Low VOC Construction Adhesive
Posted on | January 21, 2009 |
Last year I had to install bamboo plywood instead of drywall along the interior walls of an addition. Talk about pricey. The architect had specified a solvent free construction adhesive to be used for the installation, and I remember one carpenter saying, “This stuff’ll never hold, smell it.” I didn’t give it a whiff. I just went to work.
I guess if gas can go unleaded then construction adhesive can be solvent free, or green. Some adhesive manufacturers are taking the green building in stride, and are using post consumer recycled products in making the 10-ounce and 29-ounce tubes for the adhesives. In fact, I found out that there have been solvent free construction adhesives at work for the better part of twenty years. It’s just no one made a fuss about VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) until recently. Solvent free, low VOC construction adhesive must pass the same rigourous ASTM D 3498 and AFG-01 tests as their solvent based competitors. So, it’s got to be some pretty tough stuff.
And it is.
While the solvent free, low VOC construction adhesives are nonflammable, non-toxic, and clean-up with water while the adhesive is still wet, they aren’t as hardy when it comes to temperature fluctuations. A solvent free glue joint will fail at 150 degrees F where as the solvent based one won’t fail until nearly 200 degrees F. While the solvent free adhesive will bond frozen substrates the adhesive in the tube must be kept at 40 degrees F and not exceed 100 degrees F. I guess using a cooler might help keep it insulated from the job site atmosphere. One other draw back is that the solvent free adhesive won’t bond to many metals.
But, as VOC legislation becomes the norm we’ll be using more of the solvent free stuff. And with the bamboo, we had a change order come through and had to tear out a couple of sheets of bamboo. It was no picnic. In fact, the framing failed before our glue joints did.
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I’m a sawdust making, tool buying, work boot wearing kind of guy. When I’m not building something useful, usually for someone else, I’m writing about it for Fine Homebuilding or This Old House. I’ve spent most of my adult life honing my craft and now I want to share what I’ve learned. From tool reviews to how-to this blog will explore a bunch of interesting stuff. So strap on a tool belt or crack a cold one and let’s have some fun.
January 23rd, 2009 @ 9:49 am
“In fact, the framing failed before our glue joints did” that’s nice to hear:-)
The same thing happened with me and low/no-VOC paint, the first thing I did was notice the smell difference like the worker said at the begining of your post.
I have found limitations in many low-vocs in sticking to concrete effectivly. I’m sure the chemistry will follow suit as the needs arise down the road.
January 23rd, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
I think it’s a path worth following (low VOCs). I remember all the lead that used to be around. Paint, gas, pipes,etc. it’s amazing how much damage we did to ourselves and how many people resisted those changes. This isn’t much different, and in a few short years we’ll wonder what all the fuss was about. Cleaner air is a good thing!