How Long to Let PVC Glue Dry before Turning on Water

PVC is a pipe made of polyvinyl chloride. It functions in several plumbing systems ranging from DIY racks, furniture production, etc. In all of its usage, at one point or the other, joining of one pipe to another is necessary and this is where the PVC glue comes in. PVC glue is of different types, and they function to stick the PVC’s together.

I prefer PVC glue because, on application to my PVC, it quickly hardens and helps me in joining the pipes together. My friend came over and saw me trying to join two pipes together, and she was surprised that I seemed to know what I was doing. My friend told me that she finds it hard to do any work requiring PVC pipes as it was hard to know when to turn on the water, so she lets the plumber do his job.

I gave her the description you will find in this article on how long you need to let your PVC glue dry before turning on the water. I believe this would also come in handy for those who are interested in DIYs.

PVC Glue Are Of Different Types

There are three primary types of plastic piping PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride), and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

All of these pipes work with different glue, although most people are not aware of this. You will get to know the PVC glue types which are scheduled for 40 and 80 PVC pipes as most folks possess.

Gorilla PVC R08000 PVC Glue 8 Oz: This PVC glue is more expensive than others, but it is the perfect glue for all your indoor joining of PVC’s. It offers a quicker setting time which appeals to most folks. It also happens to be odorless, which is why the glue appeals to me.

Oatey 30876 Heavy Duty Clear PVC Cement, 16 oz: Oatey 30876 PVC glue is considered by most folks as the most durable PVC glue. It is easy to use and can be applied both indoor and outdoor. I suggest you cover your nose when making use of it by the way, due to its strong smell.

Weldon 10167 Aqua Blue 725 Medium-Bodied Wet ‘R Dry PVC Professional Industrial-Grade Cement: Weldon 10167 Aqua glue works suitably for irrigation processes, plumbing, and general water and sea applications. It also has a high-speed setting and can be used even without a primer.

Choosing the Best PVC Glue

People come to me and complain about the difficulty in selecting PVC glues. Such a complaint doesn’t surprise me as there are several PVC types of glue like the ones I mentioned above.

All of those PVC glues are the top choice you should consider, but if you need alternatives and need an idea as to how to make your own choice, then you should slow down in this section.

It would help if you considered these vital points before making a PVC glue choice for your plumbing or DIY jobs.

What is The Nature of The Material You Need the PVC Glue for?

The nature of the material you need the PVC glue for is the first question you should ask yourself. As I said earlier, there are PVC, ABS, and CPVC pipes and all of these pipes have specific glues it makes use of. You should also note the color of the pipe so you don’t buy glue that would stain the pipe except that is what you need.

What is The Connection Slip of The Pipe?

The connection slips of pipes require different types of adhesives. If it’s a thread connection with male and female threads, PVC glue will destroy the link. It would need a sealant tape or threaded tape for such links. You might want to avoid this as you wouldn’t want to ruin your PVC pipe.

Another connection is the slip connection, and this is very easy. It requires a PVC primer and glue and a little push with your hand. This push is enough to stick the pipes together. Once this ends, you can make your decisions.

What is The End Goal for Using The PVC Glue?

This question is more or less the most important question you have to answer. PVC glues are permanent so knowing if the application is permanent or temporary is of great importance. Imagine making a sprinkling toy for your kids and using the PVC glue for it knowing that you still have to take it down after the season. The PVC glue is the wrong choice for you here, and you might have to try out other options.

Directions You Should Follow in Applying PVC Glue

These are the directions I followed when I joined my pipes together. The PVC glue I used just in case you were wondering was the Oatey 30876 Heavy Duty Clear PVC Cement, 16 oz. I had to cover my nose, yes! But Oatey does it for me all the time.

• Cut your pipe and wipe it clean with a dry cloth.
• Confirm if the joints fit perfectly by bringing it together.
• Spread an even coat of glue outside of the pipe and the other fitting you need to join.
• Coat with the PVC glue twice when wet.
• Push the pipe in a quarter turn into the fitting until the pipe clicks into the socket.
• Ensure you hold it together for like 30 seconds.
• Wipe off any excess glue and recoat the pipe with glue if necessary.
• Give a time off of 15 minutes and like 2 hours for total cure.
• Leave overnight to dry before turning on the water.

Timeframe to Allow For PVC Glue to Get Dry before Turning on Water

Drying of PVC before turning on the water is mostly known by most as the cure time for PVC glue. I believe the cure time is dependent on the size of the pipe, humidity and weather condition, and the tightness of the fit. The weather condition allows for quick drying in a dry environment and slower drying in wet or humid climates.

A lot of people have different ideas on when to turn on the water after applying PVC glue. Some people have said 15 minutes, some 30 minutes, some 2 hours, etc. As I have said earlier, it depends on the pipe size and weather conditions majorly.

Personally, what I do is apply my PVC glue (Oatey as always) using the steps I laid out in this article. Afterwhich I leave it overnight, i.e. till the next day before I turn on the water. Leaving it overnight has never gone wrong for me in all my years of PVC glue usage. Doing this allows the pipe, whether new or not to dry irrespective of the weather condition.

Conclusion

I hope this article has been of help to you. More importantly, I hope that the purpose of the article fulfills itself. It should be easier to work with PVC glues like Oatey or another alternative without worry. However, you can only be satisfied with the PVC glue you get when it can serve the purpose you want it to. It would help if you took extreme care to think of the end goal you are expecting before acquiring any PVC glue. All of this is present in the article to help you figure it all out.

Thanks for reading!