The process of bonding metal and poly vinyl chloride can be quite difficult, especially if you don’t know what adhesive to use for the task. A lot of people find themselves needing to know how to bond these two materials and surprisingly, very few get it right. PVC is often used as an alternative to wood, which means its popularity has become even more prominent in recent years, especially when it comes to doors, panels and facia etc. But what makes PVC so difficult to bond?
What is PVC?
PVC, also known as polyvinyl chloride, is one of the world’s most popular and widely produced synthetic plastic polymers. It is available in two forms and can either come as flexible or in a rigid form, which is also known as RPVC. When it is rigid, this material is usually used for pipe construction and in other applications such as window and door manufacturing etc. However, it has many other uses and is often used for everyday items such as credit and membership cards, bottles and other forms of packaging. On the other hand, you can add plasticizers to PVC to make it a lot more flexible and soft. People do this when they need to use PVC as phthalates for applications such as signage, imitation leather, plumbing and electrical cable insulation. It is often used as a good quality rubber replacement.
Bonding PVC to Metal
Sticking PVC to metal such as steel requires a powerful adhesive. It’s not enough to slap on a bit of super glue and hope for the best. Instead, you need a strong construction adhesive such as CT1 from C-TEC. This adhesive has been created to bond even the most difficult materials together and it can bond a huge range of them, including wood, metal, lead, wood, glass, tile, PVC and mirror.
The flexible aspect of CT1 is what makes it stand out from the crowd. Flexibility is key when it comes to sticking metal and PVC. The main reason for this is the fact that a flexible adhesive will provide a more accurate and stronger bond, which reduces the risk of the attachment failing. As a unique hybrid formulation, CT1 ticks all of the boxed. No solvents are found in its solution, which means it is crack and shrink resistant. This usually poses a problem for bonding metal to polyvinyl chloride because when the adhesive shrinks, the bond is at risk. However, CT1 will not shrink or crack under pressure, which means a strong bond is created that will last and stand the test of time.
If you need to clean and prep the PVC surface before bonding it to metal, you need Multisolve. This aliphatic solvent is gentle and safe to use and it will not damage your skin or the surface of the base material. It is an excellent option to help prep the area before creating a formidable bond with CT1, the world’s number one construction adhesive and sealant.
