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Are you tired of contact cement fumes? Have your panels delaminated in high use areas? Do you need a fast setting and easy to use adhesive for commercial veneer work? Then Flex-Pro™ is the adhesive miracle you've been looking for!
Better Bond's Flex-Pro adhesive is a fast tack synthetic resin dispersion adhesive specially created for use with backed veneers. Its quick setting formula does not require a vacuum press and allows veneers to be applied to vertical and hard to reach areas. Particle board, MDF, plywood, and other porous substrates can be used with Flex-Pro. This superb adhesive is also suitable for use with high pressure laminates and is compatible with most major finishes. Other Internet companies are selling a similar adhesive for more than $50 per gallon. Why pay more?
Features
Instructions
Be sure to build a test panel with Flex-Pro prior to use on a project. Scuff the substrate with 100 grit sandpaper. Use a glue roller to apply an even coat of adhesive to the substrate. A 4 to 7 mil spread rate is adequate. Do not apply Flex-Pro to the veneer. Allow 3 to 5 minutes of open time and apply the backed veneer. This time frame is dependent on the porosity of the substrate and ambient temperature and humidity. The glue should be wet when the veneer is placed onto the substrate. Set the veneer onto the substrate and wait 10 to 15 minutes before running the panel through a nip/pinch rolling machine. If a pinch roller is not available, a veneer scraper or a small block of softwood may be used to set the veneer.
Completed panels may be dead stacked for 1 hour to ensure adequate bonding. Allow 24 hours for the panel to fully cure before machining. Failure to follow these instructions may lead to bubbles forming on the veneer surface. If this issue arises, the bubbles can be removed by applying heat from a clothes iron set to a medium-high temperature. Place a cotton cloth between the iron and the veneer to prevent scorching.
Flex-Pro has a shelf life of 6 months.
Tips from Joe
I've used Flex-Pro on several non-standard substrates and had success. Since there are no solvents in this fast-tack adhesive, I've used it on painted substrates as long as the paint is intact. Past projects have included painted door and window jams as well as stair case stringers. Remember, this glue is used with paper backed veneers only. Flex-Pro is comparable to FSV or "flexible sheet veneer" glue. It's just less expensive. To get a perfect bond, you must follow the instructions carefully. I highly suggest doing a test panel on a scrap veneer first.
Review by Dwight H.
Rating:
Joe helped me select Flex-Pro for my first veneering project, restoring an old oak kitchen table with paper-backed 4x8 sheet veneer. Flex-Pro was selected for its "contact cement" type qualities since I don't have a vacuum press. The surface of the table was an old, deteriorated veneer with some major divots filled with epoxy wood filler and sanded smooth with 80 grit paper.
I followed instructions to the letter, including practicing on test panels. The glue was very easy to spread evenly with Joe's glue roller, and had no unpleasant odor. Tool clean up was a breeze. When placing the veneer panels down, it was easy to slide them around a bit for perfect positioning. Using a veneer scraper with more than two firm passes, I had good adhesion without any bubbles. After my test panels had cured, I noticed that the edges had some areas that would lift slightly with upward pressure on the veneer overhang. I may have not put as much pressure on the edges as needed to avoid breaking the veneer. However, since my project was veneering a pre-machined table top rather than making panels that would be later machined, I opted to clamp the edges when I veneered the actual table top. Result? Perfect! Even on areas where the non-porous epoxy repair extended all the way to the edges. Since this isn't a typical "instant adhesion" contact cement, it may be best with clamping in some applications. I was relieved to have perfect adhesion of veneer not only on the porous substrate, but even to the epoxy treated areas and all of the edges.
Customer service and support is first rate. My order arrived before expected and every item was just as described. This product is first rate, just make sure that you use sufficient pressure with your veneer scraper to get good contact and you’ll be pleased.