Your guide to urethane

The super strength of urethane glue

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When it comes to fast, flexible adhesives, urethane glue is one of the best. In this guide you’ll learn all about this underrated adhesive, including how to install flooring with urethane.

When to use urethane glue

Urethane glue is a remarkably tough and versatile structural adhesive, ideal for a variety of construction or DIY projects. They’re effective floor and window adhesives and can be used for all kinds of jobs around the house.

Most quality urethane adhesives are:

  • High strength
  • Fast-setting
  • Flexible and able to absorb stress and vibrations
  • Temperature resistant
  • Paintable
  • Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
  • Suitable for a wide range of materials, including metal, plastic and wood.

Adhesives that contain multiple urethanes are known as polyurethane glues (PU glues). They make very effective wood adhesives.

Choosing the best urethane adhesive or sealant

Whether you’re searching online or in the shops, you’ll find a huge variety of urethane glues. If you’re feeling daunted by the choice, we recommend carefully considering the project you have in mind. Are you working with windshields, fixing floors, or carrying out another kind of DIY or construction project?

Some urethane glues are designed for specific jobs. For example, urethane windshield adhesive can be used to install or replace windshield glass, or to fill in cracks. Urethane wood floor adhesive is a handy alternative to other wood glues. In addition, there are many more generic urethane adhesives that you can use for a variety of projects and materials.

If you need to seal joints, try urethane sealants. They’re often packaged as polyurethane sealants, and are easy to apply with a sealant gun.

It’s hard to go wrong with urethane glue, but if in doubt, just read the product instructions carefully. Check that the adhesive is compatible with the materials you’re working with, and look out for key qualities like strength, ease of use and flexibility.

How to use urethane wood floor adhesive

There are countless uses for urethane adhesive – too many to cover in this introductory guide. But here’s a simple, common use you can try – urethane wood floor adhesive for floor installation.

  1. Safety first. Wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area.
  2. Prepare the substrate/subfloor. After checking that it’s structurally sound, make sure the surface is completely clean and dry.
  3. Apply the adhesive. Using a trowel, apply the urethane glue to the surface. You can install the wood flooring directly onto the wet glue. Alternatively, if you’re using the “flash method”, wait for the adhesive to flash before you install the flooring.
  4. Take care with timing. Check the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the adhesive within the open time to ensure effective bonding.
  5. Clean up. Remove any excess adhesive from your tools and flooring using white spirit.