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Nov 04
Love9

Hold it Right There! How Long Does Epoxy Take to Cure?

By Repairs, Uncategorized

Hold it right there, Mr. Impatient. Wait another minute. Or is it an hour? Days? As it stands, curing times for different epoxy pastes and putties vary quite widely. As much as your fingers ache and yearn to pick up (or step on … or throw) what you’ve fixed and test it out, you might be jumping the gun. The strength of an epoxy hold often depends on how well it cures. You might want to resist temptation a little longer!

Looking for a Quick Fix?

It’s true that most of us are looking for something quick … because if it takes a long time, we just don’t want to bother. And we’re OK with that! PC Putty Epoxies are just the solution when you need a quick fix. Putties are hand moldable and quick setting, they boast a short work time and fast cure time. They are just what you need if you want to get back to the game before half-time is over!

  • PC-Plumbing is a hand moldable putty epoxy designed for quick emergency-type repairs. PC-Plumbing™ allows a working time of about 3 minutes and cures for service in 60 minutes.
  • PC-Metal™ (insert link: https://www.pcepoxy.com/our-products/putty-epoxies/pc-metal.php) is formulated with metal fibers to add strength and resilience but remains non conductive. It also allows a working time of about 3 minutes and cures for service in 60 minutes.
  • PC-Lumber ™ is formulated with real wood. Cut, mix and apply. PC-Lumber™ allows a working time of about 15 minutes and cures for service in 60 minutes.

Seeking Strength and Endurance?

If you have a critical repair, try a PC Paste Epoxy for a HEAVY DUTY, permanent fix. Paste epoxies give the user extra working time for large jobs and are the strongest epoxies in the PC-Products family of repair products. Many times, the strength of our paste epoxy bond is stronger than the original material itself!

  • PC-7® is the number one rated tough job epoxy! This paste epoxy was formulated for maximum bonding power and demonstrates excellent chemical resistance to mild acids, caustics, detergents, gasoline, fuel oil, salt, and fresh water.
  • PC – Fast-N EZ is a fast cure epoxy for quick but permanent repairs. PC-Fast-N EZ™ is an extremely flexible translucent paste epoxy that is very easy to use. Perfect for precise applications, this epoxy flows beautifully through a static mix nozzle that mixes the epoxy for you.
  • PC-Auto Bond™ is fast curing, strong and flexible cold weld Epoxy formulation. PC-Auto Bond™ forms a tough bond without the need for clamping and exhibits superior shatter, impact and vibration stability and resistance.

Epoxy Rule of Thumb

A general rule of thumb for epoxy curing is this: if your project is important, cure it warm, slow, and long. Cold curing doesn’t hold strength very well. A good bet is to allow 72 hours of setup time for full strength building of adhesive bonds to form and mature. It is most critical to allow jobs subject to pressure or stress a full curing time.

Sep 29
Love0

So I Bought Your PC Epoxy for a Repair– Now What??? (Hint: Surface Preparation)

By Repairs, Uncategorized

There are basically two types of people roaming the hardware stores these days – those who are naturally good at fixing things up (and even enjoy doing it), and those who just really want to save themselves some cash. Some folks are a little mixture of both. But whatever category you fall into (full disclosure not necessary), there is one gargantuan hint to any successful epoxy repair.

You must effectively prepare your surface BEFORE the application of any epoxy product for full effect and durability. No matter what your surface may be.

Why, you may ask? Because epoxy must adhere to surfaces, and surfaces are often covered with dust, dirt, grease, oil, oxide films, etc. All these contaminants, even at a microscopic level, will interfere with the strength of your finished epoxy project.

Fiberglass

  • Prep surfaces by making sure they are clean and free of dirt, oils, etc. Note: Always clean the surface before sanding. Sanding the surface with sandpaper does not remove wax or other contamination. Sanding often melts greases and oils into the surface making it impossible to obtain a clean surface.
  • Lightly sand or “rough up” the fiberglass surface. Caution: Do not sand excessively. This will create porosity in the surface that will have to be filled.
  • Blow off the surface with clean, dry, compressed air while dry wiping to remove sanding dust and residue.

Wood

  • Surfaces to be bonded must be free of dirt, oil, decay, etc. Denatured alcohol works very well to clean surfaces before applying.
  • If surfaces are previously painted, it is best to strip paint before utilizing epoxy wood repair products.
  • For best results, rough up the surface that PC-Woody® or other PC Wood Products will be bonding to with a light grit sandpaper.
  • Normally, a vice grip or a clamp is not needed for an epoxy wood repair. Prop or tape heavy objects to a wall or ceiling.

Glass

  • Surfaces to be bonded must be free of dirt, grease, etc. Denatured alcohol can be used to clean and prep the surface.
  • Dry thoroughly before beginning the epoxy repair process.
  • For best results, rough up the surface to be bonded if you can. However, when you want the result to be clear and seamless (as with the case of a broken crystal vase etc.), simply press the two clean surfaces together with PC – Clear.

Concrete

  • All concrete surfaces must be cleaned of any grease, dirt, or debris.
  • If holes are being drilled, be sure to blow out dust from the bottom of the hole/crack. Brush the hole/crack with a nylon brush. Blow out dust again.

 

 

Taking the time to complete a thorough surface preparation is going to make all the difference in the quality of your project, and help to provide a lasting result for your DIY fix-it efforts. And of course, if you have any questions at all, feel free to ask our experts or visit our PC – Products page on Facebook!

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