When the cold weather descends upon us, things start to move a little slower. This is true for epoxies, as well. In fact, most epoxies won’t cure at temps below 50 degrees F. We have a few suggestions that might help prevent delays in your installation schedule.
This frigid winter air has us all shivering (something we aren’t too keen on here in Texas), but this shouldn’t stop you from installing your wear pads! Most epoxies, including our own, will not cure at temperatures below 50 degrees. The curing chemical reaction cannot initiate at colder temperatures. That being said, we have a few suggestions on how to keep this colder weather from slowing down your installation schedule.
When the temperature drops below 50°F, most epoxies will not cure.
If wear pads are being installed in a fabrication shop, heaters can be placed near the wear pads to keep the local temperature above 50°F. We advise that the wear pads are secured with zip ties, ratchet straps, or duct tape for as long as possible during the curing process.
If the wear pads are being installed in the field however, a more mobile solution is necessary. Heat guns or heating blankets have proven to work well. Also, if the wear pads are being installed on a line that is currently in operation above 50°F, epoxies will cure without a problem.
Not only does the colder weather make it more challenging for epoxies to cure, but it often becomes harder to squeeze out of the tubes in lower temperatures. To solve this problem, we recommend placing the epoxy tubes in a cooler with warm water to reduce the viscosity of the epoxy in the tube. This will ease the installation process.
Have other innovative ways to keep your epoxy warm enough
to use for installation during the Winter months? Let us know!