an important characteristic is how well the glue joint sands...its prefered that it sands similar to the foam so that the joint does not end up proud of the foam
You forgot one test. Some adhesives will stop the wire of a Hotwire tool when shaping foam. I use a product that was called PL3000 designed for extruded foam boards. It has been renamed PowerGrab. It used to be the same blue as the blue extruded foam. Now it is white. One of the nice things about this adhesive is if you change your mind you can force the pieces apart and recycle your extruded foam. Extruded foam 4x8 sheets get expensive after awhile.
A good point if you use hot-wire tools for foam carving. I don't use them. My foam-carving tools of choice are a drywall saw and an oscillating multi-tool.
I use loctite PL300 for foamboard. I've had great success end gluing pieces that are every bit as strong as the foam itself. I do let the pieces setup overnight. No degradation or weakness overtime.
I use the 3M stuff for work - it was my impression for a permanent bond that you spray both sides, let it sit for a bit (about 30 sec) at it becomes stuck right then. We use it to repair open cell foam (car seat foam) as we can’t wait for it to set overnight. We also use cyano (crazy glue) glues as well for repairing smaller pieces - instant adhesion.
I was the one recommended the Gripper. Just a point of information, you don't even need to cover the whole thing. Just a blob and a blob there and it sticks. Really easy to use and water cleanup and way less expensive than the other options. But . . . great test.
I use Styro Goo from the hot wire foam factory for foam to foam as you can use a hot wire no issues. Liquid nails works great but takes ages to dry on large areas and breaks hot wires almost every time. Cheers for the demo
It would be useful to use a puddy knife to seperate the pieces to see the depth of adhesion in each material. Meaning will the adhesive penetrate. Thank you for the testing.
Great test comparisons, very informative. I've also used Gorilla Glue for foam to foam and foam to wood with great results, but you need to use it sparingly and clamp it really well because it will expand. That paintable adhesive looks tempting for massive areas of foam.
I use Liquid Nail products at work all the time. On large surfaces spreading the it with a notched trowel will work better than just from the tube. You can also buy it in gallons to reduce the cost.
I use liquid nails projest adhesive and it works very well for my uses. I used it to attach cellofoam insulation sheets to sheey metal siding, pink foam to my benchwork, and foam poster boards for my backdrop. I get it a walmart for $1.78 a tube. All are still sticking strong. I use aleens tacky glue for roadbed and track. And its easy to remove if you want to change things later on
Aleens is one of the best kept secrets in the hobby... or is was, so thanks for giving that away :) But I largely use it for 3D scenery elements. But to anyone who hasn't got a bottle, it's a must add to your arsenal.
I tried elmers purple glue sticks to glue my foam road bed down, one advantage is if you need to adjust, it pulls up easly with out ripping road bed, even after a year, glue dries clear. About $2.00 for 2 tubes. You might try it.
Hi, My personal favorite is Liquid Nails Foam for Projects. It is greeen like the foam and is formulated expecially for foam. It does a very good job of foam to foam sub roadbed, and foam to foam . I prefer to put a smear on the foam and place the roadbed on it. Then I prefer to pin the track down to the roadbed with 1 inch nails with small heads, and brown if possible. The nails go down thru the members, thru the roadbed, and thru the FOAM SMEAR. The smear acts as a membrane and grabs onto the nail shank like crazy, securing it in place. Advantages - you can pull the nails up as required with pliers or such, and - - -you can slice a puttyb knife under the roadbed and break the bond and get it up all in one piece for repositioning. ALSO - - - it works wonderfully for filling in between foam deck and facia where there may be gaps. Fills in perfectly and can be trowled out. Also - -if using hardboard for a back scene, and you have joints between the sections as well as in a right corner, this stuff will smear out to a seamless filler. When painted, it is invisible, producing a perfectly smooth backscene when all is painted. Foam for Projects - from your big box store - -my personal favorite. Bob S
it would still take a considerably long time to dry, and why bother spending time making a ton of small cuts when you could just use a different glue. sounds like more effort than it’s worth.
