Features of choosing adhesive for polyethylene: tips and tricks

Polyethylene is inert to most substances. This is a positive characteristic, but not for the moment if you need to stick it to the surface. You need to buy a special glue for polyethylene, only it will cope with the task. Many people use universal adhesives, but they will not provide full adhesion.

Polyethylene and its properties

Polyethylene is an organic compound. Thermoplastic ethylene polymer - many thin sheets needed in everyday life.

Available in three density options: low, medium, high. Density affects the properties of the product. For example, at low density it stretches well and is elastic, but at high density it is prone to cracking.

Basic properties:

• The thicker the layer of material, the lower the transparency.
• At a temperature of -60 – -269 degrees, crystallization occurs, which will lead to cracking.
• Doesn't absorb water, doesn't even get wet by it.
• Without heating, it does not dissolve in organic solvents.
• If the temperature exceeds 80 degrees, then swelling occurs first, then dissolution in aromatic hydrocarbons.
• Shows resistance to many substances at normal temperatures.
• At temperatures above 60 degrees, it can be destroyed by sulfuric and nitric acid.
• The chrome mixture promotes oxidation of the polyethylene surface, resulting in wetting with water and the adhesive mass.

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How to glue polyethylene

How to glue polyethylene and all products made from materials with low surface tension? For example, using hardware techniques to change the physical properties of the surface of a “substance” - burn it in a flame in a gas catalytic environment; or treated with low-temperature plasma in a vacuum, all this is done in special chambers, slightly similar to microwaves. All this is very far from everyday life and home repairs.

Closer to home - welding of polymer pipes, accessible to any craftsman with inexpensive and easy-to-use equipment. The process of welding PE and PP with a soldering iron is quick and simple, and the connection after melting and diffusion becomes monolithic and super-strong (of course, with a skilled craftsman).

But what if you don’t just need to glue PE parts or glue foamed polyethylene to the base without destroying its surface and maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the products? In this case, you can use special adhesives with primers. The first adhesives for PE were two-component, and they are still used today. First, a thin layer of primer is applied with a brush or sponge - as a result, the physics of the PE surface changes slightly - wettability and thereby adhesive properties increase. Then glue is applied and the parts are fixed.

Another gluing method is also with a primer - a composition that includes methacrylates; these substances are able to dissolve the top layer of the part, and then, after curing, a strong seam is obtained. The main disadvantage of methacrylate and cyanoacrylate compositions is their strong odor and the release of harmful substances upon contact between the primer and the polymer. In more modern formulations there is only one active adhesive component and there is no chemical primer.

Adhesive for polyethylene foam

Gluing isolon and foil insulation, fixing penofol on a foam base or gluing porous penoizol to concrete, as well as many other operations necessary in everyday life and construction, are impossible without special adhesives. The choice is very wide, and all parameters should be taken into account: base porosity, working conditions (humidity, temperature), acceptable hardening time, glue safety.

Adhesive for penofol, isolon and similar materials should:

• Ensure stable adhesion;
• Temperature operating range that matches the parameters of the insulation;
• Resistance to temperature and humidity changes;
• Completely non-toxic and safe indoors;
• For bathrooms, baths and saunas, the glue must have waterproof and water-repellent qualities.

For concrete bases, adhesives from the Titan line are optimal in price and quality; For gluing with penoplex, contact compounds Acrol and Neoprene-2136 are used; for polypropylene and polyethylene parts and repairs, Weicon Easy-Mix-PE-PP shows excellent gluing results.

Universal adhesive compositions Olfix, Ceresit - suitable for installing foamed PE on any base - concrete, screed, wood, metal. There are a lot of adhesive compositions, and the only way to choose is to carefully read the technical characteristics of the adhesive and instructions and take certified compositions from trusted sellers.

How to glue at home

If there is a need to glue polyethylene at home, then you need to use IZ products. The gluing process depends on what base the film is attached to.

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Between themselves

The polyethylene film will stick to each other BF-2. But before work you need to prepare:

• The surface is thoroughly cleaned of dirt, dust deposits, and degreased.
• Apply a layer of adhesive, distribute evenly, connect the surfaces.
• Press for a couple of hours until the mass sets.

This preparation is suitable for all types of connecting compounds.

Glue - toxic compounds, work is performed with gloves.

In addition to glue, double-sided tape, soldering the ends between two metal plates, or molten plastic will help to glue the film.

To metal

In order for the polyethylene to tightly and reliably cover the metal surface, you need to do the following:

• the metal plane is cleaned and degreased;
• warms up to 120–150 degrees;
• the film is carefully stretched, gradually applied to a metal plane, and rolled.

