Can we talk about adhesive set times in cold weather?

I had a job last winter in an unheated garage. Used standard carpet adhesive. The label said dry in 24 hours. After two days, it was still sticky. I had to bring in space heaters to help it along. This added a full day to the project. The client was not happy with the delay. Now I always consider the room temperature before starting. How do you deal with adhesive in cold spaces?

4 comments

4 Comments

ninacarr1mo ago

Honestly, what was the actual temperature in that garage when you applied the adhesive? Tbh, a lot of adhesives have a minimum temp on the label that people miss. Did you check if your adhesive was meant for cold weather or just regular stuff? Ngl, I've seen jobs go sideways because no one reads the fine print about temperature. How do you plan for that now, like do you warm the space first or use a different product?

ruby3101mo ago

Read the fine print, @ninacarr! I'm shocked people miss the temperature stuff, it's right there on the bottle.

nancyjones1mo ago

Ever skim the instructions too fast? @ninacarr makes a good point about temperature being a big deal. I learned the hard way last winter after a repair failed because I didn't check.

sean85415d ago

What's the actual temp in the space before you start? I read a thing where a guy used a laser thermometer on the floor itself, not just the air. The concrete was way colder than the room said it was. That's what gets you. So now I check the surface temp, not just the air. If it's too cold, I just don't start until I can warm the floor up too.