I did quite of bit of research on this as well. I ran across a sculptor (TH-cam) that used pink foam as a base. She was using Gliddon gripper which can be found at most Home Depot’s . It does dry internally to the joint and you can hot wire it as well. Where did you source your primer product? The key I have found with it, is to have good covering of the surface and weight it down or use deck screws with big washers as a temp hold while it cures. You can also have it tinted light brown or earth tone. They don’t normally do that but I have been able to get them to tint it. Thank you for the video, your channel is always informative.
I think if you look on the instruction for Liquid Nails, they suggest applying the glue, putting the parts together and then separating the parts for about 90 seconds before permanently joining the parts. This creates a much better bond if attaching sheets of foam together. It seems to be less important when the parts being joined are dissimilar products.
liquid nails is what I have used in the past. and ya that stuff dries and holds well. go ahead try taking it up after. lol, really hard ruts to chizzle up if you don't spread it out. Thanks for doing this test. I was surprised that the spray glue worked as well as it did. Don't think I have ever tried white glue for foam. that would of been neat to see what you meant for that.
I agree with a couple of other posts, Gorilla Glue works really well, just be sure to put some weight on the parts, or clamp with a wood spacer if directly on the foam.
I did some experiments with gorilla glue and others many years ago when it was still fairly new. In every case, it was the weakest of all the glues I tried.
@@mpeterll Not Gorilla brand PVA wood glue brother. The Polyurethane, dark amber stuff. But yes, it does require some weight, but it's super fast, about 30 mins setup time, and can be carved with a hot knife (although I don't prefer that tool for other reasons), and can even be used to fill gaps and fix foam issues.
In my experience, it's just the opposite. The nozzle on spray adhesive is prone to getting blocked by dried glue, even after a single squirt - thus making the remainder of the can worthless. On the other hand, pains keeps very well if the lid is properly sealed. The only exception being when the volume of air space within the can greatly exceeds the volume of paint remaining - which of course means that you've already used most if it so it's no big deal if the little bit remaining goes hard.
An MS-Polymer will also do the job, gives better contact than liquid nails and can even be cut by a hot wire foam cutter. The polymer will only slow down the hot wire.
I used Liquid Nails (for styrofoam) and your right it took forever to dry. More than a week. Spray adhesive is a good idea. Following. 3m trim adhesive, spray is what they put automotive headliners in with. Now I see the end. Very interesting !👍👍👍😎
Only thing to watch out for with the 3M Super 77 spray adhesive, and prolly all of them, is they don't age to well. I would be concerned about it over time, but I would love to see someone speak to those results after a few years.
wouldve been nice to see what was going on inside the joint; and what effects the glue had on the foam board surfaces.... i`m giving you a C+ for attempt and a F for follow through....
Im pretty sure that 3M super 77 has different instructions than you applied. I believe you're supposed to spray both surfaces, then attach for a second or two and de-attach and let sit for a few minutes, re attach, for an ultimate bond. I also believe with fabrics you can repeat the process if required. Great stuff tho.
I performed the experiments without any "detach-and-wait" deliberately, because I need a product that I can use quickly. If I have to go through that process for every piece, then that particular glue is a non-starter for me.
You might want to hold on to the samples, especially the 3M spray adhesive, to see if they will react with the foam. Liquid Nails For Projects is made to be foam-safe. Solvents over time, and really almost instantly will dissolve EPS and XPS foam. That said, if after you initially sprayed and they didn't melt, it's probably foam-safe. Thanks.
@@mpeterll I think 3M makes a product, super 88 (maybe) that is targeted at foam safe applications. Although, I haven't found Super 77 to be particularly damaging to foam.
Would be interesting to know price difference per sq ft. The 3M product looks very appealing, but as the most expensive per unit, I am also assuming that it doesn't cover as much as the can or tube. Maybe you use less because of the simplicity? I use Elmers wood glue for cork roadbed, and a tube of Liquid Nails to hold track. I have never used foam before, but will use in the future. Would be nice to have a product that can do a wide range of things pretty well.
