👕Grab a BMC Shirt: bit.ly/BMCmerch The 3 WINNERS 👇👇👇 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases) Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive (USA) amzn.to/2CrRtA5 (Canada) amzn.to/2CstDnL (UK) amzn.to/2TTvcoO (Germany) Not Available Great Stuff Expanding Foam (USA) amzn.to/2TdCmjf (Canada) amzn.to/2Fms1O6 (UK) amzn.to/2CukMlm (comparable product) (Germany) amzn.to/2TUUt1S (comparable product) 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive (USA) amzn.to/2GQaRv5 (Canada) amzn.to/2Rnt5rN (UK) amzn.to/2CHrAN6 (Germany) amzn.to/2QXYHEZ THE OTHER TESTED GLUES LISTED IN VIDEO DESCRIPTION. While they may not have won out here, each of them are quality products great for other applications. Honourable mention to the Hotwire Foam Factory StyroGoo. It failed the initial 24 hour test, but after putting test pieces back together and trying again a few hours later it was VERY WELL BONDED and would not come apart. So it does work well but takes closer to 30 hours to cure which is a far cry from the 12 hours listed on the package. If you can't get the Gorilla Construction Adhesive I would feel comfortable using the PL or No More Nails, while they didn't bond quite as fast or as well they are more than adequate.
Hey Jeremy, I had posted this in your suspended platform video, but never got a response: "Hey, Jeremy, got a challenge for you to figure out... How would you use the 5-minute epoxy to make a realistic-looking weir or waterfall? Bonus points if you can maintain the "water's" transparency..." This video reminded me of that, as well as another question/request I wanted to ask you: Can you use Liquid Nails or any other clear silicone caulking effectively as a method to create water, and will it allow tinting from paint like the 5-minute epoxy? Can't really afford to go out and buy it without knowing if it works, and it seems like something you might have around your workshop... I appreciate any response!
@@underAtack I get asked about 100 questions a day and prioritize those from my patreon community and ones that are easy to quickly answer. You are asking multiple involved questions that are massive subjects. Can you use those materials to make water? Short answer. Yes.
Please don't add background music No one likes it, its just annoying background noise that some people tolerate that makes your video annoying to watch and hard to understand you especially at fast playback speeds.
It would be nice to see this experiment repeated with drying time for some of the cheaper glues before you put them together. I wonder if contact cement would have worked better if it was aloud to get tacky first.
There are some things about gluing foaming that helps also. Lightly sanding the pieces of foam will help trap air and add more adhesin points for glues that require air to dry. Also, when joining the pieces of foam sprayed with Super 77, spray them all side to side in one direction, then turn them 90 degrees before sticking them together. For some reason, it creates a better bond.
Worked as the Caulking/ Paint and Contract sales for Beaver Lumber Home hardware -- try the PL again by activating it with misted water first . think you be surprised that it works better
Great video! Super 77 is a great for temporarily Gluing XPS. I used super 77 to glue large slabs of XPS (2'x3'). After 2-3 months the humidity here in the north Carolina, Super 77 degraded and failed. Like your test found, the best thing to glue foam is more foam. Great stuff works great, but once you open it, you have to use the whole can. I had success using 2 part pour foam as an adhesive. You learn to mix it in very small quantities, apply it quickly, and you will have a very strong and permanent bond in just a few minutes.
I’m 3 years late, but, there is a Great Stuff metal “gun” that accepts larger canisters and can be used multiple different times without trashing/expending the whole can.
I build kayaks out of XPS foam, I've used great stuff in the past, but my adhesive of choice is original gorilla glue. Because I want a better bond, I score up the surface of the foam before gluing it, each puncture in the foam surface creates a little tack of glue down into the foam. Over 100 of these kayaks have been built world wide, and most have also used gorilla glue or a local alternative. I use bamboo skewers to pin the foam together so it doesn't shift while curing. I also built a foam teardrop camper and used PLpremium for attaching wood to different parts of the foam. I find digging a hole into the foam with a drill bit and packing the hole with PLpremium gave it a very strong anchor into the foam
Good tests! I used Gorilla Glue (like the one you used) on my model railroad, used it for XPF to plywood and XPF to XPF.For XPF to XPF I used a brass brush to scratch each mating surface and then glued it ,worked great.I`m guessing I glued well over 100 sq. feet of extruded pink foam and also made my mountain background using the foam and my hand held hot wire foam cutter, cut very well without issue.I also used the Gorilla Glue to glue 1/4" thick cork to XPF and it worked very well ,no probs.Great channel, keep up the superb work !! Paul T in Wpg
Nice to see the Super 77 didn't melt the foam. One of those things I was curious about myself but never got to actually testing, thanks for saving me the trouble :D
77 is also very useful because it doesn't make things "wet" I dabbled with book binding a while back and you can use that stuff on paper with out it warping. So I'm thinking it could be useful if working with chip board or other moisture sensitive material. It basically turns what ever you apply it on in a strong sticker. On the down side you can't apply this with precision. And keep in mind it can still stain even though it is clear because it will bind with dust and dirt, leaving you with rectangular gosht on you garage floor. (In my defence that was 10 years ago and my underdeveloped teenaged brain didn't think of putting down some news paper first)
Phenomenal! This is the glue test I would have done myself eventually if you hadn't saved me the time! I can only get 1" foam where I live, but I just recently bought the Shape Shifter from Shifting Lands with the intent to cut some much thicker shapes. I have been using Super 77 and I am thrilled with the results. Quick bond, easy to cut. You tested all the important factors here. Really great video and it should help a lot of tabletop crafters.
I’ve always used spray adhesive to bond foam. Super 77 is great. If you spray both surfaces and let them dry before contacting them, you will never get them apart. 3M also makes a spray adhesive specifically for expanded polystyrene foam called 3M 78, I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure it’s awesome. Re-positionable spray mount is good for temporarily attaching card stock templates to the foam for guiding the wire during cutting. Great video, btw.
