How Long Should You Wait Before Sanding While Working with CA Glue?

How Long Should You Wait Before Sanding While Working with CA Glue?

1 min reading time

Most CA glues (superglues) will cure immediately when hit with some accelerator or activator. However, there can be a few reasons for a lengthened curing time of the glue. For example, denser wood, more volume of glue applied due to a larger sized void, and over application of an accelerator can result in slower drying times.

Although the surface of the glue may look fully cured and hardened, it’s possible that the glue is still undergoing an “outgassing” chemical reaction underneath the surface. It is therefore recommended to wait an additional 10-15 minutes (when short on time) to 30 minutes after filling the void with CA glue, especially when working with wood that has longer, wider, or deeper cracks.

Note: If the glue is sanded in an “uncured” state, it’s possible to experience curing issues, small holes, and white spots.

Pro tips: When sanding, depending on the amount of excess CA on the surface, start with a lower grit (150-600) or medium grit (1500) sandpaper. For buffing, a 2000-5000 grit sandpaper would bring the CA glue to a good smooth and shiny finish.

Leave a comment

Leave a comment


Blog posts

Login

Forgot your password?

Don't have an account yet?
Create account