Construction adhesives: differences and what to keep in mind

Construction adhesive is an irreplaceable help in performing various internal and external construction and repair works: no need to drill holes — with adhesive you can attach even heavy objects, and connect various materials in the most difficult-to-reach places. Moreover, the choice of products is rather wide as well: polyurethane, acrylic and rubber-based adhesives are available, and some of the most popular and best-rated are hybrid adhesives characterised by high adhesion strength.

Depends on the complexity of work

As Tegra State experts note, different construction adhesives can be applied to nearly every work performed. For various simple finishing works, it is recommended to use acrylic adhesive, the production of which does not include solvents. Point 97 adhesive is suitable for gluing tiles, the nail replacement Point 95 – for gluing wooden and OSB panels, for gluing wood – Point 204 Wood Fix Adhesive D3 with increased adhesion force, for gluing polystyrene foam – Point 92, for fixing finishing elements – Point construction glue called Acryl Tack Interior, and for gluing and sealing various films – Point 203 Folie & Membrane Fix adhesive.

PU 301 Metal & Wood Fix polyurethane-based and extremely strong installation adhesive characterised by continuous elasticity is suitable for gluing and sealing stair treads and metal structures. Meanwhile, the rubber-based Point adhesive has a high initial bonding and is also perfectly suitable for gluing various finishing elements. This product is an ideal replacement for nails, and can also be used for gluing tiles. However, for more sensitive surfaces, it is advisable to use acrylic glue, since no solvents are used in its production.

Suitable even for boat repairs

The products that are the most resistant to environmental effects, highly durable and characterised by good adhesion are hybrid glues, which are valued for their universal application, as they can be used for both gluing building materials and hanging a simple mirror. It is recommended to use advanced technology Gudfor 911 hybrid glue for fixing skirting boards and edges, while Point 100 Ideas can be applied on any surface, even a wet one. This crystal clear adhesive is suitable for all construction, repair and utility works and has a high S1 mould resistance class. Point 105 HYBRI FIX MARINE, an adhesive specially designed for repairing boats, roofs and swimming pools is also available on the market.

Point High Tack hybrid technology adhesive with strong initial bonding is highly preferred by construction professionals. Due to its resistance to environmental influences, it is suitable for use with many building materials even on wet surfaces, forming a strong and always elastic bond which is able to withstand tensile force of up to 335 per cent. The bonding force of 20 t/m2 allows even very heavy building elements to be glued without support.

Extreme adhesive strength

However, probably the best choice, especially when working with heavy structures, is Point 104 Turbo Power Fix hybrid adhesive. This adhesive has a bonding force of up to 380 t/m2, ensuring excellent adhesion even with concrete, bricks, plaster, ceramics, glass, hard PVC, metals, stone, OSB, wood and other materials. In other words, this adhesive is characterised by its universal application and allows to glue a number of construction and finishing elements. The adhesive does not contain aggressive solvents, therefore, it does not damage even easily damaged surfaces.

Due to the high bonding force, this adhesive is suitable for use with high-weight structures, but a small application surface area. This is useful for fixing LED lighting panels and similar structures, for attaching heavier flat panels to uneven and non-standard surfaces.

Helps save time

Point 104 Turbo Power Fix also features an extremely short setting time — a bonding force of 20 t/m2 is achieved in just 15 minutes, which helps to get the job done quickly and to save a lot of valuable time. For example, when using 2-3 mm wide seams, 80% of the final bonding force is ensured after only three hours, whereas other construction adhesives require at least a day to fully set. Thus, when fixing aluminium suspended ceiling frames and plasterboard panels, installations can commence in just a few hours, while using other adhesives you might have to wait much longer.

This product is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and allows the structures to be fixed on wet surfaces, which is also very important in rainy spring weather. Thus, it is much easier to plan your tasks, work faster and more efficiently, which ultimately results in lower costs.

In addition, Point 104 Turbo Power Fix has a high temperature resistance from -40°C to +90°C. The elasticity of the product after setting allows for reliable attachment of mailboxes, address numbers and other objects, without having to drill holes in the facade, which allows to ensure the thermal insulation properties of the building and achieve a high energy efficiency class.

In general, when choosing construction adhesives, it is not only the bonding strength, but also moisture resistance and application temperature, that should be considered. Tegra State specialists can offer advice on which product should be chosen for any specific work.