# Liquid Nail problems



## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Has anyone else noticed a deterioration in the quality of Liquid Nails lately? I bought 4 tubes the other day when I decided to move from planning stage to build stage on my mausoleum. 2 tubes of project grade, and 2 tubes of construction grade. 

I glued my columns together day before yesterday, and the liquid nails is still soft today. I used project grade on the columns. 

Yesterday, I glued the blocks for my front wall together using construction grade liquid nails. When I went out this morning to check on them, they're still coming apart. 

Maybe I'm purchasing the wrong glue, but I've always used liquid nails in the past and it worked terrifically. This seems like I might have bought part of a bad batch or something. The glue does not seem to be sticking to any thing except my hands and clothing. It is really quite frustrating, as I hoped to assemble all of the pieces today, and possibly seal and start painting tonight. Now I'm waiting on glue to dry and adhere before I can move any further with this project.

Also, when I put liquid nails on something, I attempt to spread it out a little bit, so as to makes a tube go a little further.
Any help or thoughts on this problem would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

Terra did a test using various glues on styrofoam. Hope this helps. Here is the link:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/115641-styro-wars-styrofoam-glue-tests.html


----------



## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Hey I liked that link. Thanks for passing it on!


----------



## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Great link, and she did do a good test. Unfortunately, I've opened 2 of the 4 tubes of liquid nails I purchased, and don't really want to drive an hour to return them. I guess I'll have to develop some patience and just give this junk time to dry.


----------



## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

When liquid nails first came out. They only had the one kind. I use it all the time in construction. It certainly isn't what it use to be.


----------



## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Interesting test. Certainly something to note for future use. Not to pick nits, but she says 'styrofoam' and in at least one case she used a product called 'styro goo'. Technically, that pink foam is a closed cell urethane foam, not styrofoam. This is important for two reasons. 1) being closed cell, no air can move through it...it is insulating board after all. So if a glue relies on solvent evaporation, as I suspect he first few did, then they can't 'dry' well and fully set up. 2) Styrofoam is a pretty easy plastic for various solvents to attack....urethane is not. A glue which has a solvent designed to glue styrofoam will not necessarily be effective with urethane. It's like taking some PVC pipe glue and trying to glue a milk jug together...different plastics and the glue is just not effective on the milk jug.

So, back to the OP - what material are you gluing together? Liquid nails needs to have it's solvent evaporate to fully set up and cure. It's generally made for things like paneling, wall board, 2x4's, plywood sheathing, concrete, etc. These things are relatively porous and let the solvent evaporate from the liquid nails. If you've put it between two pieces of foam, that is more like putting the adhesive inside a sandwich bag...not a lot of air movement and it may take some time for it to set up.

Of course, I have gotten a few bum tubes of caulking which refused to set up, so a bad tube of liquid nails is not out of the question.


----------



## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

I'm gluing blocks of white bead foam together. Never really had any problems with it before, but I usually cut the blocks into about 1-2 inch thick slices. I figured out a way to make it adhere a little better. I found an old concrete trowel in a box in the shop and I'm spreading it like really disgusting peanut butter, lol. I figure if it is a thinner coat, it will dry faster. The columns are what's blowing my mind. They've been glued together for all of 2 days now, and the stuff is still as soft as it was coming out of the tube. I left gaps that I was going to caulk later, figuring that would help with the drying time. Apparently, I was wrong. I'm giving it one more day, then I plan to send them a Nasty-Gram.


----------



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I HATE Liquid nails..I tried it once, and it was a gloppy, non-setting mess. There was a thick part and a gooey gel..like the product wasn't all uniform. All I managed to glue was my skin...I had that crap on my hands for DAYS. Use a diff tube & call company for refund of the funky one. Scrap all the old glue off. Sorry


----------



## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

I kinda got it working, deb. Think it might hold until after October. Then I can get some of the stuff Terra said was the best and give it a try.


----------



## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

First off thanks for the link to the vid. Always good to hear how someone did with different materials.
I use liquid nail for small jobs, adding a decoration ect. 
Great Stuff is my main glue for large jobs like the styrofoam blocks I use to make my pilars. I do use bamboo to pin the blocks together while they dry to help prevent the foam from expanding to much. Pushing the bamboo in at a angle. It's the bamboo sticks used for kabobs Do not over do it with the GS. A few dots or a lazy S will work. I don't try to spead it.
The Glidon Gripper is something I will try this season.


----------



## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Which Glidon Gripper are we talking about? There is a primer and a sealer. 
Prices run about $24 gal and $12 Qt at my local HD.


----------



## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

Liquid Nails like most construction glues are affected by temperature and how thick you apply it. It is also affected by what your trying to adhere it to. I use to sell this stuff when I managed a paint store. As Bone Dancer stated, don't try to spread it you begin to thin the product then it doesn't work as well. Straight lines or a lazy S works well. 

Plus you also need to let the glue set for a while in the room that your going to apply it in. This way is well work better being at the same room temp as the materials you are applying it to. Since the introduction of LN, there is a much better selection to choose from these days.


----------



## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

OK, never mind, its the green and white can (primer, sealer) http://www.glidden.com/collections/b/28/view-product.do?retailer=all

I think the Great Stuff will be cheaper in the long run.


----------



## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

I've never had a problem with Liquid Nails - other than the price....


----------



## drzeus (Jun 25, 2011)

I purchased 10 or so tubes not long ago for a home remodel project. Probably 50% of the tubes were very very runny- almost like water, whereas the rest were more of a peanut butter consistency.
Needless to say, the runny stuff didn't work at all. And it was evident, by merely shaking a new tube, of the consistency of the ingredients.
My guess is that the liquid ones had been frozen at some point in time? Hard to believe quality control could be so poor...


----------



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Hmmmm...that could be my new street name: "The Gripper".


----------



## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I have stopped using liquid nails as well. I thought I was the only one with the issue. I actually glued foam last year with spray foam. Just put a line down, put the foam together and weighted it. worked like a charm. I bought some of the foam glue this year though.


----------



## scarrycher (May 30, 2012)

*Fyi*

HD has a can of great stuff with 30% more free right now!


----------



## Blackrose1978 (Aug 13, 2011)

I had trouble with liquid nails last year when I was trying to glue stuff together. It never did harden up!


----------



## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

debbie5 said:


> Hmmmm...that could be my new street name: "The Gripper".


My wife calls me the "Ripper".

I too have had experience with a new tube of liquid nails that was watery.


----------



## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

I haven't used Liquid Nails in years. I switched to Gorilla glue for gluing foam.


----------



## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

I normally use great stuff or gorilla glue. This time, I had a haunter friend suggest that I try liquid nails, since this is a huge project. It has been an epic failure so far.


----------

