How to Dilute Contact Cement

Contact cement is a stronger form of rubber cement that is intended to form a permanent bond, rather than the flexible type of bond that rubber cement gives. While rubber cement is more ideal for paper products, contact cement is used for projects like furniture building and frame making, anything that requires a durable, inflexible attachment. Just like its weaker formulation, contact cement cannot be mixed with water. While diluting contact cement is not advisable, if you absolutely must do it, it is necessary to mix it with a specialty solvent.

Things You'll Need

• Safety goggles
• Rubber gloves
• Prepared adhesive bottle
• Contact cement
• Mineral spirits

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Put on a pair of safety goggles and some rubber gloves. Mineral spirits can be caustic, so protect yourself from skin rashes and eye damage.

   • 2

     Thoroughly rinse and clean out an old adhesive bottle. This is the most convenient way to hold your diluted contact cement.

   • 3

     In your clean adhesive bottle, mix together two parts of contact cement and one part of mineral spirits for a thicker formulation, or one part of contact cement to one part of mineral spirits for a thinner, glaze-like effect.