Adhesives

There are many types, some for specific tasks and others for joining more than one material. In this post, we are going to discuss some of the things you should keep in mind when purchasing adhesives and their main categories as well.

When choosing an adhesive for a certain task, there are few things to bear in mind:

The first is the materials you will be joining together. Of course, the adhesive needs to be suitable for both items if they are different. However, the biggest problem is usually with plastics as recognizing the type of plastic, and the ideal adhesive can be challenging for the average person.

The second thing to consider is the importance of strength. Wood glue bonds can be as strong as the wood itself while the plastics and metal ones tend to be weaker. If strength is a priority, you may want to consider reinforcing the joint.

Next, how big a gap is there to fill? Joining to objects will usually involve filling a certain gap, and adhesives vary in coping with this. Contact adhesives, for instance, require a slight gap to function properly. Epoxy adhesives, on the other hand, work with either large or small gaps.

The last and one of the most important things to consider is the temperature the glue is going to be subjected to. Thermoplastic adhesives such as contact glues and most ''Universal" glues can't withstand heat, while thermosetting adhesives tend to remain strong up to moderately high temperatures. This could be an essential factor, especially when working on crockery.

Common Types of Adhesives

Glues for Wood

Polyvinyl Acetate(PVA) is the most common type of glue when it comes to woodworking. You will come across several brands such as the PVA Wood Grip Glue that's excellent for joinery and woodworking applications that aren't exposed to wet conditions.

If the joint might get subjected to weather or moisture, you may want to consider using thermosetting adhesives ideal for outdoor use.

Contact Adhesives

These are often used for sticking thin coverings like plastic laminate to a surface or for shoe repairs.

A contact glue is applied to both surfaces, pressed together and left to dry. With most of these adhesives, the bond is created almost immediately, and that means careful positioning. However, you won't lack some adhesives that allow a short time window to adjust the surfaces.

Most contact glues are solvent based, and that means proper ventilation is essential and naked flames should not be allowed in the working area.

The Sika Contact 4600AU is one of the best in this category and goes for a low price.

Cyanoacrylate Adhesives

These are also known as Super Glues and tend to set almost immediately. The adhesive is applied to one surface, and the other is held against it for just a few seconds. Keep in mind that both surfaces have to fit almost exactly together for a strong bond.

Cyanoacrylate adhesives require care as they can bond skin together. Today, most manufacturers make a special release agent to help with this, but it's still best to be careful. The Sika Super Grip is a general construction adhesive that falls in this category.

Adhesives are quite important, and you should know how to choose the right one for a particular project. Just purchasing something will not help until you know where it's applicable and how to use it.