Suggestions Stud mounting adhesive

[dale911]

I’m sure This will get some people going but I have heard many different opinions on stud mounting “adhesives.” I have been told by some sign companies that any caulk will do, some say to just use silicone caulk, some say to use construction adhesive (which sounds like overkill). I know a lot of the new channel letters and halo lot channel letters are being manufactured for stud mount now so I’m curious as to what everyone is using. When I have mounted letters before, they usually feel pretty snug anyway without anything so I have been putting some silicone caulk on the studs for extra grab. Just took down some flat mount pvc letters that I installed a year ago in EIFS and all I had to do was use a putty knife to pop them loose of the silicone and they were ready to go to the next job for a new installation.


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[JTBoh]

Silicone indoors only.
Construction adhesive outdoors.
2-part epoxy for bronze plaques and exterior metal letters, with an hourglassed hole. (prevents hoodlums from yanking it and selling for scrap.

 

[Chuck Peterson]

I like Lexel. If you don't blow the dust out of the holes it doesn't matter what you use. it won't hold.

 

[TimToad]

Second the motion on LEXEL.

Quick to set, super flexible, but gains bonding strength as it ages until fully cured.

 

[Moze]

Lexel is the best thing going, hands down.

 

[Billct2]

Yep, Lexel for most applications. Occasionally epoxy for special situations.l

 

[Rick]

You mention channel and/or halo illuminated letters...

Doesn't it depend on the situation?

Why would you pin mount when you already have to access the back for electrical through a pass thru... butterfly bolts is how you would mount them in most situations - other options depending on conditions - like weight for instance, is attaching to a P-1000 unistrut spanning across studs, or another application with Drivit or panel wall construction you have to use a spacer - bypassing any load bearing on it and into the backing wall with a physical attachment.... another is expandable (red head) bolts.

Personally I would avoid any pin/goop attachment on an illuminated letter/logo...

 

[equippaint]

I wouldn't trust construction adhesive, it's cheap stuff. From what Ive seen in other applications it dries out and falls apart. Silicone works ok as an adhesive but it doesn't stick well long term to a lot of substrates. We use 3m 5200 and Bostik 940 as panel adhesive on box trucks when they come in wrecked for repair. I'm sure it would hold up channel letters

 

[dale911]

I was surprised about the channel letters as well. When I started, every channel letter I pulled had screws or butterflies or something holding them on but most of them also had neon in them. Now, the manufacturers are selling them all with the rivet nuts in them. You don’t have to pull the faces off now so you can do a quicker install. The last job I did was the first time I did only the studs and it was halo letters. Even if they hadn’t been spaced off the wall, I would have had to use something 10” long to get through the wall. It was concrete, then a space, then plywood, then the wall void of insulation and then drywall. The only way I could get the wires through was to use some 12 gauge romex wires cut 15” long. I taped the wire to it and used them to fish through the wall. Then I was able to go to the other side, and pull them on through. I also had an inspection can to help guide the wire through. Super pain in the butt doing it alone. It certainly saves a lot of time to stud mount since I don’t have to pull faces and replace them. I am installing acrylic flush mount Gemini letters into eifs tomorrow. I have a tube of lexel I’m going to try. It’s supposed to be about 28’ out so we will see how well it works.


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[bowtievega]

We have been using 100% silicone as an adhesive for all of the 21 years i've been in the sign biz. It's relatively inexpensive compared to epoxies or specialty adhesives like Lexcel. Silicone doesn't dry out and crack over time and remains flexible forever. Most failures i've seen with silicone are caused by poor substrate or wall prep. It's important to have a clean and dust free wall to bond to. Standard silicone does not bond well to uncoated concrete products like raw stucco, block or concrete. You need to use a neutral cure silicone for those applications. The sign substrate also makes a huge difference in bonding strength. The polyester finish on aluminum composite panels has a pretty high surface energy so its tough to bond to. A little scuffing or sanding to create a tooth for the adhesive to bond to goes a long way. Same thing with acrylic. We are in arizona so temps are not as big of a deal here as they are in other locations. It's supposed to be 82 degrees here today lol. When the weather does go below 50 degrees we use other products such as the polyurethane construction adhesives. They bond better and are usable at much lower temps than the standard liquid nails type construction adhesive and won't dry out and fall apart over time. The Lexcel product is a really good choice but we always seem to find something else that works for less money lol. In regards to the channel / halo letters we always mechanically fasten to the wall. Those large studs and rivet nuts people have switched to for pan channel installs work great, you just need to get on the back side with some fender washers and nuts to snug them up. Halos go up the same way, long studs and nuts. If they are being mounted to a concrete building we use theaded anchor inserts so we don't need to drill thru the wall except for power.