How to glue a wetsuit with neoprene glue, the requirements and an overview of suitable brands

Frequent divers have their own wetsuit. Most often, such products are made of a special material - neoprene. With prolonged use, the joints of the suit begin to come unstuck. You will need to use neoprene glue to glue them together.

The main material for making wetsuits

A wetsuit is a suit used by divers to dive underwater. Various materials are used in their manufacture, but neoprene is considered the main one. The main characteristic of neoprene products is their elasticity. Also, the benefits include extreme temperature resistance, strength, reliability, and durability.

Every year the quality of this material is improving, due to which the produced suits become better and stronger. However, despite this, over time, even such quality material has to be glued with special adhesives.

Neoprene Repair Adhesive Requirements

The glue used to glue the neoprene must meet several basic requirements:

• High level of elasticity.Adhesives for repairing torn suits should have good elasticity, which significantly increases the quality of bonding.
• Moisture resistant. It's no secret that wetsuits come into contact with water almost all the time. Therefore, the adhesive must be water resistant and not lose its properties when in contact with a liquid.
• High adhesion. The quality of the bonding directly depends on the adhesion of the glue used. Therefore, experts advise gluing neoprene with means that reliably adhere to rubber surfaces.

Consideration of appropriate brands

There are six common manufacturers involved in the production of high quality neoprene glue.

Aquasure

Universal adhesive mixture used to work with rubber materials. Aquasure is used for more than just reconstructing wetsuits. It is also used to glue other water sports equipment.

Among the features of Aquasure, it stands out that it does not lose its elasticity even after hardening. This allows you to use such a composition for gluing surfaces on bends. The volume of one tube of glue is thirty grams, thanks to which it is possible to process a considerable area at once.

picasso

This is another well-known manufacturer specializing in the production of high-quality adhesive mixtures for bonding rubberized materials.

The composition is produced in the form of a stretching mixture, which does not need to be diluted with water before use.

Many experts consider Picasso products to be the ideal choice for bonding neoprene materials. Such an adhesive composition is characterized by resistance to high humidity and reliability.If the costume is glued with Picasso adhesive, the seam will not come off for 3-4 years.

Bostique

It is a high quality adhesive based on starch, dispersion and PVA. Some think it is only used for bonding neoprene, but that is far from the case.

Also, the tool is used to fix fiberglass, non-woven and vinyl wallpaper.

Bostic is versatile because it adheres to many different surfaces. It adheres well to concrete, brick, wood and plastic surfaces. It can also be used to fix tissue materials.

Stormopren

It is a two-component adhesive commonly used to repair dry suits. Many water sports restorers find Stormopren to be the best glue for bonding neoprene. The composition of the product contains components, thanks to which it is possible to reliably fix rubber coatings. The adhesive bonds reliably to latex, leather surfaces as well as fabrics and rubber. However, it is not recommended to use Stormopren for gluing building materials, since the composition will not provide reliable fixation.

Sargan

People looking for funds to repair suits should be careful of products made by Sargan. It is a versatile adhesive often used to repair leather goods and aquatic equipment. Also suitable for bonding imitation leather coverings.

The product is sold in tubes, the volume of which is fifty milliliters. However, in stores you can find larger tubes of 100-150 milliliters.

Technisub

If you need to glue neoprene products quickly, you can use Technisub.The main feature of this composition is that it sticks quickly. The applied liquid begins to set within a minute of application. In this case, the glue solidifies completely after 20-25 hours. Technisub's advantages include its ease of use. To glue the parts, it is enough to degrease the surface to be treated and apply glue to it.

How to properly glue a wetsuit

Before using a neoprene product, you should familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of its use.

What is necessary

Before starting work, you need to familiarize yourself with what can be useful for repairing a suit. You will need to prepare the following funds in advance:

• Alcohol. It is used for pre-treatment and degreasing of the coating, which will need to be glued in the future.
• Rubberized gloves. It is impossible to work with adhesives without gloves so that the mixture does not touch the skin.
• A knife or a razor. This can be useful if you need to peel loose neoprene.

Step by step repair

To quickly glue a combination, you need to familiarize yourself with the specifics of the work. The repair is carried out in several successive stages:

• Preparation of coatings. First, a preliminary preparation of the surfaces is carried out. They are pre-cleaned from dirt and wiped with alcohol for degreasing.
• Application of the mixture. When the treated surface is dry, an adhesive solution is applied to it.
• Bonding. After application, the surfaces to be bonded should be held for 15-20 seconds so that they adhere more securely.

Common Mistakes

There are several common mistakes people make when bonding neoprene. These include in particular the following:

1. Lack of degreasing.Some people do not treat the coating with alcohol. For this reason, neoprene sticks much worse.
2. Apply the product to a damp surface. Do not handle wet coatings with glue, as this will affect the quality of the bond.

Additional tips and tricks

When working with neoprene adhesive compounds, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• it is recommended to apply the product to the surface with a match or a wooden toothpick;
• the edges that need to be glued are firmly pulled together;
• top-glued coatings are fixed with adhesive tape until the mixture is completely solidified;
• the tape is removed from the sealed neoprene no earlier than after 35-50 minutes;
• for more reliable fixation, too large holes are additionally sutured with special threads.

Conclusion

People who practice swimming have special wetsuits. Over time, their surface deteriorates and must be repaired. It is recommended to use neoprene glue for gluing. However, before using it, you need to understand the popular brands of the product, as well as the recommendations for use.