Rubber cement is a type of adhesive that remains flexible even once it is dry. It is useful in crafting and other handiwork projects because it dries quickly and is easy to remove if you make a mistake.
The length of time it takes for rubber cement to dry will depend on the amount of mixture you have used. In general, you can expect rubber cement to take anywhere from 2 minutes to 15 minutes to completely dry.
What is Rubber Cement?
Rubber cement is a type of adhesive made from solvents and rubber. Typically the solvents used are acetone or heptane, but these can vary depending on the manufacturer of the adhesive.
The solvents dissolve the rubber or elastic polymer in the mixture to create a liquid, and upon application, the solvents evaporate which leaves the rubber as the adhesive. Rubber cement is best suited to lightweight applications, for example in paper crafting, or on items that require temporary adhesion.
How to use Rubber Cement
Rubber cement usually comes in a jar with a brush, so you can simply use the brush to apply the rubber cement to the required area. Rubber cement comes in the form of a liquid, but it will dry as rubber with a flexible quality. To bond two items together, apply a thin layer of rubber cement with the brush, and press the items together. The rubber cement is fast drying, so it will create a bond within the space of a few minutes. If you find that the rubber cement was applied incorrectly, you can remove it and try again.
Rubber cement is popularly used for crafting because it dries quickly and remains flexible even when dry. It is not the strongest type of adhesive, so it is better suited to lightweight objects. It can also be great for fixing broken items when flexibility is necessary.
For example, if a rubber sole comes away from a shoe, you can repair it by applying rubber cement between the shoe and the sole. Flexibility is key in this instance because the rubber cement will allow the sole to continue to move and flex with the movement of the foot in the shoe. Rubber cement can also be useful in roofing and other home DIY applications.
How Long for Rubber Cement to Dry?
The length of time it takes for rubber cement to dry will vary depending on the application, but compared to most types of adhesive, rubber cement is considered to be fast-drying.
Small applications of rubber cement where the liquid has been used sparingly can be completely dry in as little as two minutes, but on average you can expect to be waiting for between two and five minutes for rubber cement to dry. If you have applied a thick layer of rubber cement then you could be waiting for up to 15 minutes for the rubber cement to dry.
How to Make Rubber Cement Dry Faster
The drying time of rubber cement will be affected by atmospheric conditions such as temperature. In warm temperatures, the solvents in the mixture will evaporate more quickly, which will allow the rubber cement to dry faster.
However, in very hot temperatures the adhesive can become more tacky which will make it take longer to dry. If you want your rubber cement to dry more quickly, use it in conditions that are warm but not too hot, for example not more than 90°F or 32°C.
If you are bonding two items together, for example, a sole to the bottom of a shoe, apply the rubber cement to one of the items first and allow it to begin to dry before sticking it to the other item. In this instance, apply a thin layer of rubber cement to the bottom of the shoe and wait for five minutes before pressing it against the sole.
This will give the solvents in the rubber cement the opportunity to begin evaporating before trapping them in between the two surfaces, which will in turn cause the drying process to happen at a faster rate.
How Long for Rubber Cement to Harden?
One of the qualities of rubber cement is that it remains flexible even once it is dry, much like real rubber. This means that rubber cement will not completely harden even when it has thoroughly dried out, and it will instead retain a slightly malleable texture.
If you need an adhesive that is going to harden once dry, rubber cement is not going to be the best option for you. Rubber cement is made from elastic polymers and solvents, and the solvents evaporate to leave behind the rubber as the adhesive. Rubber is a solid, though not hard, material.
How to Remove Rubber Cement
Rubber cement can be easily removed even after it has dried, and this makes it especially useful for temporarily holding items together. In most cases, you will be able to peel the rubber cement away from the item it has bonded to by lifting the edge with your nail or a sharp tool and lifting it up.
However, if you find that the rubber cement has formed a strong bond and it isn’t coming away easily, you can loosen it up with the addition of petroleum jelly. To use petroleum jelly to make rubber cement easier to remove, you just need to apply a thin layer of the substance over the rubber cement with your fingers.
Leave the petroleum jelly in place for around five minutes, during which time it will act to soften up the rubber cement. After five minutes, the rubber cement will be easy to scrape away using your hands or a tool.
To ensure all traces of the rubber cement have been removed, use a cloth that has been moistened with soapy water, and rub it over the area in question. Allow it to dry before reapplying the rubber cement over the same area.
