Do you need to create invisible bonds in your next DIY project? Take a look at this guide to learn about clear adhesives and their applications.
Clear glues have advantages, the biggest being invisible bonds. After all, it would be a shame if a prominent seam detracted from the otherwise spotless results of your next DIY project. Read on to find out about products that form invisible bonds.
Clear adhesives, are available for a wide variety of surfaces from porcelain to rubber and rigid PVC. However, not every product is suitable for all needs. Which one should you choose?
Clear glues are easy to use and readily available for repair and craft products. Visit your nearest craft or hardware store or browse online.
There are a number of clear super glues which are transparent when dry, including LePage Super Glue Ultra Liquid Control. You can apply it to an extensive range of surfaces from costume jewelry to chipboard and fabric. LePage also offers LePage 100% Glue: a clear silicone glue ideal for metal, glass, rubber, tile, and imperfect surfaces. It is also suitable for materials that expand and contract.
Prepare your work area and surface. No matter whether you use clear silicone glue or clear glue, make sure your project area is clean. Also, the surfaces you want to bond have to be clean, dry, and free of contaminants. For best results, ensure the temperature in the working area suits your product.
Have fun, but stay safe! Like many adhesives, clear glues can irritate your skin and eyes, so only work in a well-ventilated area. Wear gloves and wash your hands after use.
Application. Apply a thin layer of clear glue to one surface. Bond the parts immediately after applying the adhesive and hold or clamp them together (before skin formation), following the manufacturer’s instructions. Very porous materials will probably require a thicker layer of adhesive, and you may need to apply it to both surfaces.
Moisten the surfaces. If both surfaces are non-porous, you may need to pre-wet them with a damp cloth; check the manufacturer’s instructions. Absorbent surfaces are normally water-permeable and do not require pre-moistening.
Let it dry. The adhesive will not reach its maximum strength until it has fully cured.
Apply the silicone to one of the surfaces you want to bond.
Lightly roughen the surfaces. This improves your results if you are bonding rubber or plastic surfaces.
Clamp and dry. Press the materials together and clamp them together for the full cure time, as specified by the manufacturer.
Clean up your work area and tools. Clean tools and adhesive residue immediately with mineral spirits (clear silicone glue) or using alcohol, acetone or cleaner’s naphtha (clear glue). You can carefully cut away the cured adhesive with a sharp-edged tool.
