Ultimate Guide: Industrial Polyurethane Adhesives | Chemique UK

14 Jul.,2025

 

Ultimate Guide: Industrial Polyurethane Adhesives | Chemique UK

Polyurethane Adhesives Overview

Polyurethane adhesives (also known as PU adhesives) are used extensively in industrial and construction applications, providing versatile solutions to bond a wide range of materials and substrates. PU adhesives cure to form strong, long-lasting bonds that are resilient to demanding industry conditions rendering them the preferred adhesive solution in a number of sectors.

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What are Polyurethane Adhesives?

At a fundamental level, PU adhesives are composed of two main components, polyols and diisocyanates. The chemical reaction between a polyol and diisocyanate results in the formation of a polyol with urethane linkages that exhibits strong adhesive properties.

Both the polyol and diisocyanate components can be tailored to influence the physical properties of industrial PU adhesives including the viscosity, flexibility, tensile strength, adhesion and colour. The performance and properties of polyurethane adhesives can be further adjusted to enhance application suitability, with the integration of cross-linking agents and additives.

The types of PU industrial adhesives:

Polyurethane adhesives are primarily categorised by the number of components in which they are supplied, with each offering a number of advantages to specific industrial requirements:

  • One-component (1K) PU adhesives: require no pre-mixing of the polyol and diisocyanate components before application.
  • Two-component (2K) PU adhesives: Polyols and diisocyanates supplied as separate components and require mixing before application.

100% solids PU adhesives are available in both one- and two-component formulations, with each grade delivering strong, dependent bonds. Alternatively, solvent-based PU adhesives employ a solvent carrier to produce a formulation with enhanced dispersion and penetration properties for application. Solvent based non-solid polyurethane adhesives are primarily available in one-component systems.

Choosing between a 1K or 2K PU adhesive can depend on various factors including application requirements, environmental considerations and cost factors.

To discuss your adhesive specification requirements, contact our expert team of adhesive specialists today.

The Advantages & Disadvantages of Industrial PU Adhesives

Advantages of Polyurethane Adhesives:

  • Adhesive Versatility: PU adhesives produce strong bonds between a wide variety of materials including concrete, metal, timber and plastic substrates.
  • Superior Strength & Durability: essential for industrial applications, PU adhesives are able to withstand exposure to harsh chemicals, moisture and temperature fluctuations in indoor and outdoor environments. 
  • Flexibility & Elasticity: PU adhesives produce excellent, flexible bonds, accommodating for vibration and movement.
  • Water Resistant: Essential for outdoor applications. 
  • Controlled Curing Time & Pot Life: By altering the adhesive properties, the curing time and shelf life properties may be tailored to suit specific industrial applications.
  • Non-flammable
  • Solvent Free & Low VOC formulations available
  • Plasticizer migration resistant options available

Disadvantages of Polyurethane Adhesives:

  • 2K PU Adhesive Pre-mixing: To ensure optimum bonding performance, two-component polyurethane adhesives must be mixed to exact measurements and ratios.
  • Surface Preparation Requirements: To ensure optimal adhesion potential, correct surface preparation must be carried out before adhesive application. This process can be time consuming, However, some PU grades in Chemique’s adhesive range don’t require rigorous surface preparation.
  • Storage Environment & Shelf Life: PU adhesives have a typical shelf life of 3 to 12 months, however this may be influenced by storage and ambient temperature conditions.

What Industrial Applications can PU Adhesives be used for?

As the trusted choice for forming long-lasting, resilient bonds in a diverse range of sectors, polyurethane adhesives are used in a variety of industrial applications, including:

  • Panel lamination
  • Cladding installation
  • Modular construction
  • Artificial turf installation
  • PVC and composite door manufacturing
  • Truck building and vehicle panel manufacturing
  • Flooring
  • Crack repair

With over 40 years of adhesive industry excellence, we offer a range of tailored and bespoke industrial-grade polyurethane adhesive solutions. Explore our range of adhesive solutions or contact our expert team of adhesive specialists to discuss your project requirements today.

Polyurethane Adhesive Application Procedures:

Depending on the purpose of your project’s adhesive requirements, PU adhesives support a number of manual and automated application processes to form strong and secure adhesive bonds. 

Used widely in panel bonding, lamination and a range of industrial applications, popular methods of adhesive application include:

Rolling: Ideal for coverage of large flat surfaces, this process employs the use of hand-held or automated adhesive rollers. Rolling ensures even distribution of adhesive across surfaces.

