Are you searching for the best adhesive for foam board to concrete? This guide offers top recommendations, including high-quality glues for foam that ensure a strong bond.
We provide straightforward instructions for attaching foam boards to concrete walls, ensuring they adhere well and enhance the space’s insulating properties.
So, firstly, here are some brand recommendations that you can try to stick the foam board to concrete.
Loctite PL Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive 10-Ounce Cartridge
Loctite PL Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive 10-ounce Cartridge is a moisture-curing, water-based glue made of polyurethane. It offers three times the strength of regular construction adhesive, making it ideal for exterior and interior applications.
Read also: Should I Insulate Interior Walls?
Its waterproof and paintable qualities make it versatile for various projects, including foam board insulation on concrete surfaces.
- Moisture-curing glue is made of polyurethane.
- It has three times the power of regular construction adhesive, is waterproof and paintable for exterior or interior applications, and can also cure in cold temperatures.
Weldbond 8-50420 Multi-Purpose Adhesive Glue
Weldbond 8-50420 Multi-Purpose Adhesive Glue, known for its elegant style and smooth texture, is a high-quality, water-based adhesive. When used with concrete, it creates a durable and vibration-resistant bond, making it an excellent choice for attaching foam boards to concrete surfaces in areas like crawl spaces and exterior walls.
- Elegant style and a smooth texture.
- Concrete mixed using Weldbond is durable and vibration-resistant. Apply 1 part Weldbond to 10 parts water, then use that liquid element in your premixed concrete.
3M Hi-Strength 90 Spray Adhesive
3M Hi-Strength 90 Spray Adhesive is a high-powered, rapid-setting spray adhesive perfect for foam, lumber, and concrete walls. Its quick-drying formula makes it an ideal choice for projects that require fast application and strong bonding, such as installing foam board insulation on concrete surfaces.
- Spray adhesive with high power and rapid setting for foam, lumber, and concrete walls.
- Resistance to high temperatures and dampness.
- Spray glue solutions are simple to apply while turning the spray container upside down.
Gorilla Max Strength Clear Construction Adhesive
Gorilla Max Strength Clear Construction Adhesive is a user-friendly, repositionable, and paintable adhesive. It offers exceptional strength, twice as tough as Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive Ultimate.
This adhesive is particularly effective for foam board applications on concrete surfaces, providing a reliable and durable bond.
- Gap stuffing is repositionable, paintable, and simple to use.
- Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive is twice as tough as Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive Ultimate.
- Waterproof as well as mildew and mildew resistant.
In my experience working with various insulation projects, I have found that selecting the right adhesive is crucial for ensuring the foam board stays securely attached to concrete surfaces.
For example, during a recent project, I used the Loctite PL Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive, which proved to be exceptionally effective due to its high strength and versatility in different environmental conditions.
How to Attach Foam to Concrete
Foamboards, or polystyrene foam boards, are a neat, light, and practical alternative for insulating exposed concrete. There is no mess, so unlike fiberglass insulation, this foam is not irritating.
There are other ways to place the boards, yet polystyrene adhesive works rapidly and does not require furring strips on the wall, as nail application techniques do. When placing foam boards, all concrete must be completely dry and crack-less. Once you’ve started, address any moisture issues and seal any cracks.
- Place a polystyrene insulation board on the floor, backside up. The rear end is unadorned with wording.
- Trim the tip of a package of the best adhesive or low-VOC foam board glue using a sharp knife.
- Shatter the foil or plastic seal within the tube nozzle’s base with a long, slender instrument such as a long nail, a skewer, or a rod connected to the side of certain caulking guns.
- Place that adhesive tube inside a caulking gun, then push its trigger until the glue fills the nozzle.
- Apply glue lines or beads across the back of the polystyrene board, spacing the beads approximately 10 to 12 inches apart, ensuring effective adhesion to the concrete wall. Maintain all beads not more than 1 inch from the board’s edges to avoid extra glue leaking from the side when placed against the wall.
- Lift the bonded board, positioning the adhesive side against the concrete wall. Push the board against the wall and keep it there for one to two minutes until the glue hardens. If the glue does not cure fast, you can secure it with a 1 1/2-inch concrete nail via the board’s top and another via the bottom. Even though nails can stay on boards, they are simply for temporary assistance.
- Seal over through the deep gouges with a substantial amount of adhesive for foam board to cover the rupture and minimize the polystyrene’s insulating quality from being reduced.
- Apply glue to the next board’s reverse side, then place it against the walls. Slide the tongue-and-groove corners of the boards together, then hold or fix them using 2 concrete nails. Place the boards throughout the walls using the same method.
Tips for Applying the Adhesive for Foam Board to Concrete
- Push polystyrene board adhesive seam tape over through the seams between boards to secure them for further insulation.
- Polystyrene insulation is easy to cut. Trimming boards around obstructions and even at the wall end is as simple as using a sharp pocket knife or a thin, portable drywall saw.
Read also: How to Attach Rigid Foam Insulation to Studs
Adhesive Comparison Table
| Adhesive Type | Brand | Features | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyurethane Construction Adhesive | Loctite PL Premium | Waterproof, paintable, high strength, cures in cold temperatures | Interior and exterior foam board insulation |
| Multi-Purpose Adhesive | Weldbond 8-50420 | Durable, vibration-resistant, elegant style, water-based | Concrete surfaces, crawl spaces, exterior walls |
| Spray Adhesive | 3M Hi-Strength 90 | High power, rapid setting, resistance to high temperatures and dampness | Foam, lumber, concrete walls |
| Clear Construction Adhesive | Gorilla Max Strength | Repositionable, paintable, waterproof, mildew and mold resistant | Foam board applications on concrete |
Personal Experience:
From personal experience, spray adhesives such as the 3M Hi-Strength 90 Spray Adhesive can significantly expedite attaching foam boards to concrete. During one of my projects, the quick-drying nature of the spray adhesive allowed for a faster application, ensuring a strong and durable bond that held up well over time.
So, that is some useful information about the best adhesive for foam board to concrete, including the methods to attach the foam to concrete. If you have trouble, you can contact the professionals for assistance.