There are many different tube adhesives that come in this format. Some will eat foam and some will not. If it doesn't specifically say it's for foam, then don't use it.
Peter, ya gotta try Gorilla Glue, the regular polyurethane adhesive. You do have to apply some weight, but it holds up over time and is easy to cut as it’s essentially just expanding foam as well. Albeit a bit tougher expanded foam. Works like a champ. Thanks for sharing as always!
I only ever tried gorilla glue once, years ago. At the time I was working in a joinery shop and gorilla glue claimed to be the strongest wood glue ever. I did some experiments and found it to be totally useless for that application.
@@mpeterll I agree completely. For wood glue, when strength matters and for furniture applications, I don't think you can go wrong with Titebond. However, for our wood structures, where speed is more valuable than strength, I do favor Gorilla brand wood glue. That being said, for foam applications, I do not like evaporative adhesives, like wood glue or PVA of any kind. I have used a few things, mostly Liquid Nails for projects. The Liquid Nails is fine, if you don't disturb it much. However, as my layout is TOMA and I've taken modules down and worked on them, I've found the Liquid Nails has let go somewhat when stressed. So, I've moved to using the Gorilla Glue that they became famous for, the polyurethane or dark brown stuff. It's essentially an expanding foam material, although not a two part mixture. And despite the added step of needing to add weight, I find it's very robust, takes to moving and doesn't turn loose, fills gaps since it expands, and is easy to cut. It also sets up in about 30 minutes and the added foam can be cut or shaped without the glue releasing. As always YMMV and all that matters is that you find an adhesive or materials that you enjoy working with and that does the job. I strongly support the idea that there are many right ways to do something, especially model railroading. Just don't fall victim to the idea that there are no wrong ways or that there's only one right way, and you stay flexible enough to find what's "right for you". Thanks for sharing, and I do know a fella who builds Fremo modules that just swears by Gliddon Gripper, I've gotta try that too now.
@@AndyCrawford_NorfolkWestern I find if you wet down the pieces first, it cures much better. I just use the Lepage equivalent polyurethane glue and it works way better than PVA. I sand the foam with 60 grit first and then wipe down with a wet cloth. Clamps or weights are a must! I cut some PVA foam sections 3 years after they were glued only to find the centers still wet. Yes, 3 years later! I like PVA for wood and for road bed, but it's lousy for foam - if the air can't get to it, it never sets.
Very interesting :) When I built my former layout using the pink sheets of foam, I glued them together with an adhesive made specifically for that material. It was applied using a caulk gun, the same way as the Liquid Nails, but it was made by a different company (possibly Loctite?) I was quite pleased with how well it worked :)
I’m in the business. We put foam board up all day. We use PL-300 at Home Depot mixed with tubes of Mastic from the darn Dollar Tree. We also use Rodenhouse connectors. Many adhesives stick great at first, but then they eat up the foam board and it falls down. I feel that it’s likely that his spray adhesive will eat the foam board. Better experiment Before Putting up 29 boards
Once that Gripper dries completely, you will NOT get the roadbed off the foam! I knew that it was not available any longer under the Glidden name. Now I know what to ask for! Thanks! Honestly, you could have used about half that much. It's good stuff!
One more test you might try is setting them in full sunlight on a hot day. This will give you an even better idea on how they will hold under different temperature ranges.
Yea they all work. I need to get away from yellow glue too. But the issue I come across is when I go to carve the Pink foam , grind, or sand shape the foam. How does a foam cutter do when shaping? Can you do a little test cutting the foam in different ways?
Hello Peter. Well, that was certainly interesting and informative. I know which one I would use...and the first word starts with an L. Thanks. Take care. See ya next time.
ATSF1317 It is. You’ve gotta use Liquid Nails For Projects. It’s foam safe. I used to use it, but I’ve moved to Gorilla Glue as the Liquid Nails tends to let go over time.
