Making and using casein glue

Casein glue, or cheese glue, is described in the artists manuals of both Theophilus (12th century)
and Cennini (15th century). It was primarily used for edge joints in timber for door and altarpiece
panels where a single plank was not wide enough. It is more water resistant and less brittle than
hide glue, but will fail if contstantly wet, and may also suffer mould and bacterial growth. Modern
casein glues attempt to overcome this problem by adding borax or formaldehyde to the ingredients.
Casein is the major protein in milk and cheese, and is extracted by adding an acid or rennet to
curdle the milk. When an alkali is added to the curds the casein reliquefies to form a glue. The
commonest alkali used is hydrated lime. Sodium alkalis form a glue that tends to absorb water and
is not good for wood joining, but makes an okay paper glue.
Casein glue recipe
1 cup skim milk powder
500ml water
2/3 cup white vinegar
Mix the milk powder and water in a saucepan and heat gently. Do not boil. Add the vinegar and turn
off the heat. Leave for 10 minutes to allow the milk to curdle and the curds and whey to separate.
Drain off the whey and rinse the curds several times in cold water until they no longer smell of
vinegar. Pour the curds into a colander lined with cheesecloth/muslin and allow to drain, then
squeeze the cloth firmly to get the curds as dry as possible. This amount of milk will make about
1/2 cup (90-100g) curds.
At this point the curds can be crumbled finely, dried and ground. They will keep in a cool dark
place for some time and can be reconstituted to make glue later.
To make the glue, add 20% by weight of hydrated lime.
For 1/2 cup curds youll need
20g (2 tbsp) hydrated lime
just enough water to make a smooth paste
Youll get the smoothest glue if you take the curds plus half their volume of water and process them
with a hand blender to a smooth paste, then add that to the lime paste. Try not to make the glue too
runny as it will lose strength. It should be like pva glue or stiffer. If you want smaller amounts
reduce the ingredients proportionately. Leave the glue to sit for 20 minutes before using to make
sure the casein is fully hydrolysed. You have 1-2 hours working time with the glue, and it takes 4-6
hours or so to dry.
To use the glue, spread on both pieces of wood to be joined. The joint must be clamped until set. It
has poor gap filling properties, and unlike hide glue, will not tend to shrink and pull the joint tighter
as it sets.

Making and using casein glue

the ingredients: skim milk, vinegar and hydrated lime

left: curds starting to form; right: the curds strained off and rinsed

left: the curds squeezed dry; right: lime made into a paste with water

left: the finished glue; right: joint failure due to insufficient glue and poor clamping
2