Adhesives – Using Rapid Dry Adhesives

As is inherent in the name, “rapidsetting” or “rapid dry” adhesives dry quickly. What should you know about this?

Consider The Environment

The temperature of the environment will affect the speed at which such adhesives dry. When you purchase rapid dry adhesives, the package will specify what temperature will give your adhesive optimum performance. In principle, the warmer the temperature, the less time you have to work with it. The converse of that is, the cooler the temperature, the longer it will take for the adhesive to dry.

When it is warmer outside, it is recommended to mix the adhesive in smaller quantities, that way less of the product is wasted due to drying out before it has been applied to the walls or floors.

Another factor that will quicken the setting of the adhesive is using a drill mixer on high speed. This is because the spinning of the mixer produces heat in the adhesive. Using the drill mixer at slower speeds will remedy this.

On colder days the drying time will be longer as there is less heat to cause the chemical reaction to take place. Does all this translate into a mathematical equation? Unfortunately it does not. It does not mean that if it takes two hours to dry at 20 degrees, then it will dry in four hours at 10 degrees. However, a factor to keep in mind is that if your room is 20 degrees, then the floor or substrate will be 2 or 3 degrees cooler then the temperature of the room. In summary, temperature can play a hand in the way your adhesive behaves.

Avoid A Common Installation Mistake

After laying the first tile, many people lay the second one, then push it up to the edge of the first, then pull it back. This is a mistake. It pushes adhesive up through the grout joints. Instead, lay the second tile next to the first, edge to edge, then slide it away to make the grout joint.

TFO Tile Factory Outlet has some great prices on quality adhesives. Visit their showroom for excellent service and advice or compare prices on their online store.