How to Make Suction Cups Stick

Suction cups are great for carrying and lifting a whole range of materials and objects. They are an extremely popular tool within the glazing industry, used by glaziers everywhere to help them when handling glass.

If you already own suction cups but might be struggling with achieving that strong suction power that you are after, or perhaps you are losing suction much faster than expected - then you might want to read this blog.

We can help you to better understand how suction cups achieve their stronghold and how to make them stick to ensure you are safe at all times whilst you work - so read on for more.

Introduction to Suction Cups

Suction cups are tools that are designed to hold and lift awkward-to-carry pieces of material and objects. Suction cups are popular within the glazing industry as large sheets or panels of glass can be difficult to carry and lift. Fitting windows is made into a much easier job with the help of a suction cup to help manoeuvre the window into place for that precise fit.

Suction cups can also be referred to as suction lifters, glass lifters, glass suction tools, plus more. Other materials they can help to lift include; metals such as stainless steel, hard plastics such as acrylic, and other materials such as marble, pieces of furniture, and kitchen appliances too.

Suction cups can be particularly useful for handling items such as kitchen countertops which need to be handled with great care so as not to cause damage or breakage to the material.

How Suction Cups Work

What helps suction cups stick is the material they are made from. The design of suction cups featuring strong flexible rubber is what allows suction cups to adhere to the material and set tightly and securely onto the surface.

Some suction cups are lever-operated or have a vacuum suction feature which enables an easier suction application with the aid of the lever or vacuum. This helps to create a tighter suction instead of just using bodily force.

Suction is created with a suction cup as when they are pushed onto a surface it pushes negative air out. Most suction cups work best when fixing onto non-porous and smooth surfaces, though you can get some specially designed suction cups that can handle lifting curved surfaces, as well as lifting textured or bumpy surfaces too.

The suction of suction cups will not last forever and the loss of pressure inside the cup will occur after a while. It is important to remember this when using suction cups and reapply the suction cup onto the material’s surface to avoid any slipping, dropping and potential damage. This is essential for the glazing industry and when working with glass.

You can buy suction cups with pressure loss detectors on them which can help you greatly reduce the risk whilst you work. It will help you complete jobs without the worry and guessing when the pressure has been lost in your suction cups - so may be worth the investment.

Tips on How to Make Suction Cups Stick

If you are finding your suction cups are not sticking to your glass or other materials as you would have hoped they would and you are unsure why - you might want to consider these points from down below to make sure you are doing everything correctly so you can get the most out of your suction cups!

Make Sure the Surface Is Clean

Making sure the surface of your material or object is clean is a must. Any dirt or grime on the surface will stop your surface from being clean, making it porous and therefore, you will not achieve a strong suction as there will be air pockets present.

Suction cups work best when suctioning onto clean, dry and non-porous surfaces. Make sure the surface of whatever you’re lifting is clean - and if it isn’t, then cleaning it beforehand is a necessity before you attempt to lift it with your suction cups. Failing to take the time to ensure surfaces are clean in the first place could result in breakage or other damages when attempting to lift and carry the material.

Make Sure the Surface Is Dry

If surfaces are wet or damp then a strong suction may be harder to achieve. If you have cleaned the surface of the glass then that's great, you just have to make sure you dry down the surface before you apply suction, or you can wait for the surface to air dry.

If you try to use the suction cups on a surface with moisture, the edge of the suction cup will not have full contact with the surface and so will also leave air pockets. Once the damp surface dries the vacuum seal will be significantly weakened.

Have the Right Tool For the Job

Before you begin to lift, make sure that you have the right tool for the job. Check the specifications on the tools product description and make sure you have the right suction cup to lift the type of material or object you want to carry.

Different suction tools can be bought for different surfaces such as domed or rounded surfaces, oblong and slim objects, uneven surfaces and even surfaces with very large curvatures.

Check the Load Capacity

With all the different suction cups available, please make sure that you are using one with the right lifting capacity. Again, check the product's specifications and make sure you know the weight load of what you want to carry.

Using a tool with the wrong lifting capacity will affect its capability of holding a strong suction and will lose its suction pressure more quickly.

Our Products At GGR Glass

Now you are aware of how to make suction cups stick, check out our many suction cups at GGR Glass. We have a wide range of suction cup devices, featuring all of the lifting capacities that you will ever need. GGR Glass also has other types of suction cups such as vacuum pump-operated suction cups for those jobs that require the safest lifting.