Working with Contact Cement at Cold Temperatures

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Working with Contact Cement at Cold Temperatures

The low end of recommended application temperatures for contact cement application and curing may allow a little leeway. February 26, 2007

Question
I read on the can of solvent based Dap Weldwood that the parts and adhesive must be at 65 degrees for 24 hours prior to application and for 72 hours afterward. Is this overkill? We are having a cold snap right now and I have only been able to get my shop heated to about 55 degrees during work hours. At night it cools to about 30 degrees by morning. I heat with a wood burning stove right now, so heating throughout the night is not possible. I need to use solvent base on this project. I would like to hear from those who may have been in the situation I am in and find out if there were any problems with the bond in the short or long run.

Forum Responses
(Laminate and Solid Surface Forum)
From contributor F:
It's my understanding that 60 degrees is the low end for solvent based, both material and adhesive. At that temp, longer open time is required. I'm sure 55 would work (being far from freezing), but make sure you allow plenty of time for drying. If time allows, you might do one piece and test the adhesion next day.

From the original questioner:
The test piece is a good idea. Thank you. Still interested in hearing from someone who has had success (or failure) using a similar product at these temperatures and similar condition.

From contributor J:
Take the glue home with you. I trust you keep your house warmer than your shop. Otherwise, your better half will kick your butt. This way, first the glue is away from your wood burner and warm, second you can keep the fire simmering all night and keep the substrates warm. Then in the morning, crank up the fire before you bring the glue in. Then damp it out, glue up, then restart fire.

P.S. I trust you have electric in the shop? Just put in a couple of strips of electric baseboard and a thermostat - cheap to buy and install, and 220v is all you need.

From contributor R:
I did my router table and layout table at around 50 degrees, two years ago. My shop has no heat and I live in central Missouri. I kept the glue warm (forgot about the parts), applied and then moved the parts by the furnace in an unheated basement. I did wait three days before using the tops, though. Haven't had a problem.

Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?

KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

KnowledgeBase: Veneer

KnowledgeBase: Veneer: Techniques

KnowledgeBase: Laminates and Solid Surfacing

KnowledgeBase: Laminates & Solid Surfacing: Fabrication Techniques

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