A water based contact cement works great on foam, that's one of the main things I use, or there is a product called Flex glue made by rosco paints that works great as well
Very good timing! Left my first 'dungeon stackers' to dry last night, using PVA. Oddly, this morning, they seem fine. Looked for the Gorilla glue on-line and saw that many places offer Gorrilla's 'Grab Adhesive' which boasts a very quick bond, and also comes in a stiff tube for use with a 'gun'. In the UK, the 'construction adhesive' is VERY expensive (at least twice the price and often much more) - possibly because of the way it is imported. I wonder if it the same stuff sold with a different name.
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial Well, one of them has fallen apart already! I have altered the design slightly. My design is slightly more difficult to make and use, but I think looks better. In other news, I have been web-searching, and telephoning and e-mailing, and I might have found a supplier in the UK of XPS foam that does it in 'charcoal' colour in small quantities. Alas, only in metric, but one can't have everything! More news when I have it.
@@zachkompel8343 Me too Zach. Being in to historical miniatures and wargaming is what led me to both of these gentlemen. Both their channels have enriched my life immeasurably.
This was very informative, thank you! The contact cement may have failed as an adhesive, but it made for some *really* interesting texture. I bet there's stuff that could be used with.
Like creating a surface that's been melted by a toxic sludge, or maybe the kind of rock formations you sometimes see in Yellowstone, where sulphur pools have eroded the limestone in weird ways!
I was not surprised by the Super 77. I have used it glue a couple of pieces of dollar store foam core for some larger thicker pieces I needed. I am glad to hear about Gorilla glue as I have used their products for a while now. Great video as always.
That expanding foam would be really useful for filling gaps in large scale terrain build ups. Like if you are doing a whole board and laying down the hill substructure.
I’ve been watching your channel for awhile after finding you through another channel. I’m not into DND but I can appreciate the game and craft. I love your techniques for painting aged materials and I work with XPS in large scale for set design so I felt at home watching your channel in a small scale since I’m now into miniatures as well as large set design. I use the great stuff foam for bonding XPS and great for making texture on XPS like stucco and tree bark. Thanks for all you do and loved this video to learn new stuff and solidify some of my techniques.
Videos like this one are great for all kinds of crafters, builders, and artists... love seeing minis and terrain but stuff like this I can use around a shop
I agree! I ended up sharing this video on a Facebook group for Star Wars Legion terrain builders. I think anyone can get use out of this information. Well done, Jeremy!
I own a classic car restoration shop and I can say Super 77 is awesome stuff. I glue door panels, carpet, jute, and interior soft trim with it to amazing success and it's only 10$ a can at home depot!
THANK YOU. I'm a tool designer and have a need to secure an inch x inch x four inch block of foam rubber to a pvc condulet. I watched your video to get some idea what product would be best for this purpose. I'm in hopes that they sell a smaller quantity of that 77 glue, than the large one you have there. THANKS AGAIN.
I have used Gorilla glue for terrain building before, but not the construction adhesive. They have several different products now. Thanks for doing this test. It really saves a lot of others like myself from having to experiment ourselves.
Dap or Lepage construction foam board adhesive works amazing on foam. I used it to attach leather upholstery to a molded foam piece. That stuff tacks up quickly and won't come off once dry.
great test. lots of good info. One tip we were taught about PVA is to put it in dots all over. This allows just enough space for air so the center will dry. Often you will be covering the piece with a filler layer (or something similar) so 100% coverage in the middle isn't necessary. Next trip out, I will pick up the gorilla glue!
Clear Polyurethane adhesive from Gorilla is by far the best choice. It takes a couple of hours for the polymer to cross link and form a bond but once it’s set it will hold well. Paintable, cutting ok and it is possible to get a hot wire (very hot) through it.
This is excellent! Great topic and a really well designed test. You reached some solid conclusions that are useful for folks. Also kudos on the editing, you gave each product enough screen time but somehow kept it from being boring or repetitive. I'd watch videos like this all day!!
Awesome video as usual. I have been a fan for a long while now and recently I have been going through a really rough year with medical complications. Been on bed-rest for weeks at a time. Your videos have been so amazing to get me through hard times. I even went and signed up for patreon today. keep up the incredible work.
Perfect tutorial ! perfect timing! I was just trying to figure out how to do this. You saved me time, money and effort. As usual you saved the day. Thankyou!
Hey Jeremy, Loctite Go2 Gel works great. The cure time is 24 hours. I did it on a two pieces that I had cut apart and didn't have to spread it. Then I waited and did a bunch of cuts in every direction. No slippage or pulling them apart. The one drawback to it is it only comes in a 0.6 oz tube. They also make a regular Go2 Glue, haven't tried that yet.
I've been watching videos on making EPS foam kayaks, he uses the 2"x4'x8' pink insulation panels from the box store. He bonds larger parts w/ Polyurethane glue, it's a moisture setting glue that you can mist w/ water in dry climates for quicker activation. He scores the surfaces with a wallpaper removal tool that makes hundreds of small holes in the surfaces so the glue has more anchor points. He has had success over years with many boats built this way and needing to deal with flex. Gorilla is one seller of this glue although more expensive than others.
EXCELLENT EXCELLENT VIDEO!!! I know that you are not doing full-size house construction, but this video is a BIG, HUGE HELP in gluing 3 full (8X4) sheets together to make 6" of insulation. I shall be using DOW Blue sheets with gorilla glue. THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Keep up the GREAT VIDEOS.
Tried this for stacking sheets with the spray adhesive you recommended. It bonds and cuts fine with my Proxxon, but the pieces of foam keep pulling away where the sheets meet. Works better with those smaller sample sizes you used, but with bigger pieces (I have some blocks that are 12” x 8”), it doesn’t work well enough.
I've actually been trying various adhesives for joining foam this week, so this video could not have come at a better time. I hadn't even considered 77 - figured it would melt the foam - so it's great to know how it worked so well.
Hi, everyone. I used $1 store chalking and it worked really well. The problem waiting to dry. Full dry over night or 12 hours. It's pretty good if your not in a hurry. Didn't melt the foam. $1 cheap.
Super helpful for my current project. Another thing I've done is use the existing plastic covering on the XPS, melt them together on the wire amd it holds well enough.
I learned a lot this week if you don't or waste money on wrong glue for foam .I took for granted that any would do it but after hours it falls off so frustrating or burn through the foam or brown mark
You can use a PVA based glue with with hot glue. The hot glue holds it’s in place for the slower drying glues. The construction adhesive is a great material to intentionally make an organic texture.
