Indoor and Outdoor Adhesives

It takes only a split second to realize that not all adhesives perform the same on all sorts of materials. In fact, the strength of the glue and whether you use an adhesive that is non-yellowing play a role in the glue's performance. However, the environment also has an impact on how well your adhesive will hold up once the project is completed. In this article we will consider some reasons to think about whether your adhesive is formulated for indoor only or both indoor and outdoor. Along the way, we will touch on why it matters.

Environment Plays a Role

Installations are definitely affected by the environment in which they are carried out. All sorts of environmental factors can contribute to the success or failure of a project. For the most part, installs will go smoothly. Yet there are cases where the results may not be up to your usual standard if you fail to take into consideration, not only your installation environment, but also the environment in which the finished project will stand. That's why it is a good idea to consider what kind of stone adhesive you will need for a given project. Let's look at some ways that the environment can impact your adhesive during an install.

Indoor Projects

The first kind of environment that we will consider briefly is indoors. Installing a surface inside has some advantages. One of the easiest to notice is the temperature. An indoor project offers the ability in most cases for the temperature to be controlled. And if the air conditioner is on, the humidity will be lower as well. Because of the fact that the environment can be controlled indoors, it is likely that you will find more adhesive options designed for indoor use. So your selection will no doubt depend on other factors as well. Yet, with outdoor adhesives it is another story.

Adhesives & the Great Outdoors

Outdoor installs are another story entirely. adhesives that will be used for projects outside will undergo a wider range of atmospheric conditions, temperatures, and humidity levels. Not to mention the amount of sunlight to which the material and the glue will be exposed. For this reason an indoor/outdoor adhesive is recommended for exterior jobs. And even then, you will need to make sure that the temperatures are within the acceptable range for the adhesive you are using.

Each aspect of a glue's life cycle can be affected by temperature. Because of this, Tenax records not only the temperatures for working with the products, but also the temperatures that are acceptable after the product is cured. Additionally, each adhesive has temperature requirements for storage. Storing adhesives at a temperature outside the acceptable range can reduce the shelf life of the glue.

So when you reach for a stone adhesive, rather than going with the lowest price, make sure it will perform in the environment in which your project will exist. Furthermore, look into the acceptable temperature range. If you do, you will be more likely to yield the best results from your adhesive.