Maintaining Adhesives in Cold Weather

December 4 2019

Are you Winter Ready?

It is very much winter and the Christmas shutdown coming near. Over this period, many will take time off, meaning sites, vans, warehouses and storage areas are likely to get cold and in some cases reach or fall below freezing. To ensure you do not see any loss in results from your stored adhesives, we have a few recommendations.

Effects of low temperatures on adhesives:

• Decreased Viscosity
• Slower drying/curing
• Reduced tack rate
• Irregular spray pattern for sprayable adhesives
• Irreversible frost damage

The recommended storage temperature of many adhesives is in excess of 5 degrees C. Where temperatures fall below this, you are likely to see some negative effects.

How do I prevent the effects of low temperature?

• Keep all adhesives stored on pallets, avoiding direct contact with the ground.
• If an adhesive is supplied in a box, keep it stored in the box.
• Create an insulated storage area where the temperature can be regulated at low cost.

If a product has dropped below 5 degree C, what can you do?

Ultimately this will depend on your adhesive. Our advice is always to contact one of our adhesives experts for the best advice on whether the adhesive is still usable. Of course, the best advice is to take measures to prevent this occurrence. But if you are finding an adhesive is not performing during or after a cold spell, our experts are available to direct you to the most suitable solution.

At Action Adhesives, we have Ireland’s widest range of adhesives. Our team of experts are on hand to ensure you find the perfect adhesive solution. Why always on hand to help, our team will be taking a short break for the Christmas period. See our Christmas hours below.