The Glue Guru looks at marine glues

What are marine glues and what makes them special from other types of glue?

Any products for use in the marine sector must, of course, first have the optimum resistance to salt water and the overall ability to withstand a wide range of marine conditions.

The first family of glues which we will look at are contact adhesives.

Contact adhesives are solvent based glues, which are applied to both of the materials to be glued. For marine applications, a hardener is always added to the adhesive. Contact adhesives are the ideal choice for gluing Neoprene®, Butyl Rubber , Nitrile Rubber, Hypalon®, and a range of polyurethane rubber materials.

Contact adhesives are very good for ‘running repairs’, repairs carried out while the boat is away from its home port. Contact adhesives can withstand harsh environmental conditions and can be used under the water line.

The next family of glues are acrylic glues. Acrylic glues are used to glue rigid materials, such as ABS and GRP. Acrylic glues are two part products, which are supplied in 50 ml or 490 ml cartridges. Once these acrylic glues harden, they form exceptionally strong weatherproof bonds. Acrylic glues  are also useful for filling gaps and craters, and they can be used below the water line.

Here at W.I Polymers, we have Ireland’s widest range of glues and sealants, for all marine applications. In any marine gluing application, you can depend on the services of our Technical Departments.

Neoprene® is a registered trade name  of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Hypalon® is a registered trade name of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.