What type of glue do you use for foam?
Foam to wood, foam to foam, foam to track (Gargraves)
I would like to use something that is easy apply, low on mess, and strong enough.
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You will get several answers
My go to has always been Liquid Nails, contractor grade.
I do not glue the track down.
@ZAK posted:What type of glue do you use for foam?
Foam to wood, foam to foam, foam to track (Gargraves)
I would like to use something that is easy apply, low on mess, and strong enough.
I have done a LOT of work over the years using foam as a scenery base. The best products I have found for adhesion when laminating foam in layers are as follows:
- Foam Fusion - A white glue available through Hot Wire, Foam Factory whose foam cutting tools I have many and use extensively. https:https://hotwirefoamfactory.com/028B_Foam_Fusion_Glue.html//hotwirefoamfactory.com/028B_Foam_Fusion_Glue.html
- Liquid Nail for Foam - Regular Liquid Nail will dissolve foam. They make the special formulation of their product for glueing foam insulation to concrete block walls.
Foam to wood or foam to foam - PL300
Track to foam - Elmers white glue, weigh the track down until it dries. If you want the track off, flood with alcohol and scrape it off.
If you want low bond to everything, just hot glue it down.
There is one called "Liquid Nails For Projects", that is readily available. Would this version work for foam to wood, etc? I have used it quite a bit for gluing homasote to plywood, but not sure if that formulation will work with foam.
Liquid Nails for Foam is the right choice as Randy says. Many glues dissolve foam, so you need to be selective.
Another vote for Liquid Nails, although I have also used GE Silicone Glue in the past and didn’t have any issues.
I use PL300 and am satisfied with the results. I used wood glue to adhere foam to plywood and it worked very well BUT took longer to dry (cure). I had a gallon of it on hand which was starting to thicken so wanted to use it up. Also used leftover white glue foam to foam which takes long to dry as well and does not hold up the same. I had a traveling layout, and the pieces would come apart when moved too much. So, unless, like me, you want to use up something and don't mind waiting, I would go with Liquid Nails for Foam or the PL300.
Mikki
Liquid Nails has been my go to adhesive for years...foam to foam, foam to wood, corkbed to wood....etc...
I have used Loctite PL3 for a lot of things, and that indeed does not dissolve foam, so it would be a good choice as well. I consider PL3 for stuff I really never want to take apart, once it cures, it ain't coming apart! All of the fascia on my layout was secured with PL3, it's there forever!
One of the things I like about Liquid Nails for Foam is the instant grab, the PL3 requires clamping or weighting until it cures.
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Thanks Fellas!
Hot Wire Foam Factory's Foam fusion works great and it dries quickly for use. If I have a lot of layers to do, like building mountains, like I am now, I use Foam Fusion for quick bonding and Titebond or Elmers wood glue (by the gallon) to save on cost. I spread it on with a flexible putty knife and clamp and/or painter's tape until it dries. Wood glue seems to dry well enough within 8 hours. I wait at least a few days before I 'm going to use hot knife tools to shape, though, so it fully dries.
For foam-to-foam, I’ve had great success with Elmer’s white glue. Takes awhile to dry but I’ve never had layers of foam come apart after being glued (and dried) together.
For track to foam, I lay the track on the foam, ballast the track, then flood with a 50/50 mixture of Elmer’s white glue and water.
Nothing has moved or come apart on my seasonal layout that I built many years ago. And it gets handled a lot during the off-seasons. Good luck!
