3 Do’s to Selecting Window & Door Foam-in-Place Adhesives

In a recent blog post, we detailed the advantages of using foam-in-place adhesives over foam tape for window and door sealing applications. However, it’s also important to know what to consider when selecting these adhesives to ensure the right one is chosen for your needs. Take a look at these three “do’s” when choosing a window and door foam-in-place adhesive.

Do Understand Your Grab and Tack Needs

• Grab

When foam-in-place adhesives are first applied to a window or door, they possess a certain degree of initial grab. This varies based upon adhesive technology and refers to how quickly the adhesive adheres to a given substrate. Initial grab also determines how easily the bonded piece can be later taken apart. It’s a good idea to take the level of initial grab into account when choosing your adhesive, especially if future service work may need to be done.

• Tack

Having the right level of tack is another important element to consider. As foam-in-place adhesives cool down, they form a bond to a given substrate. Depending on the adhesive technology, they may remain tacky to the touch. This may be beneficial for certain applications and detrimental for others. For example, residual tack can help with adding extra weatherseal protection to a glass door frame. It can also aid in assembly processes that require transferring a part from one location to another for additional work.

On the other hand, residual tack may negatively impact a garage door’s ability to open and close properly. This is because this application requires just the foam itself to compress for weatherseal protection. Residual tack can harm this compression and cause functionality issues.

Do Ensure Proper Compression Force

Additionally, foam-in-place adhesives possess different degrees of compression force. Your end-use application will determine the level of compression force needed to ensure proper performance. For instance, if the foam-in-place adhesive offers inadequate compression force resistance for your application, it will not be able to provide the needed level of seal protection.

Likewise, if the adhesive offers too much compression force resistnace, it could impact your door or window’s ability to function properly.

Do Note Application Temperature Requirements

Further, it’s a good idea to choose a foam-in-place adhesive that offers a compatible application temperature for a given substrate. For example, foam-in-place adhesives with a high application temperature are not compatible for bond to thin plastic substrates. They will cause the substrate to melt and the seal to fail. Therefore, ensure you know the application temperature requirements prior to choosing an adhesive.

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Ready to get started on the selection process? Contact a Bostik expert today for help in choosing the foam-in-place adhesive that’s right for you. Bostik offers a range of foam-in-place technologies for window and door sealing applications that possess varying levels of grab, tack, compression force and temperature requirements. Together, we can ensure the correct product is chosen for any application need.