When you are using PVC piping, you must be able to join these pipes together in some way.
The way that you do this is through using PVC pipe glue. PVC glue, also known as PVC cement, takes some time to mix up before use and it also takes some time to dry fully before you turn on the water to ensure that the glue holds.
Read on to find out how long PVC glue takes to dry!
What Is PVC Glue?
PVC cement is a very useful adhesive that can be used in a range of different ways.
Usually, it is used to join two objects together, working as a sealant. PVC cement consists of chemicals that bond together to adhere.
It is quick-drying and can be used to join PVC pipes, PVC joints, brackets, and some other pieces.
How Does PVC Glue Work?
PVC pipes are made from a plastic called polyvinyl chloride. It is most often used as a tool in plumbing, being used in piping.
The glue that is used to join these pipes together is called PVC glue and it is made from bonding agents.
These bonding agents work by dissolving the edges of the PVC pipe where you put them together.
When you press them together, they will fuse, creating a single, long piece of PVC pipe.
The glue does not just stick the two sides of the pipes together, it fuses them together. This makes them inseparable forever. This helps the pipe and fittings to withstand water pressure.
Type Of PVC Glue And How Long They Take To Dry?
PVC glue is very versatile, being used in a lot of different types of ways.
When you look at drying time, there is a very large range of different drying times that should be very carefully stuck to avoid any breaking.
For a more detailed discussion on the drying times of different types of PVC cement, check out our guide on how long for PVC cement to dry.
PVC cement is an adhesive that is made from the material polyvinyl chloride. It is used to attach plastic together. Read on for a list of the different variations of PVC glue.
- There is a type of PVC glue which is slow-drying. It can take up to 24 hours to fully dry which can be very inconvenient. You can’t pressurize the pipes with water during this time until the plastic hardens. This type of glue is best suited for combining two different parts that need to remain bonded for a very long time.
- The second type of PVC glue is the standard drying type. This one dries in around an hour and is a good in between if you need to get your pipes back up and running!
- There is also a fast-drying type of PVC glue which can be used to bond two things together very quickly, such as plastic piping and the pipe joint. It dries in around 30 minutes.
- Acetone-based glue is another type of adhesive that takes around 30 minutes to dry, the same as the fast-drying type.
- E-6000 takes up to 12 hours to be dry enough to use.
What Is The Best PVC Glue For Your Needs?
While it can seem complicated to choose your PVC glues, it is not as complicated as you think.
All of these glues do very similar things, but the key is the drying length. If you need an immediate fix, opt for a fast-drying PVC glue. If you have more time on your hands, then a standard glue that takes about 1-2 hours to cure will do the trick.
Regardless of the glue type, you need a PVC primer to help the adhesion. This is also necessary for PVC cement.
What Will Make The PVC Glue Dry Quicker?
PVC cement will solidify over time, making it secure. The amount of time the glue takes to dry depends on the type of PVC cement that you are using.
As well as this, there are some other things that influence the drying time.
For instance, the glue will dry a lot faster in warmer weather because the warm air can hold more vapor than air that is colder.
When the air outside is hot, the glue will dry much quicker because the moisture has transferred into the air and can no longer interfere with the adhesive aspects of the PVC glue.
In contrast, if it is cold outside, the glue will take longer to dry because there is more moisture present to interfere with the drying process.
PVC cement has been shown to dry in half the time in warmer weather. In hot weather, it might dry within 12 hours, whereas it can take up to 24 in cold weather.
You should still ensure that it is 100% dry before you turn on the water, though, as you don’t want the adhesive to fail on a wet PVC pipe connection!
How To Speed Up Drying PVC Glue?
PVC cement can take a long time to fully dry, depending on which glue type you choose. This can be very frustrating as you may really need it to dry more quickly.
One thing you can do in order to speed up the drying process is by using a certain type of adhesive, such as E-6000 which dries much more quickly than some other PVC glues.
These adhesives work quickly to bond two things together.
If you want the glue to dry quickly, another way in which you can do this is by using a smaller amount of glue on what you are sticking together.
However, you also want to make sure that you are using enough glue to bond what you need to bond together.
How Long To Wait Until You Turn On The Water?
The answer to this question depends on the type of PVC cement you have used. It is recommended that you wait the full cure time when gluing PVC plastic pipe and plumbing systems.
In certain weather, this may be quicker, however ensure that you are very sure it is dry before you turn on the water.
One safe way of ensuring that you have left enough time for the glue to fully dry is to simply leave it overnight.
If you do this, then you will ensure that it is dry enough because it won’t be drying on a wet pipe.
Final Thoughts
PVC glue can take a long time to dry. It takes anywhere between 30 minutes to 24 hours.
Now that you know everything there is to know about PVC glue, you can get started on your new project!
If you’re dealing with leaking pipes in your project, learn about the best sealant for leaking pipes in our dedicated post.