28 SportsTurf | March 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com
T
here is no such thing as a "one
size fits all" adhesive because an adhesive that
is outstanding for one application might be
a disaster for another. There are hundreds
of adhesives on the market and some are
excellent for one application and unsatisfactory for another.
When a person asks, "What's your best adhesive?" it shows
the person has little knowledge of the complexity of
adhesives. For example, that's why the designers of first-aid
"band aid" type adhesives do not want the adhesion to be
so strong that it tears the skin when being removed.
Oppositely, instead of stitches, a surgical adhesive that is
designed to hold skin together after an operation must not
prematurely peel away or break.
Q: Are there many different types of synthetic turf
adhesives? If so, what are their differences?
Legue: That narrows it down, but it's still a very broad
subject. For example, there are adhesives for use outdoors
vs. indoors; adhesives for recreational surfaces like
synthetic turf athletic fields and playgrounds vs. synthetic
turf adhesives for aesthetic purposes like landscaping,
lawns, highway median strips, roof tops, etc. [Buyers]
need to look beyond price as well; higher performing
adhesives can withstand athletic activities and weathering
and prevent the need for repairs later.
Q: What is your opinion on outdoor synthetic turf
adhesives for installing and repairing synthetic turf athletic
fields and playground surfaces?
Legue: Weather varies from hour to hour, day to day,
with different seasons and different climates. Hence, the
adhesive selected should not be a "fair weather only"
adhesive because there will be a very limited installation
and repair time window. Since time is money, unneces-
sary delays created by using "fair weather only" adhesives
can be very costly.
SELECTING TURF ADHESIVE IS CRITICAL:
Q&A WITH NORRIS LEGUE,
AKA GURU OF GLUE
®
Facility & Operations
Editor's note: Norris Legue is president of Synthetic Surfaces Inc., which manufactures synthetic turf adhesive products
Stand-up Trowel
Furthermore, selecting an
outdoor adhesive based on
indoor laboratory test results
after the adhesive has cured
is a waste of time.
Left: Airless Spray Center: Glue Box Right: Squeegee