To concrete

It is not difficult to stick insulation to concrete, the main thing is to follow the rules:

• the concrete surface is cleaned, leveled, primed;
• glue is applied to the side of the insulation where there is no foil;
• wait a minute for the glue to soak in;
• apply cloth, press;
• the edges are additionally coated and fixed;
• wait until it dries completely.

How to choose glue

There is a fairly wide range of different adhesives for sale for working with polyethylene foam. And it is advisable to make the choice using the following criteria.

• The temperature range must match this characteristic of the insulation.
• Adhesive properties must be extremely high.
• If you plan to use glue for interior decoration, it must be certified and non-toxic.
• If adhesive is selected for exterior finishing, it must be resistant to a variety of weather conditions and temperature changes.
• If you intend to finish the sauna and bathhouse, then the glue will need to be mixed with water-repellent agents.

Water-based adhesive is absolutely not suitable for working with isolon, because it does not allow the adhesive to penetrate into all the pores of the insulation. Consequently, the level of adhesion will be insufficient.

How to glue film (oilcloth)

How to glue polyethylene? There are a couple of possible answers:

• Iron welding. This is a fairly simple method, but it requires accuracy and subtlety of craftsmanship. To do this, the iron is heated to what temperature, it depends on the thickness of the material. The edges of the oilcloth are folded overlapping, then the edge or nose of the iron is drawn along the seam. Stay in place for no more than one second, as scorching will occur. Strength is checked by stretching two pieces of oilcloth.
• Open flame welding. For this method, you will need fire-resistant bars, between which the two edges of the film are fixed. An open flame from a match or gas burner melts the edges. This creates a dense bead that prevents the material from diverging.

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We insulate the home

Since it’s quite cold outside, it’s important to provide your home with heat. As practice shows, the use of additional heating sections is not effective enough. The best option for this case is wall insulation. To carry it out, different materials, technologies, etc. are used. All this allows you to make the room warm and cozy at any time of the year. Moreover, it is excellent for both apartments and private houses.

Ideal insulation

Wall insulation is carried out in several ways. It can be done both on the outside of the wall, that is, from the street, and on the inside. The second option is used quite often today. And this is not surprising. After all, it consists in using a special cover for wallpaper. It is attached to the wall with glue. As a result, the walls turn out beautiful and well-groomed, providing comfort and coziness in the room.

Some tips for working with the material

When carrying out gluing work, you must follow the advice of the masters:

• If maximum joint strength is required, then only the welding method is used. In this case, the cooling of the weld should occur gradually.
• Cleaning and degreasing are carried out using any connection method.
• If acrylate glue was used, the connection should be kept at a temperature of 15–70 degrees for 5 hours.
• Epoxy glue does not provide the desired connection and is more difficult to work with.
• It's not difficult to make your own glue. To do this, crushed chalk or cement is added to acrylate glue.

Types of glue

We list the currently most commonly used glue options.

• For rooms with high humidity, MV-40 is suitable, which has moisture-resistant properties. You can also choose T-Avangard-K.
• For residential premises, “Express” or “Universal” are usually used.
• If we are talking about installing external building structures, then it is best to choose liquid nails or assembly adhesive. For example, Moment Montage would be suitable.

• Titanium is good for reinforced concrete base.
• Neoprene-2136 in the form of a spray or Acrol contact type are selected for gluing to penoplex.
• Olfix and Ceresit are universal glue options. They are perfect for working with any type of surface, including concrete.

• Atlas Stopter K-2 kley is selected if you plan to glue the insulation to a mineral base.
• Weicon Easy Mix PE-PP-45 is selected for gluing polypropylene to polyethylene.

After the work, the seams will need to be treated using Tilit or adhesive tape specially designed for this purpose. The choice of adhesive is largely determined by the purpose of the room that you plan to insulate, whether you will attach it to wood, metal, concrete, etc. It can be difficult to choose on your own without much experience in construction and installation work. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult with specialists.

In the Remonstr store you will find a huge variety of glue options. If you find it difficult to choose, contact our consultants for help, who will promptly respond to your request, help with placing an order, and clarify all the important details regarding payment and delivery.

What kind of glue to glue foamed polyethylene with?

When choosing insulation, a special place is occupied by foamed polyethylene - a material with sound, heat and vapor barrier properties. Depending on the manufacturer, it can be penofol, isolon or polyfoam. The construction market offers different types: with one-sided or double-sided foil, as well as with a self-adhesive plane. The material on which the insulation is attached also varies. Based on all the parameters, you need to be able to choose the appropriate adhesive for polyethylene foam.

Mounting features

The first layer of double thermal insulation using these materials is penoplex; penofol is laid on it. Further finishing is allowed:

• MDF;
• Laminate;
• Chipboard and other suitable materials.

