Gluing with PolyBak FAQ’s

We took some time to sit down with our technical sales engineer, Rich Rivera and ask him some of the common questions we receive related to gluing PolyBak.

1.     What types of adhesives work best with PolyBak?

Rich: You can use any common adhesive used to bond to wood, such as PVA, EVA, Contact, etc.

2.     Are there any types of adhesives that should be avoided?

Rich: I would recommend avoiding any adhesive that is not intended to be used on wood based products without testing it first.

3.     Does PolyBak bond well with common materials like wood, MDF, or particleboard?

Rich: It absolutely does, that’s part of what makes it easy to use.

4.     What preparation steps are necessary for the best adhesive performance with PolyBak?

Rich: PolyBak performs like any other backer, overlay, crossband, etc., and can be prepared using the same steps used for similar products.

5.     Does PolyBak require sanding or any other treatment before gluing?

Rich: If you use a standard hot press application, sanding the material is not required. However, a sanded surface is required using a cold press or other process that does not use heat. We offer PolyBak with both sanded 1 side or 2 side to eliminate this process from your manufacturing.

6.     What is the recommended drying time when gluing PolyBak?

Rich: Due to the various types of adhesives available, the adhesive manufacturer would be best to provide a recommendation.

7.     How does the adhesive bond strength with PolyBak compare to other backers like phenolic?

Rich: With PolyBak you can expect to achieve a similar bond strength when compared to phenolic and the various backers commonly used.

8.     How can customers address issues like poor adhesion or uneven bonding?

Rich: These issues typically arise from the following situations: when too much or too little adhesive is used, if the adhesive is not applied evenly across the board, not leaving the material in the press for the correct amount of time, not using the right amount of pressure, or using worn glue rollers.

9.     What kind of support can our customer’s expect from the team when they’re testing PolyBak with their adhesives and manufacturing process?

Rich: We’re here to help provide support and share knowledge that could prove to be helpful to their application. In some cases, we would consider an on-site visit to assist with any problems they may be experiencing in their process.

Have another question? Reach out to Rich at sales@richwoodind.com.