Just assembling gaming terrain, I would use Gorilla foaming polyurethane glue sparingly. lightly spray one surface with water (very lightly) and apply the glue to the other. Firmly clamp. tape together or weight to hold it together. This type glue needs no air to cure. Just a small amount of water. Foaming action can be extreme if you apply too much glue The joint will be stronger than the foam.
BTW... I assemble the foam into RC model aircraft. The joints have to put up with far more stress than when crafting fr the game table. The Gorilla foaming polyurethane acts similar to the insulation spray foam, but with far more control, less waste and you can learn to have very little expand out of the joint
I just used Loctite heavy duty 0 second power grab adhesive putting xps foam on my basement block walls. It works amazingly good. It has cured solid and nothing is coming off.
Excellent comparison of glue performance, thanks! One thing people forget is that the foam is non-permeable and is essentially plastic, and your glue is stored inside plastic and it stays liquid. Most glues work by evaporation of solvent, leaving behind tough, hard solids. Sometimes, like with PVA or white glue, that solvent is water, other times the solvent is a petroleum distillate (smelly glues). The solvent needs a way out of the joint in order to set the glue and for large sheets of foam, the center has a hard time drying. Wood can be glued that way because wood is porous, and moisture can escape into the wood itself and out the other side, but not so for foam and other plastics. The performance of a glue joint on foam is dependent on how large the glue area is, and how well it dries.
Super useful! You tried several glues I wouldn't have thought about. I'm currently adhering a bunch of XPS foam to medium-wieght chipboard as multi-figure bases for Kings of War, and your findings will definitely cause me to change from Aleene's Tacky glue to either the Gorilla Glue or Super 77 for the job. Thanks for another great vid!
I recently modified a guitar case with this foam. Test spotted the 3M 90. The foam basically just disappeared. So I hot glued most of the project. Still happy with results. I have another case to modify soon. I'll give the 77 a try. Thanks
I glue a LOT of XPS foam together in very large pieces. Hands down, Original Gorilla Glue is the best adhesive for this application, followed by Super 78 (that's right, it's one more than Super 77)
UHU POR! It has been designed exactly for that. This is widely used in the RC hobby to make foam planes... They use xps under layer for floor insulation 3 to 5mm thickness. Put a thin layer on both surfaces, wait 10-20min then join the 2 parts. Super strong.
I use Elmer's Multi-purpose Spray Adhesive. It blows away 77 for the odor problem. I use it in my bathroom with the exhaust fan turnrd on for ventilation and it works great. Cuts with my Proxxon Thermocut as if it were not there. I don't know how much pressure you used to pull 3" squares apart, but mine are not showing any signs of structural weakness.
Some adhesives lose their tackiness over time, and I'd be interested to see if any of the 3 winners eventually failed or if they stay solid indefinitely. I like your 'shootout' videos, and have found them very useful for my own crafting - so thank you! :)
I'm a portrait photographer, and I buy rigid 8X8 foot backdrops from a fellow he makes them from three inch foamular bonding the long edge together he carves textures and paints them to order and they are amazing. Not cheap by the way. May be a money maker for you. Excellent video very helpfull.
i appreciate it. i have super 77 and never thought of using it. I have been using super glue to bond xps together. I can see super glue not being tested for large blocks on large blocks, but for doing pillars and stalagmites/stalactites it works great.
Just wanted to say thanks! I lucked out and bought the gorilla glue clear construction glue on my first go. Mainly because it said could be sanded, painted and sticks to xps foam right on the bottle. However it takes sooo long to dry so it really slowed down my work. I didn't know about the 3M Super 77 and going to try that on my next project. Thank you so much!
I did quickly learn that using a hotknife or the proxon for cutting XPS foam and spray foam together is a bit rough. I made some hills with XPS has the core bulk layer and sprayfoam for texture, bonding the layers, and shaping. When I cut it up the spray foam cut a lot slower and caused the XPS I had in the middle to melt away in some areas. In the I had to go back through with a knife to do most of the cutting then fill the holes I made back in with spray foam and then back again with some blades to shape it up how I needed.
I whole heartedly agree that the 3M Super 77 works fantastic. Heat was my biggest hurdle. I had an ipad mini mounted off my windshield in my vehicle and wanted to make it look more natural and also, the sunlight would constantly heat up the back of the tablet and rendered it useless until it cooled off, so decided to create an insulated dash mount. Since heat was my biggest issue, I took my measurements and used XPS insulation foam (the pink stuff) to create the mount. I watched this video and with this recommendation I used the 3M Super 77 Glue to glue the foam sheets together and it works amazing. There is now way these sheets are separating. I used a tree frog rubber mat for the base and used the same glue. Worked perfect. I decided to use a black burlap cloth, like used to cover speakers to cover the outside using the same glue. I used SUNGUARD Fabric UV Sealant Spray to keep the sun from fading the cloth and glued a basic tablet dust cover to the XPS foam to mount the ipad and it holds like a champ. Thank you for the review, it helped my project tremendously, and use gloves when spraying this stuff. Its super sticky but simple soap and water seems to work just fine getting it off your hands.
I found Super 77 is not permanent - at least not for larger pieces. It worked great at first. Within a couple of weeks the glued surfaces snapped apart cleanly with just a little bit of effort. All that remained was some dry tackiness on the surfaces. It was evident the adhesive didn’t actually chemically bond with the XPS.
I've seen a few different tests like this on TH-cam and one thing that's only just sprung to mind is that there's never any surface preparation. Would it make a big difference to some of the glues if the surface was roughed up slightly? Either coarse sandpaper or by a wire brush. Keep up the great content!
Great guidance. There is still one more option you have not tried : the gasoline. It works best above all else except that the surfaces deform a little bit.
Expandable foam is my go to... Just my opinion. Rough sandpaper your bits, spray just enough foam to provide a thin layer without leaking out the seams. It melts the surface of the foam, or at least that is the impression I have. My foam terrain is solid , layers can't be pried apart, some pieces are 10 yrs old now and the adhesion has not changed, just as strong as the day I glued them.
