the ISO adhesive spread rate

Tensile strength vs. fresh PRF

glue spread rate
60
y = -0.0004x2 + 0.2552x - 0.2780
50
R 2 = 0.7931
Measured tensile
strength of jiont

40

30

20

10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
2
Fresh glue spread rate (g/m )

Figure 7: Correlation between PRF finger-joint strength

and the PRF adhesive spread rate

6 CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that the glue spread rate is a very
important parameter affecting finger-joint strength.
Development of a set of equations describing the
relationship between glue spread rate and finger-joint
strength for a broad range of finger-joints will guide the
industry in the optimization of their products. Attention
should be paid to maintain the glue spread rate constant,
when finger-joint specimens are prepared to study the
effects of other parameters on finger-joint strength.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank Natural Resources
Canada – Canadian Forest Service for their financial
support of this research project.

REFERENCES
[1] Mohammad M.: Finger-joint process and product
quality. Report of Project No. 4016 of
FPInnovations – Forintek Division, Québec,
Canada. 2004.
[2] National Lumber Graders Authority (NLGA): SPS 4
– 2001: Special products standard for finger-jointed
flange stock lumber. NLGA, New Westminster, BC,
Canada. 2001.