Material guide
Gluing HIPS
Toughened polystyrene sheet used for vacuum forming, signage and appliance liners.
Also called high impact polystyrene, vacuum forming sheet.
How HIPS behaves when you bond it
Solvent welds like polystyrene but is less brittle, so it tolerates a rigid joint better. Thin sheet gives very little bonded edge area, which usually matters more than the chemistry.
HIPS is impact-modified polystyrene: a semi-rigid styrenic plastic toughened with rubber. It retains polystyrene's solvent sensitivity and stress-cracking risk but tolerates impact and flex better than general-purpose polystyrene.
Material properties
- Surface energy
- Medium
- Porosity
- Non-porous
- Rigidity
- Semi-rigid
- Maximum service temperature
- 70C
- Normally needs abrading
- No
- Normally needs a primer
- No
- Solvent sensitive
- Yes. Solvent-based adhesives can craze or dissolve the surface.
Surface preparation
Use clean, dry sheet and identify printed, corona-treated or coextruded faces. Wipe only with a mild compatible cleaner such as isopropanol after an offcut test; acetone and aggressive cements can attack it. Keep uncured adhesive dwell short and control solvent-weld quantity to prevent distortion.
Which adhesives work on HIPS
Excellent
Solvent cement
Solvent cement is rated excellent for this material as an application-level assessment, not as a blanket manufacturer claim. Suitability still depends on the other substrate, joint design and service environment.
Good
Cyanoacrylate
Cyanoacrylate is rated good for this material as an application-level assessment, not as a blanket manufacturer claim. Suitability still depends on the other substrate, joint design and service environment.
Good
Two-part epoxy
Two-part epoxy is rated good for this material as an application-level assessment, not as a blanket manufacturer claim. Suitability still depends on the other substrate, joint design and service environment.
Last reviewed 8 October 2026.