You can buy a foam gun with the corresponding foam! (Lowe's/ Home Depot) The foam gun has a rotary wheel at the end of the gun, which is used to screw the front nozzle on and off. The foam in the can lasts longer than in the cans with the "straw". You should also buy the foam cleaner to keep the nozzle on the gun clean
Oh, words can’t express the connivence of YOUR video!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 After writing my remarks, I’m off to Lowe’s to buy a can of 3M 77 to close up a few holes in my two 10-year old sofa cushions!👌 I used Aileen’s Tacky Spray on one area, but I wondered if there something better?🤔 Thank you! ☮️&💜
Great video, if you run a wire brush over the foam to add a texture for the glue to grab you may have better luck some other glues. The liquid nails works great after the wire brush. Just a light pass with the brush will do the trick. Just my personal experience.
i work in a art school and we use contact glue to bound the blue foam butr we use the latex contact cement and it work perfectly! Nice video and love your chanel!
Thank you for taking the time so we don't have to. I really appreciate this video. I've used 3M 77 For putting flocking on trees never thought to use it on Foam.
Crazy helpful. Just about to make a rather large tudor style fireplace out of foam (1/12 scale) and this was exactly what I needed. Thank you so much and I will definitely buy the glue via your links if that is possible.
Great info! Thumbs up! The Gorilla Glue construction adhesive cartridge is way more than I'll ever use for what I'm working on, so as a PSA, I came to say that it also comes in a 2.5 oz squeeze tube. I already have a caulking gun, but I'd be hard pressed to find applications for the rest of a whole cartridge.
I had a project where I had to glue some canvas on XPS and based on this test I used Super 77. In hindsight I should have tested first, but I didn't. I was surprised that it was a total failure. The canvas would stick only a bit if at all and the surfaces remained sticky. Looking at 3M's own suggestions they mention 78 to be specifically for rigid foam polystyrene.
Working in leathercraft, there is a good alternative to contact cement that is solvent based. Water based contact cement is closer to latex adhesives. Use it the exact same. Two surfaces, let dry and stick the two halves together. 3 good major brands. One Italian. One German and one US manufacurer. Since leather is porous and foam is not, that may be a big difference.
I use PVA and carpenters glue on large prices pretty often. The trick is spreading super thin on both sides, and letting it tack up for a few minutes, then keeping weight on it for 24 hours. I usually wait longer, but 24 hours is plenty if you use the tips above.
For the smaller items if you want to work fast I use foam safe CA glue. It is more expensive than the other options just it also works extremely well and you can use accelerator with it to get literally instant bond which is useful in some items. It also doesn't have the issues of hot glue with the volume of the glue making things uneven and such.
I just visited the construction glue aisle today, and I grabbed a can of SikaBond Rapid Fixing Adhesive Foam (low expansion, polyurethane foam adhesive). I'm hoping it will do the job in fixing my XPS foam to my MDF board.
I got some super 77 on your recommendation from an older vid and was sold on it first use. The instant bond was amazing. That warning label though.. whew. I did use it outside with a mask on just to be safe
I have now watched the video. My experience with much larger slabs of foam it takes longer to dry. But i also follow scary lady videos rule. However the testing you have done has a slightly different POU (philosophy of use). So i may have to pick up some 77
I saw a video that showed that Glidden Gripper primer (brush on primer) worked fantastic but I do not know how fast it dries. And I don't know if a hot wire can cut it. Foam Fusion, a hot wire can cut it. Look up the video name - Styro wars: Styrofoam glue tests.
Great video, Jeremy! This sort of information is great for everyone. I even shared this video with a Facebook group for Star Wars Legion terrain makers. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the comparison. I'm in the process of gathering info about foam construction. I am going to build a camping trailer and really need the insulating factor without the thickness. I would also be interested in the adhering strength of Tightbond II with screen to attach wooden light framing. (Need screw/nail backer for interior finish) Thanks much!
Thank you!! I'm glad I hesitated before just slapping on contact cement. I was worried I couldn't use a hot wire on it, hadn't even thought about the melting. I'm making a 6 ft Beetlejuice tombstone out of several layers, could've been a pricey mistake!
I watched this when you released it just to your patreon supporters and then again when you just released it to the public and either I wasn't paying attention and missed some of the beginning or you changed up the intro to make it more informative. Regardless I'm glad I watched it again, the intro is great, and thank you very much for another great video.
The one you had to clamp looked like a big purple smore. If I learned anything from this, it’s that the foam would probably hold together a lot better if textured first, and that I’d probably go with the gorilla glue since that’s what I’m used to using already haha
I can’t speak for polystyrene, but for building puppets from polyurethane or reticulated foam, Barge contact cement tends to be what the professionals use, with Duall 88 making inroads. But I tend to use DAP Weldwood simply due to its easy availability.
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Great Stuff Expanding Foam
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3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive
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THE OTHER TESTED GLUES LISTED IN VIDEO DESCRIPTION. While they may not have won out here, each of them are quality products great for other applications. Honourable mention to the Hotwire Foam Factory StyroGoo. It failed the initial 24 hour test, but after putting test pieces back together and trying again a few hours later it was VERY WELL BONDED and would not come apart. So it does work well but takes closer to 30 hours to cure which is a far cry from the 12 hours listed on the package. If you can't get the Gorilla Construction Adhesive I would feel comfortable using the PL or No More Nails, while they didn't bond quite as fast or as well they are more than adequate.
Have you looked at PL300 its made for the foam insulation
Hey Jeremy,
I had posted this in your suspended platform video, but never got a response:
"Hey, Jeremy, got a challenge for you to figure out...
How would you use the 5-minute epoxy to make a realistic-looking weir or waterfall? Bonus points if you can maintain the "water's" transparency..."
This video reminded me of that, as well as another question/request I wanted to ask you:
Can you use Liquid Nails or any other clear silicone caulking effectively as a method to create water, and will it allow tinting from paint like the 5-minute epoxy? Can't really afford to go out and buy it without knowing if it works, and it seems like something you might have around your workshop...
I appreciate any response!
@@underAtack I get asked about 100 questions a day and prioritize those from my patreon community and ones that are easy to quickly answer. You are asking multiple involved questions that are massive subjects. Can you use those materials to make water? Short answer. Yes.
