Hot melts aren’t glamourous adhesives by any means, and they’re not a  product we’ve often covered in our blog, but today we’ll explore several types of hot melt adhesives from our in-house brand, Chem-Set, and where and when you should use each of them. Whether you’re a flooring contractor or a package handler, we hope this quick guide to your next hot melt project serves you well.

Hot melts are unique in the adhesives world because they can actually be reused after initial activation. Comprised of thermoplastic polymers, hot melts can be repeatedly heated or cooled without any real changes to their chemical make-up. Hot melts are generally called upon when fast, clean, and no-mix bonding is the preference, like adhering wood, cardboard, paper, fabric, vinyl, leather, and more.

Chem-Set 711 Hot Melt – PACKAGING & CARTON SEALING

The Chem-Set 711, as noted, is ideal for cardboard applications like sealing boxes or cartons, and can also be used effectively with Point of Purchase (POP) displays. This particular hot melt has a hotter tack than most and a fast set time.

Chem-Set 738 Hot Melt – WOODWORKING & CARPET

The 738 from Chem-Set is a light brown, low viscosity, good hot tack glue that’s ideal for woodworking and carpet applications.

Chem-Set 735 Hot Melt – COATED CARDBOARD

The 735 is an amber colored hot melt variety that’s the perfect match for coated cardboard applications. It has a medium set time and a very hot tack, and its high strength characteristics make it highly suitable for coated paper or cardboard uses.

Chem-Set 725 Hot Melt – CRAFT & PRODUCT ASSEMBLY

The 725 from Chem-Set is known to be a general purpose hot melt, although it does have a special affinity with craft and product assembly applications. 725 has a medium set time, works effectively with high and low temperature glue guns, and can get the job done on porous and non-porous materials alike.

Chem-Set HM 612 Hot Melt – MULTI-PURPOSE

The Chem-Set HM 612 hot melt is a clear glue stick that has the ability to attain instant tack, plus it can cure very quickly. It has the capacity too to bond a variety of materials, like an assortment of metals, concrete, carpet tack strips, Hardie board, plastics, foils, EPDM rubber, and more. Below are some of the other benefits from the HM 612.

• Instant tack – only needs five minutes to fully cure
• Operating temperature of 390 °F
• Working time of just one minute
• Cold/Heat resistance of – 5°F to 135°F

Remember that in this blog we’ve only offered a sampling of our hot melt archive; we distribute and can recommend many other types and styles. If more information is what you need, you can start by visiting our hot melt home page for a full listing of our hot melt adhesive inventory.

You can also always feel free to reach out to our sales team for answers to questions, recommendations, or advice!

[email protected] – 800.220.1966