Bradley Biggers Welcome to the hobby! Start watching a crap load of videos on TH-cam. Take notes... It all depends on what you wants and needs are. Too many variations to be listed here. I use Peco and Atlas flex track and switches. Sites that have been helpful are Ron’s trains and things, Chadwick something something, and Model Railroader Magazine. They put out a whole series. Search “Dream Plan Build”. Good luck
Loctite has an Adhesive specifically formulated for foam panels I'm wondering how DAP Weldwood would work. It's a urea-formaldahyde resin glue that comes powdered and is mixed with water. Basically the same as a British product named Kasite iirc. Might be slightly smelly 🤭 www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-PL-300-10-fl-oz-Foamboard-Adhesive-1421941/202020476 www.dap.com/dap-products-ph/weldwood-plastic-resin-glue/ If there are issues with cutting with a hot word foam cutter I suppose you could pin the foam together with bamboo skewers, shape and then pull the stack apart and glue it. For a large layout I would think the Super 77 would get expensive
Very interesting comparison. I immediately began to wonder how easy the foam cuts (or carves) thru the glued foams? Though through watching your videos, you usually seem to cut everything to fit for mtns, rivers, valleys, etc...
The problem is that PVA is evaporative, or it requires the backing (normally just water) to evaporate. When it's exposed to air, especially dry, warm air, it's not a problem, but sealed between layers of foam, there's issues. I've known guys who used a PVA (wood glue or otherwise) who took apart layouts or sections years later to find wet adhesive. If you don't need much strength this might be ok. Since my layout is TOMA, and I build the sections then install them to the layout, they must be handle-able, as well as needing to take the abuse of carving foam, I needed a stronger adhesive. I think the Gripper paint is pretty compelling, and I'll have to try that now, but Gorilla glue is hard to beat. Not the Gorilla brand PVA wood glue, but the dark amber, polyurethane adhesive they have become known for.
@@mpeterll oh, you mean like south facing walls? You cannot use M77 to laminate materials that can be warmed by the sun. Everything will come apart especially since under load. You need to figure and a product designed for this and spray foam on n a can has been laminating xps foam for a couple decades now on construction industries.
an important characteristic is how well the glue joint sands...its prefered that it sands similar to the foam so that the joint does not end up proud of the foam
You forgot one test. Some adhesives will stop the wire of a Hotwire tool when shaping foam. I use a product that was called PL3000 designed for extruded foam boards. It has been renamed PowerGrab. It used to be the same blue as the blue extruded foam. Now it is white. One of the nice things about this adhesive is if you change your mind you can force the pieces apart and recycle your extruded foam. Extruded foam 4x8 sheets get expensive after awhile.
A good point if you use hot-wire tools for foam carving. I don't use them. My foam-carving tools of choice are a drywall saw and an oscillating multi-tool.
@@mpeterll See how those tools work with each adhesive. I imagine the liquid nails might fight you a bit where the 3M would be easy to carve through.
I’m in the business . You mentioned PL-3000. I’m aware of PL-300. Is there an actual 3000 or was that a typo? Thanks
I use loctite PL300 for foamboard. I've had great success end gluing pieces that are every bit as strong as the foam itself. I do let the pieces setup overnight.
No degradation or weakness overtime.
I use the 3M stuff for work - it was my impression for a permanent bond that you spray both sides, let it sit for a bit (about 30 sec) at it becomes stuck right then. We use it to repair open cell foam (car seat foam) as we can’t wait for it to set overnight.
We also use cyano (crazy glue) glues as well for repairing smaller pieces - instant adhesion.
I was the one recommended the Gripper. Just a point of information, you don't even need to cover the whole thing. Just a blob and a blob there and it sticks. Really easy to use and water cleanup and way less expensive than the other options. But . . . great test.
I use Styro Goo from the hot wire foam factory for foam to foam as you can use a hot wire no issues. Liquid nails works great but takes ages to dry on large areas and breaks hot wires almost every time. Cheers for the demo
It would be useful to use a puddy knife to seperate the pieces to see the depth of adhesion in each material. Meaning will the adhesive penetrate. Thank you for the testing.
