Advice for adhesive requested

[Yonak Hawkins]

I'm making screens to cover the exposed backs of bookcases. They will be 3/8" MDF covered with cloth fabric and with stained oak trim. I have two questions :

What kind of adhesive is recommended to attach the fabric to the MDF ? It has to be something that holds permanently but doesn't bleed through. I thought about spray adhesive but am not sure how long it would last.

When attaching the wood trim, I don't really want to use large fasteners. Also, I want to attach from the front, as I want to attach the screens to the backs of the bookcases first, and part of the reason for the trim is to hide the fasteners to the bookcase. I don't mind 23g. pins. Do you think gluing to the fabric and adding pins would hold ? What kind of glue ? I thought about wood glue but I'm afraid of the glue spreading to a visual area. How about construction adhesive or spray adhesive ? Some of the trim pieces are quite narrow (5/8") so there's not a lot of glue surface. They will also be attached to a top rail, which will help. If I have to go with finishing nails I will, but it's not preferrable.

Thanks.

[Peter Quinn]

Check out Super 77 spray adhesive from 3M. It's what I'd use. On the trim/exposed back thing it's not clear to me from your description what you are trying to achieve so it's hard to advise. Any drawings or schetch of your plan?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Yonak,

Here's a link to a website that I find handy: http://www.thistothat.com/


It recommends 3M 77 as does Peter.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Yonak,

Here's a link to a website that I find handy: http://www.thistothat.com/


It recommends 3M 77 as does Peter.

Both are excellent recommendations. THe 77 is a very good product.

[Chris Padilla]

I was thinking of a good double-stick tape but I don't have a particular one I know or could recommend. Perhaps some carpet tape? That tends to be quite strong.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thanks everyone. It seems like Super 77 is the way to go.

On the trim/exposed back thing it's not clear to me from your description what you are trying to achieve so it's hard to advise. Any drawings or schetch of your plan?

Peter, I plan to fasten the panel I'm making to the back of the bookcase using screws and then attach the trim pieces to the other side (face side of the panel) to cover the screw heads. I say that to indicate that I can't fasten the trim pieces from the back of the panel because the bookcase will be in the way. Incidentally, I will also be attaching trim to the edges of the panel.

I'm thinking I'd like to glue and tack the trim pieces to the fabric-covered panel using micro pins. Do you think a thin bead of consruction adhesive would hold the trim on to the fabric, without the adhesive wicking and spreading into the fabric so that it's visible ? ..Or, maybe, the 3M Super 77 product would be good for that as well.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Yonak -

You are now officially in the "try it out with scrap" zone.

That will be your best bet to find out how all the materials act and react with each other.

[Rich Engelhardt]

What kind of adhesive is recommended to attach the fabric to the MDF ? It has to be something that holds permanently but doesn't bleed through

The name for the technique of attaching fabric to a substrate is called - stretching.

Typical adhesives for fabric stretching are, cellulose, wheat (starch), rice (starch) and/or hide glues.
Years ago this was a no brainer. You went to the local paint and wallpaper store and they had shelves filled with wallpaper pastes - which were also suitable for fabric stretching.
Sadly, that scene has changed and the wheat & cellulose & rice based wall paper pastes are no longer available.

The good news though is that a clear ready mix wallcovering adhesive will work just fine.
Prime the MDF first - Zinsser B*I*N would be my first choice. Tint or color it close to the color of your fabric's background.
Brush the adhesive on, then stretch the fabric over it and smooth it down using either a broad knife or a wallpaper sweep (one of those 12 to 13 inch long smoothing brushes). I prefer to use a sweep since it draws less of the adhesive to the surface of the fabric.

FWIW - I've hung "miles" of burlap, cloth backed wallcoverings, silk cloth and you name it on all kinds of walls and stuff.


As Kent suggests - practice, practice, practice, practice.
It takes a very deft and skilled hand to smooth the fabric down secure enough for it to "hold", but, not so much that it's overdone and the adhesive is drawn to the surface of the fabric - where it will dry to a shiny film.

Spray adhesives may work - but - in my experience, you want or need something with some "slip" to it so it can be adjusted slightly after it's applied.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Excellent ! Thank you, Rich.

I have some old, old (probably 25 years old) Sherwin Williams wallpaper paste. It doesn't say what it's made of. It's never been opened.

I also have some Golden Harvest pre-mixed wallpaper paste that is probably 10 years old, but still seems viscid.

Would you think either of them would be appropriate ? Do they have limited shelf lives ?

[Rich Engelhardt]

Yes - the shelf life is limited due to the fact that they are organic and can mold and/or mildew.
Stir in a teaspoon of Lysol just to be sure - but - if they are already moldy, just discard the stuff.

Golden Harvest is what I used the most of in the past. I used the 1# and 5# bags of the flour instead of the pre-mix.
I also used a lot of Henkel's Metalyn in powder form. I don't believe it's sold in the US anymore.

Check to see if either of the ones you have dry clear. The directions on the can should tell you what type of material they are suitable for.
You want adhesive that will hang grass cloth, fabric, fabric backed vinyl and paper backed materials - that dries to a clear.

[Tony Joyce]

Rich,
Thanks for this good info.

Tony

The name for the technique of attaching fabric to a substrate is called - stretching.

Typical adhesives for fabric stretching are, cellulose, wheat (starch), rice (starch) and/or hide glues.
Years ago this was a no brainer. You went to the local paint and wallpaper store and they had shelves filled with wallpaper pastes - which were also suitable for fabric stretching.
Sadly, that scene has changed and the wheat & cellulose & rice based wall paper pastes are no longer available.

The good news though is that a clear ready mix wallcovering adhesive will work just fine.
Prime the MDF first - Zinsser B*I*N would be my first choice. Tint or color it close to the color of your fabric's background.
Brush the adhesive on, then stretch the fabric over it and smooth it down using either a broad knife or a wallpaper sweep (one of those 12 to 13 inch long smoothing brushes). I prefer to use a sweep since it draws less of the adhesive to the surface of the fabric.

FWIW - I've hung "miles" of burlap, cloth backed wallcoverings, silk cloth and you name it on all kinds of walls and stuff.


As Kent suggests - practice, practice, practice, practice.
It takes a very deft and skilled hand to smooth the fabric down secure enough for it to "hold", but, not so much that it's overdone and the adhesive is drawn to the surface of the fabric - where it will dry to a shiny film.

Spray adhesives may work - but - in my experience, you want or need something with some "slip" to it so it can be adjusted slightly after it's applied.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Tony,
You're welcome! I've picked up so much here in the last 7 years, I'm glad I can give back just a fraction of what I learned from others.

What I posted above was very common knowledge to anyone that worked in a paint and wallpaper store back before about 1980 - and/or any painter/paperhanger of that time.
The big wall coverings craze really died out and along with it, all the tips and techniques (to say nothing of the tools of the trade!) just disappeared.

LOL! Maybe wallpaper will make a comeback & I can make a killing hanging paper and stretching fabric !
I'll be too old, fat and decrepit to climb a ladder though .

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thank you, Rich. Your advice was very helpful. It came out pretty well :

Bookcase backs 010.jpg

Bookcase backs 014 - cropped.jpg

Wallpaper paste was definitely the way to go as it can be adjusted before curing.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Yonak - you're more than welcome!

25/30 years from now you might be able to pass the knowledge along to someone

[Jim Matthews]

This is a very slick solution to exposed cabinetry.

Clever, that.

kudos