PVC wall sheets total failure

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by Stephen Auty, Aug 2, 2020.

  1. Stephen Auty

    Stephen Auty New Member

    I am creating a food processing room in part of a shed on our fish farm.
    The shed is a 40 yr old 4x2 timber frame at 600mm centres with noggins half way.
    We insulated it and fixed up OSB sheets to create the walls as I thought (wrongly) this would be a better surface to bond the 2.5mm PVC sheets to than plaster board, this is to make it hygienic for food prep.
    I bought the PVC and adhesive from a company in the NE , and everything went really well.
    1 tube of adhesive per 8x4 sheet, we then pressed it on with our palms for a couple of minutes and left it 24hrs to cure before doing the sheet adjacent to it.
    It went up really well but about 4 weeks later some of the sheets (and now all) have completely detached from the walls and will need to be redone which is soul destroying as it took me many days to do it and to redo it will take longer.
    I removed one of the sheets carefully from between the joining strips and the adhesive has completely detached from the PVC and 100% bonded to the OSB! see photo ...the PVC sheet has no adhesive at all on it.
    So I don't know what's happened and have no idea how to fix it. I can't make the same error twice, it'll kill me so does anyone know what's happened and how I can fix it?

    I should say I did get in touch with the company that supplied the PVC sheets and adhesive but they were unable to shed any light on what happened and suggested i put twice as much adhesive on the walls (2 tubes /sheet) but in my mind it'll be still 100% failure and twice as much to scrape off when it does.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Aug 2, 2020
  2. I-Man

    I-Man Screwfix Select

    Hi, why not use some other form of adhesive, but then also mechanically fix the sheets to the osb using screws (with white screw caps to finish it).

    Seems that would be the best solution!
     
  3. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    What adhesive did you use and what did the manufacturer advise you? Spreading the adhesive as you have done is no good really as if there are low points and dips in the wall itself the adhesive will miss or not bond properly to the back of the pvc, better to have done a large continuous bead around the perimeter and at 300mm intervals over the rest of the board. Although a bit naff, you could have used 40mm polytop pins to provide a mechanical fixing as well rather than just rely on the adhesive.
     
  4. longboat

    longboat Screwfix Select

    The manufacturer does say to use 2 tubes per 8×4 sheet although in this instance I doubt that it would have made any difference.
    I can only think of two reasons why the solvent free adhesive has failed to adhere to the PVC.
    1. The sheets had a coating of dust or other contaminent on them.
    2. The potus nature of the osb boards sucked all the moisture out of the adhesive before it had chance to bond with the PVC panels.

    It's a right kick in goolies but the whole lot will need to be removed and redone.
    I'd prime the osb with sbr to seal it and then wipe all the PVC boards down with a solvent to remove any dust or oily film that could be on there before trying again.
    As has already been suggested a few mechanical fixing would provide a belt and braces approach.
    Good luck.
     
  5. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    How do you know it was solvent free adhesive, or am I missing the obvious? If it was then it's no surprise it's failed, the stuff is absolute garbage.
     
  6. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    To be fair it has it's uses. :cool:
     
  7. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    As a doorstop? I've tried various solvent free adhesives in a tube and without fail every one of them deserves to have its 'adhesive' title stripped, as it's anything but. The humble clear silicone usually has my vote for the failsafe product award of the day.
     
  8. Stephen Auty

    Stephen Auty New Member

    Thanks everyone, I'll answer some points
    The PVC sheets were wiped of any dust before offering up but to be honest they were stacked from the factory and super clean.
    We didn't however wipe them down with solvent for fear of it reacting with the PVC, maybe a detergent would have been prudent
    The adhesive was solvent free and a non branded make
    We applied some adhesive to the PVC sheet we took down and it's bonded incredibly well which was baffling as it's bonded so well to the OSB but when together a total failure..bizarre!
    I have bought some SS screws and white plastic caps but have been advised not to use them if possible as not easy to keep clean and to be honest the adhesive should do the job
    I joiner friend told be to use " Soudal Fix All Turbo " , anyone think this might work? I want to do it right next time and not worry it's going to fall off in 6months.
     
  9. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    We need to know which adhesive - there are recommended ones and there are ones which will not work.
     
  10. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    The last time I used some - my own bathroom ceiling which is still there 2 years later:


    Do a Google search for PVC panel adhesive bostik and it will bring up tubes, 500ml pots and even bigger tubs.

    upload_2020-8-2_19-50-8.jpeg
     
  11. Stephen Auty

    Stephen Auty New Member

    One other thing, the joining strips have bonded very well and will be very difficult to remove so thinking of trying to place sheets back in using them again.
     
  12. Stephen Auty

    Stephen Auty New Member

    This is the stuff I used from cladding monkey
    He's now advising 1-3 tubes per 8x4 sheet! He told me 1 would be fine and sent 12 tubes for 12 sheets[​IMG]
     
  13. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    I've done what you are looking to do in a wetroom in a school a few years ago although the walls were smooth masonry construction, we just used clear silicone and large beads and blobs of it, to my knowledge it's still up on the walls with no issue. As longboat said, I'd prime the osb first even though it seemingly was good enough to take the adhesive, and run a bead of adhesive inside the joining strips too.
     
  14. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    The other way would be to expanding foam the panels on and seal around the perimeter edges with a matching silicone of choice.
     
  15. longboat

    longboat Screwfix Select

    Had a look at the website where he said he purchased the panels and adhesive from. The solvent free stuff was recommended by them so I guessed that's what he'd used.

    I only use solvent free adhesive, particularly the 'Ever Build' cheap as chips stuff as I find it does what it's supposed to at a very, very reasonable price. Never had a problem with it.
    I find the solvent varieties skin over far too quickly when used on large areas.

    Each to their own though.
     
    Jord86 likes this.
  16. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    If the building trade doesn't work out you'd make a fortune as a P I ;)
     
    longboat likes this.
  17. AnotherTopJob

    AnotherTopJob Screwfix Select

    It could be that the solvent-free adhesive soaked into the wood too quickly, losing its bond with the PVC board. I think sealing the wood with acrylic primer or similar would help, and probably better to use a solvent based adhesive.
     
  18. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    The Bostik I mentioned above, was used on OSB and I would suggest getting a tube to try
     
  19. John.h.

    John.h. Member

    I have used pvc sheets on walls before (from a NE supplier) The ones I have used have a polythene layer on the back which is very difficult to see, you don’t even know it’s on until you pick at the edge with a fingernail.
     
  20. Stephen Auty

    Stephen Auty New Member

    I think this is what's happened
    Like I said earlier we applied some adhesive to a PVC scrap and it's bonded very well but with the OSB it's not so priming the OSB will probably be the next step , but I swear if it happens again I'll be putting a match to the building.
    This sort of thing should not happen, the adhesive manufacturers should test on all common surfaces (OSB being a very common one) and advise accordingly. It's soul destroying to be honest and a total waste of time.
     

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