Several companies market PVA glue, often referred to simply as carpenter's glue. Emulsified in water, the material is available in two color tones. The white variety is a good all-purpose household adhesive while the yellow type is the stronger of the two. The bond that the latter makes is stronger than the wood itself. Because it has a long "open time" (the period during which the glue remains liquid and workable), you must use clamps to hold wood together when laminating and wait for the glue to dry. PVA glue generally comes in plastic squeeze bottles with tapered caps to make it easy to apply to wood edges.

Polyurethane glue is advertised by one company as the "strongest glue on Planet Earth", but "Popular Woodworking Magazine" reports that the bond it forms is actually slightly weaker than that of PVA glue. Since wood will break before either bond fails, however, the report concluded that the issue of relative strength wasn't vitally important. The open time of polyurethane is similar to that of PVA glue, and using it to laminate requires the use of clamps. Polyurethane glue is waterproof, as are some varieties of PVA, and can be used for exterior laminations.

The bonding agent in contact cement, which is typically neoprene or another synthetic rubber, may be carried in a solvent- or water-based emulsion. The procedure for using it is to coat both surfaces, allow the glue to dry to a tacky consistency, then press the surfaces together and apply pressure. It makes an instantaneous bond that, while not being as strong as other laminating adhesives, is sufficient for holding down surface laminations of veneer or plastic. Since it is typically used to cover large surfaces, the usual ways to apply it are by spreading it with a trowel or paint roller.

When laminating curved wood, woodworkers need an adhesive that won't stretch or pull away at the edges. Such a glue is urea formaldehyde, also known as plastic resin. Because it has an open time comparable to PVA, wood must be clamped, but it has the ability to fill gaps and will bond in areas where uneven pressure has been applied. Urea formaldehyde is an alternative to contact cement for surface laminations. It doesn't bond instantly, making it easier for the worker to place large sheets of veneer or plastic, and can be spread in a thin layer using a paint roller.