Bonding Foam to Luan ?

[Larry C]

Steve, that looks like the ideal product, but like ALL 3M products, it's pricey. $136 gal. I will have to think about that awhile. Do you use it like most contact cements applying to both sides?

Yes you coat both sides and thin enough to spray from a gun so coverage is very good. Get the green one so you can see how well you have it laid on and once it goes from a lime green to dark green its ready to contact together. Go to an actual fastenal if you have one and they will quote a much better price in person than online.

Thanks, Steve. I never had much faith in water base contact cement, but 3M makes some great products, and I don't doubt it works good. Does it need to rolled or weighted?
Also, I have a Fastenal acct. through work. There online price is $142 gal. plus frt. They didn't give me much off that, and we buy a lot from them. I will keep looking for a better price.

Larry

[Larry C]

I just bought a quart of 3M Fastbond 30NF for ~$50 through Amazon. But it came from R. S. Hughes in Sunnyvale CA, and their website says "No Minimum Order"

I'm planning to roll the cement on to my aluminum trailer walls and the rigid styrofoam insulation I'm attaching to the inside.

I'll let you know how it works out.

<Chas>

Yes... Please let us know what you think about it. I really like the Steve's idea of spraying it with the cheap HLVP HF sprayer. You will probably get a much better uniform coat.

[Oldragbaggers]

We'll need a new section for "Luanie Foamies"

[linuxmanxxx]

Yes... Please let us know what you think about it. I really like the Steve's idea of spraying it with the cheap HLVP HF sprayer. You will probably get a much better uniform coat.

Plus you use a lot less and get better coverage. Any left in hopper when you are done just dump back in the container.

This formula is 40 plus yrs old and was made for laminating formica and other countertop surfaces originally. Funny thing is that this far down the road and its one of the few glues that pass california's green ratings and is green due to the lack of the VOCs that are present in the petroleum delivered cements which is actually what eats the foam not the glue. The VOC is there to flash off and leave just the glue on the surface and since it can't flash fast enough it dissolves the foam just like if you poured xylol or acetone directly on it.

Most water based are just not good glues is the problem like all the latex based versions that are in the construction glue section of the box stores. The PL Premium is a bad a** glue at the box stores which is in the polyurethane glue family but it is only available in a caulking tube and the worst mess maker on the planet and very hard to clean up after if you get it outside the glue area.

The whole spray glue escapade started with an awesome polyurethane sprayable very thin and insanely strong version but required buying in a 55 gallon drum of the hardener at $4k so that was immediately out the window although the cost per camper would be less than the 3M is costing us and I'd have to wait 2 months for delivery of the order as it's not made until its ordered.

[GuitarPhotog]

I'm not really interested in spraying because I'll be working in the interior of an already completed trailer where any overspray will be a serious issue, as will ventilation (yeah, I know it's water based, but still I don't want to inhale a bunch of stuff).

I specifically chose the Fastbond 30NF for it's high temperature tolerance. As I said in my thread on the subject, the interior of the skin of my trailer reaches 140F on a hot day in the sun. I've tried two different construction adhesives and both melted right off the skin.

<Chas>

[GuitarPhotog]

Here's an update on the use of 3M Fastbond to glue styrofoam insulation to the interior of my aluminum trailer.

The FB30 is about the consistency of thinned white glue and spreads easily with a bristle brush. I started with a foam brush, but it caused the adhesive to froth up too much so I abandoned it quickly.

My garage was barely 70F today but cooler weather is on it's way so it was now or never. I didn't completely cover the surfaces, mostly because I didn't know how well the adhesive would cover and I didn't want to run out. No worry there, it took very little to form a good coat on the surface of the styrofoam and even less to coat the aluminum. It went on smoothly and with few drips and runs.

The instructions say to wait until both surfaces are completely dry, a minimum of 1/2 hour. It took most of an hour to dry today, but when both sides were dry, the glue gripped and held firm on first contact. The glue cleans up with soap and water until it has dried then requires acetone to remove.

Based on the ease of application and clean up, I'd recommend this glue. Now let's see how it holds when the aluminum surface gets really hot.

<Chas>

[eaglesdare]

thanks for the update!

[jonw]

+1 thanks for the update. I bought at quart of this to try bonding some foam to the inside of an aluminum panel and the underside of my galley hatch.

Will also be trying a spray can of 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive (on the hatch foam pieces which will be enclosed). On the 3M site they recommend Hi-Strength 90 spray for metal-foam bonding. If they have that at HD I'll probably pick up can of it to try as well...

[linuxmanxxx]

Those spray versions both will eat the foam especially the 90.

[jonw]

Those spray versions both will eat the foam especially the 90.

Depends upon the type of foam. Is supposed to work fine for polyethelene.

[linuxmanxxx]

It works on the type that is used in seats and things like that and not the polystyrene that everyone is using in campers. Trust me if you spray either of those on white, blue, or pink foam board it will turn into a blob of goo.

[GPW]

Somebody ’s just gotta’ try EPP expanded polypropylene ... TOUGH stuff (they make modern car bumpers from it in the higher density versions) , resistant to most solvents ... a bit Pricy ...hard to find ... Bond most anything to it with the right adhesive ..

[mdk]

Those of you gluing the wood to foam, are you adding framework and screwing, as well as gluing, it all?

[Wobbly Wheels]

Personally, I've run wood only around the perimeter and where the floor overlays the trailer's two longitudinal stringers so I could through bolt it without compressing the foam. No internal wood except for that.

[mdk]

Personally, I've run wood only around the perimeter and where the floor overlays the trailer's two longitudinal stringers so I could through bolt it without compressing the foam. No internal wood except for that.

could you give me a link to what you built?