PDR Glue Tabs Not Sticking
My PDR Glue Tabs Are Not Sticking to The Panel. What Should I Do?
There is nothing more frustrating than when your Paintless Dent Repair glue keeps coming off of the panel without reducing the size of the dent that you are trying to fix. If your PDR glue tabs are not sticking to the panel, then it could be due to a variety of factors. This could range from contamination on the panel, improper set time, using the wrong type of glue, or even environmental factors. Let's go over some of the more common reasons that you might be having issues making your PDR glue stick correctly.
Pictured Above: Spraying the panel with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to help make PDR Glue Tabs Stick
Clean and Prep Your Panel Before You Start
One of the most important factors that you may overlook if you're a beginner in PDR is to make sure that your panel is prepped for glue correctly. You can do this by getting a bottle of Isopropyl alcohol and wiping down the panel. Using a spray bottle is most effective, because it ensures that the alcohol is evenly distributed across the panel. Doing this will remove any dirt or wax that will interfere with adhesion of you PDR glue tabs. You can also use this same alcohol later in the process to remove the expended glue from the panel or tab (whichever it sticks to.)
Pictured Above: Checking the temperature of the PDR glue by touching it
Choosing The Proper Amount of Time Before You Perform Your Glue Pull
How long should you wait before using your mini-lifter or slide hammer to pull on your glue tab? The typical wait time is anywhere from 6 seconds to a couple of minutes. The rule of thumb is the more glue you are using on your tab, the longer you should wait. Smaller tabs will set quicker and larger tabs will take longer to set. You can touch the glue sticking out of the sides of the tab and once it is not soft then it is usually a good time to pull.
Pictured Above: Performing a glue pull with a mini lifter
Which PDR Glue Is Best?
The answer to this question is really determined by quite a few factors, such as what environment are you using it in? Also are you planning on fixing a small ding, or larger damage? A good general all around glue for PDR is Tab Weld. This hot glue for PDR will work in many environments and situations if you are not sure about which glue to use. If you want to get more specific to your climate temperature and humidity levels, then you can read a chart that many manufacturers of PDR glue have on their websites. Also, If you are planning on performing a larger repair then you may want to look at collision glue, which has a longer set time, but will work better on the larger tabs needed to fix big damage.
Pictured Above: Removing the leftover glue
Concluding Our Discussion About My PDR Glue Tabs Are Not Sticking to The Panel, What Should I Do?
Glue pulling can be a powerful tool when it comes to fixing dents with Paintless Dent Repair. There are many factors that can change the outcome of your glue performance. The goal of proper preparations is to eliminate any variables that would negatively impact the performance of your hot glue. To recap, you want to make sure that you clean the panel of any dirt or wax that will make your glue not stick to the panel. Time your pulls correctly based on the type of glue you are using and the size of the glue tab. Finally, you want to make sure that you have the proper glue for the type of environment and dent.
If you are a beginner and would like to learn some techniques that will help you along the way to become a professional Paintless Dent Repair technician, then you can read about some Tips and Techniques for PDR Beginners here.
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