Renia Aquilim 330 Water-Based Contact Adhesive

Description

Aquilim 330 is Renia’s newer water-based contact adhesive — a formulation developed specifically for absorbent materials like leather. It has an open time of up to 8 hours, which suits a busy bench session.

Key Details

• Developed specifically for leather and other absorbent materials
• Open time of up to 8 hours
• Approximately 20–40 minutes drying time before joining; join when the film is transparent
• Maximum bond strength after approximately 3–5 days
• Flesh to flesh: apply one side only, press directly into wet adhesive — no waiting
• Water-based — no solvents, no fumes, dries clear
• Suitable for leather, cork, felt, textiles, wood, rubber, foam and most workshop materials. Not suitable for soft PVC.
• Store above 4°C — will not recover if frozen
• Made in Germany by Renia
• Available in 200g and 500g pots

How to Use

The working principle is the same as any contact adhesive: apply to both surfaces, let it dry until clear (approximately 20 to 40 minutes depending on how thickly it’s applied and the temperature in your workshop), then press firmly together. Once the surfaces meet, 330 grips on contact — useful when you are working with panels that need to hold position immediately.

Flesh to flesh shortcut. When bonding leather to leather flesh side to flesh side, there is a faster method confirmed by Renia directly: apply to one surface only and press the other piece directly into the wet adhesive — no waiting. The leather fibres absorb the glue and the bond forms immediately on contact. This works only for flesh-to-flesh bonding. For grain side surfaces, or any other material combination, use the standard two-sided application and allow the full drying time.

It is water-based, which means no heavy solvent smell in the workshop, no VOC concerns, and no fume extraction needed for brush application. The adhesive dries clear — no visible residue at the seam. Bond strength increases and reaches its maximum after approximately 3–5 days, but the join is solid enough to work with long before that.

Apply with a brush, roller, spreader or spray. Thin, even coats outperform heavy application every time. Drying can be accelerated with a hair dryer or heat lamp in cold or damp conditions. Never use an open flame.

One rule that cannot be ignored: store above 4°C at all times. Freezing destroys the emulsion permanently — a frozen Aquilim product cannot be recovered. Do not leave it in an unheated outbuilding, garage, or vehicle in winter.

For a complete breakdown of all four Aquilim products, read our Renia Aquilim guide.

Technical Data Sheet (PDF)

Renia Aquilim at Hideout Craft — full product range and specifications
About Renia — who Renia are and why we stock them