Gjöco is a Norwegian company that most Swedish joiners have never heard of — despite the fact that their wood glue holds together thousands of kitchen doors, furniture carcasses and window frames around the country. The reason is that Gjöco is primarily a paint brand with a strong foothold in Norway, and its glue range is resold through distributors like Ernst P rather than marketed directly to end users. The result is an understated but high-quality and cost-effective product line for Swedish joineries that want to keep the kronor-per-litre cost down without compromising on D-class according to EN 204.
Ernst P stocks Gjöco's PVA glues across the full range from 750 ml hobby bottle to 100 L industrial pack, in three formulations: D2 Inne (for standard indoor joinery), D2 Vinter (for unheated workshops through a Swedish winter) and D3 Vattenfast (for kitchens, bathrooms and sheltered outdoor use). This guide walks through who Gjöco is, what the range covers, how it compares with Titebond, and how to choose the right pack size for your volume. If you already know which D-class you need — jump straight to the wood glue category.
About Gjöco — paint group with a Swedish glue factory
Gjøco AS was founded in 1940 and has since then been headquartered in Torvikbukt on Nordmøre in Norway [1]. The company has over 80 years behind it and is today Norway's second largest manufacturer of decorative paint for homes and public buildings, with a broad product portfolio that covers paint, stain, lacquer, surface-treatment oils and epoxy [1]. Gjöco is Miljøfyrtårn-certified (the Norwegian equivalent of Swedish environmental management standards) and has Swan-labelled products within its paint range [1].
But why does a Norwegian paint company sell wood glue? The answer lies in the Swedish subsidiary. Gjøco AB in Perstorp was established in 2004 when Gjöco acquired the local chemicals producer NiTe — which in turn was founded in 1974 by Christer Nilsson with wood glue as its very first product [2]. NiTe had decades of experience in PVA-based glue manufacturing for the Nordic market, and after the acquisition production was integrated into the Gjöco group. The glue range you buy at Ernst P is therefore manufactured in Sweden (Perstorp) within a Norwegian group (Gjöco AS).
For Ernst P as a Swedish distributor it's a logical combination: a short transport route from Perstorp to our warehouse in Mölndal, Swedish safety data sheets and product data sheets, and a formulation adapted to Nordic temperatures and moisture conditions rather than an American or Central European workshop environment. The Vinter variant is a concrete example — it simply doesn't exist in Titebond's or Ponal's range, since they don't have the cold Swedish or Norwegian workshop as a primary customer.
Gjöco doesn't communicate much of its glue business publicly. The official website (gjoco.no) focuses primarily on paint and stain [1]. Technical data sheets and safety data sheets for the glue range exist but are only sparingly promoted — as a distributor we have them in Swedish and are happy to share them on request.
The Gjöco range at Ernst P
We stock Gjöco's full wood glue line for the Swedish market — three formulations in packs from 750 ml up to 100 L. Click on each product for current prices and delivery status.
Trälim D2 Inne — indoor joinery
Gjöco Trälim D2 Inne is a water-based, solvent-free PVA dispersion classified as EN 204 D2. It is the workhorse glue for all types of indoor joinery where the joint is never exposed to moisture — furniture carcasses, shelves, drawer constructions, mouldings, moulding joints and general workshop use. The glue has roughly 10 minutes of open time at +20 °C and requires at least an hour of clamp time before the joint can be handled.
It is sold in four sizes to cover every user profile: 750 ml for the hobby joiner and small repair jobs, 5 L for active workshops, 15 L for furniture joineries that glue daily, and 100 L as an industrial drum with pump for furniture factories and production environments.
Trälim D2 Vinter — gluing in a cold workshop
Standard PVA glue has what's called a minimum film-forming temperature (MFFT) of around +8 to +10 °C. If you glue in a colder space, no real polymer coalescence takes place, and the joint becomes brittle or simply doesn't bond at all — something that generates plenty of complaints in unheated hobby workshops from November to March.
Gjöco Trälim D2 Vinter is formulated with an adapted plasticiser system that lowers MFFT to around +5 °C, which allows it to work in cold workshops, garages without year-round heating and when gluing timber that has just come in from outdoor storage. Otherwise it performs like standard D2 Inne — the same D-class according to EN 204, the same open time (slightly shorter in the cold), the same water-based solvent-free composition. We recommend the Vinter variant to anyone with a seasonally heated workshop in southern Sweden and permanently to anyone with a cold space in Norrland.
