We are talking about the types of adhesives and criteria for their choice in order to glue the foam to wood, metal, concrete, brick and other surfaces.
Foamed polystyrene is widely used as insulating and packaging material. Needlewomans with pleasure Mastering from it various crafts, designers are used in design, etc. Often it is necessary to connect the details or fasten them on any base. We will understand how to glue the foam among themselves and with other surfaces so that the connection is durable and durable.
All about gluing polystyrene foam on different bases
Features of the materialVarieties of adhesive equipment
Selection of glue
Printing tips to different surfaces
Features of the material
The basis of the material is polystyrene. In production, it foams. Such technology is often used, for example, in the manufacture of isolon and other insulators. Granulated plastic is processed by water vapor. As a result, the granules increase in the volume, filling the air, and stick together. It turns out a lightweight, quite durable mass of 95% consisting of air. Therefore, polystyrene foam, as it is also called, has good insulating characteristics. It holds heat and sound waves.
Its surface is sufficiently dense, a suitable adhesive paste is well on it. But some funds are not held on a smooth basis. They can not use. When cutting, poorly retaining granules can fall out. Then a ribbon slice is formed, which is very difficult to glue smoothly. This must be taken into account when striking. It is better to use a thermosaka or a very sharp knife.
Types of adhesive compositions
Options than crate foam plastic, very much. All funds are divided into groups, each has its own characteristics.Dry mixes
We are produced in the form of powder, which is divorced by water before work. The proportions are necessarily indicated on the packaging. These are universal pastes, which include cement with other binding additives. Used for external and internal insulation works. Suitable for different surfaces, but most often they are chosen to glue the foam to brick or concrete when the walls are insulated.
Powdered mixtures have good strength. With proper breeding and applying, they hold foam plates for 35-50 years. If you need adhesive for internal work, it is important to make sure that it does not contain toxic substances. For adhesives used outside, it is quite acceptable. Be sure to clarify the shelf life. Good mixes do not exceed the year from the date of release.
Liquid drugs
Gels and pasta in different packaging forms. It can be bottles, aerosol cylinders, tubes for construction pistols. The advantage of liquid compositions is that they are immediately ready for work. They do not need to be breeding at home, risking spoil in case of error in the dosage. This group includes liquid nails, mixtures based on polyurethane. The latter are considered the best for sticking polystyrene foam.
They form a solid durable connection. Polyurethane facilities are universal. They glue foam parts to any base and securely glued together. Work with such pastas is very easy. They are clearly applied to the base, then pressed it to the right place. Polyurethane adhesives are available, used for facade and internal works, their price is low.
Sometimes the glue choose the mounting foam. It keeps the insulation well on concrete or brick, it is used to attach the plinths to the base without finishing. It is easy to use foam, it gives a solid connection, inexpensive. True, if there are substances that dissolve styrene in foam, it will not connect, but only ruptures the elements. It must be taken into account before it is applied.
Important glue selection criteria
1. Scope of material
Foam parts are used very widely. The selection of adhesive mastic will ultimately be determined by the scope of application. So, choose an expensive aerosol for sticking the insulation plates on the walls wastefully. But also a divorced inexpensive dry mixture is difficult to connect, for example, fragments of crafts. In the latter case, experts advise you to choose universal drugs.
So, to glue the foam to the cardboard or paper, it is enough to apply one of the varieties of PVA. This solution is considered basic, well connects a variety of bases. It is completely safe and can be used for children's creativity. True, the strength of its compound is insufficient. It is enough for static crafts, but if the element is subject to some loads, it is better to choose another drug.
2. Manufacturer characteristics
You can find funds designed specifically for foam. They are better than any other suitable for working with him. However, it is necessary to know that we produce several types of such solutions. Some are intended only for foam elements. Others can be used to glue the foam to paper, wood, metal, etc. Therefore, you need to carefully examine the information on the packaging.
3. Method of application
If there is such an opportunity, it is better to choose a convenient drug. So, PVA is suitable for children's creativity in a small jar with a tassel. A child will be able to lubricate foam details independently to glue them or attach to paper, cardboard, etc. To connect large fragments, a liquid in an aerosol cylinder is convenient. It is easily sprayed, evenly covers large planes. But with small can simply roll and not give the desired effect. For large volumes, for example, for the insulation of the facades, they choose dry mixes. They are bred to pasta consistency. It is applied to the sheets of the insulator, apply them to the base and pressed. This is an effective and inexpensive option than to glue the foam to concrete or brick. Sometimes the plates are additionally fixed with fungi dowels. It is even more convenient to fix polystyrene foam on polyurethane mastic. Its price is significantly higher than that of powders, but consumption is less. The paste is linearly either point to the base, it gives it a little to open, then put an element to the selected place. The connection is durable, does not need additional fastening. Polyurethane mix is universal. It can be glued to the foam to the tree, the gland, the cafél, etc.
To accurately apply a solution, for example, when making a craft or for fixing small elements, you can use a glue gun. Important moment: only low-temperature equipment model is suitable. The polystyrene foam is sensitive to high temperatures, can melt. Therefore, the colder the adhesive melt, the better. This method is suitable if you need to choose than to glue the element from the foam to the gland, ceramics, brick, etc.
4. The composition of the drug
If it is decided to use a universal drug, it must be remembered that some of them are contraindicated by polystyrene foam. So, if the composition includes acetone, alcohols, solvents like them substances, there is a danger that the styrene is melted. This means that defects are formed on the foam element until through holes. It is impossible to correct the position, you will have to change the item to a new one.Therefore, any remedy is preferably tested on a small fragment. Best of all, if it is an unnecessary piece of the main product. If not, you choose its most imperceptible site. A little solution is put on the basis and are waiting for a few minutes. This is enough to see a negative reaction if it follows.
With caution, it is necessary to relate to solutions intended for gluing certain materials. So, a mixture for wood or plastic, possibly paste polystyrene. But the quality is unlikely to be good. Then as the probability of the presence of solvent styrenes is high. The composition of such mastic is necessarily carefully studied.
How to glue a foam to the cafes, wood, concrete and other surfaces
Work with foamed material is easy. The main thing is to choose the adhesive tool. Most often, the drug is superimposed on a foam surface. It is dense enough, does not absorb liquid, so it does not need torture. It is only necessary to remove dust and contamination with a clean cloth. But the foundation for which the item will be glued will be prepared.
If the surface with defects is either uneven, it should be seized and sharpen. This is done, for example, with untreated wood. Porous concrete or brick is better progress to reduce the consumption of mastic and improve the grip. Especially if it is divorced from dry powder. Before gluing, cleaning the surface from dirt and dust is required.
After preparation, stick to sticking. Most often, the adhesive solution is superimposed on the foam part. If a strong fixation is needed, the mixture is put on the entire surface. In other cases, they are applied point or zigzag. Sometimes it takes a little time so that the drug has gained adhesive properties. But only contact means work so. In other cases, the prepared elements immediately put in place.
The detail is neatly pressed to the base. Depending on the composition of the adhesive there are a few seconds or minutes until it grabbed and you can correct the position of the glued fragment. After that, it is already well captured and hardened. It remains only to wait until this happens. Through time is clarified on the packaging. It is important that all this period of items remain motionless. If you wait for a long time, they are fixed with backups, skeins, etc.
We figured out than to glue the foam to metal, concrete and other surfaces. To get a good result, you need to select the glue correctly and accurately execute manufacturers instructions. The choice of funds in the stores is very wide, among them it is easy to choose the optimal quality and price option.