How to glue styrofoam

Video: Best Glue for Styrofoam - Top 5 Glues of 2021

Content

Part 3 of 3: Applying the adhesive
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Elmer's glue is safe for children and non-toxic. However, it is more liquid and it is easier for them to get dirty.
Creative adhesives such as Aleene's Tacky Glue tend to be thicker and result in less clutter.
Please note that PVA glue, although cheap and versatile, is not as strong and durable as more expensive special-purpose adhesives, so it is better not to use it in projects where the foam will be exposed to stress (such as when building a foam glider, etc. ).
Whichever PVA glue you choose, it is best used to glue large pieces of styrofoam.

2 Use foam glue. Believe it or not, some adhesives are designed specifically for use on foam. Adhesives like Styro Glue are inexpensive but can be more difficult to find than simple PVA glue. You can usually find foam glue at home improvement stores or craft stores.

If you are going to buy specialty foam glue, please check the label before purchasing. Some foam adhesives are designed to be used only for foam, others may be suitable for bonding foam to other materials.

3 Use spray adhesive. With most aerosol adhesives (which can often be found in a building materials store for 500 rubles or less per can), styrofoam can be quickly and conveniently glued. In addition, since these aerosols are often multipurpose, they can be used for different materials. For example, one of the inexpensive multipurpose adhesives is designed to adhere foam to metal, plastic, paper, cardboard and wood.

Test the adhesive first on an inconspicuous area. If the glue doesn't tell you if it can be used to glue the styrofoam, it's best to test it first. Some spray products, such as paint cans, can melt the foam.
Since aerosol adhesives have low adhesive properties, they are best used for gluing large pieces of foam. For example, glueing two foam balls with spray glue is not a good idea.

4 Use a low temperature hot glue gun. Conventional hot glue guns are great for sticking styrofoam to a variety of different craft materials such as paper, cardboard, wood, and so on. However, when using a glue gun with Styrofoam, keep in mind that the colder it is, the better. Glue that is too hot can burn through or melt the foam, which emits harmful fumes.

Thanks to their high precision, hot glue guns are great for gluing small foam items. They can also be used to glue foam balls.
While the fumes that come from burning foam will not harm you at any given time, they should not be taken lightly as they can contain many toxic chemicals. These include styrene and benzene, which are carcinogenic and can cause cancer.

5 Do not use specialized adhesives for other materials. If you need to glue the foam, it is better to refrain from using adhesives that are created specifically for certain materials other than foam (that is, glue for wood, for fabric, building epoxy and adhesive mixtures, and so on). While some of these adhesives may and suitable for styrofoam, most are not significantly better than cheap, simple craft adhesives, so don't waste your money. In addition, some specialty adhesives can even dissolve foam and other plastics (see below).

6 Do not use glue that contains plastic solvent. Because of the lightness and brittleness of the foam, it is easy to forget that it is actually made from plastics. Initially, foam is a "foamed" plastic, that is, plastic mixed with air, which is why it is so light. Since styrofoam is made from plastics, you should avoid glue that contains a solvent that can dissolve the plastic. Otherwise, there is a high probability of spoiling the foam and ruining the product.

For example, rubber glue is very strong and flexible, but often contains alcohol and acetone. Acetone, the active ingredient in nail polish remover, can dissolve different types of plastics, so products that contain it should not be used to bond foam. However, some non-acetone rubber adhesives may work well for bonding foam.

Part 3 of 3: Applying the adhesive

1 Clean and prepare surfaces. Styrofoam is easy enough to work with, the main thing is to use the right glue. Typically, you will need to apply glue to the styrofoam, press it against another surface, and wait until it dries. However, before gluing, it is necessary to thoroughly clean each surface of dust and dirt by wiping them with a clean dry cloth. Otherwise, the adhesive properties of the adhesive will deteriorate, resulting in weaker adhesion.
- If you adhere to a particularly “porous” surface (such as an untreated piece of wood or a surface with a lot of chipping), the bond strength of the adhesive may decrease. In this case, sand the surface as much as possible to make it smoother and more uniform. Try this with a 6-H (P180) grit or better.
2 Apply glue. When you're ready to start, apply the glue to the styrofoam surface. For the strongest hold, cover the entire surface with a thin, even coat. If strong adhesion is not necessary, you can apply the adhesive in drops or stripes.
- If you are working with a very large piece of Styrofoam, pour the glue into a cuvette and apply with a brush. This will allow the adhesive to be applied quickly and evenly, so it won't dry out in some areas while you apply it on others.
- If the pieces of foam are small, use PVA glue or a glue gun.
- When working with a hot glue gun, proceed quickly. Hot gun glue hardens in minutes.
- If glueing foam balls, use toothpicks to strengthen the adhesion between them. Stick a toothpick into one of them, apply glue to both balls, and then glue them together. After all, round objects have a much smaller surface area than flat ones.
3 Apply Styrofoam. When ready, press a piece of Styrofoam to another surface. Press down gently so that both surfaces are firmly in contact with each other. Depending on the type of glue and its amount, you will have about a minute during which you can freely move the foam - use this time to correct its position if necessary.
- For extra hold, apply some more glue to the edges of the styrofoam where it meets another surface. Do not use more than necessary to create a thin line or seam - this will increase the drying time.
4 Let dry. All that's left is to wait. Depending on the size of the product, the type of glue and its amount, the drying time can vary from just a few minutes to several hours. Do not touch the craft while it dries, otherwise you will have to reapply the glue and re-dry it. If necessary, use hard objects (such as books, boxes, etc.) to hold the object in position while it dries.
- Hot melt dries faster at low temperatures.
- Depending on the temperature and the degree of humidity, the glue may take longer to dry.
5 Be aware of the relative brittleness of the foam. Most of the gluing methods described in this article allow you to more or less tightly hold the product together, which is unlikely to break under normal conditions after the glue dries. The same cannot be said about the foam itself, a very fragile and delicate material. Remember to handle it with care, even after the glue has dried - glued or not - it is easy for the Styrofoam to accidentally break or break against a wall, doorframe, or other surface.

Tips

If a piece of styrofoam falls off the material you glued it to, discard it and start over. If you apply glue to an already dried layer, you will not be able to achieve good adhesion.
If the glue dries longer than you expected when gluing two pieces of Styrofoam, use toothpicks to pierce them to prevent the parts from moving.You can use an air gun set to a low temperature to speed up drying.

Warnings

Never use a hot melt glue gun to glue styrofoam. Since styrofoam is made from plastics, a hot glue gun can melt it, resulting in damage to your structure. The hot melt glue gun should only be used for bonding heat-resistant materials.