EPDM adhesive

Warning!!!..I am not a roofer.

Question…I just recently laid down a black rubber roof and ended up with many air pockets. The adhesive was given to me from a leftover job. Unfortunately it was a sarnafil product. It looked like typical regular rubber cement. Was I wrong to use this on black rubber???

yes sarnacol is a solvent based glue used on sarnafils pvc system you have bubbles cause you put the membrane over wet glue.what is your occupation?

Thanks for the reply, I’ve been in the trades all my life. I’m actually an HVAC mechanic. I’m also a master electrician. I’ve actually put down rubber in the past and did a hell of a job although I was using the proper adhesive back then. This time I was just too cheap to go out and buy a gallon of glue.

Are you saying that the SARNAFIL adhesive should not have been used at all, or was it a matter of not letting the adhesive get tacky enough?

all epdm and substrates must be dry to the touch when installing.

Fair enough, but can I use this SARNACOL for EPDM???

sarnacol has a HIGH solvent content which may difuse the rubber which means it will begin to chemically breakdown causing it to dry harden and crack.

Simple answer: NO

i was going to say that but i was busy wiring an hvac unit on the shop roof

Hi Roofboss,

Did you drop a screw driver thru the membrane? Make sure you do not tell anyone.

Or did you just throw half the screws on the roof. Because you are not putting them all back in. Then step on them while you wired the unit. Make sure you do not tell amyone.

sarnacol goes down wet, if you let it dry it doesnt work right… rubber cant handle the release of vapors that sarnacol gives off, its too thin. EPDM goes on tacky to the touch with its glue after its “flashed”, Sarnafil needs to be rushed with its glue. There are water based adhesives for rubber that you put down with no (or little) flash time but I have no experience with them.

yes lefty i did .and i also dropped the sharp corner of the door twice also for good measure