Which adhesive for insulation?

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Pavalijo

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I am about to add a second layer of insulation to the fridge box before we head south.

The existing insulation is the foil lined foam board type, and I am going to add another layer of the same type (Celotex CW4000, 1200x450x50mm boards available from B&Q).

My intention is to affix it with Sikaflex291i - ensuring that I apply an unbroken bead around the edge and in concentric unbroken beads towards the centre (to ensure no movement of air pockets).

Before I do so does anyone have any comment? I can't think of a better alternative but worry that Sikaflex might not stick foil to foil long term?? I will clean down the existing insulation as best I can - will methylated spirits work for this?

I am also replacing the compressor, controls and cold-plate - more details on the blog of the new eutectic tank system which recently arrived from Australia!

Many thanks as always,
Paul
 
Daverw said:
Why not us double sided tape
Click to expand...

Interesting idea thanks - maybe that will stand the test to time better?
However without demolishing and rebuilding the cabinetry I could only reach a small proportion of the coolbox to apply tape. That would include the bottom where I will apply two extra layers of board. Elsewhere I need to be able to slide the insulation board for fine adjustment which tape wouldn't allow (and neither would an instant grab adhesive).

My main concern is that Sikaflex might not stick two shiny surfaces in the long term.

I will send a query to Sika but have left it a bit late and am going to be installing over the next couple of days!
 
If you're worried abut sticking foil to foil, you could just peel that layer off to expose the polyurethane foam itself.

I recently glued together loads of insulation just using expanding foam, as it is chemically more or less the same stuff. But that was comparatively easy as I could lay the boards out flat on the floor and put weights on top of them.

Polyurethane glue (e.g. Gorilla glue, or the cheaper versions) also works very well.

A 'no glue' method would be to cut the pieces of foam so that they interlock and will stay in place.
 
I used "no more nail" wall board adhesive to do exactly the same thing, when I added extra insulation to my freezer 3 years ago.

It hasn't moved as yet, and wall board adhesive is much cheaper and easy to use than Sikaflex. It has a good initial "grab", and in my application I simply used a sealant gun to apply a pattern to the new insulation and then just placed on the existing insulation by hand and it stuck 1st time.
 
Thanks for the ideas. The no more mails solution sounds good and am pleased to hear yours has held for 3 years Ian as my concern is that silicone could easily detach from a shiny surface.
I cannot use spray foam for various reasons but especially accessibility, foam falling off a vertical surface that I can only just reach - and the danger of it causing damage to cabinetry in the more confined gaps!
 
I managed to speak to a boatbuilder on site before I started and he advised polyeurothane adhesive "much stickier than silicone". It was certainly the right stuff - working in a confined space I needed to slide the panels around a little, which was easy enough with this stuff. Not sure it would have been as easy with no more nails (which I have used for skirting boards and so forth.
Wasn't cheap (£19.44 for 2 cartridges) but a very small proportion of the overall budget to upgrade the fridge.
 
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