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Glue Not Drying or Sticking in Cold Weather

It depends on the glue. White/PVA glue has a minimum application temperature on its data sheet (for example, one PVA TDS lists 8°C) — check yours and keep the workshop and materials above it. Hot melt doesn't "dry", it cools: on cold board or in a cold draft it can set before it bonds. Bring materials up to production-floor temperature and keep cold air off the glue line. [1][2][3][4]

Sources: Everbond General Purpose PVA TDS (PDF; a woodworking PVA, cited for the TDS minimum-temperature convention)；Bostik, 7 reasons hot melt won't stick；Bostik/Arkema THERMOBOND Troubleshooting Guide (PDF)；Henkel, Preventing stringing in hot melt adhesives

Phenomenon / Likely cause / Fix

Phenomenon	Likely cause	Fix
White glue problems in a cold workshop	Below the PVA's minimum application temperature	Check the TDS minimum (e.g. 8°C on one sheet) and heat the workshop/materials above it; store glue as the TDS specifies (that sheet: 10–30°C) [1]
Hot melt sets before pressing, peels off clean (common in winter)	Cold substrate cools the glue too quickly	Ensure substrate and adhesive are at the right temperature; substrates brought straight in from outside should warm up first [2][3]
Hot melt fails near fans, doors, AC	Cold drafts on the glue line or nozzles	Block cold air flow; Henkel notes ambient temperature and air flow "can shock hot melt adhesive" [3][4]
Open time too short in winter	Glue cooling too fast	Raise nozzle/hose temperature no more than 5°C (9°F) at a time, within the TDS range [3]

White glue problems in a cold workshop

Likely cause: Below the PVA's minimum application temperature
Fix: Check the TDS minimum (e.g. 8°C on one sheet) and heat the workshop/materials above it; store glue as the TDS specifies (that sheet: 10–30°C) [1]

Hot melt sets before pressing, peels off clean (common in winter)

Likely cause: Cold substrate cools the glue too quickly
Fix: Ensure substrate and adhesive are at the right temperature; substrates brought straight in from outside should warm up first [2][3]

Hot melt fails near fans, doors, AC

Likely cause: Cold drafts on the glue line or nozzles
Fix: Block cold air flow; Henkel notes ambient temperature and air flow "can shock hot melt adhesive" [3][4]

Open time too short in winter

Likely cause: Glue cooling too fast
Fix: Raise nozzle/hose temperature no more than 5°C (9°F) at a time, within the TDS range [3]

How this relates to Zhishang machines: We make both cold-glue machines — brochure: "can dispense white glue, yellow glue and all-purpose glue" — and hot-glue machines — "can dispense hot melt and pressure-sensitive adhesive". The temperature rules above apply to both.

Related machines

Zhishang machines dispense glue along a programmed path, with a 3-10MM glue width and 0.6MPa working air pressure (product brochure). Specifications are for reference only; final specifications are subject to our quotation.

Inline with a box line (cold glue)