Please don't add background music No one likes it, its just annoying background noise that some people tolerate that makes your video annoying to watch and hard to understand you especially at fast playback speeds.
It would be nice to see this experiment repeated with drying time for some of the cheaper glues before you put them together. I wonder if contact cement would have worked better if it was aloud to get tacky first.
There are some things about gluing foaming that helps also. Lightly sanding the pieces of foam will help trap air and add more adhesin points for glues that require air to dry. Also, when joining the pieces of foam sprayed with Super 77, spray them all side to side in one direction, then turn them 90 degrees before sticking them together. For some reason, it creates a better bond.
velcro works better this way too
Thank you for that bit of wisdom. I'm going to screen capture your comment and print it out above my hobby-bench for future wisdom.
Not needed
Worked as the Caulking/ Paint and Contract sales for Beaver Lumber Home hardware -- try the PL again by activating it with misted water first . think you be surprised that it works better
@@ProvincelandsExplorer interesting, THANKS
Beaver lumber, now there's a throw back!!!
Great video!
Super 77 is a great for temporarily Gluing XPS. I used super 77 to glue large slabs of XPS (2'x3'). After 2-3 months the humidity here in the north Carolina, Super 77 degraded and failed.
Like your test found, the best thing to glue foam is more foam. Great stuff works great, but once you open it, you have to use the whole can.
I had success using 2 part pour foam as an adhesive. You learn to mix it in very small quantities, apply it quickly, and you will have a very strong and permanent bond in just a few minutes.
I’m 3 years late, but, there is a Great Stuff metal “gun” that accepts larger canisters and can be used multiple different times without trashing/expending the whole can.
I build kayaks out of XPS foam, I've used great stuff in the past, but my adhesive of choice is original gorilla glue. Because I want a better bond, I score up the surface of the foam before gluing it, each puncture in the foam surface creates a little tack of glue down into the foam.
Over 100 of these kayaks have been built world wide, and most have also used gorilla glue or a local alternative.
I use bamboo skewers to pin the foam together so it doesn't shift while curing.
I also built a foam teardrop camper and used PLpremium for attaching wood to different parts of the foam. I find digging a hole into the foam with a drill bit and packing the hole with PLpremium gave it a very strong anchor into the foam
Nice.. I would like to see what you make and/or how to make. I want to make outriggers for adding sails to kayak into a trimaran kayak.
I just spent 17 minutes watching glue dry....
Actually, this was incredibly informative and well-done! Thank you!
Better than watching paint dry 😂
Good tests! I used Gorilla Glue (like the one you used) on my model railroad, used it for XPF to plywood and XPF to XPF.For XPF to XPF I used a brass brush to scratch each mating surface and then glued it ,worked great.I`m guessing I glued well over 100 sq. feet of extruded pink foam and also made my mountain background using the foam and my hand held hot wire foam cutter, cut very well without issue.I also used the Gorilla Glue to glue 1/4" thick cork to XPF and it worked very well ,no probs.Great channel, keep up the superb work !!
Paul T in Wpg
This guy is doing Gods work over here. Thanks!
Nice to see the Super 77 didn't melt the foam. One of those things I was curious about myself but never got to actually testing, thanks for saving me the trouble :D
3m 90 melts pink foam like crazy
13:42 to jump to verdict. Though I enjoyed the whole thing!
77 is also very useful because it doesn't make things "wet" I dabbled with book binding a while back and you can use that stuff on paper with out it warping. So I'm thinking it could be useful if working with chip board or other moisture sensitive material. It basically turns what ever you apply it on in a strong sticker. On the down side you can't apply this with precision. And keep in mind it can still stain even though it is clear because it will bind with dust and dirt, leaving you with rectangular gosht on you garage floor. (In my defence that was 10 years ago and my underdeveloped teenaged brain didn't think of putting down some news paper first)
Phenomenal! This is the glue test I would have done myself eventually if you hadn't saved me the time! I can only get 1" foam where I live, but I just recently bought the Shape Shifter from Shifting Lands with the intent to cut some much thicker shapes. I have been using Super 77 and I am thrilled with the results. Quick bond, easy to cut. You tested all the important factors here. Really great video and it should help a lot of tabletop crafters.
I’ve always used spray adhesive to bond foam. Super 77 is great. If you spray both surfaces and let them dry before contacting them, you will never get them apart. 3M also makes a spray adhesive specifically for expanded polystyrene foam called 3M 78, I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure it’s awesome. Re-positionable spray mount is good for temporarily attaching card stock templates to the foam for guiding the wire during cutting. Great video, btw.
A water based contact cement works great on foam, that's one of the main things I use, or there is a product called Flex glue made by rosco paints that works great as well
Very good timing! Left my first 'dungeon stackers' to dry last night, using PVA. Oddly, this morning, they seem fine. Looked for the Gorilla glue on-line and saw that many places offer Gorrilla's 'Grab Adhesive' which boasts a very quick bond, and also comes in a stiff tube for use with a 'gun'. In the UK, the 'construction adhesive' is VERY expensive (at least twice the price and often much more) - possibly because of the way it is imported. I wonder if it the same stuff sold with a different name.
Stackers are small enough that pva is fine, and since you won’t be cutting them after gluing it doesn’t matter if some glue remains wet in the center.
@@BlackMagicCraftOfficial Well, one of them has fallen apart already! I have altered the design slightly. My design is slightly more difficult to make and use, but I think looks better.
In other news, I have been web-searching, and telephoning and e-mailing, and I might have found a supplier in the UK of XPS foam that does it in 'charcoal' colour in small quantities. Alas, only in metric, but one can't have everything! More news when I have it.
Two of my favorite youtube content creators in one place! Im ecstatic!!!!!
@@zachkompel8343 Me too Zach. Being in to historical miniatures and wargaming is what led me to both of these gentlemen. Both their channels have enriched my life immeasurably.
I can sense the coming of a lindybeige video on the historical use and improvements of "glue" lol
This was very informative, thank you!
The contact cement may have failed as an adhesive, but it made for some *really* interesting texture. I bet there's stuff that could be used with.
Like creating a surface that's been melted by a toxic sludge, or maybe the kind of rock formations you sometimes see in Yellowstone, where sulphur pools have eroded the limestone in weird ways!
Acetone will also do that..... I also use a creme brué burner.
