Twenty-two kinds of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA) emulsion adhesives were synthesized, using partiaily saponified poly(vinyl alcohol) as emulsifier and redox system initiators, and their bond qualities evaluated from the tensile strength of cross-lap specimens of wood. It was found that the amount of grafting of vinyl acetate monomer on poly(vinyl alcohol) at the time of emulsion synthesis greatly influenced the bond strength. A large amount of grafting resulted in a high ultimate tensile strength of dried adhesive film as well as a high bond strength; the amount of grafting had a linear relation with bond strength and film strength. The presence of a large amount of grafting seems to relieve the phase separation between the poly(vinyl acetate) and the poly(vinyl alcohol) phase, producing a tight cohesion between these phasesand increasing both film strength and bond strength. -- AATA