Contact Cement

Introduction:

Contact adhesive, also known as contact cement is a special type of adhesive used for a special purpose. When applied to a surface it dries by the rapid evaporation of a flammable solvent that is part of its formula.  Similar to other adhesives it glues things together.  Its unique characteristic is different than other adhesive. After it appears to be completely dry and is no longer tacky to the touch, it will still stick to itself creating a very tight bond. It’s an excellent adhesive for gluing nonporous materials together. The most common contact cement is the 3m contact cement brand.

The most common use of contact adhesive and contract cement is gluing plastic laminate countertops for kitchens and bathrooms. Both the laminate and the plywood have limited porosity surfaces that are bonded together with contact cement and they will not come apart. Most other adhesive will fail because the glue would never dry because the moisture or the solvent could not escape from between there surfaces.  The reason contact cement works so well is that it is already dry before the two pieces are brought into contact. 

The contact cement is applied to both surfaces and allowed to dry before assembly. It only takes a few minutes to assemble the pieces and the countertop is immediately useable.  One of the draw backs in using contact cement is that there is no room for error. Once the two surfaces are brought together the bond is immediate. Disassembling them is nearly impossible without damaging the surfaces.

The most common problems using contact adhesives is caused by not allowing the adhesive to dry fully before assembly or waiting too long before assembly.

When used on a porous material such as any form of wood, a primer coat of contact adhesive should be applied first and let thoroughly dry to pre-seal the surface. Once the primer coat is dry a second coat of gluing is applied.  

Contact adhesive is available both in a solvent based formula and a newer water-based formula.  Solvent-based dries in less than fifteen minutes but releases a highly flammable solvent.  When using contact cement ensure there is adequate ventilation to prevent accidental ignition of the fumes.  Always follow the manufacturer’s directions to prevent accidents. A face mask should be worn to prevent inhaling the toxic fumes. The water based contact cement is much more user friendly and does not emit hazardous fumes.

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