There are many ways to bond styrofoam together, but which is the best? This article will explore the benefits and drawbacks of each option. We’ll also take a look at alternative methods for bonding styrofoam that you might not have considered.
Where to use Styrofoam?
The main use for polystyrene foam is making models out of it. It’s great for sculpting because it can be cut, shaped and stretched without ripping. It’s also a good material for making props such as weapons or armor in theater productions where the actors need to wear heavy costumes.
It’s also possible to use Styrofoam sheets as insulation if you have several large pieces of foam that are lying around- or even just one! The downside is that it isn’t cheap so this should only be done on smaller projects like a cabinet. Really big jobs might require more work than using other types of insulation materials such as fiberglass batts which would make it cost-effective.
Types of glue that works with styrofoam sheets as insulation
The best kind of glue that works with styrofoam is rubber cement. Also you can use double sided tape.
Acrylic polymer glues, petroleum-based adhesives and instant glue can also be used on styrofoam sheets as insulation.
However they are not the best for bonding Styrofoam together because these types of adhesive will eventually dry out or dissolve when exposed to high levels of humidity which is a problem with styrofoam sheets in particular!
Using other substances such as liquid nails on insulated panels would work well if you need it to hold up against colder temperatures like outdoors during winter months where freezing weather conditions exist more often than warmer ones so this type of adhesive might last longer even though it’s not great at sticking polystyrene foam together.
How to glue Styrofoam Together With Rubber Cement
First, make sure you use the right glue for Styrofoam; rubber cement.
Next, cut your styrofoam sheets to size and shape. Then mix up a small amount of rubber cement according to instructions on container and spread it evenly over one side of each piece with an old paintbrush or similar tool. You can also do this by putting some in a disposable cup so that you just need to move the brush around inside until there’s enough for both pieces when they’re glued together! Let this dry before adding more layers if needed because too much liquid will seep out from behind once all is said done and ruin everything…messy!
Then press the two bonded sides against each other firmly but carefully as you align them edge to edge.
Wait at least 15 minutes and then you can release the bond, but be careful because it’s still a little sticky! Be sure to wait until it becomes more solid so that if any pieces start to lift up or tear away from each other they won’t just pop right back off again.
Pros: it’s cheap and easy to do.
Cons: it will dissolve when exposed to high levels of humidity so you need a plan for how this Styrofoam is going to be used or stored because otherwise it won’t last long.
Bond Styrofoam Sheets with Double-sided tape – step by step
-Cut a piece of styrofoam to the desired size
-Apply double sided tape to one side of it (sticky side up)
-Press firmly and evenly over the entire surface with your fingers or another flat object.
-Repeat this process on both layers, but make sure you don’t cover any areas which are already taped down! If there’s an area that was missed then just apply more tape and press again until the sheet is fully covered in small patches from edge to edge.
Pros:
- Fast and easy to do
- Cheap, but you’ll need a lot of tape per project.
Cons:
- Not great for large projects because the adhesive won’t hold up well over time in humid environments like those found inside buildings or when exposed outdoors during winter months where freezing weather conditions exist more often than warmer ones so this type of adhesive might last longer even though it’s not great at sticking polystyrene foam together!
If your styrofoam panels are relatively small then double sided tape will work just fine as long as you make sure that all surfaces which should be glued together has some sort of contact with the other one before pressing down firmly with both hands.