What is Selleys Kwik Grip Horizontal, and where should you use it?

Selleys Kwik Grip Horizontal is a heat resistant, solvent-based, flexible contact adhesive for broad close-fitting surfaces. It forms an instant bond on contact of two coated surfaces, it is heat resistant up to 130 °C, and it is a yellow/beige opaque liquid with a thicker formula that reduces running and stringing.

The name describes the job it is built for. Applied to a horizontal surface — a benchtop substrate, a shelf, a floor panel — a thicker adhesive spreads evenly and stays where it is put without running off the edge or stringing across the work. Its classic application is laminated plastics such as Formica and Laminex, where a large sheet has to bond to a substrate across its entire area in one go.

The trade-off to understand before you buy

A contact adhesive works differently from a glue. You coat both faces, let the solvent flash off until the films are dry to the touch, and then bring them together — at which point they bond instantly and permanently. Nothing is clamped, and nothing can be adjusted.

That gives you two constraints that shape the whole job. First, the surfaces must be close-fitting: two dry films can only bond where they actually touch, so a rough or ill-fitting joint has nothing to grip. Second, alignment has to be right the first time, because there is no repositioning after contact. On a benchtop laminate, the standard approach is to lay dowels or battens across the coated substrate, position the sheet on top of them, then pull them out one at a time from the middle outwards, pressing as you go.

Where to use it

• Laminated plastics — Formica, Laminex and similar
• Broad, close-fitting surfaces, particularly horizontal ones
• Jobs needing heat resistance up to 130 °C
• Timber and similar substrates in laminate work

The 130 °C heat resistance is the highest figure quoted among the Kwik Grip contact adhesives on the site, matched by Kwik Grip Vertical Gel; the spray versions are rated lower. If the assembly will get hot — a benchtop near a cooktop, for instance — that figure is the one to check first.

How to apply it

1. Apply to both surfaces and spread evenly. An even film matters more with a contact adhesive than with almost anything else, because the bond only forms where film meets film.
2. Keep the surfaces apart for approximately 20 minutes, and no more than 40 minutes.
3. Position carefully and press evenly using a roller. Position before contact — the bond is instant.
4. Allow 24 hours for full strength.

The 20-minute-to-40-minute window is the most important instruction on the page. Below about 20 minutes the films still hold solvent and will not grab properly; past 40 minutes they have dried too far and lose their ability to weld into each other. On a large sheet, coat both faces, then use that interval to set up your dowels and check your alignment rather than to do something else.

Rolling rather than pressing by hand is the other detail worth following. A roller applies concentrated pressure along a line and works air out ahead of it; a flat hand traps bubbles under a large sheet.

Limitations — where Kwik Grip Horizontal should not be used

• Not suitable for rough or ill-fitting surfaces.
• Not suitable for polyethylene or polypropylene.
• Not suitable for all plastics — test first.
• Use in a well-ventilated area. It is a solvent-based adhesive applied across a large surface, so ventilation is not optional.

Clean up

While wet, the adhesive can be removed using xylene. Cured adhesive is very difficult to remove. Tools and other equipment on which Kwik Grip has dried may be cleaned by soaking in xylene.

Excess adhesive on the face of the jointed materials may also be removed with solvent, but take care that the materials themselves are not damaged by the solvent — a real risk on laminate faces and plastics. There is further guidance on how to remove Kwik Grip once dry in the Selleys Ask an Expert section.

Hazard classification

Classified as hazardous under Safe Work Australia GHS 7, with the signal word Danger.

• Flammable liquids — Category 2. H225: highly flammable liquid and vapour.
• Skin corrosion/irritation — Category 2. H315: causes skin irritation.
• Eye damage/irritation — Category 2A. H319: causes serious eye irritation.
• Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure — Category 3, narcotic effects. H336: may cause drowsiness or dizziness.

What is in it

Chemical entity	CAS number	Proportion (w/w)
n-Propyl acetate	109-60-4	30–60%
Naphtha, petroleum, hydrotreated light	64742-49-0	10–30%
Methyl ethyl ketone	78-93-3	1–10%
Non-hazardous balance	—	Balance

Between 40% and 90% of this product by weight is volatile solvent, which is precisely how a contact adhesive works: both films have to lose their solvent before they will weld to each other. Everything that makes the bond happen also puts vapour into the room.

Because it is brushed or spread over large horizontal areas — benchtops, panels, sheet laminate — the evaporating surface is far larger than with a cartridge product, and the vapour load rises accordingly. Ventilate before you start rather than when you notice it, and remove ignition sources from the whole space, not just the immediate bench.

Protection

• Gloves — nitrile rubber for intermittent contact; assess against your own conditions.
• Eye protection — chemical goggles or safety glasses.
• Ventilation — use only in a well-ventilated area, with local exhaust where available, and a respirator where an inhalation risk remains. The vapour is heavier than air and collects in hollows; do not work in a confined space.
• Clothing — overalls and safety shoes. Wash hands before eating, drinking or smoking, and wash contaminated clothing before reuse.

First aid

Exposure	What to do
Eyes	Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes, removing contact lenses if present and easy to do, then keep rinsing. If irritation persists, get medical advice.
Skin	Wash with plenty of soap and water. Remove contaminated clothing and wash it before reuse. If irritation develops, get medical advice.
Inhalation	Move the person to fresh air, keep them at rest and warm. If effects persist, seek medical advice.
Swallowed	Do not induce vomiting. Rinse the mouth and seek medical advice immediately.

If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre — 131 126 in Australia, 0800 764 766 in New Zealand — with the container to hand. Selleys emergency line: 1800 220 770 in Australia, 0800 220 770 in New Zealand.

Common questions about Kwik Grip Horizontal

How long do I wait between coating and joining?

Keep the surfaces apart for about 20 minutes, and no longer than 40 minutes.

Do both surfaces need adhesive?

Yes. Apply to both surfaces and spread evenly.

Can I reposition the sheet after it touches down?

No. It forms an instant bond on contact. Get your alignment right before the two coated faces meet.

How long until it reaches full strength?

24 hours.

How much heat will it take?

It is heat resistant up to 130 °C.

Is it suitable for benchtop laminate?

Laminated plastics such as Formica and Laminex are its stated application, on broad close-fitting surfaces.

Can I use it on a vertical surface?

This version is suited for horizontal surfaces. Kwik Grip Vertical Gel is the product in the range described for vertical bonding.

Why does it have a thicker formula?

The thicker formula reduces running and stringing, which is what makes it manageable when you are spreading adhesive across a large horizontal area.

Will it stick to plastic?

Not to polyethylene or polypropylene, and not to all plastics. Test first.

Can I use it on a rough or uneven substrate?

No. It is not suitable for rough or ill-fitting surfaces — a contact adhesive bonds only where the two dry films actually meet.

How do I clean my tools?

Wet adhesive comes off with xylene; tools with dried adhesive on them may be cleaned by soaking in xylene.

What safety precautions apply?

Use it in a well-ventilated area. It is a solvent-based adhesive and it is applied over broad surfaces.