In this edition of Test Tuesday we will be looking at spray adhesive. I am using 3M General Purpose 45 Spray Adhesive. When using spray adhesive it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and to work in a well ventilated area. It is also a good idea to protect your work surface.
This image shows how I protected parts of the samples with additional foam board.
This image shows my samples drying.
I am looking for a strong bond so I am spraying both pieces of the foam board that I plan on adhering together. This gives me a 2” by 2” area with adhesive applied to both faces. I allowed the glue to dry until tacky and pressed them together (glue to glue). I allowed the samples to dry 15 minutes before attempting to pull them apart.
Of the standard Readi-Board samples, the blue took the least effort to pull apart (although this does not mean it was easy to pull apart). The paper did tear however. The Adams Premium samples held up to the bending slightly better than the standard Readi-Board. The red Premium sample was the one to break first. Similar to the standard samples the paper tore.
The No Paper sample performed great. The only way to separate the area with adhesive would be to pick it apart piece by piece. Despite Readi-Erase’s smooth surface the spray adhesive bonded the two pieces very well. The samples bent before the bond was broken. The Readi Water Resistant sample took the least effort of the samples to separate. The pieces still bent before coming apart. The paper on the Readi-Grid sample tore in an interesting way, separating into layers as opposed to pulling away from the foam.
For a less intense bond you can apply the adhesive to only one side. I often use spray adhesive on my projects. It is especially useful when adhering paper to foam board.