Beading: Used to produce precise continuous lines or beads of PU adhesive, beading employs the use of a manual application gun or automated system, ideal to achieve accurate and tailored bonding requirements.

Spraying: Spraying is ideal for covering large surface areas with speed, consistency and precision. Using this process, the PU adhesive is sprayed using a hand-held gun or via an automated spray system.

When selecting a method of adhesive application, it is essential to consider the physical properties of the PU adhesive, including the open time, curing time and viscosity, before investing in application equipment. As specialists in adhesive manufacturing, we recommend seeking advice from adhesive experts when evaluating your adhesive and application options; our friendly team of adhesive specialists are available to provide tailored advice and guidance to your needs, contact us directly today.

The role of PU adhesives in panel lamination

Offering ultimate versatility in panel adhesion, polyurethane adhesives produce strong and durable bonds between a variety of materials including plastic, insulation and timber. As common materials in panel manufacturing, PU adhesives serve as an industry standard bonding solution for panel lamination. When selecting a PU adhesive for panel lamination, the following key factors must be considered:

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  • Open time: Open time is the period in which the adhesive remains adjustable on the surface after application. In panel lamination, open time is integral to ensure the panel is positioned appropriately before it must be assembled and pressure is applied. The open time characteristics of PU adhesives can be tailored through adjustments made to the adhesive composition.
  • Press time: Press time is the total duration in which pressure must be applied to form secure bonds between the laminated panels and substrates. This process is essential to ensure even distribution of adhesive for consistent bond formation as the adhesive cures.
  • Cure time: Cure time is the duration of time required for the adhesive to reach maximum bonding strength. The cure time can be influenced by factors such as temperature and humidity during application.

To discuss your panel lamination adhesive requirements, contact our expert team today.

Our Industrial PU Adhesives

As market-leading specialists in industrial adhesive manufacturing, Chemique produces a comprehensive range of polyurethane adhesives, included in our Solfre range.

Solfre PU Adhesives

Our Solfre polyurethane adhesive range is specially formulated to deliver strong and durable bonds for laminated panel bonding. The Solfre range provides a variety of open time and cure times to suit a range of manufacturing requirements and consists of two primary, solvent-free adhesives, offering industry-leading bonding solutions:

Solfre 1 (One Part PU Adhesives)

Our Solfre 1, one-component polyurethane adhesives, require no pre-mixing and can be applied through a number of manual and automated processes including spraying, beading and rolling. The advanced adhesive formula is designed to withstand exposure to harsh chemical substances, thermal shock and humidity.

Solfre 1 adhesives are ideal for manufacturing and construction sectors; common applications include: structural insulated panels (SIP), truck caravan/motorhome panel bonding and composite panel manufacturing.

Explore our Solfre 1 range.

Solfre 2 (Two Part PU Adhesives)

Our two component PU adhesives, Solfre 2, provide exceptionally strong adhesive bonds, with the two-part PU system allowing for controlled and measured mixing prior to application.

Solfre 2 can be applied using manual or automatic application processes such as rolling, spraying or beading and operates effectively in a wide range of temperatures.

Applications include: composite panel manufacturing, modular building assembly, transportation panels

Explore our Solfre 2 range here.

Turftak: Industrial Artificial Turf Adhesives

Chemique also manufactures a specially formulated PU range of high-performance synthetic turf adhesives.

Designed to form durable, long-lasting bonds between artificial grass and a range of underlying substrates, the Turftak range includes one- and two-part PU adhesives (Turftak 1 and Turftak 2) that remain secure and flexible for both indoor and outdoor settings.

Explore our Turftak range here.

Custom Adhesive Solutions

Chemique are leading manufacturers of industrial adhesive solutions.

17 Polyurethane Adhesive Manufacturers in | Metoree

What Is a Polyurethane Adhesive?

Polyurethane adhesive, primarily composed of polyurethane resin, is a versatile adhesive suitable for bonding an extensive range of materials, including metal, plastic, wood, and fabric. The adhesive's formulation typically includes polyurethane resin, a curing agent, and various additives. When these components are mixed, the polyurethane resin reacts with the curing agent, initiating a curing process that forms a strong and durable adhesive film.

Noteworthy for its high adhesive strength, durability, heat resistance, flexibility, and ease of use, polyurethane adhesive is widely adaptable to different applications and materials. When using this adhesive, it is advisable to ensure good ventilation, as it may release strong odors during the curing process. Proper ventilation can effectively reduce these odors, making the use of polyurethane adhesive more comfortable and safer in enclosed spaces.

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