We supply a range of adhesives and sealants suitable for a wide range of rubber materials, applications and environmental factors. Different adhesives do different things and selecting the best adhesive is essential for creating a strong bond. Contact adhesives offer a good instant grab adhesion, Polyurethane sealants have a good chemical resistance, non-setting mastic creates flexible joints and silicone sealants are good for high temperature applications. This guide explains the difference between our adhesives and makes recommendations for the best selection for your rubber sealing product.
With most adhesives, good surface preparation is essential to ensure a strong long lasting bond. When gluing rubber we recommend that you abrade the surface with sand paper and then degrease it with a solvent, such as IPA, Acetone, MEK, Toluene or Meths. It is not advisable to use anything oil based such as White Spirit. Ensure that the other surface that you are sticking to is dry, free of dust and grease free.
Contact Adhesives for Rubber Applications
Contact adhesives provide a very strong long last bond. They are instant grab so do not allow for positioning after the two surfaces are brought together. When using contact adhesives, it is best to apply one coat of adhesive to each surface and allow it to fully dry. You should then apply a second coat to each surface and when touch dry, press the two parts together.
2 Part Waterproof Contact Adhesive (A262)- This neoprene contact adhesive is supplied in a 250ml tin with 9g curing agent. It covers an area approximately 0.5 square metres and can be used to bond rubbers and rubber coated fabrics such as neoprene, Hypalon and natural rubber. It is regularly used within the automotive, marine and industrial environments.
Thixofix Contact Adhesive (A139) - This is a multi-purpose adhesive designed to bond laminated plastics and rubber to wood, metal, fabric and most other substrates. It is supplied in 40ml tubes and has a consistency similar to non-drip paint.
Polyurethane Sealants for Rubber Applications
Polyurethane is commonly used where a rubber-like permanently elastic bond is required. It offers good weather and chemical resistance so is commonly used in marine, automotive and industrial environments. This adhesive takes approximately 24 hours to fully cure, so can be moved and repositioned unlike contact adhesives.
Polyurethane (S136) - Our black Polyurethane is supplied in a 310ml cartridge and can be used to bond most materials, such as rubbers, polyester, plastics, metal and glass using a caulking sealant gun. It is black so offers a neat sealing solution when bonding black rubber products.
Silicone Sealants for Rubber Applications
Silicone sealants are often used when you need to stick a rubber product to glass. They are also used to bond silicone rubber profiles as the only adhesive which adheres to silicone is silicone. Silicone is a flexible sealant which offers durability, flexibility and resistance to water. This product is often supplied to individuals working in the automotive, marine and industrial industry sectors.
White Marine Grade Silicone Sealant (S137) – This is a high quality white silicone sealant suitable for the marine environment. It is supplied in a 310ml cartridge and can be applied to most surfaces using a caulking sealant gun.
Clear Marine Grade Silicone Sealant (S138) – Our clear silicone sealant is suitable for the marine environment. It is supplied in a 310ml cartridge and can be easily applied using a caulking sealant gun.
The coverage of Polyurethane and Silicone will be dependent on the size of the joint. The larger the bead, the lower the number of metres. The following guide details the coverage for different joint sizes.
JOINT SIZE
METRES PER 310ML CARTRIDGE
3 x 5mm (15 square mm)
5 x 5mm (25 square mm)
10 x 5mm (50 square mm)
10 x 10mm (100 square mm)
15 x 10mm (150 square mm)
20 x 10mm (200 square mm)
25 x 10mm (250 square mm)
For further guidance on choosing the best sealant for use in a marine environment, we highly recommend speaking to the Boat Renovation People.