397687Views37Replies
best adhesive to repair ceramics?
I need to repair a standard ceramic coffee mug. It has broken, very cleanly, into 3 separate pieces. When complete it needs to be able to withstand typical daily uses i.e. a microwave, dishwasher, boiling water. Ideally the repair will be invisible.
What is the best adhesive to use?
Comments
Best Answer 9 years ago
Anyone suggesting superglue or Krazyglue should have their mouths washed out with cyanoacrylate. What you need is Dap, made by Dow-Corning. It's 100 percent silicone (i.e., the element of sand or glass), will create a barrier to liquid transfer through the break, and will withstand temperatures far above those in a dishwasher or boiling liquid, or any temperatures likely to be in a cup. It's also microwave safe.
It's absolutely nontoxic, and its clear. It should easily hide a clean break except for someone looking for the crack. I used it on a soup bowl a couple years ago or more, and my wife has never even noticed. It's been through the dishwasher and the microwave probably hundreds of times each, and it doesn't leak.
Answer 8 years ago
since you raised the chemistry topic: silicone is not the same as silicon.
silicon is a type of element known as a metalloid. when it is accompanied by oxygen it is most commonly referred to as silica. silica can take many different forms in rock forming minerals. Sand and glass are two of the most common forms in which we find silica.
Silicone is a petroleum distillate product, not too much different than cyano-acrylate; cyano-acrylate itself is a petroleum product.
It is a known carcinogen but is commonly formulated for safe use in food handling and food preparing applications.
I think I found what you're talking about:
http://www.dap.com/docs/tech/00000698.pdf
it looks pretty good, and i will try it on your suggestion.
Thanks!
Reply 1 year ago
i know this is a long dead thread, but ive just got to put this out there. silicone is not toxic. if we're talking about breast implants, then I'd probably just stay quiet since i dont know that much about the safety surrounding silicone implants, but outside of implants and such, you really dont need to worry about the toxicity (or carcinogenicity) of silicone. it is about as safe as rubbers get, not that rubbers are particularly dangerous in general
Answer 7 years ago
Can you clarify whether the recommended Dap product contains silicone, the known carcinogen, or silicon? My favorite mug broke today, and I would love to repair it and continue using it, but I wouldn't feel comfortable using it to drink from daily if it contains a known carcinogen. Thanks!
Answer 3 years ago
Your solution was extremely helpful. Thank you!!
Answer 9 years ago
Which kind of DAP ? I looked on their site and there are a lot of different kinds.
Answer 8 years ago
I think this is the dap you want:
http://www.dap.com/docs/tech/00000698.pdf
your post helped me find the info i needed, so i thought i'd say thanks!
i hope 6 months later is better than never ;p
2 years ago
J B Weld is great stuff. I used it to repair mechanical equipment on fiber testing machines. It has been my 'go to stuff' every time I need a repair. So far, I have had no disappointments.
2 years ago
So useful and practical for me. Thanks for you excellent blog, nice work keep it up thanks for sharing the knowledge
2 years ago
Where do i find this?
2 years ago
There is some "FDA Compliant Coating for Direct and Indirect Food Contact" here: https://theepoxyexperts.com/shop/adhesives/max-clr-24-oz-epoxy-resin-food-safe-fda-compliant-clear-high-impact-coating/
4 years ago
I have just used Kintsugi to repair one of my christmas baubles. It looks super cool... If you haven't seen it before you can have a look at it here. Happy Repairing! :) (mora approved)
Answer 4 years ago
Kintsugi art Gallery - more repair ideas
http://lakesidepottery.com/Pages/kintsugi-pottery-gallery-for-sale.htm
Answer 3 years ago
lakesidepottery I have a question! :) I have a handmade porcelain mug and there is a hairline crack (barely visible, you can hear it more than see it) where the handle joins the mug at the bottom. Can this be fixed/strengthened BEFORE it breaks? Or does it need to be snapped off to be repaired...I cant find a scrap of info on it! Id really appreciate any info I can beg from you! Its not able to be sent off to you guys sadly! Thank you :)
4 years ago
See more DIY ceramic, pottery, sculpture repair step by step lessons and tutorials
6 years ago
Kyle, a great idea unless it was your dead mother's. Typical guy.
Answer 4 years ago
Not all guys are like that.
6 years ago
solution: step one. throw out. step two. move on with your life.
Answer 5 years ago
Step 1: Ignore Kyle Humer. He's a d-bag who doesn't know what 'Sentimental Value' means.
Step 2: Use Super Glue Gel and glue it together.
Step 3: Wait 24 Hours.
Step 4: Apply clear nail polish along the crack seams to seal it.
5 years ago
For a quirky, and really nice finish, have a look at using the Kintsugi Repair Kit, A Dutch creation:
http://www.moraapproved.com/products/humade-the-new-kintsugi-diy-repair-kit
5 years ago
my mom has a ceramic stoneware pitcher she recieved for her wedding 30 years ago that has recently developed a crack which now leaks. She uses this pitcher a lot to make fresh brewed iced tea and she is very upset that it is cracked. I told her about DAP but her concern is that it would cause a temperature difference between the pitcher and the glue causing the pitcher to burst. Does anyone have experience with DAP or any other ceramic glues for food contact items and boiling water?
