Terms of the Trade: What is Foam Board Adhesive?

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Available in cartridges designed for use with a caulking gun as well as smaller squeeze bottles, foam board adhesive is a high-strength bonding agent used primarily for foam of various types, but it is capable of adhering to other surfaces as well. Made of latex and water resistant, foam board adhesive emits a low odor and easily cleans up when still wet. Once set, foam board adhesive provides a great bond between a variety of materials. In addition to bonding surfaces, certain types of foam board adhesive can fill gaps of a particular size.

Recommendations

Use foam board adhesive on craft foam core, drywall, molding, solid-sheet foam insulation and greenboard around tubs and sinks. It may also adhere to MDF panelling, plywood, particleboard and corkboard. Foam board adhesive should not be used outdoors or for underwater applications. Mirrors, marble, tile and wood flooring are incompatible with foam board adhesives.

Application

For highly-porous materials, clamps or other mechanical fasteners should be used to hold the bonding surfaces together until the foam board adhesive has had time to cure. Another, albeit different, type of foam board adhesive are prefabricated sheets of foam board with an adhesive in place. To affix this material, simply peel away the backing paper and set in place.