Penoplex boards are attached to the surface using fungi, and to secure the penofol layer, you can use the simplest option. Namely, purchase a heat insulator that has an adhesive base on one of its sides. If you choose a foil-coated thermal insulation material, the connection can be made using self-tapping screws or a construction stapler.

As an adhesive solution, it is permissible to use a mixture of glue with the addition of polyurethane or cement. In this case:

• fastenings are more durable;
• the structure increases the level of strength and resistance to mechanical damage;
• significantly extends the life of active use.

When using such solutions, the thermal insulation qualities also increase, since the mixture fills possible gaps, creating a kind of waterproofing between the slabs of thermal insulation material.

Another way of fastening penofol and penoplex without an intermediate layer of other materials is the use of bitumen-based glue. This is an affordable option that provides reliable connection of elements.

Option 1. Universal glue

Universal adhesives that grip different surfaces equally well include:

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• Kleyberite-636;
• Moment Crystal;
• Emfikol-34012

Despite the fact that these adhesives are suitable in our case, professionals recommend using special adhesives for plastic, or liquid nails. We will talk about them further.

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Joining polyethylene by welding

The most reliable seam can be obtained by properly welding this material. What complicates the welding process? The next nuance that must be taken into account: polyethylene is molded hot and under high pressure, reaching hundreds of kg per square centimeter. When welding, it is heated again under normal atmospheric pressure until it melts, and then it shrinks somewhat, complicating the work of the welder. Based on the type of object being welded, a distinction is made between film welding and welding of products made of thick polyethylene - cans, pipes, etc.

Thin polyethylene film is welded using a special apparatus or preheated improvised devices. In the machine, the film is glued together as follows: its joined layers are pulled along a wedge heated to a certain temperature, and then pressed against each other with a pair of special rollers. Proper selection of the degree of heating and pressure of the rollers ensures a tight and reliable connection.

Application of acrylate glue with filler

This technique is chosen for working with materials that have poor adhesion. Liquids are difficult to adhere to polyethylene material. Adhesives with tiny glass beads are used to hold liquids in one area. This way, the necessary area for gluing is obtained, and after hardening, tightly fixed parts are obtained. Before gluing the oilcloth together, it is degreased and dried.

The adhesive composition is applied with a special mixer. Setting occurs in 2-3 minutes.

This technique is chosen for working with materials that have poor adhesion.

How to glue: process features

Fastening this material is quite simple. This work does not require special knowledge or skills. Therefore, quite often it is done with your own hands. At the same time, the quality of the work received is in no way inferior to that performed by specialists.

After the base has been prepared, it is necessary to remove the backing from the packaging material. Measure and cut a piece of it. Now proceed to preparing the glue. Usually the method of diluting it is indicated on the packaging. It is necessary to study this information and you can proceed to its breeding.

After this, you can begin to carry out the main work. Experts recommend starting from the window and then moving along the wall. At the same time, do everything carefully and carefully. To do this, first apply glue to the wall, then the substrate. After which they connect. This must be done end to end. If excess glue comes out, remove the excess with a cloth.

Once all the backing is glued, it must be left to dry. This period must be at least 24 hours. When this time has elapsed and the backing is firmly and securely fixed, proceed to gluing the wallpaper.

Today, the use of foamed polyethylene as a substrate is quite widespread. This is explained by its high efficiency. In addition to the fact that this material provides warmth and comfort in the house, it also helps combat high humidity. Provides good sound insulation in the room. At the same time, the wallpaper looks aesthetically pleasing on it. And if there were any unevenness on the wall, the backing hides them perfectly. Wallpaper with a backing has a long service life. At the same time, throughout this period they perfectly retain their properties and original appearance. You can see this in the photo below.

Comparison of penofol and penoplex

Penofol is a rolled sound, heat and vapor insulator, consisting of foamed polyethylene foam as a base and aluminum foil applied by thermal welding. Penofol refers to reflective insulation. It can be made of foam of different thicknesses (usually 2-20 mm) and density, foil-coated on one or both sides, and have an adhesive layer for attaching to surfaces. Usually marked by type (A - foil on one side, B - on both sides, C - foil on one side, adhesive layer on the other).

How to glue: preparatory work

After the material for wall insulation has been selected and the quantity required has been calculated, the question arises of how to glue foam wallpaper. This work is not difficult. It consists of several interconnected stages.

The first thing you need to start with is to prepare the surface, which will ensure uniform and monolithic gluing. To do this, the surface is leveled, its flaws are eliminated, cracks must be covered, chips must be removed. After which the base is primed. This will ensure better adhesion. If there are metal elements in concrete, they are treated with special means that prevent their corrosion. Next comes cleaning the surface from dirt and dust.