UPHOLSTERY ADHESIVE TIPS
Some of our customers have commented that our upholstery adhesive (#221-560) comes with a stack of warnings about the nature of its contents, but no instructions. We therefore offer the following advice for all types of upholstery adhesive...
Apply a thin coat to both surfaces. A common short cut is to apply a thick coat to one surface only. This will not work! Contact adhesive is cohesive, it is designed to stick to itself. Wet upholstery adhesive will stick to a surface, but will not bond two surfaces together.
Allow time for the adhesive to dry until barely tacky. The ultimate strength of the bond depends on the adhesive having a chance to gas off. Remember, although almost dry upholstery adhesive doesn't feel sticky to your finger like an adhesive might, it will stick to itself.
As many of us can attest, it's frustrating to end up with a gather where it doesn't belong, or the whole piece too far left, leaving a big gap at one end. To insure the piece is aligned correctly, apply the adhesive to a small strip or patch in the middle of the piece, let it set, then put it in place. Now you can move it slightly, or even pull it back up without causing damage. When you have it aligned right, glue the remainder of the piece, working out from the original contact spot.
Here are two more little tricks to help the job go smoothly. Contact adhesive dries faster on porous surfaces, so apply it to a metal surface first, then on the fabric. Also, when gluing foam, don't use too much adhesive; otherwise, the foam will be saturated and when you press on it, the foam will collapse leaving visible dents in the finished panel.
Always use upholstery adhesive in a well ventilated area, the fumes will make you light-headed or even physically ill. You now know as much about upholstery adhesive as the pros. One last note though. Never use upholstery adhesive to glue your neighbor's children to the sidewalk. They'll be hard to remove.
Working on automobiles is inherently dangerous. Moss Motors, Ltd. is not liable for injury or damage due to incorrect installation or use of their products. All products are sold with the understanding that the safe and proper installation and use of the products is the customer’s responsibility. Follow factory workshop manual procedures and instructions, but use current shop safety standards and common sense. Some tasks will require professional advice or services which Moss Motors cannot provide.Email (for Moss Tech help):
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