Trälim D3 Vattenfast — kitchens, bathrooms and sheltered outdoor use
Gjöco Trälim D3 Vattenfast is a single-component PVA with added cross-linker, classified as EN 204 D3. That means the joint withstands prolonged moisture exposure — condensation on kitchen worktops, splashes in bathrooms, high humidity in laundry rooms — and short-term direct water contact without weakening. It is the glue we recommend for all kitchen joinery (doors, carcass frames, cabinets), bathroom furniture and sheltered outdoor joinery (storage sheds, covered terrace furniture).
Note that D3 is not the same thing as D4. D3 handles plenty of moisture but not free weather exposure with unrelenting wind and rain over decades — for outdoor benches, garden furniture and boat interiors you need D4 (Titebond III Ultimate or equivalent). The difference between the D-classes is described in detail in our EN 204 guide for D2/D3/D4.
D3 Vattenfast is sold by us in two sizes — 750 ml for kitchen renovations and one-off projects, and 5 L for workshops that glue kitchen carcasses in series.
See the full Gjöco wood glue range at Ernst P →
Gjöco vs Titebond — which should you choose?
We distribute both Gjöco and Titebond (American premium brand from Franklin International, since 1955). Both are serious choices — the question is which one best fits your profile.
<CompareTable caption="Gjöco vs Titebond — overview for Swedish joinery" columns={[ { key: "egenskap", label: "Property", highlight: true }, { key: "gjoco", label: "Gjöco" }, { key: "titebond", label: "Titebond" } ]} rows={[ { egenskap: "Country of manufacture", gjoco: "Sweden (Perstorp), Norwegian group", titebond: "USA (Columbus, Ohio)" }, { egenskap: "Established", gjoco: "Gjöco 1940, glue factory 1974", titebond: "Franklin 1935, Titebond 1955" }, { egenskap: "D-classes in range", gjoco: "D2, D3", titebond: "D2, D3, D4 + PU + hide glue" }, { egenskap: "Winter formulation", gjoco: "Yes (D2 Vinter, MFFT +5 °C)", titebond: "No" }, { egenskap: "Price range (SEK/L)", gjoco: "Value segment, lowest price/L in larger packs", titebond: "Premium, 200–340 SEK/L" }, { egenskap: "Open time (D2/D3, +20 °C)", gjoco: "Around 10 minutes", titebond: "5–10 minutes" }, { egenskap: "Packs", gjoco: "750 ml to 100 L", titebond: "59 ml to 18.92 L" }, { egenskap: "Food-contact approved (FDA)", gjoco: "No", titebond: "Yes (III Ultimate)" }, { egenskap: "Best choice for", gjoco: "Volume joineries, D2/D3, cold workshop climate", titebond: "Premium projects, D4 outdoors, food contact" } ]} />
In short: choose Gjöco when you have high annual volume on D2 or D3 and kronor per litre is a factor — or when you need a formulation for a cold workshop. Choose Titebond when the project requires D4 (outdoors, boat, chopping boards), when you need specialty glues such as liquid hide glue or Translucent, or when you want the world's most proven wood glue with direct technical support from Franklin International. Neither choice is "wrong" — they cover different parts of the joinery spectrum.
Pack sizes — choose the right one for your volume
PVA glue is a perishable product. Unopened, it keeps for 18–24 months, but once the seal is broken it should be used within 6–12 months for best performance. That means you should buy the size that matches your actual consumption — not always the largest "just to be safe".
- 750 ml — for the hobby joiner, weekend projects and small repairs. Enough for an estimated 30–50 m of joint depending on application. Easy to handle, no waste, the highest per-litre price but the lowest total cost.
- 5 L — for the active hobby joiner or small-scale workshop. Per-litre price drops sharply compared with 750 ml, and an active furniture joiner typically gets through a 5 L container within 6 months.
- 15 L — for furniture joineries that glue daily. Supplied with a spout for easier handling. The best balance between per-litre price and freshness for a small-business workshop.
- 100 L — industrial drum with pump for furniture factories, production joineries and large training institutes. The lowest per-litre price in the range — but requires you to genuinely turn the pack over within 12 months to avoid losing quality at the bottom of the drum.
As a rule of thumb: if you go through more than 5 L per month, it pays to buy 15 L. If you go through more than 15 L per month, the 100 L drum is the economically rational choice — provided the logistics (storage space, handling ergonomics) are in place.
