Material guide
Gluing HDPE
Rigid polyethylene used for milk bottles, chopping boards, water tanks and outdoor bins.
Also called high density polyethylene, PE-HD, recycling code 2.
How HDPE behaves when you bond it
Shares polypropylene's low surface energy problem and needs the same primer-based approach. Where an HDPE joint has to be strong, welding or a mechanical fixing is often more honest than any adhesive.
HDPE is a semi-rigid low-surface-energy polyolefin with excellent chemical resistance. Standard epoxies, cyanoacrylates and contact adhesives usually wet it poorly unless the exact product uses LSE technology or the surface is treated.
Material properties
- Surface energy
- Low, which is what makes it hard to bond
- Porosity
- Non-porous
- Rigidity
- Semi-rigid
- Maximum service temperature
- 80C
- Normally needs abrading
- No
- Normally needs a primer
- Yes
- Requires surface treatment
- (Named Permabond LSE structural acrylics can bond untreated HDPE; other chemistries may require flame, plasma or corona treatment.) Manufacturer verified
Surface preparation
Remove grease and mould release with isopropanol and allow it to evaporate. Use a product explicitly listing untreated HDPE/PE, or carry out the named primer or controlled flame, plasma or corona treatment. Abrasion alone does not solve the chemistry and can leave a weak fuzzy layer.
Which adhesives work on HDPE
Excellent
Structural acrylic
Structural acrylic is rated excellent for this material as an application-level assessment, not as a blanket manufacturer claim. A named primer, LSE formulation or controlled surface treatment may be essential. Suitability still depends on the other substrate, joint design and service environment.
Conditional
Cyanoacrylate
Cyanoacrylate is rated conditional for this material as an application-level assessment, not as a blanket manufacturer claim. A named primer, LSE formulation or controlled surface treatment may be essential. Use only after a product-specific test on the actual grade and joint.
A primer or activator is needed.
Poor
Two-part epoxy
Two-part epoxy is rated poor for this material as an application-level assessment, not as a blanket manufacturer claim. A named primer, LSE formulation or controlled surface treatment may be essential. Use only after a product-specific test on the actual grade and joint.
A primer or activator is needed.
Bonding HDPE to something else
HDPE to Aluminium
HDPE to Glass
HDPE to Glazed ceramic
HDPE to HDPE
HDPE to Mild steel
HDPE to Painted metal
HDPE to Stainless steel
Last reviewed 8 October 2026.