PVA vs PVA - whats the difference?

[mattylad]

Okidoki, apart from price what is the real difference between PVA adhesives & adbond mixtures etc?

What difference will there be between me using cheap PVA glue from Poundland & the more expensive PVA admixture from a builders suppliers for things like plastering ?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Simple answer, quality of the product

 

[mattylad]

So what quality difference is there between one PVA & another?

What difference does it make?

 

[JMLanders]

So what quality difference is there between one PVA & another?

What difference does it make?

Watering down mostly

 

[1john]

watering down indeed, there is a 5 litre bottle in toolstation for much cheapness but you can only dilute it 100% at a guess

 

[stevethespreader]

cheap pva is rubbish and its watered down remember you pay for what you get, cheap pva don't skin up as good as dear pva causing problems, best pva is unibond (in my opinion) and the best out of the cheapies (is in my opinion again is wickes) i would like to hear what the other lads think about this and what pva they like using, anyone got any thoughts on b&q pva ? i think thats one of the worst

 

[roughcaster]

I've used Builder Centre pva for years,,, my number one choice. It's thick, and skins up to tacky quickly, so it can be plastered over soon after it's been rolled on. It's a great pva for slurrying too. Another good one in my opinion, is Everbuild pva. Again, it has a thick consistency. I've used Travis P/kins own brand too. There's a number of good ones out there. As Stevie said,,, you only get what you pay for. I've never used B:Q's own brand, or Wicks, or any other "shed" pva.

 

[mattylad]

Don't you water it down anyway?

Does the cheaper stuff not stick as well?

 

[roughcaster]

I use very little water in my pva,,, never have done.

 

[mattylad]

Hmm, instructions I have seen for it say water it down 5:1.

 

[roughcaster]

Hmm, instructions I have seen for it say water it down 5:1.

Each to their own, but i've always prefered to use it neat, or if watered down at all, kept very much to the thicker side, rather than watered down too much. All of the plastering that i do is with two coats of bonding first, then multi. It wouldn't be advisable to use "neat/ish pva" if you're going to skim onto it, with multi finish on it's own,, you "would" water it down for that. Different things for different applications.

Untitled

• roughcaster
• 3 Oct 2008
• 8

That's "neat" PVA/bonding coat slurry being brushed on in the pic. The old worn out brush has long gone.

 

[joe-90]

If you put it on neat you'll lose all the 'key' that that you need to make your plaster/render grip.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

i pretty much stick to unibond these days, though buildbase's own 'sealobond' seems pretty good too, had a bad experience with wickes stuff last time i used it so won't go near that again.

i'll use it at 5:1 if i can PVA the day before and i'm skimming onto it, otherwise i'll go stronger the same day and for the 'tack' coat (3:1)

 

[joe-90]

i pretty much stick to unibond these days,

Groaaannnn.

That's the worst pun I've heard in ages.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

i was proud of that joe!