6 years ago
We had several items that came for us to implement proper seamless restoration where Dow-Corning Dap adhesive was used previously. It did hold well as long as hiding the repair lines is not required. It is not sandable or paintable. Therefore, separation of the broken pieces and removal of the silicon adhesive was required prior to proceeding with a seamless repair process -- and here where the problem starts.
To reverse the repair that was using Dap (or equivalent) often cost more than the repair it self. It can not be removed with solvents, or heat and the only remaining option is cutting and grinding which effect the broken pieces fit requiring more fill, more sanding, more painting, thus, higher cost. Worst case scenario is when the
silicone adhesive was used with porous material such as terracotta. The silicone
adhesive soaked in the material porous surface and the full depth of penetration
needed grinding further reducing fit.
So, if the item you are repairing is valuable or important, be aware of the above.
See more repair lessons
Kindly, Patty and Morty
www.lakesidepottery.com
6 years ago
solution: step one. throw out. step two. move on with your life.
6 years ago
We have a crack in a ceramic cup. Can the dap product be used to repair/strengthen the crack? Will it prevent seepage into the crack? And the crack would still be visible, right? Is there a way to hide the crack?
11 years ago
PC-11 is an epoxy that claims to be non-toxic when dry, although only rated up to 200 deg F. I know people who have repaired radiators with it. What do you think? Will I have children with gills if I drink out of this?
http://pcepoxy.com/our-products/paste-epoxies/pc-11.php
Alternately I've seen mention of Elmer's Craft Bond Ceramic & Glass Cement
http://www.elmers.com/GlueGuide/detail.asp?id=78&source=EL&selMaterial1=&selMaterial2=&aid=11
I haven't been able to get any detailed spec.s on this one though.
Answer 6 years ago
This lists some food-safe glues www.gluehow.com/recommendation/Ceramic/to/Ceramic
Answer 7 years ago
"Will I have children with gills if I drink out of this?"
Well, you can hope.
In a more serious note, I wouldn't regularly drink out of it. Epoxy is one of those "kinda harmless" things, not really harmless, but not a glowing horrible monster of hazmat goo either. While curing it's both a cumulative sensitizing agent (don't use bare hands working with it, nor breathe the vapors). And I'm wondering about hormone analog issues or similar problems WRT chronic exposure to the cured product steeping in hot coffee...
Of course you could repair it with epoxy, then line the inside with a known safe coating, if such an animal could be found.
6 years ago
I default to JB Weld on most ceramic fixes:
http://www.jbweld.com/faqs/
You can also refer to
www.gluehow.com/recommendation/Ceramic/to/Ceramic andhttp://www.thistothat.com/cgi-bin/glue.cgi?lang=en&this=Ceramic&that=Cer amic
7 years ago
9 years ago
Lakeside Pottery, A ceramic restoration studio, posted a few step by step tutorials and illustrations (including videos) showing how to repair ceramic objects and where to purchase the epoxies and other ceramic repair related materials. See link below:
http://lakesidepottery.com/Pages/Pottery-tips/How-to-fix-broken-pottery-china-ceramic-lesson-1.htm
9 years ago
See an example below:
11 years ago
Well with this sort of damage there is only one way to go: kintsugi, the old Japanese art of repairing with gold. And since this is unaffordable you should check the invention Lotte Dekker did during a project we did on Repair. It is Bison kintsugi: http://www.platform21.nl/page/5752/nl?lang=en
Answer 11 years ago
www.platform21.nl/page/5752/nl
11 years ago
How much will the adhesive cost?
How much will a replacement mug cost?
How much is your time worth, vs. how much satisfaction you'll get out of restoring it?
(Personally, I'd go with "repair it as a display piece, drink out of something else.")
11 years ago
Ditto what these other guys have said. I used regular glass & ceramic epoxy from Home Depot to repair my favorite coffee mug when the handle came off. The bond is very strong, and has stood up to the microwave & dishwasher regularly for the past five years. It is not invisible, and the repair is not in a location where the epoxy comes into contact with my coffee. I would not be comfortable with the idea of drinking hot coffee that had epoxy steeping in it.
Answer 11 years ago
Looking at the stuff, I can't see there being much of a hazard. Its not like there'll be much of an area presented to the liquid, and Epoxy isn't a toxic hazard officially.
Steve
Answer 11 years ago
Yeah, I can't back that one up with actual science. It's just a vague uneasy feeling.
11 years ago
Unless you use non-domestic epoxies, the epoxies you can readily buy, or the cyano-acrylates ("superglue") will not withstand boiling water for many cycles.
Permabond in the UK supply a superb high temperature epoxy, good to 190C, but that is AFAIR 120 GBP a tube.
There are phenolics that MIGHT do it, but I've not seen them in 0.5mL jars - which is probably all you need.
Steve
11 years ago
It's permanently damaged, I wouldn't recommend anything to withstand the uses you describe. If I were having a go I'd use a clear epoxy glue, but I would not be be drinking coffee out of it daily.
L
11 years ago
For invisibility, there are types of superglue (CA adhesives) that are intended specifically for ceramic repairs.
I don't know what the adhesive manufacturers would claim, but I would not use hot liquids in it after being fixed, unless the join was clear of the liquid.