What's the best glue tô use for buildings?

[Darth Wader]

Hello.
I'm just wondering what the best glue to use for buildings? I live in Canada and, as we have some severe temperature swings (-40C to +35C), I'm having some problems with keeping the buildings glued together. Should I be using ABS, PVC, or some other glue that is suited for this type of situation? Any help would be much appreciated.
Wade

 

[Chris Vernell]

Hello.
I'm just wondering what the best glue to use for buildings? I live in Canada and, as we have some severe temperature swings (-40C to +35C), I'm having some problems with keeping the buildings glued together. Should I be using ABS, PVC, or some other glue that is suited for this type of situation? Any help would be much appreciated.
Wade

Hi, Wade:
Here in Ottawa, where -40C is uncommon (-20, occasionally -30, is our usual winter mark) but +35C is frequent, I have been using CA to tack resin buildings together and epoxy (slow cure for preference) to hold 'em. I use Titebond III for wooden and MDF buildings. Weldbond to hold plastic to wood, and styrene weld where appropriate. The buildings live in an unheated shed in winter, so they are protected from snow and ice but not the cold. In two or three years, everything is holding together.
There are quite a few people on here with more expertise than I have.

 

[maxi-model]

First, what material(s) are your buildings constructed from ? Are they built from proprietary styrene kits for example ? If built from mixed materials there maybe an issue with different rates of contraction/expansion in your prevailing climatic conditions to consider. Never mind things like inadequately prepared or unsupported connecting surfaces and/or water ingress, especially with your freezing conditions, causing weakened or broken bonds.

As a general note, it is always good to site any structures in sheltered or shaded positions. With such temperature extremes bringing them indoors in the colder months might be advisable. It is always a good idea to reinforce corner joints with either a bead of flexible silicon sealant or a 2 pack automotive deep fill body filler product.

Having said all that first we really need to know the base materials you are using and in what combination. Max

 

[Darth Wader]

Hi, Wade:
Here in Ottawa, where -40C is uncommon (-20, occasionally -30, is our usual winter mark) but +35C is frequent, I have been using CA to tack resin buildings together and epoxy (slow cure for preference) to hold 'em. I use Titebond III for wooden and MDF buildings. Weldbond to hold plastic to wood, and styrene weld where appropriate. The buildings live in an unheated shed in winter, so they are protected from snow and ice but not the cold. In two or three years, everything is holding together.
There are quite a few people on here with more expertise than I have.

Thanks Chris. It's pretty rare to get -40C here as well but, it does happen. My buildings are plastic with no other materials involved but, they are outside, year round as they are a part of my landscape around a back yard pond. So, they see the extreme temperatures as well as high humidity. I suppose I can't complain too much as they have lasted a long time but, I still think I've been using the wrong type of glue. I think I need the solvent type but I'm unsure of the type to use. Piko has an adhesive, Piko Fix 55701, that is insanely expensive. I'm just trying to find a lower cost alternative. Here are some pictures of the station house I'm trying to fix.

 

[Darth Wader]

First, what material(s) are your buildings constructed from ? Are they built from proprietary styrene kits for example ? If built from mixed materials there maybe an issue with different rates of contraction/expansion in your prevailing climatic conditions to consider. Never mind things like inadequately prepared or unsupported connecting surfaces and/or water ingress, especially with your freezing conditions, causing weakened or broken bonds.

As a general note, it is always good to site any structures in sheltered or shaded positions. With such temperature extremes bringing them indoors in the colder months might be advisable. It is always a good idea to reinforce corner joints with either a bead of flexible silicon sealant or a 2 pack automotive deep fill body filler product.

Having said all that first we really need to know the base materials you are using and in what combination. Max

They are all plastic with no other materials involved. I believe they are Piko sets. I'll go back to my post and add a couple pictures.

 

[maxi-model]

They are all plastic with no other materials involved. I believe they are Piko sets. I'll go back to my post and add a couple pictures.

Ah, so all styrene construction. I have a few Piko and Pola buildings on my line. The lowest temperature we get in my neck of the wood, and very rare, is -15C, maximum +30C. Most important with these structures is to ensure a good clean joint between panels and parts. These products use an all over colour wash to give them a "weathered" appearance or add depth and contrast to a textured panel, like a wood grain.The problem is this "colour wash" finish acts as a barrier to any adhesive, solvent or otherwise. It's the same problem with chrome plated plastic kit parts, remember those falling apart ?

