What type of adhesive does one use to “glue” 1 inch pink foam to plywood? I would like a strong bond, but of coourse, nothing that can attack the foam. Thanks.
Mike
Use PL300 to attach your slabs of foam together.
Jim
Use regular PL adhesive. Stronger than the PL300, still safe for foam and not as rubbery when it cures.
Most craft stores sell foam glue for floral arrangers to use.
Also, bamboo skewers from the grocery store, $1 for 100, not only hold foam together temporarily while you assemble, assess, disassemble, carve further, etc., they will also hold it “permanently” if you cover it with plaster cloth.
Somewhat OT, large pieces of packing foam used for electronics will flesh out large scale terrain features for free, saving expensive sheet foam for where it’s really needed. The packing styrofoam is the white bead type, very messy for carving, but as the core of a hill or mountain, it does the same job, without needing cut.
FWIW I have always had great successon my Free-mo modules with Liquid Nails for Projects. It has a blue stripe on gold label. I use it for bonding frame members, foam layers, and foam to frame. Clamp overnight to completely set and it is rock strong. jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA
Mike,
DAP makes ALEX PLUS® Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone that you can pick up at your local home center or hardward store for ~$2/tube.
It’s:
- inexpensive
- holds very well
- won’t attack the foam
- comes in several colors
- dries in 40 minutes/cures in ~24 hours…AND
- doesn’t have the nasty chemicals that some of the other adhesives do
I’ve used it to attach the roadbed to the foam base of my layout and it works great. Cleans up in water, too.
Hope that helps…
Tom
Cheap latex caulking.
PL300.It is meant for foam. Some "regular " PL WILL attack the foam.
Terry
Liquid Nails for Projects
PL-300
Adhesive latex caulk (a new one for the list)
Liquid nails for projects
Regular latex caulk
The first two are my favorites.
Karl
Thanks everyone for your input. I hope to get a lot of work done on the layout over the next two wekends.
Mike
The original, plain 'ole Liquid Nails works just fine. Been using it for several years now, not one problem.
PL300 Adhesive for Foamboard sticks well and the maker says it won’t eat foam. Any latex caulk works too. Both are $3 a tube.
Net rumor has it that plain Liquid Nails will eat foam. There is also Liquid Nails for tub surrounds, Liquid Nails for Projects, Liquid Nails for sub flooring and doubtless other names suggested by marketing. None of the Liquid Nails tubes says “Foam Board Compatable”, so I go with the PL300 or the latex caulk which DO say foam board compatable.
I used Elmer’s carpenter glue seven years ago for prime adhesive when I built the Yuba River Sub–foam to wood and foam to foam. Still solid as a rock. And inexpensive.
Tom
Like most rumors, I can personally vouch that this one concerning LN and foam is incorrect.
I agree.
I’ve used Loc Tite power grab for foamboard. It works very well.