Doable with the right adhesive
How to glue Concrete to Natural stone
The short answer
A flexible MS-polymer adhesive is the best-supported starting point for Concrete to Natural stone. Sika Stixall Maximum Grab has official documentation whose stated scope covers this joint at material-class or exact-substrate level. Prepare both faces as specified, maximise overlap, minimise peel and validate a representative coupon before critical use.
Why this bond behaves the way it does
A flexible MS-polymer adhesive matches the joint's porosity, stiffness and gap needs better than the listed alternatives. The recommendation is graded B because official documentation supports the relevant substrate classes, while the exact production grades and joint geometry still need verification.
What to use
Best choice
MS polymer
Use a flexible MS-polymer adhesive as the first route because the cited product and preparation documents cover the controlling substrate classes. This is strongly supported but still requires a coupon for the exact grades.
Gaps: Maintain the bond line stated by the manufacturer and do not clamp it dry.
Curing: Do not confuse initial grab or handling strength with full cure.
Watch out: Coupon-test the exact substrate grades and surface finish.
Also works
Two-part epoxy
A toughened two-part epoxy is an alternative only when a current product document covers both actual faces, the bond-line thickness and the service environment.
Gaps: Maintain the bond line stated by the manufacturer and do not clamp it dry.
Curing: Do not confuse initial grab or handling strength with full cure.
Watch out: Coupon-test the exact substrate grades and surface finish.
Also works
Grab adhesive, no-nails
A grab adhesive is an alternative only when a current product document covers both actual faces, the bond-line thickness and the service environment.
Gaps: Maintain the bond line stated by the manufacturer and do not clamp it dry.
Curing: Do not confuse initial grab or handling strength with full cure.
Watch out: Coupon-test the exact substrate grades and surface finish.
Avoid
Cyanoacrylate
Avoid a primed cyanoacrylate for a load-bearing, gapped or exposed joint unless its current technical sheet names the substrates and service conditions. Do not bond over oil, rust, dust, glaze, release agent or weak surface fibres.
Gaps: Use only on the thin, close-fitting joint stated by the exact grade.
Curing: Do not confuse initial grab or handling strength with full cure.
Watch out: This avoidance is for the ordinary unqualified family, not a specialist grade with explicit manufacturer evidence.
What to avoid
Avoid a primed cyanoacrylate for a load-bearing, gapped or exposed joint unless its current technical sheet names the substrates and service conditions. Do not bond over oil, rust, dust, glaze, release agent or weak surface fibres.
Preparing the surfaces
Concrete
Expose sound concrete by removing laitance, coatings, curing compound, grime and weak material. The 3M structural-adhesive bulletin ranks mechanical scarification or blasting above acid etching for its process and requires dust removal and thorough drying. Check moisture limits before selecting the adhesive.
Natural stone
Identify the stone and finish, make it sound, clean and dry, and remove sealer, wax or laitance from the bond area. Degrease dense polished stone with a compatible cleaner and key it only where appearance permits. Use a non-staining stone-rated system and make a colour/halo test on an offcut.
How to do it
Dry-fit first. Meter, mix or prime exactly as the selected product requires. Apply a controlled bond line, assemble within working time, clamp without squeezing the joint dry and leave supported through the full stated cure.
Working, clamping and cure times
Follow the current Sika Stixall Maximum Grab instructions. Working time, handling strength and full cure are different. Cold conditions, thick beads and two impermeable faces can extend the cure.
If the conditions are harder
| Condition | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor use | Works with care | Sika Stixall Maximum Grab has manufacturer outdoor, weathering or UV-related evidence. That does not remove the need to seal porous edges, accommodate movement and keep the joint within product limitations. |
| Water and wet areas | Works with care | Sika Stixall Maximum Grab has manufacturer water-resistance or waterproof wording, but that wording is not expanded into continuous-immersion approval. Seal absorbent edges and keep the assembly within the exact documented exposure. |
| Heat and cold | Not enough evidence | The cited evidence does not give a complete service-temperature range for this exact assembly. Do not infer one from adhesive chemistry alone. |
Read the current safety data sheet. Provide ventilation, protect skin and eyes, and test an offcut for solvent attack, staining, stress cracking or coating lift. This is not an engineering approval for safety-critical loads.
Products that fit
Ordered by how well they suit this specific job. Nothing is ranked by what it pays.
Sika Sika Stixall Maximum Grab
MS polymer
Official manufacturer documentation covers the relevant joint or both material classes without broadening its literal scope.
We may earn a commission from links on this page. It never changes which adhesive we recommend.
Related guides
- Aluminium to Concrete
- Concrete to Concrete
- Mild steel to Concrete
- Pine to Concrete
- uPVC to Concrete
- Glass to Natural stone
- How to reattach a natural-stone coping to a concrete garden wall
Where this comes from
Reviewed 8 October 2026. Overall confidence: Strong evidence.
Sources used for this guide:
- 3M Bonding Solutions: Adhesives and Tapes Selection Guide (TECHNICAL_MANUAL)
- Permabond Adhesive Application Tips (MANUFACTURER_PAGE)
- Sika Stixall Maximum Grab Product Data Sheet (PDS, Feb 2026)
- Surface Preparation (MANUFACTURER_PAGE)
- Surface Preparation and Pretreatment for Structural Adhesives (TECHNICAL_MANUAL, Oct 2018)
Always read the instructions and safety information supplied with the product you buy. Where they differ from anything here, follow the manufacturer.