Great test comparisons, very informative. I've also used Gorilla Glue for foam to foam and foam to wood with great results, but you need to use it sparingly and clamp it really well because it will expand. That paintable adhesive looks tempting for massive areas of foam.
I use Liquid Nail products at work all the time. On large surfaces spreading the it with a notched trowel will work better than just from the tube. You can also buy it in gallons to reduce the cost.
I use liquid nails projest adhesive and it works very well for my uses. I used it to attach cellofoam insulation sheets to sheey metal siding, pink foam to my benchwork, and foam poster boards for my backdrop. I get it a walmart for $1.78 a tube. All are still sticking strong. I use aleens tacky glue for roadbed and track. And its easy to remove if you want to change things later on
Aleens is one of the best kept secrets in the hobby... or is was, so thanks for giving that away :) But I largely use it for 3D scenery elements. But to anyone who hasn't got a bottle, it's a must add to your arsenal.
I tried elmers purple glue sticks to glue my foam road bed down, one advantage is if you need to adjust, it pulls up easly with out ripping road bed, even after a year, glue dries clear. About $2.00 for 2 tubes. You might try it.
Hi, My personal favorite is Liquid Nails Foam for Projects. It is greeen like the foam and is formulated expecially for foam. It does a very good job of foam to foam sub roadbed, and foam to foam . I prefer to put a smear on the foam and place the roadbed on it. Then I prefer to pin the track down to the roadbed with 1 inch nails with small heads, and brown if possible.
The nails go down thru the members, thru the roadbed, and thru the FOAM SMEAR. The smear acts as a membrane and grabs onto the nail shank like crazy, securing it in place.
Advantages - you can pull the nails up as required with pliers or such, and - - -you can slice a puttyb knife under the roadbed and break the bond and get it up all in one piece for repositioning. ALSO - - - it works wonderfully for filling in between foam deck and facia where there may be gaps. Fills in perfectly and can be trowled out. Also - -if using hardboard for a back scene, and you have joints between the sections as well as in a right corner, this stuff will smear out to a seamless filler. When painted, it is invisible, producing a perfectly smooth backscene when all is painted. Foam for Projects - from your big box store - -my personal favorite.
Bob S
Great comparison. I’ve used the water activated Gorilla Glue. With that you have to be careful as it expands a little like Great Stuff.
Good information.. thank you Peter..
Nice little experiment there Peter with good interesting results depending on ones requirements at the time, cheers ken uk
in the foam, you need to make longitudinal cuts with a depth of two millimeters and wood glue will work perfectly
it would still take a considerably long time to dry, and why bother spending time making a ton of small cuts when you could just use a different glue. sounds like more effort than it’s worth.
I did quite of bit of research on this as well. I ran across a sculptor (TH-cam) that used pink foam as a base. She was using Gliddon gripper which can be found at most Home Depot’s . It does dry internally to the joint and you can hot wire it as well. Where did you source your primer product?
The key I have found with it, is to have good covering of the surface and weight it down or use deck screws with big washers as a temp hold while it cures. You can also have it tinted light brown or earth tone. They don’t normally do that but I have been able to get them to tint it.
Thank you for the video, your channel is always informative.
I think if you look on the instruction for Liquid Nails, they suggest applying the glue, putting the parts together and then separating the parts for about 90 seconds before permanently joining the parts. This creates a much better bond if attaching sheets of foam together. It seems to be less important when the parts being joined are dissimilar products.
liquid nails is what I have used in the past. and ya that stuff dries and holds well. go ahead try taking it up after. lol, really hard ruts to chizzle up if you don't spread it out.
Thanks for doing this test.
I was surprised that the spray glue worked as well as it did. Don't think I have ever tried white glue for foam. that would of been neat to see what you meant for that.
Thanks. Great demo. Liquid Nails wasn't even on my radar. Just never used it.
