Glue Sticks for PVC Foam Boards

Best Glue for Foamex (PVC Foam Board): FAQs

What is Foamex and what glue works best on it?
Foamex is the common trade name for PVC foam board, a lightweight, flexible and durable board widely used for signage, point-of-sale displays and estate agent “For Sale” boards. Tecbond 134 and Tecbond 261 are both formulated to bond it well; Tecbond 134 is the general-purpose fast-setting choice, while Tecbond 261 gives a tougher, more flexible bond for joints under more stress.

What’s the difference between Tecbond 134 and Tecbond 261 for Foamex?
Tecbond 134 is a fast-setting, general-purpose adhesive that bonds Foamex reliably for most sign and display work. Tecbond 261 is a higher-performance, more flexible adhesive with good adhesion to plastics including polypropylene, so it’s the better choice when the joint needs to flex or take more physical stress, such as edge-bonded or free-standing display pieces.

Can hot melt glue bond Foamex to other materials like wood or metal?
Yes. Both Tecbond 134 and Tecbond 261 are used to bond Foamex to a range of other materials as well as to itself, which is common in sign and display fabrication where a foam board panel is mounted to a wooden or metal frame. As with any dissimilar-material bond, a quick test on an offcut is worth doing before a full production run.

Is hot melt glue durable enough for outdoor Foamex signage?
Hot melt gives a strong, fast bond, but standard grades like Tecbond 134 and 261 are thermoplastic and not designed to be fully waterproof. For estate agent boards and other outdoor signage that’s usually fine for the timeframes involved, but for permanent external installations it’s worth asking the team whether a different adhesive class is better suited to your specific conditions.

What size glue stick should I use for Foamex sign making, 12mm, 15mm or 43mm?
12mm is the standard size for most manual sign-making and display work. 15mm feeds more adhesive for larger panels or faster coverage. 43mm glue slugs are built for high-output applicators on production lines, which suits sign shops running higher volumes. Both Tecbond 134 and Tecbond 261 are available in each size.

Best Glue for Foamex by Use Case

Not every Foamex job needs the same adhesive. Use this quick reference to find the right one for your application.

Best For	Recommended Adhesive	Why It’s the Best Choice
General-purpose sign & display bonding	Tecbond 134 (12mm)	Fast-setting and reliable for everyday Foamex sign and POS display work.
Higher-stress or flexible joints (edge-bonded panels, free-standing displays)	Tecbond 261 (12mm)	A tougher, more flexible bond than 134, with good adhesion to plastics for joints under more physical stress.
Large-panel or high-volume sign production	Tecbond 261 (43mm Glue Slugs)	The same flexible, high-adhesion bond in a bulk format for higher-output 43mm applicators.
Bonding Foamex to polypropylene components	Tecbond 261	Purpose-built for good adhesion to plastics including polypropylene, where Tecbond 134 isn’t the right match.
Permanent, fully waterproof outdoor installations	Not a standard hot melt job — call the team	Standard hot melt grades aren’t fully waterproof; for permanent outdoor installations, a more weather-resistant adhesive is usually the better fit.

What can we GLUE for you?

We are probably the UK’s if not Europe’s leading supplier of Tecbond shaped hot melt adhesive. Offering the largest range of performance adhesives and hand-held applicators

40+ years’ experience, offering specialist knowledge on all aspects of commercial gluing operations – try our Glue Selector

Advanced technology at the UK manufacturing facility and a continuous programme of research and development ensures that we continue to meet the ever changing and challenging needs of industry

Tecbond adhesives are often formulated using raw materials harvested from sustainable managed forests. Our packaging is recyclable, and where possible made from recycled materials

Over 90% of the Tecbond adhesives and Tec glue guns are made in the UK, and we offer 12 months warranty as standard on all our Tec glue gun range 12mm, 15mm, 43mm and spray tools

 “How do Hot Melt Adhesives work?