Acid pools and such. Slime pit or corruption spread maybe
Edit: wow! I've never been highlited before, amazing.
I was not surprised by the Super 77. I have used it glue a couple of pieces of dollar store foam core for
some larger thicker pieces I needed. I am glad to hear about Gorilla glue as I have used their products
for a while now. Great video as always.
That expanding foam would be really useful for filling gaps in large scale terrain build ups. Like if you are doing a whole board and laying down the hill substructure.
I’ve been watching your channel for awhile after finding you through another channel. I’m not into DND but I can appreciate the game and craft. I love your techniques for painting aged materials and I work with XPS in large scale for set design so I felt at home watching your channel in a small scale since I’m now into miniatures as well as large set design. I use the great stuff foam for bonding XPS and great for making texture on XPS like stucco and tree bark. Thanks for all you do and loved this video to learn new stuff and solidify some of my techniques.
Videos like this one are great for all kinds of crafters, builders, and artists... love seeing minis and terrain but stuff like this I can use around a shop
I agree! I ended up sharing this video on a Facebook group for Star Wars Legion terrain builders. I think anyone can get use out of this information. Well done, Jeremy!
I own a classic car restoration shop and I can say Super 77 is awesome stuff. I glue door panels, carpet, jute, and interior soft trim with it to amazing success and it's only 10$ a can at home depot!
THANK YOU.
I'm a tool designer and have a need to secure an inch x inch x four inch block of foam rubber to a pvc condulet. I watched your video to get some idea what product would be best for this purpose. I'm in hopes that they sell a smaller quantity of that 77 glue, than the large one you have there. THANKS AGAIN.
So helpful!
I've been using PVA for this and just accepting the fact that it takes 48-72 hours to dry.
I have used Gorilla glue for terrain building before, but not the construction adhesive. They have several different products now. Thanks for doing this test. It really saves a lot of others like myself from having to experiment ourselves.
Dap or Lepage construction foam board adhesive works amazing on foam. I used it to attach leather upholstery to a molded foam piece. That stuff tacks up quickly and won't come off once dry.
great test. lots of good info. One tip we were taught about PVA is to put it in dots all over. This allows just enough space for air so the center will dry. Often you will be covering the piece with a filler layer (or something similar) so 100% coverage in the middle isn't necessary. Next trip out, I will pick up the gorilla glue!
Clear Polyurethane adhesive from Gorilla is by far the best choice. It takes a couple of hours for the polymer to cross link and form a bond but once it’s set it will hold well. Paintable, cutting ok and it is possible to get a hot wire (very hot) through it.
I would be interested in knowing how the different seams work with rasps and sanding.
This is excellent! Great topic and a really well designed test. You reached some solid conclusions that are useful for folks.
Also kudos on the editing, you gave each product enough screen time but somehow kept it from being boring or repetitive. I'd watch videos like this all day!!
Awesome video as usual. I have been a fan for a long while now and recently I have been going through a really rough year with medical complications. Been on bed-rest for weeks at a time. Your videos have been so amazing to get me through hard times. I even went and signed up for patreon today. keep up the incredible work.
Get well my friend. I'm glad the videos give you a way to pass the time.
Perfect tutorial ! perfect timing! I was just trying to figure out how to do this. You saved me time, money and effort. As usual you saved the day. Thankyou!
Hey Jeremy, Loctite Go2 Gel works great. The cure time is 24 hours. I did it on a two pieces that I had cut apart and didn't have to spread it. Then I waited and did a bunch of cuts in every direction. No slippage or pulling them apart. The one drawback to it is it only comes in a 0.6 oz tube. They also make a regular Go2 Glue, haven't tried that yet.
years after I started watching you and I'm finally starting to experiment with XPS myself, this was extremely helpful!
I've been watching videos on making EPS foam kayaks, he uses the 2"x4'x8' pink insulation panels from the box store. He bonds larger parts w/ Polyurethane glue, it's a moisture setting glue that you can mist w/ water in dry climates for quicker activation. He scores the surfaces with a wallpaper removal tool that makes hundreds of small holes in the surfaces so the glue has more anchor points. He has had success over years with many boats built this way and needing to deal with flex. Gorilla is one seller of this glue although more expensive than others.
EXCELLENT EXCELLENT VIDEO!!! I know that you are not doing full-size house construction, but this video is a BIG, HUGE HELP in gluing 3 full (8X4) sheets together to make 6" of insulation. I shall be using DOW Blue sheets with gorilla glue. THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Keep up the GREAT VIDEOS.
Between this video and the one on foam cutting with the OLFA knife you answered my terrain building project questions. Thanks!
Tried this for stacking sheets with the spray adhesive you recommended. It bonds and cuts fine with my Proxxon, but the pieces of foam keep pulling away where the sheets meet. Works better with those smaller sample sizes you used, but with bigger pieces (I have some blocks that are 12” x 8”), it doesn’t work well enough.
I've actually been trying various adhesives for joining foam this week, so this video could not have come at a better time. I hadn't even considered 77 - figured it would melt the foam - so it's great to know how it worked so well.
Hi, everyone. I used $1 store chalking and it worked really well. The problem waiting to dry. Full dry over night or 12 hours. It's pretty good if your not in a hurry. Didn't melt the foam. $1 cheap.
Super helpful for my current project. Another thing I've done is use the existing plastic covering on the XPS, melt them together on the wire amd it holds well enough.
I just got into Warhammer and DnD and therefore painting minis and such. And you've taught me everything I know so far.
So thanks for these vids.
I learned a lot this week if you don't or waste money on wrong glue for foam .I took for granted that any would do it but after hours it falls off so frustrating or burn through the foam or brown mark
You can use a PVA based glue with with hot glue. The hot glue holds it’s in place for the slower drying glues. The construction adhesive is a great material to intentionally make an organic texture.
Just assembling gaming terrain, I would use Gorilla foaming polyurethane glue sparingly.
lightly spray one surface with water (very lightly) and apply the glue to the other.
Firmly clamp. tape together or weight to hold it together.
This type glue needs no air to cure. Just a small amount of water. Foaming action can be extreme if you apply too much glue The joint will be stronger than the foam.