I agree with a couple of other posts, Gorilla Glue works really well, just be sure to put some weight on the parts, or clamp with a wood spacer if directly on the foam.
I did some experiments with gorilla glue and others many years ago when it was still fairly new. In every case, it was the weakest of all the glues I tried.
@@mpeterll Not Gorilla brand PVA wood glue brother. The Polyurethane, dark amber stuff. But yes, it does require some weight, but it's super fast, about 30 mins setup time, and can be carved with a hot knife (although I don't prefer that tool for other reasons), and can even be used to fill gaps and fix foam issues.
3M is nice as it is easy to use and can be saved for later. Gripper and liquid nails won't last as well after being opened.
In my experience, it's just the opposite. The nozzle on spray adhesive is prone to getting blocked by dried glue, even after a single squirt - thus making the remainder of the can worthless. On the other hand, pains keeps very well if the lid is properly sealed. The only exception being when the volume of air space within the can greatly exceeds the volume of paint remaining - which of course means that you've already used most if it so it's no big deal if the little bit remaining goes hard.
@@mpeterll imagine the money we could make if we could make a 3rd party lids with a vacuum nib and design a Ryobi tool to suck out the air.
An MS-Polymer will also do the job, gives better contact than liquid nails and can even be cut by a hot wire foam cutter. The polymer will only slow down the hot wire.
I used Liquid Nails (for styrofoam) and your right it took forever to dry. More than a week. Spray adhesive is a good idea. Following. 3m trim adhesive, spray is what they put automotive headliners in with. Now I see the end. Very interesting !👍👍👍😎
Only thing to watch out for with the 3M Super 77 spray adhesive, and prolly all of them, is they don't age to well. I would be concerned about it over time, but I would love to see someone speak to those results after a few years.
Andy Crawford That is a good point! Thank you for mentioning.
wouldve been nice to see what was going on inside the joint; and what effects the glue had on the foam board surfaces.... i`m giving you a C+ for attempt and a F for follow through....
I wasn't aware you were my teacher.
I've used both liquid nails and pl3000. they are both good products for the foamboard.
Im pretty sure that 3M super 77 has different instructions than you applied. I believe you're supposed to spray both surfaces, then attach for a second or two and de-attach and let sit for a few minutes, re attach, for an ultimate bond. I also believe with fabrics you can repeat the process if required. Great stuff tho.
I performed the experiments without any "detach-and-wait" deliberately, because I need a product that I can use quickly. If I have to go through that process for every piece, then that particular glue is a non-starter for me.
@@mpeterll I agree, looks like it bonds well even tho it wasn't applied intentionally properly. I would stick to the others for feasibility.
Great Stuff works well too and fills in the gaps. Also what ever you use make sure it says Foam Safe.
You might want to hold on to the samples, especially the 3M spray adhesive, to see if they will react with the foam. Liquid Nails For Projects is made to be foam-safe. Solvents over time, and really almost instantly will dissolve EPS and XPS foam. That said, if after you initially sprayed and they didn't melt, it's probably foam-safe. Thanks.
There did not appear to be any melting of the foam. I was told in the store that the can I had was formulated especially for foam.
@@mpeterll I think 3M makes a product, super 88 (maybe) that is targeted at foam safe applications. Although, I haven't found Super 77 to be particularly damaging to foam.
i would say depends what you want to stick down ie big areas or patch repairs
Would be interesting to know price difference per sq ft. The 3M product looks very appealing, but as the most expensive per unit, I am also assuming that it doesn't cover as much as the can or tube. Maybe you use less because of the simplicity? I use Elmers wood glue for cork roadbed, and a tube of Liquid Nails to hold track. I have never used foam before, but will use in the future. Would be nice to have a product that can do a wide range of things pretty well.
Interesting, I used an industrial adhesive in a caulk gun, I assume effectively the same as Liquid Nails and it melted or “ate” the foam away.
There are many different tube adhesives that come in this format. Some will eat foam and some will not. If it doesn't specifically say it's for foam, then don't use it.
