# How to cap off PL Premium so you can reuse it?



## Studly (Feb 27, 2009)

Anyone have tips on how to cap off and store PL Premium adhesive, so you can reuse it later? The usual tips for closing off the nozzle (wire nut, screw, making a cap with the adhesive itself, etc.), which work on caulk, don't seem to work on PLP. It always hardens in the plastic nozzle, and I end up having to cut into the cardboard tube to get some out to reuse it.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

The adhesives that are solvent bases cures will often times leach and still partially cure. Best thing to to make as airtight a tip as possible. Some plastic cling wrap can be used around the entire nozzle, but I suspect you will be disappointed no matter what you do depending on the length of time between uses.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

I use heavy duty aluminum hvac tape, it works fairly well because it doesn't breathe. Go around a time and a half, and then lay the excess on something hard and rub it closed with a tool.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

I use this general process for all open tubes of caulk, adhesive, etc.

Stick a long stainless steel nail into the tip and then seal the whole nozzle with duct tape. This usually keeps things fresh for up to a couple of months.

When you re-open it, the first squirt or two out of the tube may have hardened or discolored a bit, but clear that out and you should be good to go.
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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

I hate the discolored caulk when I use nails. So, I use a stiff plastic tubing. I stick the 2 ends in plumber's putty to seal the open ends. I then stick the tuning into the caulk opening, then bend the end, then wrap cling wrap around the nozzle end and bent tubing, then wrap masking tape to hold the cling wrap. 

With plastic tubing, I don't have to do a lot of pre-squirting to get rid of discolored caulk. The first squirt is caulk that's ready to use. 

I have latex acrylic caulk that have been open for over a year. They haven't hardened. 

I've been wanting to get PL Premium but the tube looks like it's just cardboard. Is it cardboard outside with some coating inside? I use caulk and adhesives sparingly and sometimes a lot depending on my craft or repair project. So, I'd like to be able to reseal efficiently. A seamless plastic tube would fare better at keeping the stuff inside gooey compared to a coated cardboard tube.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Here's what I do.

Insert a 1.5" panhead screw into the opening, wrap the tip with a Baggie, then use a wide rubber band to hold the baggie on.

Later (sometimes months), pull the rubber band, remove the bag, it often tears, it's trash anyway.

Get a pliers and pull the screw and dried plug out.

You now have an opened tube of PL ready to go.


ED


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## Studly (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks for the tips, everyone!


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

I stopped using urethane caulk, which has shorter life span than other kinds. I think urethane caulks have expire dates on the tube somewhere. Don't buy unless you see this. I've had good luck with making 2" tube around the nozzle with any kind of tape, squeeze some into the tube, pinch the end closed then pressurizing the tube. Air gets pushed out and the nozzle end is just about capped closed by its own caulk.


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## ibowhunt (Dec 31, 2020)

Studly said:


> Anyone have tips on how to cap off and store PL Premium adhesive, so you can reuse it later? The usual tips for closing off the nozzle (wire nut, screw, making a cap with the adhesive itself, etc.), which work on caulk, don't seem to work on PLP. It always hardens in the plastic nozzle, and I end up having to cut into the cardboard tube to get some out to reuse it.


I am way late in answering, but I do electric work. I use a lot of this adhesive in metal and woodworking. What I do is- I take a large blue wire nut, the big one, fill it full of dialectic grease (just because I always have it laying around- I am sure any grease will do or vaseline), screw it on the tip of the tube. Wrap it with any tape up and down.
Later on, you may have a slightly hard plug at the tip of the tube, but usually squeezes out with the grease and you loose about an 1" or two of product. This seems to work for months, mileage may vary.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

I don't put anything on the tip and just let it harden. It forms a hardened slug. When i want to use it again, I use a pair of pliers on the rear of the plastic tip to massage the slug out of the end. I suppose I use PL Premium rather frequently, so the slug rarely gets so long that pushing it out becomes difficult.


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## syco4 (Sep 18, 2021)

Studly said:


> Anyone have tips on how to cap off and store PL Premium adhesive, so you can reuse it later? The usual tips for closing off the nozzle (wire nut, screw, making a cap with the adhesive itself, etc.), which work on caulk, don't seem to work on PLP. It always hardens in the plastic nozzle, and I end up having to cut into the cardboard tube to get some out to reuse it.


Late reply but it may help others ... I plug the tip with a disposable wooden chopstick. The glue still hardens around the chopstick inside the tube. But I have been successful using pliers and twisting motion to pull the chopstick out with the hardened glue attached to it. It may widen, distort or tear the plastic tip a bit but it works and tube is reuasble in the caulking gun.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Old thread, but I just use a cap from an old tube of caulk or adhesive.


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