Is PL 200 adequate?

[Frederic Gelinas]

For my 2nd build, another T18, I picked up (by mistake) a PL200 tube. For my first build, I used PL Premium and it worked like a charm. Will the PL200 be strong enough?

Fred.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

For my 2nd build, another T18, I picked up (by mistake) a PL200 tube. For my first build, I used PL Premium and it worked like a charm. Will the PL200 be strong enough?

Fred.

No. It's not an expanding formula.

[djwoo]

There is no pl here, but is SIKA, any of his products act as pl? sorry for the hijack.

[bzb]

Looks like the SikaBond Construction Adhesive is the closest, but it's permanently flexible (like a caulk, basically). Not really what you want here.

SikaBond Construction Adhesive
SikaBond Construction Adhesive is a one-component, gun-grade, adhesive and sealing compound of permanent elasticity. This dual-purpose material is based on a special moisture-cured polyurethane with an accelerated curing time.

All the rest listed on Sika's site are pretty much epoxy based. You want some sort of expanding adhesive (not the expanding foam, mind you).

Look for a polyurethane construction adhesive. If you really have to, Gorilla Glue (or other woodworking poly) is fine, but way more expensive.

[bitSmasher]

If you were desperate could you glue with a "standard" glue then caulk joints afterwards?

[jswingchun]

If you were desperate could you glue with a "standard" glue then caulk joints afterwards?

Some builds you cannot get to the inside the box joints after putting it together. Like the second side of a T39, and I would assume not having built them, most of the other subs.

[bzb]

??

You can get to all the panels after the other side is on. Only one you can't see is Panel 7. Personally, I wouldn't want to put the PL bead on the exterior, but once it fills in gaps, you should be able to sand it smooth. Just a lot more coats of primer...

As far as standard wood glue: beyond the fact that it doesn't expand to fill the tiny gaps in the plywood, I wouldn't trust it with butt joints, at all. If you made dados/rabbets, then maybe. I certainly wouldn't suggest it when PL is pretty dang cheap. There's gotta be a suitable alternative out there.

[bzb]

Titebond GreenChoice Polyurethane looks like it might be a good one if it's available.

http://www.titebond.com/IntroPageTB.ASP ... ?prodcat=2

[DJPhatman]

Titebond GreenChoice Polyurethane looks like it might be a good one if it's available.

http://www.titebond.com/IntroPageTB.ASP ... ?prodcat=2

That's a no-go, as it doesn't expand, either.

foaming Gorilla Glue works, albeit expensive.

[bzb]

I'm no expert on construction adhesives (and admittedly have never used anything but PL in this manner), but every woodworking polyurethane glue I've ever used expands. It's the only reason to really reach for poly over yellow glue - all tests I've ever read about say poly and yellow glue have just about the same strength.

I guess it's the amount that it expands that may be the issue. PL claims to fill gaps up to 3/8", but I wonder how thick of a bead you have to apply for that to be true. IME, a similar sized bead of Gorilla Glue expands about twice as much as PL does.

Strangely enough, I just did some reading on PL Premium - and it claims to "stay flexible", too. Sure doesn't seem that way when it's fully cured. It seems rather brittle after 24 hours.

So maybe that Sika stuff is suitable.

[LelandCrooks]

Strangely enough, I just did some reading on PL Premium - and it claims to "stay flexible", too. Sure doesn't seem that way when it's fully cured. It seems rather brittle after 24 hours.

Far more so than Gorilla Glue. I can break a gorilla glue bond cleanly, a PL bond just tears apart.