Would be interested to know if that Liquid Nail road bed becomes less pliable after a few days.
Peter, ya gotta try Gorilla Glue, the regular polyurethane adhesive. You do have to apply some weight, but it holds up over time and is easy to cut as it’s essentially just expanding foam as well. Albeit a bit tougher expanded foam. Works like a champ. Thanks for sharing as always!
I only ever tried gorilla glue once, years ago. At the time I was working in a joinery shop and gorilla glue claimed to be the strongest wood glue ever. I did some experiments and found it to be totally useless for that application.
@@mpeterll I agree completely. For wood glue, when strength matters and for furniture applications, I don't think you can go wrong with Titebond. However, for our wood structures, where speed is more valuable than strength, I do favor Gorilla brand wood glue. That being said, for foam applications, I do not like evaporative adhesives, like wood glue or PVA of any kind. I have used a few things, mostly Liquid Nails for projects. The Liquid Nails is fine, if you don't disturb it much. However, as my layout is TOMA and I've taken modules down and worked on them, I've found the Liquid Nails has let go somewhat when stressed. So, I've moved to using the Gorilla Glue that they became famous for, the polyurethane or dark brown stuff. It's essentially an expanding foam material, although not a two part mixture. And despite the added step of needing to add weight, I find it's very robust, takes to moving and doesn't turn loose, fills gaps since it expands, and is easy to cut. It also sets up in about 30 minutes and the added foam can be cut or shaped without the glue releasing. As always YMMV and all that matters is that you find an adhesive or materials that you enjoy working with and that does the job. I strongly support the idea that there are many right ways to do something, especially model railroading. Just don't fall victim to the idea that there are no wrong ways or that there's only one right way, and you stay flexible enough to find what's "right for you". Thanks for sharing, and I do know a fella who builds Fremo modules that just swears by Gliddon Gripper, I've gotta try that too now.
@@AndyCrawford_NorfolkWestern
I find if you wet down the pieces first, it cures much better. I just use the Lepage equivalent polyurethane glue and it works way better than PVA. I sand the foam with 60 grit first and then wipe down with a wet cloth. Clamps or weights are a must!
I cut some PVA foam sections 3 years after they were glued only to find the centers still wet. Yes, 3 years later! I like PVA for wood and for road bed, but it's lousy for foam - if the air can't get to it, it never sets.
..what the heck is road bed? And thanks for the test. My Halloween gravestones will be fun and easy to make!
It's a strip of sound-deadening material placed under the track on a model railroad.
Very interesting :) When I built my former layout using the pink sheets of foam, I glued them together with an adhesive made specifically for that material. It was applied using a caulk gun, the same way as the Liquid Nails, but it was made by a different company (possibly Loctite?) I was quite pleased with how well it worked :)
I’m in the business. We put foam board up all day. We use PL-300 at Home Depot mixed with tubes of Mastic from the darn Dollar Tree. We also use Rodenhouse connectors. Many adhesives stick great at first, but then they eat up the foam board and it falls down. I feel that it’s likely that his spray adhesive will eat the foam board. Better experiment
Before
Putting up 29 boards
USE CALL WELDBOND AS GLUE ALL FOAM TO WOOD , AND FOAM TO TRACK BED AND TRACK DOWN
THANK YOU FOR DETAIL VIDEO
You should always wear a good mask and glasses when working with the 3M sprays.
Once that Gripper dries completely, you will NOT get the roadbed off the foam! I knew that it was not available any longer under the Glidden name. Now I know what to ask for! Thanks! Honestly, you could have used about half that much. It's good stuff!
One more test you might try is setting them in full sunlight on a hot day. This will give you an even better idea on how they will hold under different temperature ranges.
Yea they all work. I need to get away from yellow glue too. But the issue I come across is when I go to carve the Pink foam , grind, or sand shape the foam. How does a foam cutter do when shaping? Can you do a little test cutting the foam in different ways?
Nice test!
Hello Peter. Well, that was certainly interesting and informative. I know which one I would use...and the first word starts with an L. Thanks. Take care. See ya next time.
