How to Bond GRP to Insulation
Recognised for its strength, lightweight properties and versatile applications, Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) has become indispensable in various industries, including aerospace, marine and vehicle manufacturing, and many building and construction jobs.
Given its widespread industry use, we’ll cover the correct and most efficient method for bonding GRP to insulation materials – ensuring you can work faster, safer, and use your glue more efficiently.
What is GRP Material?
GRP stands for Glass Reinforced Plastic. It is also known as fibreglass or composite plastic. The material is characterised by its waterproof nature, structural robustness, chemical resistance and durability.
Due to these advantages, GRP regularly replaces traditional materials like wood, steel, or aluminium, especially when these standard materials fall short of criteria such as fire safety, impact resistance and weight considerations.
GRP Panels
GRP is frequently employed in the manufacture of ‘sandwich panels’. These panels are used in the construction of building roofs and walls, as well as in the manufacturing of vehicles, to offer effective thermal insulation.
What are GRP Panels Made of?
As the name suggests, ‘sandwich’ panels consist of several layers. Typically, these panels feature a central core material ‘sandwiched’ between two layers of GRP. Common core materials include EPS, XPS, PET, PU, PVC foam cores or PP honeycomb.
The usual structure of a sandwich panel adheres to the following order:
- Upper GRP face sheet
- Core material
- Bottom GRP face sheet.
These layers produce a high load-bearing capacity, give good heat insulation, and withstand high tensile or compressive forces.
Bonding Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP)
To bond the GRP to the core insulation material, you will need an adhesive because using traditional mechanical fasteners can add weight and compromise the material’s structural integrity upon drilling.
What is the Best GRP Glue?
It’s essential to use a high-performance GRP adhesive to give a secure bond between the GRP skin and core. The correct glue will also help mitigate potential failures or de-lamination.
PU Glue:
One option for bonding GRP to insulation is to use a PU glue, such as Timbond 5917 PU Adhesive 22kg. This adhesive is a specialist single-component PU adhesive, developed for a wide range of panel fabrication applications.
This glue is solvent-free, which makes it ideal for workplace safety. You can apply it manually with a glue roller, trowel, scraper or an automatic bead applicator.
The Pfhol glue roller, for example, is an extremely efficient method of applying adhesive with ease. Explore Adkwik’s adhesive applicators to view all options.
Spray Contact Adhesive:
Another option is using a spray contact adhesive. These canister adhesives excel as insulation glue, delivering rapid and dependable bonds on various substrates. Opt for a highly engineered formula, such as Timbond PROFESSIONAL NC Sprayable Contact Adhesive 22Ltr.
Timbond NC Spray Adhesive is a high-performance, sprayable contact adhesive containing safer solvents. The dichloromethane-free formula limits health risks for your workers and the environment.
It has excellent coverage and a long open time, plus the adhesive works in many demanding applications and has excellent heat resistance. Also, it dries clear, so you finish every job with a neat and professional appearance.
Your glue needs the right adhesive application equipment to deliver fast and effective results. In this case, the Timbond NC Spray Adhesive will require a portable spray gun and a stainless steel hose. We’d recommend the Tensorgrip Kick-Off Kit for this task. The bundle features a professional spray gun, hose, gun tip and roller, so you can get to work immediately.
Select the ‘Co-Rez spray’ option for easy and economical application. This kit uses Tensors’ exclusive Co-Rez technology that promises ‘more glue, less gas’ – maximising your efficiency and delivering superior coverage with each application.
Speak With the Adkwik Team.
Are you in need of a solution to a specific adhesive issue? Contact us on 01223 412373 or leave a message via our online contact form to hear from the experts on our team. We’re more than happy to help.
In the meantime, access more industry insights and product information surrounding adhesives, abrasives and sealants by checking out other posts on our blog.
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