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best adhesive

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  • Member since
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best adhesive
Posted by hwolf on Monday, April 23, 2018 9:06 AM

What is the best adhesive to bond plastic brick sheet to wood backing?

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Monday, April 23, 2018 10:35 AM

It may not be "the best" but I would use white glue.  It will do the job and I always have it around.

Aileen's Tacky Glue (craft store item) will also work.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Monday, April 23, 2018 10:46 AM

For bonding plastic to wood, I'd use contact cement, and if the plastic brick sheet is styrene, you'll get better results by first coating the gluing surface of it with a solvent, such as MEK.  This "preps" the surface of the plastic so that it doesn't draw too much solvent from the contact cement.
I prefer gelled contact cement, applied with a suitably-sized brush.  Make sure to strictly follow the instructions on the can regarding the wait time between applying the contact cement and actually bringing the two coated surfaces together - this is crucial to getting a good bond.
You also need to get the alignment of the two surfaces right, as contact cement, not surprisingly, is cemented (not re-positionable) on-contact. 
An easy way to ensure good alignment of the edges, after the contact cement has dried on the surfaces for the recommended time, is to cover one surface with waxed paper.  For your situation, I'd guess that applying it to the wood would work best.  You can then place the plastic sheet atop the waxed paper, moving it around in order to line-up the edges.  Once it looks satisfactory, carefully pull the waxed paper so that just a bit of one edge of the wood's surface is exposed, and then carefully press the plastic onto the wood.  Continue withdrawing the waxed paper from beneath the plastic, following along with your free hand to press the plastic in place - the idea is to prevent trapping air between the two surfaces.

The bond formed is permanent - I used this method to veneer kitchen cabinets 30 years ago, and all of it is still firmly in place.

Wayne

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    November 2015
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Posted by UNCLEBUTCH on Monday, April 23, 2018 11:36 AM

I've had luck with ,clear silicon caulk. A tin ''uniform'' layer. Helps if you can weight or clamp it.

These were small,2x3in

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Monday, April 23, 2018 12:09 PM

I have been experimenting lately with rolls of 3M transfer tape, very thin, comes in one inch widths.  In essence it makes what it is applied to a "peel and stick" surface.  What I cannot testify to is how long lasting the bond is -- just have not tested it enough and not long enough.  And in common with other adhesives you have ONE chance to get it right.  

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 19 posts
Posted by WILLIAM SHEPARD on Monday, April 23, 2018 8:35 PM
I had a need to glue paper strips (4x12' HO steel sheet) to the roof which consists of styrene sheet. After reading many different methods, I decided to try a test strip of styrene and test different glues to see what worked. From past experience I have used silicone to glue styrene to paper and wood and it worked good. This test was with Aleene's Tacky Glue, Model Master Liquid Cement for Plastic Models, and Woodland Scenics Hob-e-Tac adhesive. These three worked fine. So I glued up the whole roof with the Hob-e-Tac. Painted with Weber Artists Oil Metallic Silver paint, then when dry weathered. Oil paint because latex can shrink, & warp I was a little surprized with the ones that didn't work. Elmers White Glue, Elmer's School Glue Gel (blue-green color), Elmer's China Glass Cement, and Plasturct Bondene Styrene & ABS Plastic Solvent Cement. Especially the Plasturct vs the Model Master. Model master did, Plasturct didn't work.
  • Member since
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  • From: Canada, eh?
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Posted by doctorwayne on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 10:48 AM

I've had good success gluing paper to styrene using MEK:  I used a 2" brush to fairly liberally coat the .060" sheet styrene, then placed the paper (Kingmill background buildings) onto the styrene and smoothed it into place...

Wayne

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 2,360 posts
Posted by kasskaboose on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 7:06 PM

Are you planning on removing the brick later?  If not, I'd use chaulk to keep it from moving.  White glue might not keep things sturdy.

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