How to glue acrylic

Gluing acrylic is possible without any problems. There are different types of adhesives, and methods of bonding acrylic or other materials together. We have summarized some practical tips for you here.

The choice of the appropriate method of gluing depends on various factors. Use these questions to help you choose the most appropriate method for your application:

Is the acrylic translucent or opaque?
What material will the acrylic be bonded to?
Is the full surface or only the edges to be glued together

The simplest option is to bond non-transparent acrylic, or transparent acrylic and materials that hide the adhesive surface. So it is not so important what the adhesive looks like in this case. Therefore, all common adhesives are suitable for this method.

Double-sided adhesive tape

The double-sided adhesive tape is the simplest and cleanest option. The tape can be applied manually to the back of the material before processing. Or you can order the material adhesive film on the back. During lase machining, the adhesive foil is cut at the same time. This ensures that the part is fully covered with an adhesive layer.

In some cases, it is necessary to apply adhesive foil afterwards. In this case, the film can simply be cut to size with a knife or scissors and glued. Adhesive dots in various sizes are also recommended here.

Superglue

Superglue is suitable for small and selective bonding. It withstands large loads and, as the name suggests, hardens quickly. Because the glue hardens white, it is suitable for acrylic only if the glued areas are not visible later. This adhesive is also suitable for bonding different materials together.

Hot glue gun

In the do-it-yourself or craft sector, gluing with a hot glue gun is a much-used method. This is also suitable for acrylic. Here, however, the glued seam should not be exposed to any great stresses. This method is best suited for solid-colored acrylic and for full-surface bonding as well as for bonding different materials.

Polymerization adhesives

Bonding clear acrylic is more demanding. Conventional adhesives and adhesive foils would leave visible traces here. Special solvent adhesives or so-called polymerization adhesives are suitable for this application. These adhesives do not glue, but bond the acrylic together. Simply explained, what happens is that certain ingredients of the adhesive dissolve the adhesive surface, causing the polymer chains to swell and hook together.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when applying.

Additional tips:

Especially with acrylic, cleaning in advance is immensely important, as any dirt and dust inclusions will be visible after the bonding process on this transparent material.

Protective clothing or special gloves are not required when using acrylic adhesives. However, the room in which the adhesive is used should be well-ventilated or capable of being ventilated.

For adhesives with little or no experience, carry out a trial bonding with two pieces on which the result cannot be seen directly.