The 8 Best Glues For Ceiling Tiles (A Complete Guide)

If you are renovating your ceilings like I did this past summer, you might have decided that you want to install ceiling tiles. It is a great affordable option for a stylish and elegant ceiling look. The thing that made it harder for me was choosing the right adhesive. It wasn’t easy, but I found many great-quality ceiling tile adhesives.

I was unsure about ceiling tile adhesive and decided to call an expert to get some great advice and tips for choosing the right adhesive. In this post, I will share what I discovered about the best glues for ceiling tiles and how I found the glues that worked the best for my tile needs. 

best glue ceiling tiles

When you are looking to buy the best glues for ceiling tiles, you want to look at the best glues available. Here are the 8 best glues for your ceiling tiles:

Loctite Premium Fast Grab Construction Adhesive

You get two strengths in this Loctite Premium Fast Grab Construction Adhesive range. The first one is the x3 as strong as normal construction adhesive is called Loctite PL Premium 3x. The other construction adhesive in this range is the Loctite PL Premium 8x Fast Grab. It is one of the best-rated glues to use for installing ceiling tiles.

The Features Of The Loctite Premium Fast Grab Construction Adhesive are:

  • This glue is waterproof, so it is suitable to use in the bathroom and the kitchen.
  • It is an excellent glue to use for outdoor and outdoor applications.
  • It is paintable 
  • It can be used in cold conditions and easily cure cold temperatures.
  • The 8x Premium Fast Grab is VOC compliant and has a superior grab allowing you to reposition the tiles before it sets completely.

Liquid Nails Fuze lt All Surface Construction Adhesive

The liquid nails construction adhesive from Fuze lt is a very tough adhesive that is perfect to use for your ceiling tile installation indoors and outdoors. It also has a high rating on various online shops.

The Features Of The Liquid Nails Fuze lt All Surface Construction Adhesive Are:

  • It is a strong heavy-duty adhesive that can hold up against the harshest conditions and has a reliable hold.
  • It is x2 stronger than other construction adhesives and is specifically manufactured to ensure a long-lasting, secure bond.
  • It has a 15 second grab time that gives you time to reposition the tiles before it sets completely.
  • The Liquid Nails adhesive from Fuzelt is VOC compliant.
  • It has a low odor feature.
  • It is certified by the UL Environment meeting the GREENGAURD GOLD standard as a low emitting material.

Loctite Power Grab Ulitmate

It is clear to see why Loctite Power Grab Ultimate is one of the best adhesives for ceiling tiles. It has varied applications and can be used in wet and cold conditions or hot, humid conditions. The Loctite Power Grab glue has a high rating on several online stores.

The Features Of Loctite Power Grab Ultimate adhesive are:

  • Works well within a wide range of temperatures meaning you can use it in warm or wet conditions.
  • Has a high repositioning time, so you have enough time to reposition the tiles if needed.
  • It is GREENGAURD certified.
  • It can be used on non-porous surfaces that most other adhesives can’t do.
  • It is paintable

DAP DynaGrip Heavy Duty Max

The DAP DynaGrip Heavy Duty Max is a strong adhesive you can use for multiple applications, including adhering to ceiling tiles. This strong glue is durable and can be used in indoor and outdoor applications. 

The Features Of DAP DynaGrip Heavy Duty Max glue are:

  • This adhesive can be used in wet conditions.
  • You can use it in varying temperatures ranging from cold to warm and humid weather.
  • It can be used in indoor and outdoor applications.
  • It has superior strength with 530 psi at 120 degrees.
  • It has a strong instant grab.
  • It has a 10 minute repositioning time, so you have time to reposition a skew tile if needed.
  • It cleans up easily when you are done using it.
  • It has a low odor so that you won’t drown in fumes.
  • It is VOC compliant.

Gorilla Glue Heavy Duty

The Gorilla Glue Heavy Duty glue is a tough adhesive that can be used on multiple materials, is an all-weather glue, and gives a long-lasting heavy-duty hold. Gorilla Glue has a few different adhesives in this range suitable for ceiling tile installations.

The Features Of Gorilla Glue Heavy Duty are:

  • It is a durable adhesive that you can use in all weather conditions.
  • You can use it in hot, humid areas like a kitchen or wet areas like a bathroom.
  • It has an instant grip hold that means your tiles won’t fall if you take your hand away after placing it on the ceiling.
  • It is a paintable adhesive.
  • It is VOC compliant 
  • It has a low odor feature.
  • It is 100% pure glue with no water or solvents as ingredients.
  • It is waterproof
  • It is sandable, so you can sand it down after it has dried for a smoother surface.

Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive

The Gorilla Max Strenght Construction Adhesive is the strongest Gorilla adhesive on the market. It is stronger and more durable than the Gorilla Glue Heavy Duty adhesive counterpart. 

It can be used in all weather conditions and will be a fantastic choice of ceiling tile glue.

