How To Know Building Adhesives?

The term construction adhesive can be confusing, as building material sellers usually include unrelated products in this. But you just need to know exactly what you need to glue.

The list of materials and other items that are glued on the construction site or during reconstructions is quite diverse. Blocks and other masonry elements, paving and tiling, thermal insulation, reinforcement nets, thresholds, moldings, some types of floating floors and carpets, but also various seals or plastic pipes or grids are glued. Each material and each type of connection requires the appropriate type of adhesive. It is also necessary to know whether we need to create a strong or flexible connection. The second type of joint is important in the expected expansion of materials, especially under the influence of changes in temperature or humidity, additional source here.

How to know the signs

One of the good orientation aids that will allow you to become familiar with construction adhesives and choose from them correctly is standardized marking and nomenclature. The state standard regulates, for example, the description of adhesives for tiling elements, which are most often used by builders. In accordance with the standard, they should also label individual products and manufacturers.

The letter D denotes a dispersion adhesive, which is a mixture of organic binders in the form of a polymer dispersion, organic additives and mineral fillers. Sold ready to use. You can also come across adhesives marked R.

All these types of adhesives have a common designation of the classes for which the relevant numbers and letters are used (1 - standard adhesive, 2 - improved adhesive, F - fast-curing adhesive, T - reduced slip adhesive, E - adhesive with extended setting time).

Flexible adhesives

The said designation may be supplemented by the letter S with the number 1 or 2, which informs about the value of the transverse deformation. S1 denotes a deformable adhesive, S2 denotes a highly deformable adhesive. This marking can be found on cement adhesives and jointing mortars and informs about the capillary absorbency of the surface of the adhesive or jointing mortar in contact with water. As a rule, these are so-called flexible adhesives intended for use in exteriors and everywhere where it is necessary to create a joint resistant to thermal expansion.

Strong universal adhesives

In addition to gluing blocks for thin-layer masonry, flooring, tiling or insulation boards, universal and easy-to-apply adhesives are also used on the construction site to create very strong joints between the most commonly used materials. Unlike cement adhesives, they do not need to be mixed with water before use, they are sold ready for immediate application.

Modern universal adhesive of this type in many cases replace various special adhesives or sealants or even anchoring and connecting elements, so it is definitely worth having some of them on hand, especially during flooring, plumbing, tiling or other finishing work.

For a firm connection of smaller areas, choose from other adhesives with immediate fixation. Universal adhesives of this type usually reliably bond wood, some types of plastics, bricks, stone, tiles or metals and can bond these materials to porous surfaces such as concrete, plaster, MDF and OSB boards, plywood, chipboard or plasterboard.