How to use hot-melt adhesive?

How to use hot-melt adhesive

There are many adhesives available, with different compositions and uses, and it’s important to find out all you can about them, especially before using them. This article describes all the steps involved in using hot-melt adhesive, which owes its name to its use of heat.

What is hot-melt adhesive?

Hot-melt adhesive  is easy to use and enables similar or dissimilar materials to be bonded together. As a thermoplastic adhesive, hot-melt glue becomes usable when it reaches its melting point of 200°C. Thanks to its solid state at room temperature, it is highly resistant to heat and can therefore be stored easily.

Properties of hot-melt adhesive

Hot-melt adhesive is one of the contact adhesives with the special feature of a physical bond. Thanks to its elasticity and high resistance, it can be very effective on materials such as leather, glass, PVC, etc.

Unlike traditional adhesives, hot-melt is composed of polymers (plasticizers and resins), making it faster to bond. Unlike solvent-based adhesives, hot-melt glues contain no solvents, making them non-toxic.

Available in a range of sizes and colors, they can be adapted to suit the substrate for repairs, fixings or decorative creations.

Types of hot-melt adhesive

Hot-melt adhesive is available in several solid forms, making it easy to handle. The choice of shape and size is important, as it will depend on the application material you have available. In fact, depending on your needs, you’ll need to choose different hot-melt adhesive formats and sizes.  For example, for jobs requiring meticulous attention to detail, it’s best to choose smaller equipment for greater precision. You’ll need a glue gun or heat sealer to use the material.

• Stick formats are the most common and widely used. They are available in different sizes for all types of bonding. If you want to glue small elements, it’s best to choose sticks with a smaller diameter.
• Other stick formats are available with oval tips. They are mainly used on heat-sensitive materials such as silk, glass and polystyrene. They are used with a glue gun reaching a maximum temperature of 130°C.
• Hot-melt adhesive is also available in bead, granule or berlingot form, but these are reserved for mainly industrial uses. Although it is possible to use a conventional glue gun for this type of format, they are generally melted in a melter and applied in their liquid state by capillary action or automatic fiberization. Automatic fiberization is an efficient technique in industry, as it allows glue to be spread more evenly while using less. Granulated glue is also suitable for manual edgebanders.

There are two types of hot-melt adhesive: hot-melt and low-melt. It is important to note that they are not used for the same purpose. Hot-melt adhesive reaches its melting point at 200°C, enabling it to be used on more heat-resistant materials such as wood, plastic and metals. Low-melt adhesive is applied to more fragile materials such as silk, glass or polystyrene. The reason is that its melting point reaches a maximum of 130°C, so the glue is less hot when applied.

The use of hot-melt adhesive is a real time-saver, as it dries quickly and allows materials to be handled quickly, thus optimizing productivity.

How to use hot-melt adhesive properly

Before starting work, it’s essential to prepare your equipment and workspace so you can work efficiently. Here are the steps to follow for proper use of the equipment:

• Choose the right adhesive for your glue gun.
  Depending on your glue gun, you’ll need to choose the right stick size. Glue guns are sold according to these criteria.
• Protect yourself.
  Using hot adhesive can be dangerous, and cause burns. That’s why it’s important to wear protective equipment to avoid accidents. Gloves and goggles will protect you from any splashes or drips.
• Protect your workspace.
  When using the glue gun, it is highly likely that glue will drip or splatter onto the work surface. To avoid this, we recommend placing a piece of cardboard, greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, which is easy to clean.
• Preheat your glue gun.
  Glue should be applied when it has reached its melting point for maximum effectiveness. It usually takes 5 minutes for the glue to become completely liquid.
• Ready to use.
  Once the glue is hot, it’s best to try it out on a surface you won’t be using later. If, when you pull the trigger, the glue is completely liquid, it’s ready for use.

As already mentioned, hot-melt adhesive is the most efficient adhesive in terms of adhesion and speed of drying. It is ideal for all types of work on small and large surfaces. You can find our range of hot-melt adhesives in our catalog.