The Features Of The Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive are:

  • It is waterproof and can work well when it is completely underwater.
  • It is twice as strong as the Gorilla Glue Heavy Duty and is very durable.
  • It can be used on indoor or outdoor applications.
  • It works well in all kinds of weather conditions like humid and hot or cold and wet.
  • It has a repositioning time, so you can fix any skew mishaps before the product dries.
  • You can paint over it if you choose.
  • It is sandable for when you want to achieve an even and smooth surface. 
  • It can be used on various surfaces.

Liquid Nails Extreme Heavy Duty

The Liquid Nails Extreme Heavy Duty glue is a strong and durable glue that is great for various materials. It is good for outdoor and indoor applications. It also has a high rating on various online shops for its overall application standard.

The Features Of Liquid Nails Extreme Heavy Duty are:

  • It can be used in varying weather conditions, hot and humid or cold and wet.
  • You can use it in areas with moisture like a bathroom or heat like a kitchen and laundry.
  • It has a repositioning time that allows you to reposition any skew tiles before the adhesive dries.
  • It is a heavy-duty adhesive and is very durable and long-lasting.
  • The Liquid Nails Extreme Heavy duty is VOC compliant.
  • It has a low odor feature.
  • It is certified by the UL Environment meeting the GREENGAURD GOLD standard as a low emitting material.
  •  It is x2 stronger than other construction adhesives and is specifically manufactured to ensure a long-lasting, secure bond.

Loctite PL MAX-Premium Construction Adhesive

It is one of the strongest-rated adhesives on various online shops. You can use Loctite PL Max Premium Construction Adhesive in wet or dry conditions. It works well in indoor and outdoor applications. 

The Features Of Loctite PL Max Premium Construction Adhesive:

  • This construction adhesive remains solid and won’t create a pocket of air as it dries, leaving the ceiling tile firmly attached.
  • There is no run-on.
  • It has a repositioning time that allows you to reposition ceiling tiles before it dries.
  • You can use it for indoor and outdoor applications.
  • It is paintable.
  • It is waterproof, so you can use it in high moisture areas like the bathroom.
  • You can use it in high or low temperatures, so you can also use it in humid and hot areas like the laundry and kitchen.
  • It is strong and durable and has the added benefit of being long-lasting.

What To Look For When Buying Ceiling Tile Glue

ceiling tile installation

When walking down the hardware store aisle, you might easily get overwhelmed by how many kinds and brands of tile glues there are. So how do you decide what will be the best ceiling tile glue for your needs? Here are a few things to look for when buying ceiling tile glue:

1. The Location Of The Ceiling Tile

When you are choosing a ceiling tile glue, you need to look at the location where you want to install the ceiling tile because it will affect the type of glue you will need, for example:

  • Is it going to be used in a room that gets a lot of moisture, like a bathroom?
  • Is it going to be used in a room that gets humid, like a kitchen or laundry?
  • Will it be used outside where it will be subjected to the elements, or inside? 

2. What Kind Of Strength Do You Need 

The next consideration you need to keep in mind is how strong you need the ceiling tile glue to be? When you install ceiling tile, you are going to clean the ceiling every now and then, so you will need a strong adhesive that will last.

You also need strong glue if you are going to paint the ceiling tiles. The one thing you need is to have ceiling tiles fall to the ground after being cleaned or refurbished. 

3. Ease Of Use

When choosing the best glue for your ceiling tiles, you need to look at how easy it is to apply and how quickly it dries. You don’t want to hold the tiles for an extended time, or it will take ages to install. 

If the drying time is too long to dry, you might have a problem as tiles might slide and dry skew. If it overlaps with the other tiles, it might ruin the look of your ceiling.

4. The Number Of Tiles That The Glue Can Attach

You need to know how much glue one tube of adhesive will cover. It won’t help to buy glue you need to slather on, or that won’t adhere to enough tiles. You need to look for tiles glue that will adhere to the maximum amount of tiles with one tube. 

5. The Amount Of Tiles You Will Attach With The Glue

You also need to keep in mind the number of tiles you will need to install. That will determine what amount of glue you need to buy.

The 4 Types Of Ceiling Tile Glues

There are four main types of ceiling tile adhesives available;

  • Universal polymer adhesive;
  • Liquid Nails;
  • Polyvinyl acetate variant;
  • Acrylic putty.

Conclusion

Choosing a suitable ceiling tile glue can be overwhelming when you think about all the different brands and applications it can be used for. There are a few that are great to use when you are installing ceiling tiles. I chose the Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive. It suited my needs best.

You need to consider a few things before choosing an appropriate glue for your ceiling tiles, like the room you are installing the ceiling tiles in, the strength you require, the number of tiles you can glue using one tube, and the number of tiles you need to install. No matter what adhesive you need, there is a glue for you.

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Barry Gray

Hi, I’m Barry. I’ve loved woodworking and bringing things back to life for more years than I care to remember. I hope my passion for tools comes across loud and clear in everything you read here on The Tool Square.