Where do you get the PG Gripper?
I found in at Home Depot.
I'm sure that others have mentioned original 'gorilla glue', the polyester glue that expands while curing.
Just what I needed! Thank you.
I have heard that the liquid nails starts eating into the foam after a while becauseof the chemicals in it. Not sure how true that is though
ATSF1317 It is. You’ve gotta use Liquid Nails For Projects. It’s foam safe. I used to use it, but I’ve moved to Gorilla Glue as the Liquid Nails tends to let go over time.
@@AndyCrawford_NorfolkWestern oh cool, thanks for letting me know 👍
Very informative, thank you for researching this.
Informative, thanks
Im starting my own model railroad and was curious where you buy your track and switches from? Thanks
Bradley Biggers Welcome to the hobby! Start watching a crap load of videos on TH-cam. Take notes... It all depends on what you wants and needs are. Too many variations to be listed here. I use Peco and Atlas flex track and switches. Sites that have been helpful are Ron’s trains and things, Chadwick something something, and Model Railroader Magazine. They put out a whole series. Search “Dream Plan Build”. Good luck
Have you tried PPG's Gripper lately. They changed the formula some ago and I was wandering what your experience was.
It was discontinued a couple of years ago.
Loctite has an Adhesive specifically formulated for foam panels
I'm wondering how DAP Weldwood would work. It's a urea-formaldahyde resin glue that comes powdered and is mixed with water. Basically the same as a British product named Kasite iirc. Might be slightly smelly 🤭
www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-PL-300-10-fl-oz-Foamboard-Adhesive-1421941/202020476
www.dap.com/dap-products-ph/weldwood-plastic-resin-glue/
If there are issues with cutting with a hot word foam cutter I suppose you could pin the foam together with bamboo skewers, shape and then pull the stack apart and glue it.
For a large layout I would think the Super 77 would get expensive
Very interesting comparison. I immediately began to wonder how easy the foam cuts (or carves) thru the glued foams? Though through watching your videos, you usually seem to cut everything to fit for mtns, rivers, valleys, etc...
Why not Woodland Scenics Foam Tack Glue?
hello mpeterll its is randy and i like you video is cool mpeterll thanks friends randy
ive had issues with the liquid nails not holding pink foam after a year or so.if room isnt kept at constant temp
Hi Peter, nice test! Personally I'm using regular PVA wood glue to glue foam on wood and foam on foam. Have you ever tried PVA glue? Regards, Paul
That's what I was using before. It never dries within the foam. The reason for performing the experiment was to find better alternatives.
The problem is that PVA is evaporative, or it requires the backing (normally just water) to evaporate. When it's exposed to air, especially dry, warm air, it's not a problem, but sealed between layers of foam, there's issues. I've known guys who used a PVA (wood glue or otherwise) who took apart layouts or sections years later to find wet adhesive. If you don't need much strength this might be ok. Since my layout is TOMA, and I build the sections then install them to the layout, they must be handle-able, as well as needing to take the abuse of carving foam, I needed a stronger adhesive. I think the Gripper paint is pretty compelling, and I'll have to try that now, but Gorilla glue is hard to beat. Not the Gorilla brand PVA wood glue, but the dark amber, polyurethane adhesive they have become known for.
You can use plain white glue from elmers
Sure the right choice is the cheapest if they are all equally good?
Very good video
Thanks just what I needed to know!
Thanks for doing this video!
Thank you for sharing!
M77 becomes crap when heated. Not a good choice for anything structural.
I wouldn't want to use foam anywhere that is likely to get heated because it'll give off some nasty fumes.
@@mpeterll oh, you mean like south facing walls? You cannot use M77 to laminate materials that can be warmed by the sun. Everything will come apart especially since under load.
You need to figure and a product designed for this and spray foam on n a can has been laminating xps foam for a couple decades now on construction industries.
@@jaysunkreuze1466 No, hotter than that. I've heard nasty things about hot wire cutters etc.