Liquid nails – features of choice and application

The production of liquid nails began almost 40 years ago in the United States. The name Liquid Nails comes from the company that made such adhesives. They were based on a special clay, which was distinguished by increased plasticity. This type of clay is mined in Texas, where the bulk of the American production of liquid nails is concentrated. Some manufacturers then began replacing the special type of clay with calcium carbonate, i.e. chalk, but this began to affect the quality of liquid nails..

In Russia, such construction adhesives appeared only in the 90s, became very popular, now they are produced by many Russian companies. Standard liquid nails are available in 310 ml cartridges. To work with them, a special pistol is required to squeeze out the solution. There are more voluminous cartridges, up to a liter, and there is liquid glue in tubes, as usual, a gun is not required for them.

All modern liquid nails can be divided into two main types:

1. Water-based. These are water-based acrylic adhesives. They are more environmentally friendly, do not have a strong unpleasant odor, and are safe. At the same time, acrylic liquid nails cannot be used in wet rooms, they can reliably attach only porous materials, that is, the fastening strength will be noticeably lower.
2. Neoprene based on organic solvent. They are used with a wider range of materials, hold significantly more weight, can be used, for example, for laying tiles in a bathroom, that is, in a damp room. However, neoprene liquid nails smell unpleasant, and the smell will disappear from the room for a long time. In addition, working with them requires compliance with safety measures..

The rest of the varieties of liquid nails exist in abundance. There are adhesives specifically for plastic, universal, only for dry rooms, with fast adhesion, and so on. Let us dwell on the adhesion of construction glue in more detail: usually it is enough to press the object that needs to be attached to the surface for two to three minutes. If the drying rate is more than 5 minutes, it will be inconvenient to work, for example, with panels that will have to be pressed against the wall or ceiling for a long time.

In general, liquid nails are suitable for the following types of surfaces:

• Ceramic tiles.
• Plasterboard.
• Plastic.
• Wood.
• Particleboard and fiberboard.
• Ceramics.
• Glass.
• Cork panels.
• Wallpaper for painting.
• With aluminum.

Remember, acrylic liquid nails are not designed for metal and glass work. However, manufacturers are required to indicate the scope of the adhesive or write that it is universal.

Sometimes liquid nails are used to seal bathtubs, door frames, vents, sinks, corner joints, countertops, showers, window sashes … However, experts believe that for this purpose it is better to use special sealants, adhesives have a different purpose.

The technology for using liquid nails is simple:

1. The application surface must be dry, clean and free from grease. Sanding can be applied to improve adhesion..
2. The glue is applied in dots, as if you were deciding where to drive a nail. On fairly heavy objects, you can apply strips of liquid nails.
3. The surfaces are tightly pressed against each other and held for two to three minutes, sometimes just one.
4. The glue will completely dry in about a day, so during this time you should not touch the glued object.
5. If a drop of glue is spilled, wipe it off immediately! Otherwise, you will have to use solvents..

Important! Handle neoprene liquid nails with gloves, they are toxic!

The main advantages of liquid nails include the adhesion strength: from 15 to 80 kilograms per square centimeter, the ability to work with a wide variety of surfaces, plasticity, speed of hardening, ease of use. As for the cost, it is relatively low. For example, “Moment Montage” with a volume of 400 milliliters can be purchased for 178 rubles, and Liquid Nails LN-930 glue for mirrors with a volume of 310 milliliters – for 180 rubles.