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Quick setting const. adhesive rcmdtion?

darrel | Posted in General Discussion on May 24, 2008 12:08pm

Finishing up the basement project and need to put up all the crown moulding and baseboard trip. I’m using the pre-finished foam trim for this project.

The last time I used this stuff (bathroom) the adhesive I had purchased required that after gluing, one needs to tack it up with some nails until it sets. Since I had to use nails anyways, I figured there was no point in using the adhesive.

However, the basement is all steel stud construction, so no way to use a finish nail. Are there any recommended adhesives out there for hanging trim that would have enough tack to stick after holding in place for a minute or so?


Edited 5/23/2008 5:08 pm ET by darrel

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  1. User avater
    BillHartmann | May 24, 2008 12:34am | #1

    Power Grab will hold on fairly well. Don't know if can support crown until it sets. Give it a try.

    Also I have heard of when setting stuff with silicon and the like to use some spots of hot melt glue to hold it temporily.

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  2. User avater
    Ted W. | May 24, 2008 12:55am | #2

    I was going to suggest Power Grab also, and add that I shoot a couple of brads at angles to eachother to sort of pinch into the drywall.

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  3. spike999250 | May 24, 2008 01:10am | #3

    A finish nailer will shoot into steel studs up to and including 20 gauge studs.  We install blocking when framing if there will be wood trim, but a nail will hold in steel studs.  I would be careful with the powergrab, afraid the moisture wolud affect bond down the road.

  4. Pelipeth | May 24, 2008 02:43am | #4

    Pieces of 3M dbl. sided tape

    1. darrel | May 24, 2008 03:00am | #5

      have you used that? Has it held up?

      1. Pelipeth | May 24, 2008 01:44pm | #8

        I use it in conjunction with other fasteners (ie) adhesives, brads, etc. it will hold things in place. On a personal note I have NOT been impressed with the Power Grab product, certainly not anywhere near as good as their print ad would have you believe.

  5. Danno | May 24, 2008 03:27am | #6

    I agree with BillHartmann--I've used Power Grab and it worked well, but on molding smaller than crown. Maybe a couple nails like another poster suggested, just every 4' or so for insurance would work. Oh, wait, just had brainstorm--use rare earth magnets on maybe every third stud to hold until glue cures--those magnets are pretty powerful and should hold even through drywall, I would guess (haven't actually done it myself. Some of those magnets are dangerous because they'll pinch you if you get skin between them, and are almost impossible to pull off steel, so should be able to hold plastic crown through drywall to a steel stud).

    1. darrel | May 24, 2008 03:39am | #7

      ooh! Good idea. Will hunt some down.

  6. User avater
    MarkH | May 24, 2008 02:50pm | #9

    Nail it up with long brads or finish nails shot at an angle into the drywall. Way easier and cheaper than adhesive, and it won't ever fall off. I don't trust adhesives long term by themselves. I do hear that steel will take a nail, but I would shoot into them at an angle also, so as to prevent pull-out, because a straight shot into the stud would probably be very weak.

  7. Dave45 | May 24, 2008 04:51pm | #10

    I just used Power Grab to hang some trim pieces on the upper tracks of mirrored closet doors.  I ran a wavey bead on the back of the trim and used several small spring clamps to hold it in place while I finished prepping the doors for installation.

    The clamps were on for ~30 minutes and when I took them off, the trim was rock solid.  I think that I'm gonna really like this stuff. - lol

    1. darrel | May 24, 2008 04:55pm | #11

      Well, thanks for all the advice folks. Might try the brads and an angle first on the backside of the wall and see now it works. Sounds like the powergrab still benefits from clamping. No easy way to clamp the crown moulding, but if the brads don't cut it, will try the magnet idea.In fact, one idea I might play with for the hell of it is to drill some holes from the top of the moulding (this actually isn't true crown moulding at an angle, but just trim I'm tacking up there like a picture rail), drop the magnets in there, and see if those, alone can hold it up.

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