Industrial Uses for Epoxy Adhesives

When you think of glue, you probably think of fixing or sticking things together. However, materials such as epoxy (most famously known as superglue) have a wide variety of uses. Epoxy has a wide variety of non-adhesive uses, making it an extremely versatile product. Some of the uses of epoxy are:

ñ  Flooring – a great adhesive because it can join two different materials together and is long lasting.

ñ  Boating – great for building and repairing boats because of its hardy nature.

ñ  Construction – not only can this wonderful material fix floors and build boats but it can also help hold your house together!

What is Epoxy?

Epoxy is also known as polyepoxide and is formed via a chemical reaction between a resin and a hardener. This is why, when you buy it for home use, you will have two different liquids. It is one of the most versatile adhesives and is used for a variety of purposes.

Flooring

Epoxy is used extensively for flooring because of its ease of application and its strength. Flooring that requires gluing is particularly suited to epoxy applications because it will not ‘set’ until it reacts with another component. This way, carpet layers can lay one of the two ingredients on the floor itself and the other on the carpet or other material resulting in a low-mess, lon-lasting glue!

Despite its wide use there are a few common problems you can encounter when using an epoxy floor adhesive:

ñ  Air bubbles – if you do not lay your carpet, carpet tiles or tiling properly an air bubble may form, which will not allow the adhesive to set properly.

ñ  Holes – if you are using an epoxy solution to coat a floor (a concrete floor, for example) trapped air can cause small holes to form, meaning your surface is not airtight.

ñ  ‘Fisheyes’ – these are caused by contaminants under the epoxy making it pull away from the surface. To avoid this, make sure all surfaces are cleaned thoroughly.

ñ  Tackiness – if the epoxy won’t set but rather remains ‘sticky’, then you have probably not used the correct mix ratio. This can also be caused by cold weather.

Boating

Epoxy is fantastic for boat repairs and is used primarily for fibreglass boats and water craft. While you can fix a boat with polyester resin (fibreglass), epoxy is much less porous. This means that it is less likely to cause bubbles after you have repaired it.

Construction

Epoxy is a great solution for many construction applications. Because of its versatility it can be used in floors (as mentioned) and even help secure walls. It is also widely used as a waterproof sealant.

Non-adhesive Uses

Epoxy is used in a number of industries including car manufacturing, concreting, and even in the military. Its popularity stems from its ability to join a variety of different surfaces from glass and wood to masonry!