Liquid Nails is a multipurpose construction adhesive popularly used in home renovations and small-scale construction projects. This glue is both fast-bonding and permanent, making Liquid Nails ideal for various surfaces.
Liquid Nails can be used on plastic. Specifically, you can use it to glue plastic together or bond plastic to other construction materials, such as wood, metal, and concrete. However, the adhesive is most effective when one of the surfaces on which you’re using it is porous.
Liquid Nails helps remove the need for a hammer and nails to bind surfaces together. In this article, we’ll look at how to use Liquid Nails on plastic, the benefits of using it on plastic surfaces, and how long it takes to dry.
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How to Stick Plastic With Liquid Nails
Liquid Nails is a strong, heavy-duty adhesive that can be used to cement plastic to almost any surface, including metal, wood, concrete, and ceramics.
Here is how to use Liquid Nails on plastic:
- When working with Liquid Nails, it’s best to use a caulk gun to deliver a steady stream of the adhesive onto any surface. Manually applying this glue can be complicated and should be avoided if possible.
- Once you’ve loaded the caulk gun, gently pull the trigger and apply the adhesive onto the plastic surface you wish to glue.
- Move the gun in a zig-zag pattern so the glue is spread over a larger surface area and firmly sticks when bound.
- Now, press the other material you wish to attach onto the plastic surface and hold the two together for a few minutes so the adhesive sets.
Once you’ve attached the two materials together, you want to leave the construction alone for a whole day for the adhesive to set.
How Long Should You Wait for Liquid Nails to Dry?
Liquid Nails often starts drying in the first few minutes after it’s been applied. However, this adhesive can take much longer depending on external conditions.
It’s best to wait at least 24 hours before applying any weight to the materials stuck together using Liquid Nails. Although the adhesive starts drying 15 minutes after application, it can take several days for the glue to bond both surfaces firmly.
The time it takes for Liquid Nails to set properly will depend on a few factors.
Temperature
Atmospheric temperature plays a significant role in how long it takes Liquid Nails to dry on plastic. Lower temperatures tend to slow the drying process and can cause the adhesive to set ineffectively.
Additionally, the temperature of the plastic surface also determines the time taken for Liquid Nails to dry. Luckily, plastic isn’t prone to drastic changes based on outside temperatures, so the drying process will depend on the temperature of any other material glued to the plastic.
Humidity
The drying time of Liquid Nails will depend on the humidity in the air and the moisture present in the binding surfaces. Higher humidity and moist surfaces will lengthen the drying process, and it could take weeks before the adhesive is firmly set.
While plastic is unlikely to retain much moisture, surfaces like wood or cement are susceptible to humidity. Binding plastic to such surfaces would lead to the adhesive taking longer to set.
Porosity
The porosity of the bonding surfaces is perhaps the most crucial factor in determining how long it takes for Liquid Nails to set firmly.
A more porous surface will absorb water and solvents more readily, allowing the Liquid Nails adhesive to set firmly within a short time period.
Non-porous surfaces will prevent the glue from setting in quickly and can lead to a longer drying time. When sticking non-porous surfaces, Liquid Nails can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to dry.
Plastic is non-porous, and if you’re binding it to another non-porous material, like more plastic, metal, or a painted surface, the adhesive will take longer to dry. If you want to stick plastic quickly using Liquid Nails, it’s best to attach it to a porous material.
Benefits of Using Liquid Nails on Plastic
Now that you know how to stick plastic with Liquid Nails and you have an approximation of how long it takes for the glue to dry, here’s why you should use this adhesive on plastic surfaces:
- You can’t use a hammer or iron nails to fix plastic to any other surface, and it isn’t easy to attach plastic firmly through different forms of construction. Here’s where Liquid Nails is handy as it offers the same secure attachment without any trouble.
- Liquid Nails is resistant to water and can endure all types of weather without deteriorating and losing firmness. This adhesive can be used for indoor and outdoor construction, and its long-lasting nature can keep materials together for nearly two years with proper care.
- Latex-based Liquid Nails is free from chemicals or harmful substances and does not emit fumes when drying. Solvent-based Liquid Nails may emit fumes when setting initially, but it’s completely safe once it dries.
Additionally, you can easily remove Liquid Nails from surfaces by rubbing petroleum jelly or mineral oil onto the adhesive. Wash off the jelly and apply soap and water to the area.
You’ll need to rinse and repeat this process a few times to loosen the grip of this adhesive. The easy removal also makes it safe for use as people tend to get some of this glue on themselves during construction.
All you have to do is follow the same procedure of applying petroleum jelly followed by soap and water to eliminate any Liquid Nails that may have accidentally landed on your body.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned, Liquid Nails is a heavy-duty construction adhesive used to bind together a variety of things, including wood, metal, concrete, plastic, tiles, ceramics, and nearly every construction material imaginable.
As such, it’s a powerful adhesive and should be used with immense caution and preferably in the presence of an expert.
But if you’ve figured out how to use this adhesive properly, there’s no easier or more effective way to glue plastic to any surface.
