If you read the safety sheet for conventional construction adhesives, you may be as shocked as we were at the fact that a third of the tube is often filled with highly toxic solvents, such as hexane. Titebond Solvent Free Constuction Adhesive gets the job done with a formula that is extremely low-toxic. Ethylene glycol, an antifreeze, is the only ingredient that the government considers toxic or hazardous; it accounts for about 1.5 percent of the contents.

This water-based formula has been thoroughly tested and found to exceed industry standards for sub-floor adhesives (APA's AFG-01) and for fastening gypsum wallboard to wood studs (ASTM's C557). These standards serve as the main method for evaluating construction adhesives in general because they cover all the key criteria. Subfloor adhesives must resist damage from sunlight, remain strong under many moisture and temperature conditions, and fill gaps. Drywall adhesive must have sufficient grab to hold panels in place vertically.

The only drawback of this adhesive is that it has a somewhat more limited temperature range than solvent-based products. Apply when the temperature is between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cured, the adhesive has a service temperature range of 10 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Unused cartridges should be stored above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Surfaces must be clean and free of material such as grease. Apply to only one of the surfaces to be bonded. If the surface is covered by a relatively impervious material such as vinyl wallpaper, scuff it up first.

Like all construction adhesives, when Titebond Solvent Free Construction Adhesive is used for structural purposes, it must be used in combination with screws or other fasteners. Using construction adhesive speeds the work because it reduces the number of fasteners needed, and it helps ensure a stronger assembly because it spreads the load over the entire mating surface rather than concentrating it just at the fasteners. For subfloors, nail or screw each sheet as recommended by APA-The Engineered Wood Association.

In non-structural applications, if you do not use fasteners, you may need to clamp or brace the assembly until the adhesive is set.

Working time for a ¼-inch bead is approximately 20 minutes.

The length of bead that can be squirted from a tube depends on bead diameter.

	1/8-inch bead	1/4-inch bead	3/8-inch bead
10.5-ounce cartridge	129 feet	32 feet	14 feet
29-ounce cartridge	355 feet	89 feet	39 feet

Material Safety Data Sheet