BTW... I assemble the foam into RC model aircraft. The joints have to put up with far more stress than when crafting fr the game table.
The Gorilla foaming polyurethane acts similar to the insulation spray foam, but with far more control, less waste and you can learn to have very little expand out of the joint
I just used Loctite heavy duty 0 second power grab adhesive putting xps foam on my basement block walls. It works amazingly good. It has cured solid and nothing is coming off.
Excellent comparison of glue performance, thanks! One thing people forget is that the foam is non-permeable and is essentially plastic, and your glue is stored inside plastic and it stays liquid. Most glues work by evaporation of solvent, leaving behind tough, hard solids. Sometimes, like with PVA or white glue, that solvent is water, other times the solvent is a petroleum distillate (smelly glues). The solvent needs a way out of the joint in order to set the glue and for large sheets of foam, the center has a hard time drying. Wood can be glued that way because wood is porous, and moisture can escape into the wood itself and out the other side, but not so for foam and other plastics. The performance of a glue joint on foam is dependent on how large the glue area is, and how well it dries.
Super useful! You tried several glues I wouldn't have thought about. I'm currently adhering a bunch of XPS foam to medium-wieght chipboard as multi-figure bases for Kings of War, and your findings will definitely cause me to change from Aleene's Tacky glue to either the Gorilla Glue or Super 77 for the job. Thanks for another great vid!
I recently modified a guitar case with this foam. Test spotted the 3M 90. The foam basically just disappeared. So I hot glued most of the project. Still happy with results. I have another case to modify soon. I'll give the 77 a try.
Thanks
I glue a LOT of XPS foam together in very large pieces. Hands down, Original Gorilla Glue is the best adhesive for this application, followed by Super 78 (that's right, it's one more than Super 77)
UHU POR! It has been designed exactly for that. This is widely used in the RC hobby to make foam planes... They use xps under layer for floor insulation 3 to 5mm thickness. Put a thin layer on both surfaces, wait 10-20min then join the 2 parts. Super strong.
I use Elmer's Multi-purpose Spray Adhesive. It blows away 77 for the odor problem. I use it in my bathroom with the exhaust fan turnrd on for ventilation and it works great. Cuts with my Proxxon Thermocut as if it were not there. I don't know how much pressure you used to pull 3" squares apart, but mine are not showing any signs of structural weakness.
Some adhesives lose their tackiness over time, and I'd be interested to see if any of the 3 winners eventually failed or if they stay solid indefinitely.
I like your 'shootout' videos, and have found them very useful for my own crafting - so thank you! :)
Thank you for the research. I am about to build a box for a 3d printer and this will help me choose the right glue for it.
I'm a portrait photographer, and I buy rigid 8X8 foot backdrops from a fellow he makes them from three inch foamular bonding the long edge together he carves textures and paints them to order and they are amazing. Not cheap by the way. May be a money maker for you.
Excellent video very helpfull.
Fun watching the expanding foam raise between each glue.
I was wondering who would notice that!
i appreciate it. i have super 77 and never thought of using it. I have been using super glue to bond xps together. I can see super glue not being tested for large blocks on large blocks, but for doing pillars and stalagmites/stalactites it works great.
Just wanted to say thanks! I lucked out and bought the gorilla glue clear construction glue on my first go. Mainly because it said could be sanded, painted and sticks to xps foam right on the bottle. However it takes sooo long to dry so it really slowed down my work. I didn't know about the 3M Super 77 and going to try that on my next project. Thank you so much!
I did quickly learn that using a hotknife or the proxon for cutting XPS foam and spray foam together is a bit rough. I made some hills with XPS has the core bulk layer and sprayfoam for texture, bonding the layers, and shaping. When I cut it up the spray foam cut a lot slower and caused the XPS I had in the middle to melt away in some areas. In the I had to go back through with a knife to do most of the cutting then fill the holes I made back in with spray foam and then back again with some blades to shape it up how I needed.
Thank you!! I'm gluing XPS to unfinished fiberglass - I have two solid options now. Cheers!
I whole heartedly agree that the 3M Super 77 works fantastic. Heat was my biggest hurdle. I had an ipad mini mounted off my windshield in my vehicle and wanted to make it look more natural and also, the sunlight would constantly heat up the back of the tablet and rendered it useless until it cooled off, so decided to create an insulated dash mount. Since heat was my biggest issue, I took my measurements and used XPS insulation foam (the pink stuff) to create the mount. I watched this video and with this recommendation I used the 3M Super 77 Glue to glue the foam sheets together and it works amazing. There is now way these sheets are separating. I used a tree frog rubber mat for the base and used the same glue. Worked perfect. I decided to use a black burlap cloth, like used to cover speakers to cover the outside using the same glue. I used SUNGUARD Fabric UV Sealant Spray to keep the sun from fading the cloth and glued a basic tablet dust cover to the XPS foam to mount the ipad and it holds like a champ. Thank you for the review, it helped my project tremendously, and use gloves when spraying this stuff. Its super sticky but simple soap and water seems to work just fine getting it off your hands.
I've seen people on various forums rave about Zinsser Gripper Primer as a top-notch glue for foam. I'd be curious to see how that compares.
I found Super 77 is not permanent - at least not for larger pieces. It worked great at first. Within a couple of weeks the glued surfaces snapped apart cleanly with just a little bit of effort. All that remained was some dry tackiness on the surfaces. It was evident the adhesive didn’t actually chemically bond with the XPS.
I've seen a few different tests like this on TH-cam and one thing that's only just sprung to mind is that there's never any surface preparation. Would it make a big difference to some of the glues if the surface was roughed up slightly? Either coarse sandpaper or by a wire brush.
Keep up the great content!
Or with the Modge-podge?... Although I don't know if the Proxxon could handle modge-podged foam......
Roughing up foam would make ones like the PL that work better. But I wanted to find one that worked without that extra effort. I found 3.
Great guidance. There is still one more option you have not tried : the gasoline. It works best above all else except that the surfaces deform a little bit.
Thank you. This is -exactly- what I needed to know. I hope you have a video doing the same test, but with polystyrene.
Great Video. with spray foam, you definitely have to use the "minimal expanding" version.
