Sicaflex

[Marc]

I bought a few tubes of Sicaflex-Pro, to glue some skirting boards to brick. I was surprised that after reading every word on the tube, I couldn't find anywhere a reference to curing time, a bit odd for glue if you ask me.

Anyway, used it as I was recomended in combination with hot glue to keep in place and all seems fine ... but. 3 days later I went to put the glue gun away (yes I am a bit disorderly at times) only to notice that the bit of glue sticking out from the plastic nozzle was almost as fresh as the first day.

This led me to some experimentation and I glued two pieces of pine and also one piece of pine to a brick ... and waited ... and waited ... 2 days are gone and the glue is yet to dry, still almost as the first day, getting rubbery but not dry.

I noticed that for a couple more dollars one can buy "fast setting" wow if I knew that this stuff takes a couple of week to cure I would have chosen the "fast setting" one (hehe probably 48 hours is fast)

Have you ever used this stuff?

[journeyman Mick]

Marc,
sorry I should have specified to use the marine grade (291, from memory) as it's pretty fast drying (a few hours at most). Otherwise Bostik matrix or Bostik Seal&Flex.

Mick

[Marc]

No worries Mick, the skirtings are OK. I was only curious why this stuff is so slow. It certainly 'feels' strong.

[vsquizz]

Marc, The "Rapid" products such as selleys construction adhesive rapid are pretty average . The pro sicaflex is good stuff. IMHO

Cheers

[Marc]

I only used half of one tube anyway, so I will change the other tubes of sikaflex-pro for the sicaflex-(something else) that is faster curing.
Yes I agree that in general, faster curing glues cure faster at the expense of strenght. If the glue is a cheap class, the fast version is bound to be a bad compromise.
This sicaflex stuff however is cleary superior, so I am sure the rapid cure will be just as good. The question remains why would they make something that takes as long to cure in the first place, particularly since the building industry is the target market, and why is there no reference on the package to setting time. Also a shelf life of 12 month seems very short, even more when the product has no batch date.

[vsquizz]

Marc, the published cure times are really only guides as I found out the hard way, and often take lots longer. I had a doggy skylight coming out of the ceiling so I pulled it down, filled the lip with "Rapid" something and then got some props to hold it in place. The tube said 30 minutes. I left the props under it for 2 hours only to find the next day it had sagged and gone off leaving a horrible mess. (It was only light plastic solar type skylight) Now I have to cut out the plaster, insert a new sheet and start all over. Should have done it myself in the first place.

Not happy...


Cheers

[journeyman Mick]

Marc,
poyurethanes are moisture curing and curing times are affected by humidity and temperature. On a stinking hot day in December in a Cairns boatyard the marine grade will go off in about half an hour. Shelf life can be extended by storing in a fridge (dry and cool). Bostik Matrix comes (came?) in an aluminium cartrige with dessicant granules behind a foil seal at the back of the cartridge and I've had it last for 3 years in the fridge unopened. Leave an open cartridge in a vehicle in the tropics and it goes off in 2 days. I've used the slower stuff under secret nailed floorboards as the nails hold it in place while the glue sets. It's also often used instead of no more gaps and a longer open time is needed here also.

Mick (who once had an entire sikaflex decorated wardrobe, including boots! :eek: )

[Marc]

Thanks again Mick, I thought about the fridge ... and excuse my inordinate interest in a rather trivial matter. I use to own a glue factory when I was some 20 years younger and I still remember all the formulations and manufacturing process by heart.
I can see how this product would do a good glue for under floorboards, it is much more flexible than liquid nail that will ultimatley break off from a board that mooves a bit too much.
Do you have a pic of wardrobe and boots

[Pulpo]

I have no idea who actually manufactures Sicaflex, but a call to their customer relations dept will or should answer most of your queries.

I have to agree a glue compound that takes a few days to cure is a little unusual.

Although I have used it as well as other products I cannot comment as to whether its superior to others but it certainly does the job.

Pulpo

[Marc]

Made in Japan.
That is what makes the 12 month shelf life a bit err academic... 12 month from when? From manufacture? from when it left Japan? from when it left the wolesaler depo in (?) ? from when it came to Sydney? from when I bought it? I think that the above sums alredy a year and a half.
Not to worry, the product seems to be first class once cured, I changed the rest for fast cure and it is in the fridge waiting it's turn.

[GCP310]

Sicaflex is used extensively in the boat building inductry. a mate of mine works for Austal Ships as a production manager. He said thats what they use to fix the joinery in their boats they building. The material will fail before the Sicaflex will.

[soundman]

Sicaflex is wonderfull stuff, but there is a huge range of the stuff, its important to find out the right product to use.

I used to use an automotive grade that went off in about half an hour & once you opened a tube you had to use the lot because no matter how well you thaught you sealed the end it was off in the tube by the end of the next day.

The real question is not how long it takes to go off, but how do I get this stuff off my hands?