Today, there are dozens of different adhesive types and thousands of different brands on the market. They all have different properties, features, and applications.
Drying time is one of the main differences between adhesives, and it’s something that can make or break the glue. For many projects, you need the quickest possible drying time, but how do you achieve that?
In this article, we will share a few tips and tricks on speeding up the drying time of an adhesive. Be sure to read through the whole article since we will give out a few tips for every type of glue!
How To Speed Up Drying Time Of An Adhesive
The first thing you want to do is to identify the type of adhesive you are using. Some adhesives are more suitable for fast drying, while others simply need more time.
The most common adhesives today are superglues, epoxies, urethane adhesives, PVA, and cement adhesives. Identifying the drying time of your adhesive in normal conditions can help you assess how much drying time can be improved and is it even worth improving.
Secure The Bond
The first and most obvious thing you can do to improve the drying time is to clamp the parts you intend to bond.
Be sure to prepare the surface by cleaning and sanding for the quickest adhesion and drying time.
If the parts aren’t tightly secured, the bond won’t be strong and won’t form quickly. Be sure to clamp or hold them in place for the quickest drying time.
Air
One of the best natural drying enhancers is air. The best thing about it is that it’s readily available and free of charge!
Working outdoors or simply opening a window can reduce the drying time significantly.
For even quicker curing time, you can use a ceiling and table fan or an AC. These can be particularly useful if you position them to blow towards the bond.
Air itself will reduce the drying time, but hot air will do so even more. Try using a hairdryer or air conditioner to produce hot air and direct it to the bond.
If you can’t create air any other way, blowing in the direction of the bond can be useful as well.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has been known as a natural accelerator of adhesive drying time.
All you need to do is take a pinch of baking soda and sprinkle it over the liquid glue.
This works great for most types of glue, but it works especially well for cyanoacrylate adhesives or superglues.
Air Gun
Using an air gun is a very effective way of speeding up the drying time significantly.
A heat gun is especially useful if the glued parts have high-temperature resistance so that you can use the gun for extended periods on the bond.
- ▶ 【Strong Power With 2 Modes】 SEEKONE 1800W heat gun provides strong power quickly heat up to 1202℉(650℃) in 1.5 seconds. Two modes: I: 50-450℃, 190-210L/min; II: 50-650℃, 250-500L/min
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
We recommend SEEKONE Heat Gun for its affordability and great performance. It can produce hot air of up to 1202 Fahrenheit.
It works great on making the glue dry much faster, and you can check it out on Amazon here.
CA Accelerator
If you want to make superglue dry faster, you have to try an accelerator or an activator. It works wonders on super glue and can make it dry up to 10 times faster!
So, how does it actually work?
The cyanoacrylate activator is usually sold as a spray that is used in combination with super glue. All you need to do is apply the glue on one part and spray the glue on the other. Hold the pieces together for 5 seconds, and your bond is as dry as dust!
The spray accelerator speeds up the polymerization of cyanoacrylate glue and makes it dry up to 10 times faster! The bond won’t lose its strength and will be ready in under 10 seconds!
We recommend the Starbond Instant Set Accelerator. It’s by far the best accelerator we tried and offers incredibly fast drying time. Check it out on Amazon here.
- ✅ NOT-YOUR-AVERAGE CA GLUE ACCELERATOR: For professional users, Starbond accelerators have an improved ergonomic spray nozzle, modified atomizer, and an accelerator formula that dries less brittle while leaving little-to-no white residue.
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bonus Tips
We will now share some extra tips on how to reduce the drying time of your glue.
- Consider working outdoors if the weather is dry, hot, or windy. those types of environmental conditions will speed up the drying time dramatically.
- Avoid cold and moist conditions if you want the glue to adhere properly and dry faster.
- Use the right glue for the job. If you try to glue plastic with wood glue, it will take forever to dry and won’t hold the bond. Use metal glue for metal and plastic glue for plastic.
- Sometimes you can’t speed up the drying time because of the material you’re intending to glue. If you want to glue puzzles or paper, you can expect extra fast drying time. But if want to glue brick, metal, jewelry, or stone, it usually takes more time, and the bonding process can’t be accelerated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for glue to dry?
Depends on the type of glue and the model of the glue. Superglue cures the fastest and can dry in only 15-30 seconds! Epoxies, cement, or urethane-based adhesives can take up to 2 hours to set and 24-48 hours to cure!
What glue dries instantly?
No glue dries instantly. With that being said, there are some extra fast drying adhesives like Gorilla or Loctite super glue. These adhesives can dry in only 15-30 seconds, and with the help of an accelerator, drying can take only 5 seconds!
Does glue dry faster in hot or cold?
Glue always dries faster in hot and dry weather. Good air circulation and wind can also reduce the drying time of the glue.
Conclusion
Trying to make glue dry faster can be a challenging task if the material you’re bonding is heavy-duty or if your glue is weak.
Always make sure first that you are using the right glue for the job, and that you’re working in a dry environment.
Most of the time, you won’t be able to significantly improve drying time. But with some adhesives like superglues, quicker drying can be achieved in the right circumstances, and with the use of proper tools.