Expandable foam is my go to... Just my opinion. Rough sandpaper your bits, spray just enough foam to provide a thin layer without leaking out the seams. It melts the surface of the foam, or at least that is the impression I have. My foam terrain is solid , layers can't be pried apart, some pieces are 10 yrs old now and the adhesion has not changed, just as strong as the day I glued them.
You can buy a foam gun with the corresponding foam! (Lowe's/ Home Depot) The foam gun has a rotary wheel at the end of the gun, which is used to screw the front nozzle on and off. The foam in the can lasts longer than in the cans with the "straw". You should also buy the foam cleaner to keep the nozzle on the gun clean
Oh, words can’t express the connivence of YOUR video!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
After writing my remarks, I’m off to Lowe’s to buy a can of 3M 77 to close up a few holes in my two 10-year old sofa cushions!👌 I used Aileen’s Tacky Spray on one area, but I wondered if there something better?🤔
Thank you!
☮️&💜
I was looking at glues for foam to fabric application. Your video did help me quite abit.
Great video, if you run a wire brush over the foam to add a texture for the glue to grab you may have better luck some other glues. The liquid nails works great after the wire brush. Just a light pass with the brush will do the trick. Just my personal experience.
i work in a art school and we use contact glue to bound the blue foam butr we use the latex contact cement and it work perfectly! Nice video and love your chanel!
Thank you for taking the time so we don't have to. I really appreciate this video. I've used 3M 77 For putting flocking on trees never thought to use it on Foam.
Crazy helpful. Just about to make a rather large tudor style fireplace out of foam (1/12 scale) and this was exactly what I needed. Thank you so much and I will definitely buy the glue via your links if that is possible.
thanks for giving a summary of the top 3 at the end. quick and concise, super helpful
Great info! Thumbs up! The Gorilla Glue construction adhesive cartridge is way more than I'll ever use for what I'm working on, so as a PSA, I came to say that it also comes in a 2.5 oz squeeze tube. I already have a caulking gun, but I'd be hard pressed to find applications for the rest of a whole cartridge.
I had a project where I had to glue some canvas on XPS and based on this test I used Super 77. In hindsight I should have tested first, but I didn't. I was surprised that it was a total failure. The canvas would stick only a bit if at all and the surfaces remained sticky. Looking at 3M's own suggestions they mention 78 to be specifically for rigid foam polystyrene.
Great Stuff is the biggest surprise to me. As for foam factory glues they have now Foam Fusion. Seems to be super strong on XPS.
Long ago when I made terrain fields I too used spray adhesive. It's good to know I wasnt stupid for doing so.
I love Gorilla glue. I was rooting for it! I've used it for many projects including an outdoor 8' foot Stonehenge arch. It holds up really well.
Working in leathercraft, there is a good alternative to contact cement that is solvent based. Water based contact cement is closer to latex adhesives. Use it the exact same. Two surfaces, let dry and stick the two halves together. 3 good major brands. One Italian. One German and one US manufacurer. Since leather is porous and foam is not, that may be a big difference.
I know it's kind of old, but we use dap all purpose contact cement for eva foam weapon construction for larping. It holds up quite well.
I use PVA and carpenters glue on large prices pretty often. The trick is spreading super thin on both sides, and letting it tack up for a few minutes, then keeping weight on it for 24 hours. I usually wait longer, but 24 hours is plenty if you use the tips above.
thanks for the test. foam is always a pain to find the right glue, so thanks for making it easier to find the right product
For the smaller items if you want to work fast I use foam safe CA glue. It is more expensive than the other options just it also works extremely well and you can use accelerator with it to get literally instant bond which is useful in some items. It also doesn't have the issues of hot glue with the volume of the glue making things uneven and such.
I just visited the construction glue aisle today, and I grabbed a can of SikaBond Rapid Fixing Adhesive Foam (low expansion, polyurethane foam adhesive). I'm hoping it will do the job in fixing my XPS foam to my MDF board.
I got some super 77 on your recommendation from an older vid and was sold on it first use. The instant bond was amazing. That warning label though.. whew. I did use it outside with a mask on just to be safe
The recommended glue is a hybrid polymer caulking. High-tack also works great.
What would you use to glue xps foam to wood? For a display board type thing.
I have now watched the video. My experience with much larger slabs of foam it takes longer to dry. But i also follow scary lady videos rule. However the testing you have done has a slightly different POU (philosophy of use). So i may have to pick up some 77
I saw a video that showed that Glidden Gripper primer (brush on primer) worked fantastic but I do not know how fast it dries. And I don't know if a hot wire can cut it. Foam Fusion, a hot wire can cut it. Look up the video name - Styro wars: Styrofoam glue tests.
Great video, Jeremy! This sort of information is great for everyone. I even shared this video with a Facebook group for Star Wars Legion terrain makers. Keep up the great work!
TTT glued only with spot with PVA not flat. just because PVA needs air for drying.
Thanks for the comparison.
I'm in the process of gathering info about foam construction.
I am going to build a camping trailer and really need the insulating factor without the thickness.
I would also be interested in the adhering strength of Tightbond II with screen to attach wooden light framing. (Need screw/nail backer for interior finish)
Thanks much!
Thank you!! I'm glad I hesitated before just slapping on contact cement. I was worried I couldn't use a hot wire on it, hadn't even thought about the melting. I'm making a 6 ft Beetlejuice tombstone out of several layers, could've been a pricey mistake!
i'd probably use the cement contact for large tile. dip a small roller into it & roll it onto your foam for little ponds, acid baths or craters
I watched this when you released it just to your patreon supporters and then again when you just released it to the public and either I wasn't paying attention and missed some of the beginning or you changed up the intro to make it more informative. Regardless I'm glad I watched it again, the intro is great, and thank you very much for another great video.
Nothing has changed. Must of just missed something the first time you watched.
Thank you.
Saved me some trials of glue here for making a panel.
The one you had to clamp looked like a big purple smore.
If I learned anything from this, it’s that the foam would probably hold together a lot better if textured first, and that I’d probably go with the gorilla glue since that’s what I’m used to using already haha
I can’t speak for polystyrene, but for building puppets from polyurethane or reticulated foam, Barge contact cement tends to be what the professionals use, with Duall 88 making inroads.
But I tend to use DAP Weldwood simply due to its easy availability.