Performing well as an all-rounder requires many skills and talents. As a builder, we understand that your needs for a wide range of construction work require tools that multitask as well as you do. So whether you are working down in the basement or out on the roof, our range of all-round products are designed to make the job easier and are engineered to perform at the highest standards.
Sikaflex® 111 Stick and Seal
Uses
- For indoor and outdoor use
- Good application properties as adhesive and sealant
- Bonding and sealing of common constrution materials and EPS / XPS insulation boards, building wraps and many PVC materials.
Advantages
- No bleeding on bitumen
- Good weathering ability
- Very wide adhesion range
- Easy to apply
- Elastic and durable bond, long-lasting and tight connection
Sikaflex® 112 Crystal Clear
Uses
- For indoor and outdoor use
- Invisible bonding of most common construction materials
- Invisible sealing around bonded objects
Advantages
- Is transparent and stays transparent
- Good initial grab, no temporary
- fixing required
- Strong, durable and elastic bond
- Good initial grab, no temporary fixing required for light
objects
Sikaflex® 118 Extreme Grab
Uses
- For indoor and outdoor use
- Bonding and sealing of stones, bricks, window and door sills, mirrors, wood beams and heavy landscaping coveringsInvisible sealing around bonded objects
- Wide adhesion profile; for concrete, mortar, natural stones, clinker, fiber cement, ceramic, wood, metals and glass
Advantages
- Best-in-class extrusion force to initial grab ratio
- Fixing of heavy objects without temporary fixing. Adhesive keeps the object in position in the uncured state and during curing.
- Good weathering ability, durable and strong bond
The Science of Bonding
What is an “Adhesive or Glue”?
• A non-mechanical material which is able to join 2 substrates together using adhesive and cohesive mechanisms
• A material composed of polymers, in a liquid state when applied, that become solid during the curing process
What is a “Substrate”?
• The materials that are to be bonded together
What is “Adhesion”?
• A substances ability to stick to substrates (Bond strength)
• Adhesive forces are located in a thin layer (bond line) between the substrate and the adhesive itself
• When you pull apart a bond and the glue comes away from the substrate, this is adhesive failure
What is “Cohesion”?
• A substances ability to stick to itself (Internal / tear strength)
• When you pull apart a bond and the adhesive itself splits, this is cohesive failure
• For an adhesive to work effectively, both adhesion and cohesion properties must be good
How does an adhesive bond to the substrate?
• There are many forms of adhesion, however the most common form is “Mechanical Bonding”
• Most substrates are porous (some more than others). A bond is formed when the adhesive works its way into the small pores of the substrate surface.
• This process acts like millions of microscopic screws and bolts being driven into both substrate surfaces to hold them together
• Weaker adhesives harden by some physical change, such as the evaporation of a solvent during cure
• Stronger adhesives solidify during a chemical change, such as the absorption of atmospheric moisture during cure
How does an adhesive bond to the substrate?
• There are many forms of adhesion, however the most common form is “Mechanical Bonding”
• Most substrates are porous (some more than others). A bond is formed when the adhesive works its way into the small pores of the substrate surface.
• This process acts like millions of microscopic screws and bolts being driven into both substrate surfaces to hold them together
• Weaker adhesives harden by some physical change, such as the evaporation of a solvent during cure
• Stronger adhesives solidify during a chemical change, such as the absorption of atmospheric moisture during cure
• Smooth substrate surfaces generally mean that pores or adhesion sites are smaller and less in number
• Rough substrate surfaces generally mean that pores or adhesion sites are larger and greater in number
• Stronger and more viscous adhesives will generally deliver sufficient bond strength on porous materials
• Weaker and/or less viscous adhesives are required to bond non-porous substrates
Tips & Tricks
Application
Less is more – do not use too much adhesive, it will not produce a better bond. In fact, too much adhesive will slow or even stop the curing process, leading to reduced performance
CURING
• During cold days there is less humidity in the atmosphere, therefore moisture cure adhesives will take longer to cure
• During warm days there is more humidity in the atmosphere, therefore moisture cure adhesives will cure faster
• Adhesives that are suitable for use on damp substrates will take longer to cure than when applied onto dry substrates
• Bonding non-porous materials together will slow the rate of adhesive cure, as there is limited adhesive area for solvents / water to evaporate or for moisture to be absorbed
Storage
• Do not store adhesives at very cold temperatures, this will make the products much more viscous and difficult to use
• Do not leave adhesives in the car or near heat sources prior to use, this will make the products very runny and difficult to control. Also, when opening tubes and cartridges, adhesives may squirt out under pressure when hot.
• Do not buy more adhesive than you think you will need for the job. Old, stored adhesives will not perform as well as fresh adhesives
Money Saving
• Use Sika re-sealable cartridge nozzles to keep your adhesive fresh during project down time and between jobs