You must first carefully abrade any joining surfaces, to be glued together, to clear this "colour wash" finish fully where those surfaces contact. Then use a regular solvent adhesive made for use with styrene or ABS materials. In the UK I use a product from EMA but a regular liquid styrene glue will do. Following this process means you have "clean" styrene that the solvent can act on effectivly to create a strong bond/weld. For a long term reliable joint fill the inside (invisible) areas of joints with a bead of two pack filler or silicon sealant to reinforce.

Other advice offered about siting buildings remains. Another adhesive that could be used to effect a strong bond between sub assemblies, like roofs and main building structures in place of the sealant/filler option - the original type Gorilla Glue. It's a polyurethane product that has foaming properties that allows it to get into every crevice (use with care as it can get messy). I use it on resin buildings or where a building is placed in full sun locations. It's not a solvent type adhesive so won't "weld" parts together. However, it sticks like the proverbial and it has a little "give" to cater for where individual parts bonded may not expannd/contract at the same rate. Max

 

[Darth Wader]

Ah, so all styrene construction. I have a few Piko and Pola buildings on my line. The lowest temperature we get in my neck of the wood, and very rare, is -15C, maximum +30C. Most important with these structures is to ensure a good clean joint between panels and parts. These products use an all over colour wash to give them a "uweathered" appearance or add depth and contrast to a textured panel, like a wood grain.The problem is this "colour wash" finish acts as a barrier to any adhesive, solvent or otherwise. It's the same problem with chrome plated plastic kit parts, remember those falling apart ?

You must first carefully abrade any joining surfaces, to be glued together, to clear this "colour wash" finish fully where those surfaces contact. Then use a regular solvent adhesive made for use with styrene or ABS materials. In the UK I use a product from EMA but a regular liquid styrene glue will do. Following this process means you have "clean" styrene that the solvent can act on effectivly to create a strong bond/weld. For a long term reliable joint fill the inside (invisible) areas of joints with a bead of two pack filler or silicon sealant to reinforce.

Other advice offered about siting buildings remains. Another adhesive that could be used to effect a strong bond between sub assemblies, like roofs and main building structures in place of the sealant/filler option - the original type Gorilla Glue. It's a polyurethane product that has foaming properties that allows it to get into every crevice (use with care as it can get messy). I use it on resin buildings or where a building is placed in full sun locations. It's not a solvent type adhesive so won't "weld" parts together. However, it sticks like the proverbial and it has a little "give" to cater for where individual parts bonded may not expannd/contract at the same rate. Max

Thanks Max. So, can I use the same ABS solvent adhesive that I use for plumbing jobs? Wade

 

[maxi-model]

Thanks Max. So, can I use the same ABS solvent adhesive that I use for plumbing jobs? Wade

So long as it "melts" the plastic so it can "weld" together, yes. If it says - Methalene Chloride/Dichloromethane on the lable then very much yes (that's what it says on the lable of the EMA product I use). Although MEK What Are The Uses Of Methyl Ethyl Ketone? | The Chemistry Blog is another solvent that is suggested and works well on styrene. I depends on what chemicals are restricted or banned in you part of the world. Have a look ar what your local hobby shops offer for bonding styrene. Max

 

[Andrew Foster]

I recently bought some PVC/ABS transition cement made by Oatey, and a quick check suggests that it works on styrene too. It was recommended by the sales lady in the Home Depot (Canada) plumbing department, and worked very well for an awkward drain pipe connection I had to make. It was a bit more expensive than the usual PVC cement but not outrageously so. It starts to coagulate in the tin after a while, so it's best to buy the smallest one that will do the job.

Oatey® ABS To PVC Transition Green Cement | Oatey

Oatey® ABS to PVC Transition Medium Bodied Green Cement is recommended for DWV-sewer applications. The green color easily identifies application to pipe surface. Its medium body has excellent gap filling properties and is easy to apply with included in-lid dauber. This fast set cement can be...

www.oatey.com

 

[dunnyrail]

Hello.
I'm just wondering what the best glue to use for buildings? I live in Canada and, as we have some severe temperature swings (-40C to +35C), I'm having some problems with keeping the buildings glued together. Should I be using ABS, PVC, or some other glue that is suited for this type of situation? Any help would be much appreciated.
Wade

I am using UHU Power with Silicone as a backup,on the inside of the joints, while not having the swings that you have this may well work ok. But as a backup I also like some sort of mechanical join as well, on these buildings you can see where I have used wire and nails to act keeping the joins well in place. It is worthwhile to make the holes a tight push fit in with either small sized nails or fine non rusting wire. If you use anything that rusts a dip into some grease will reduce the rusting effect though some plastics may object to that, in my experience Piko or Pola buildings do not. The grey building is HIPS, but I do not recommend that for scratch building where full sun is involved, pastic coated foamboard does work fine in full sun.