Glue Appearance Issues: Why Does it Look Different?

You don’t want to see any adhesive on your finished product. A good adhesive does all its work behind the scenes. So, if you notice chalky lines or any other glue appearance issues, you may have a problem.

Unsightly glue lines turn a great project, package or product from success to failure. But you don’t have to accept poor adhesive appearance. Adhesive appearance issues are usually easy to fix. They just require a little investigation. These are the most common adhesive appearance issues and the easiest ways to get to the bottom of them.

My glue looks glossy

Glossy appearance form your glue could be the result of two things:

Not enough pressure upon application.
Prolonged open time during application.

The fixes are pretty straightforward. If a lack of pressure is the cause, increase the pressure during assembly.

If you think you can reduce open time, the amount of time you have to mate the surfaces together before the glue sets, do it.

Problem solved!

My adhesive only bonds on one surface

This is a little trickier. It could be the result of:

Poor joint fit. Misalignment.
Precure of adhesive. Adhesive open time elapsed.
Inadequate pressure. Not enough compression.

In order, you can try to improve your joint quality; reduce your open time, check the moisture content on your surface or decrease assembly time; increase pressure. It could also be that you have a coating on the surface that does not allow the adhesive to adhere ie. Varnish coating etc.

My adhesive is chalky

If your adhesive appears or feels chalky, it is almost always because the adhesive, stock and surroundings are too cold.

The only solution is to warm up your plant and the storage space for your stock to a more amicable temperature.

My adhesive leaves a blue-black stain on hardwood surfaces

When this happens, your adhesive is contaminated with a high concentration of iron.

It is likely that somewhere in your process the adhesive contacts bare iron before application to your wood surface.

Walk along your process and see where your iron surfaces might contact your adhesive prior to application.

My adhesive leaves a thick, noticeable glue line

Adhesives in your process should never leave behind obvious traces.

If you notice a thick glue line, it is because of a:

Poor joint fit.
Inadequate pressure.

To remedy:

Check and verify your joint quality.
Avoid hollow joints if possible.
Increase pressure during bonding.
Reduce your assembly time.

Maybe it’s time for an upgrade

Every adhesive you get from us comes with 100% quality assurance and technical support, so you can always get quick help when needed.

When it comes to glue lines and appearance, less is more.

Identifying Glue Issues: An Infographic

Unsightly glue lines or mistakes can take a great project or product and ruin it, but there are ways to prevent this from happening. Bond Tech is dedicated to getting the job done right the first time, in the most resourceful manner possible.

That’s why we’ve created this helpful infographic with various causes and solutions for the most common glue line appearance issues.