Materials
Every material we cover, what makes each one easy or difficult to bond, and which adhesive chemistries suit it.
Plastics
Polymer materials, from everyday packaging plastics to engineering thermoplastics and 3D printing filaments.
ABS
A common engineering plastic used in car trim, appliance housings, pipework and toys.
Acrylic
Clear rigid sheet used for glazing, signage, display cases and picture frames.
ASA
An ABS relative built for outdoor use, with far better UV and weather resistance.
GRP / fibreglass
Glass fibre in cured resin, used for boat hulls, body panels, roofing and enclosures.
HDPE
Rigid polyethylene used for milk bottles, chopping boards, water tanks and outdoor bins.
HIPS
Toughened polystyrene sheet used for vacuum forming, signage and appliance liners.
LDPE
Flexible polyethylene used for squeezy bottles, bags, sheeting and pond liners.
Nylon
A tough engineering plastic used for gears, cable ties, fixings and printed functional parts.
PET
Clear packaging plastic used for drinks bottles, food trays and thin film.
PETG
A tough, slightly flexible printing filament and sheet material with better heat and moisture resistance than...
PLA
The most common 3D printing filament, rigid and easy to bond but with poor heat tolerance.
PLA+
Toughened PLA blends, slightly less brittle than standard PLA and marginally more heat tolerant.
Polycarbonate
Tough transparent sheet used for safety glazing, machine guards and greenhouse panels.
Polypropylene
A low surface energy plastic used for storage boxes, garden furniture, car bumpers, tubs and living hinges.
Polystyrene
Brittle clear or coloured plastic used for CD cases, model kits and disposable items.
POM (Delrin)
A slippery, dimensionally stable engineering plastic used for bearings, gears and precision parts.
PVC
Flexible PVC as found in hoses, sheeting, cables and inflatables.
Resin 3D print
Parts printed on SLA, MSLA or DLP printers from UV-curing photopolymer.
TPE
Soft, rubbery plastics used for grips, overmoulds and flexible seals.
TPU
A rubber-like printing filament and moulded material used for phone cases, seals and flexible parts.
uPVC
Rigid PVC used for windows, doors, fascia boards and waste pipe.
Metals
Bare, plated, anodised, painted and coated metals. The coating usually matters more than the metal underneath.
Aluminium
Bare or mill-finish aluminium as found in extrusion, sheet, tube and castings.
Anodised aluminium
Aluminium with a thickened, often coloured and sealed oxide layer.
Brass
Brass fittings, hardware, instrument parts and decorative items.
Cast iron
Cast iron cookware, machine bases, guttering and architectural ironwork.
Chrome plated metal
Chrome plated bathroom fittings, trim, tube and hardware.
Copper
Copper pipe, sheet, electrical parts and decorative work.
Galvanised steel
Steel with a zinc coating, used for outdoor brackets, ducting, gates and fencing.
Mild steel
Ordinary uncoated steel used in brackets, frames, tools and fabrication.
Painted metal
Any metal with a paint finish, from car panels to radiators and garden gates.
Powder coated metal
Powder coated garden furniture, radiators, bike frames and shopfittings.
Stainless steel
Corrosion resistant steel used for kitchen fittings, fixings, worktops and outdoor hardware.
Wood and sheet materials
Solid timber and manufactured boards, including faced and laminated panels where the surface is not wood at all.
Chipboard
Wood-particle board used for furniture carcasses, flooring and laminate substrates.
Laminate
High-pressure decorative laminate used for worktops, tabletops and fitted furniture.
MDF
Smooth engineered board used for furniture, panelling and painted joinery.
Melamine faced board
Chipboard or MDF faced with cured melamine-resin decorative paper.
Oak
Dense hardwood used for furniture, flooring, worktops and joinery.
Pine
Common construction and furniture softwood.
Plywood
Cross-laminated wood sheet, from rough shuttering to furniture-grade birch.
Teak
Naturally oily hardwood used for garden furniture and boat fittings.
Varnished wood
Timber carrying varnish, lacquer, paint, oil or another cured finish.
Rubbers and elastomers
Flexible materials that move under load. The bond has to flex with them or it fails at the edge.
EPDM
Weather-resistant rubber used for roofing membrane, seals and pond liners.
Natural rubber
Natural rubber sheet, mats, seals, soles and vibration parts.
Neoprene
Polychloroprene rubber used for gaskets, wetsuits, pads and vibration mounts.
Nitrile rubber
Oil-resistant rubber used for seals, O-rings, hoses and gaskets.
Silicone rubber
Heat resistant flexible silicone used for bakeware, seals, gaskets and cable sleeving.
Foams
Open and closed cell foams. Many are damaged by solvent-based adhesives before the bond ever cures.
EPS (polystyrene foam)
White bead foam used for packaging, insulation board and model making.
EVA foam
Closed cell foam used for craft and cosplay work, gym mats, packaging and shoe soles.
Polyurethane foam
Open cell foam used for upholstery, cushions, mattresses and packaging.
XPS foam board
Dense closed cell insulation and modelling board, usually pink, blue or green.
Mineral and construction materials
Glass, ceramic, stone, masonry and building boards, ranging from completely non-porous to highly absorbent.
Brick
Brickwork, both indoor feature walls and exposed outdoor masonry.
Concrete
Floors, paths, steps, lintels and cast concrete items.
Glass
Window glass, glassware, mirrors, tabletops and splashbacks.
Glazed ceramic
Mugs, plates, ornaments, sanitaryware and glazed tile.
Natural stone
Granite, marble, slate and limestone in worktops, paving, sills and ornaments.
Plasterboard
Gypsum board wall and ceiling lining, usually painted.
Porcelain
Dense vitrified ceramic used for sinks, toilets, tiles and fine tableware.
Unglazed ceramic
Terracotta pots, unglazed tile and the raw body exposed on a ceramic break.
Other materials
Leather, textiles, cork, vinyl and other substrates that do not fit the main families.