EN 204 — the D-classes briefly
All PVA-based wood glues in Europe are classified according to EN 204:2016 based on how much moisture the joint can withstand. The classes are:
- D1 — dry indoor climate, < 50 % humidity. Rare in modern ranges.
- D2 — indoors with occasional brief moisture exposure. Furniture, shelves, drawers, mouldings.
- D3 — kitchen and bathroom environments, condensation, splashes, high humidity, short direct water contact. Also sheltered outdoor use.
- D4 — free weather exposure, prolonged water contact, freeze cycles. Outdoor furniture, windows, doors, boat interiors.
The Gjöco range covers D2 and D3. For D4 you instead need Titebond III Ultimate or Danalim Polyurethane glue. Our in-depth D2/D3/D4 guide walks through the test sequences in detail and gives concrete project recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
Related
- D2, D3, D4 wood glue explained — the EN 204 standard, the test sequences, which class for which project.
- Titebond resellers in Sweden — the American premium alternative with D4 and a broader range.
Sources
The information in this article has been verified against the primary sources listed below. Last updated 2026-04-18.
- Gjøco AS — About us / Home. Official company information, founded 1940 in Torvikbukt on Nordmøre, Norway's second largest manufacturer of decorative paint, environmental certifications (Miljøfyrtårn, Swan). gjoco.no and gjoco.no/no/om-oss
- Perstorps Företagshistoria — Gjöco AB. History of the Swedish subsidiary Gjøco AB in Perstorp, the 2004 establishment through the acquisition of NiTe (firm Christer Nilsson, founded 1974 with wood glue as its first product). perstorpsforetagshistoria.se/foretag/gjoco
- EN 204:2016 / SIST-EN-204. European standard for the classification of thermoplastic wood glues for non-structural use, defining classes D1–D4 and the load requirements. standards.iteh.ai
- Ernst P AB — distribution data. Pack sizes (750 ml, 5 L, 15 L, 100 L), product classifications and workshop experience based on Ernst P's stocked Gjöco range and technical data sheets from Gjøco AB in Perstorp. ernstp.se
Vanliga frågor
Who manufactures Gjöco wood glue?
Gjøco AS is a Norwegian paint and chemicals manufacturer headquartered in Torvikbukt on Nordmøre, founded in 1940. The glue range comes from the Swedish subsidiary Gjøco AB in Perstorp, which has its roots in the firm Christer Nilsson — a wood glue company founded in 1974 that was acquired by Gjöco in 2004. The glue is therefore manufactured in Sweden within a Norwegian group, and is D-classified according to EN 204.
What is the difference between Gjöco D2 Inne and D2 Vinter?
Both are D2-classified PVA glues according to EN 204 for indoor use. The difference lies in the film-forming temperature: standard D2 Inne normally requires around +10 °C or warmer to form a strong joint, whereas D2 Vinter is formulated with an adapted plasticiser system that permits gluing down to around +5 °C. For unheated workshops through a Swedish winter, the Vinter variant is a considerably safer choice.
Is Gjöco available in D4 class?
No. Gjöco's glue range at Ernst P covers D2 Inne, D2 Vinter and D3 Vattenfast. For D4-classified wood glues — required for free weather exposure, boat interiors or chopping boards with food contact — we instead stock Titebond III Ultimate or Danalim Polyurethane glue. Read more in our [D2/D3/D4 guide](/kunskapsbanken/d2-d3-d4-tralim-forklarat).
Are pro-size packs available?
Yes. Gjöco D2 Inne is sold in 750 ml, 5 L, 15 L and 100 L (industrial drum with pump). The 100 L pack is aimed at furniture factories and industrial joineries with high daily consumption, where the per-litre price is the lowest in the range. D2 Vinter comes in 5 L and D3 Vattenfast in 750 ml and 5 L.
Is Gjöco wood glue environmentally friendly?
Gjöco's PVA glues are water-based and solvent-free, which means low VOC emissions in the workshop environment. The parent company Gjøco AS is Miljøfyrtårn-certified and has Swan-labelled products within its paint range. Safety data sheets and product data sheets are available in Swedish for every pack — contact us if you need them for an environmental report.
Where do you buy Gjöco wood glue in Sweden?
Ernst P AB in Mölndal distributes Gjöco wood glue across Sweden with delivery in 1–2 working days. We stock every size (750 ml to 100 L), sell to both private customers and professional workshops, and offer trade prices with volume discounts for B2B accounts. Order at ernstp.se or visit us for collection.




