Avoid These "Sticky" Situations With Glue

Many of our shoppers are seasoned veterans and are familiar with the various types of stone bonding adhesives available to professionals that glue natural and engineered stone. However, everyone starts somewhere. In fact, no stone professional wakes up one day as a master stone worker; the journey takes time. One thing that every pro must learn, is how to make the best use of the right kinds of adhesives. In this article we will consider some simple things that can trip up even the experienced stone professional when it comes to adhesives.

Why Avoiding Mistakes With Adhesives Is Important

We'll open our discussion of this topic by looking at why avoiding adhesive mistakes with adhesives is important. One reason is because stone bonding adhesives are not cheap. Making a mistake regarding your stone glue can be costly. At the very least, it can result in a project that does not meet your standards or that of your customer. In even worse scenarios, it cause you to have to throw away unused product or perhaps even replace stone or other materials. For these reasons, we are considering some basic things to keep in mind when selecting your adhesives.

Getting the Right Glue for the Project

One area to keep an eye on, is the type of glue or adhesive you buy. Why is this on our list of mistakes to avoid with adhesives? Because choosing the wrong kind of glue for the job can yield poor results.

When it comes to adhesives, there are many from which to choose. Polyesters, epoxies, and acrylics are some of the keywords will hear used in the industry or read about. Furthermore, there are a varietry of applicators that can be used to apply the adhesive to the surface you are bonding. The method of applying can contribute to a great strong bond and a the same could be said of a poor, weak, one. Finally, the consistency of the bonding agent affects how it can be applied. Is it Knife Grade or Flowing? All of these factors should be considered in conjunction with the price.

Since not all adhesives come in the same form, it is important to be familiar with the type of glue you are seeking. Additionally, ask what kinds of application requirements are necessary. Are there certain environmental requirements to be aware of? These are just some of the usage and choice considerations to be aware of so your project will come out as good as it can.

Mixing Adhesives Properly

Another factor that becomes a sticky situation when it comes to granite glue is mixing multipart or multi-component adhesives. Often times, these types of glues must be mixed in a specific ratio in order to get the best results. Not only knowing the correct mix ratio, but mixing the parts together thoroughly is important if you want your bond to be the best it can be. A common mistake that people make, is that they will inadvertantly switch the components when mixing them together. Unless the ratio is a 1:1, this will product less than perfect results; even if the components are mixed thoroughly.

If you have it in the budget and you want a perfect mix ratio without wasting unnecessary product, some adhesives are offered as a cartridge and are mixed as they travel through the nozzle of the glue cartridge. These kinds of adhesives generally cost a little more but some fabricators really like the results and the reduction in waste.

Buying in the Right Quantity Of Adhesive

Finally, some get tripped up when purchasing stone adhesive by buying too much at one time. Adhesives can have a limited shelf life and some specific adhesives experience a shortening of shelf life if opened. So, when choosing the adhesive you are going to use, it would be wise to not overbuy. If you don't have multiple projects to use the particular glue on, it might end up going bad before you ever need to use what's left.

In the end, it boils down to choosing the glue that best fits your project. If you have an indoor project and a big budget, you will have many more options than will see trying to do an outdoor job on a shoestring budget. The key to not getting "stuck" between a rock and a hard place, is to know your options and be aware of what each of those options can do.