If you are into construction or building stuff, then getting the proper construction adhesives is a must. You have to find out the best adhesive that can accommodate your needs for building things.
Whether you are working on wood or metal, they should be effective.
Now, one comparison that always comes to these adhesives is the Loctite PL400 vs. liquid nails. Both are well-known construction adhesives, so choosing one gets difficult at times.
That’s why I have this complete comparison between the two, so it gets easier for you to pick one of them. Let’s get through it.
A Quick Comparison of The Adhesives
Well, I would recommend going through the whole comparison, but if you are running out of time, then you can check out this table to get a quick look at them.
| Specifications | Liquid Nails | Loctite PL400 |
| Weight | 14.39ounces | 15.8ounces |
| Compatible with | Bricks, foam, wood, stone, marble, plastic, and ceramic | treated lumber, drywall, metal, ceramic tile, masonry, concrete, wood, plaster, brick, slate |
| Dimension | 2 x 2 x 12 inches | 1.92 x 1.92 x 11.26 inches |
| VOC | Low | Low |
| Resistance | Water | Weather and water |
| Price | Reasonable | A bit expensive |
| Applicable on | Dry areas | All kinds of surfaces |
As you can see, this just gives you the idea of the adhesives; it doesn’t tell you which is the strongest construction adhesives for your particular needs.
That’s why I will go through an in-depth comparison between the two right now.
In-depth comparison Between PL 400 Vs. Liquid Nails Adhesives
Now, let’s dive into the details of the adhesives and compare the different factors. It will surely give you a clear picture of the adhesives, and you can decide on which one to use for your particular project.
Let’s not prolong this and get straight into the comparing factors –
- Resistance
First, let’s talk about the resistance factor for these adhesives.
Of course, you need to think about whether these adhesives will be resistant to different situations or elements or not because that can impact where you will use one or the other.
Coming to the Loctite PL400, you get water and weather resistance.
This means you can use the adhesive without worrying about any water damaging the adhesion or the weather affecting it.
So, you can get the adhesive regardless of any changes in the weather. It’s a perfect alternative to Plaster Magic adhesive!
As for the Liquid nails, you will have to think about the different weather conditions. Yes, it’s water-resistant, but let’s say it’s colder than usual around you.
In that case, the adhesive may not be as effective as it would be in other weather conditions. So, you have to count on that factor.
- Applicability
Applicability just means where you can apply each of these options. Whether they meet your project needs or not highly depends on that.
Getting into the adhesives, I would say the Loctite PL400 is a better choice in terms of applicability because you can use the adhesive on any dry or wet surface.
You don’t need to worry about drying the surface, so it’s a lot less to worry about.
But with Liquid nails, you have to think about the dryness of the surface you will use them on. These adhesives don’t work that well when you apply them on wet surfaces.
So, before you use liquid nails, you have to make sure you have dried out the surface completely.
- Compatibility
In general, I don’t think there is too much difference in the compatibility of these adhesives.
Both the adhesives are compatible with a lot of different surfaces.
Still, one may suit a surface that you are particularly looking for.
The PL400 is suited for surfaces like drywall, masonry, wood, concrete, ceramic, treated lumber, wood, plaster, and metal.
As for the liquid nails, you can use them on bricks, marble, foam, wood, stone, plastic, and ceramic.
So, depending on these and your project requirements, you can easily choose one.
- Hold Up Capacity
Now, here is where all the difference and quality factors come into play. There will be a lot of impact on the option you choose based on this factor.
Still, I think in terms of hold-up capacity, Loctite PL400 will be a better pick in general.
This means Loctite PL400 can withstand more pressure than liquid nails. So, in a way, you can say that they are much more suitable for heavy-duty adhesion.
Having said that, liquid nails are also quite good, but they aren’t as good as Loctite; that’s pretty much the gist of this factor.
So, when you want to get the best hold-up capability, Loctite will be the option to go with.
- Price
This is the factor that can impact your decision for the most part. The pricing of both the adhesives is different.
While the difference isn’t that much, it’s still a thing to think about.
In general, Loctite will be much more expensive than liquid nails. Liquid nails are preferably an affordable pick with good quality adhesion.
On the other hand, Loctite is more of a premium choice for construction adhesives.
Once again, the difference between the prices is just a few dollars. So, it’s not that much, but if you still want to go with the least price with decent quality, then liquid nails are the pick for you.
In terms of the comparison, that’s pretty much it. There is nothing else that you can compare between the two adhesives.
Also, the differences that I just discussed right here aren’t that severe to sway your decision. It’s just the project requirements that will dictate which one you are going with at the end of the day.
Which One Is Suitable For Your Construction Purposes?
The one you should pick truly depends on what you want out of the adhesive. Liquid nails will be perfect if you need minimal adhesion strength within a budget to save a few bucks. To be bold, it’s the perfect substitute for FRP adhesive!
But if you search for good strength and better reliability on your adhesives, then Loctite is the way to go.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Let’s get through some common questions regarding this comparison –
If you are looking for an adhesive that’s stronger than Liquid nails, it’s probably going to be Loctite. For a few extra dollars, you can easily get a stronger adhesion from Loctite compared to Liquid nails.
No, they are quite different in terms of adhesion results. Also, they differ in prices as well. And they are a completely different manufacturer so you can expect differences between them anyways.
Loctite PL Premium max is known to be one of the strongest adhesives you can find for construction purposes.
Liquid nails are much stronger than wood glue. Wood glue can be useful in general cases. But they aren’t meant for construction purposes. Because of that, liquid nails are a stronger option.
Conclusion
In summary, choosing between Loctite PL400 vs Liquid nails come down to the strength and price differences. If you are after the strength of the adhesive, PL400 is your pick.
If you are after a budget choice and looking to save a few bucks, then liquid nails are the option for you.
As professionals, I would suggest getting the PL400, and for DIY purposes, Liquid nails can work as well. However, you can choose either of them at the end of the day and be satisfied with the results.
Good evening, I was wondering if you realized you compared Loctite PL 400 Sub-Floor to Liquid Nails Heavy Duty rather than Liquid Nails Sub-Floor which does bond to wet and frozen substrates? It seems like the product comparison is not equal in this article or, I may have misunderstood since the article did not state which Liquid Nails product, only the adhesives overall. I am interested if the Liquid Nails Subfloor was strength-tested against the Loctite PL 400. I also saw a picture of Gorilla Glue shown in the article but it was not mentioned, did you rate Gorilla Glue in a separate article against Loctite and Liquid Nails?