Guest Author - Dale Y the Maintenance Guy

In the past, the three most common and commonly used adhesives out in the land of do-it-yourself have always been woodworkers white glue, rubber glue, and contact cement. Not that there haven’t been other kinds to choose from, but most of the differences were for specific types of construction applications, and unless someone was a professional in a building trade, none of the other adhesives would have been as well known. However, in the past few years, new ideas and technology have put some functionally diverse and incredibly powerful adhesives, readily available to anyone.

The largest advance in sticky has been the polyurethane based compounds. These types of adhesives are some of the most versatile as well as some of the strongest glues available. They penetrate well into porous surfaces, provide good adhesion on flat surfaces, and will stick to virtually anything natural or synthetic. But perhaps their biggest attribute is a property that they can call their own; they expand as they cure.

That in itself is a revolution in a traditional world of adhesives, because until these new urethane glues were introduced, every other adhesive had a tendency to contract when they dried.

Traditionally, if two pieces of material did not line up correctly, there would always be a space that would remain open. Some type of filler would be needed to close the gap, since any glue introduced into this area would simply dry and contract, leaving the space open, and the results would have to be lived with. Not so with a polyurethane based adhesive. They will actually expand and fill in small gaps while maintaining uniformity, thereby increasing strength all along the glued surface. That means more durability, less chance of the glued area to separate, and a better appearance when fully dried.

Polyurethane based glues come under a variety of names, with Gorilla Glue and Borden’s Probond being a couple of the more recognizable. Any of the newer polyurethane compounds should give a very satisfactory performance, and being able to take advantage of their expanding properties makes them the most incredibly versatile engineered adhesives ever developed.

Similarly, another revolution in adhesives has been in gripping power when still wet. Most industrial strength glues have wonderful holding power when dry, but the items glued need to be clamped or otherwise held together until the glue sets. A situation like this is not always convenient for a do-it-yourselfer who often needs to glue and go.

Enter a handy adhesive product made by Locktite called Power Grab. This adhesive has 3 times the initial tack rate that any other glue can muster, and that means a lot less hassle and a lot less error. Simply take the items you wish to adhere, apply glue to one side, and firmly push them together. Hold for about 15 seconds and that’s all there is to it. Your materials will stay held in place when you let go, and you can move right along to the next project. Easy, fast and convenient.

When dry, it holds as good as any other construction home use kind of adhesive, and the benefits of it's power grab properties are nothing short of amazing. Top all that off with a near odorless formula and an environmentally safe compound, and you have got yourself a real winner.

Even epoxy compounds are not the same old boring types that have been around for years. They have evolved into all sorts of different adhesives for nearly every different purpose one can imagine. There are plastic bonding types, glass menders, metal and ceramic adhesives, and some are even made to meld kevlar. Most all of them are two part epoxies, meaning there is the glue and the activator that must be mixed together in order for them to work. That’s not as hard as it sounds since they all come in a two sided plastic tube that will dispense the correct amount of each side at the same time.

Good glues die hard, and many of the old standards still have a place in the home or business. But now, there are so many new adhesives available, that finding one tailored to a specific need, is easier than ever. So, if you are building something, repairing anything, or are just plain joining two different things, rest assured that there is an adhesive product out there that will keep all of your hard work sticking together.