Today, foam is quite actively used as a building material for thermal insulation of buildings. It is also used for interior surfaces. This is what raises the question of how to stick foam to the metal on the ceiling. Initially, the scope of its application was the transportation of equipment and furniture, where he acted as a sealant. Already today the foam is installed on different surfaces, including metal ones. This choice is justified, because the foam is durable, it is able to maintain shape for 25 years, as for external use; but if you install it indoors, it will last for half a century. However, ultraviolet and moisture can reduce the life of the material. These factors shorten the life of almost any building material.
Expanded polystyrene is not at all afraid of fungus and mold, so it can be used even in a humid environment, such as basements. Insulation granules hardly absorb water, but polystyrene sometimes attracts rodents, where they equip burrows. Polyfoam does not support combustion, it is safer than wood many times. In order for it not to catch fire, the temperature should be twice as high as in the case of wood. When burning, it emits less heat. The material is completely safe for the environment and human health.
However, there are drawbacks to this thermal insulation, they are expressed in low strength, because the material breaks easily even with a small impact. For this reason, its surface after installation needs mechanical protection; for this, various mixtures are applied to the base, which protect against ultraviolet radiation. Having familiarized yourself with all these features, you can start gluing the insulation to the surface of the metal, but it is also important to choose the right composition that will be most effective.
Tool preparation
If you are concerned about the question of how to glue the foam to the metal, then you can first decide on the composition. Depending on which one will be selected, you may need:
- drill;
- putty knife;
- comb;
- hammer drill;
- bucket;
- wide brush.
If you prefer a dry mix, you will need a drill with a nozzle in the form of a mixer. To apply such glue, you can use a spatula in the form of a comb, but as a handy tool in the work you will need a small spatula, with it you can remove excess glue.
Preparatory work before installation
If you are thinking about how to stick polystyrene foam to metal with mounting foam, it is important to know that this material can be hardened to almost any metal. Among other things, you can use almost any glue or putty. However, you can not purchase a composition, among the ingredients of which contain gasoline, acetone or any other solvent. Plates will collapse.
Another mistake that the masters quite often make is the insufficient amount of adhesive used. It is necessary to apply such formulations on the reverse side of the plates, this must be done in 5 places or more. First, the mixture is applied in the corners, and then in the center. Before gluing polystyrene foam to the metal, it must be remembered that saving is inappropriate here. To do this, some apply the composition at only three points, this is wrong and violates the technology.
Before bonding metal and polystyrene, a surface should be prepared, it is cleaned of dust, old coatings, dirt and rust. To do this, you can use a vibrating or belt sander. After such cleaning, the base is degreased by any convenient means. Bonding is not such a quick process, sometimes it is necessary to ensure the fixation of the material until the glue hardens. At first, the insulation can slide under its own weight, so it must be supported by a board or plywood from below.
Choosing Styrofoam Adhesive
If you are faced with the question of how it is possible to stick polystyrene to metal, then several methods should be considered, each of which involves certain material investments. The most budgetary option is considered, which provides for the use of PVA glue. If you have previously carried out repair work, then this composition may remain with you. In this case, you do not have to additionally buy glue, you can use the leftovers. The secret of using PVA is to use burlap, which is impregnated with the mixture, laid on the metal, to which foam boards are then glued. In this case, it will be possible to achieve high adhesion, so that subsequently it is possible to apply a sufficiently impressive layer of plaster.
Using polyurethane foam
If you are thinking about how to stick the foam to the metal, then you can purchase mounting foam. It not only seals and insulates, but also has adhesive qualities, with it you can glue the material in those places where there is no need to achieve extra strong adhesion. Foam is sold in convenient containers, in addition, it will not need so much. But it is necessary to work quickly, since the material hardens almost instantly. If you are only the first time faced with the need to stick foam, then this option can not be considered the most convenient.
The use of polyurethane adhesive
Thinking about how to stick the foam to the metal, the consumer quite often chooses a polyurethane adhesive, it is the most suitable for the implementation of these works. The mixture is produced in convenient cylinders, but you will also need an assembly gun. If the works are single, it is best to purchase a cheap tool, because it will not be used constantly.
If you decide to resort to this technology, then you must adhere to a certain sequence of actions. The glue is applied to the surface of the insulation point or stripes, the distance between the individual points should be about 7 cm or less. After waiting a few minutes for the dots to dry out a little, the plate must be gently pressed to the metal surface. This is exactly the case when the boards must be supported with plywood or a board. After 20 minutes, the support can be removed.
Tips for Using Liquid Nails
"How to stick polystyrene to metal?" - This question is often asked by home masters. Experts advise them to use liquid nails, with their help you can achieve a high speed of work. The composition will almost instantly fix the metal and plates, however, the adhesion strength will be slightly less than in the case of a polyurethane mixture. You can combine materials, for this it is recommended to purchase liquid nails and polyurethane adhesive. The latter allows you to achieve adhesion, while liquid nails guarantee the speed of work. In this case, you can refuse to use backups.
Specialist advice
If you still have not decided how to stick the foam to the metal, then you can pay attention to such a simple way as double-sided tape. This option is great for a small amount of work. For large sections, this approach is very expensive, it will be cheaper to buy polyurethane foam.
Adhesive for installing foam at extreme temperatures
Quite often, masters ask themselves how to stick polystyrene to metal in winter. To do this, you can choose the composition WEBER THERM S100, with which it is allowed to work at temperatures ranging from -10 to +20 ° . The material is water resistant, it can be used in any regions of Russia. The mixture is a dark gray powder, and the average density of the solution is 1.4 kg / m 3 . 0.26 liters of water will be needed per kilogram of mixture. After mixing, the mixture must be used within one hour, the deformation shrinkage of the solution is 0.03%. If you decide the question of which is better to stick the foam to the metal, then you can choose this particular composition, the adhesion strength of which is 1.4 MPa. The vapor permeability of the mixture is 12 mg / (h * m * Pa), while frost resistance, which is expressed in the number of cycles, is equivalent to 75.
Conclusion
To increase the effectiveness of the insulation, which is foam, specialists sometimes resort to a method consisting in gluing paintings together. To do this, you can use any of the above adhesives, but it should not contain solvents. Using the same composition, you can strengthen the interconnected foam plates on the working surface.