Material guide
Gluing Polypropylene
A low surface energy plastic used for storage boxes, garden furniture, car bumpers, tubs and living hinges.
Also called polyprop, PP, recycling code 5.
How Polypropylene behaves when you bond it
Polypropylene is the classic difficult plastic: almost nothing sticks to it without help. Adhesives sold for it generally rely on a separate primer or activator, and a manufacturer saying a product bonds most plastics does not mean it bonds this one.
Polypropylene is a semi-rigid low-surface-energy polyolefin used in mouldings, sheets and living hinges. Additives and mould release further reduce wetting, and the material flexes and creeps under load.
Material properties
- Surface energy
- Low, which is what makes it hard to bond
- Porosity
- Non-porous
- Rigidity
- Semi-rigid
- Maximum service temperature
- 100C
- Normally needs abrading
- No
- Normally needs a primer
- Yes
- Requires surface treatment
- (Named Permabond TA46xx structural acrylics bond untreated polypropylene without flame, corona or plasma treatment.) Manufacturer verified
Surface preparation
Clean with isopropanol and dry. For the Permabond route, use a named TA46xx structural acrylic on untreated PP, or POP primer only with the specified cyanoacrylate. Other adhesives normally require a validated flame, corona or plasma process. Do not broaden a claim for most plastics to PP.
Which adhesives work on Polypropylene
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
Acrylic foam tape, VHB type
Acrylic foam tape, VHB type 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.
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.
Bonding Polypropylene to something else
Polypropylene to Aluminium
Polypropylene to Glass
Polypropylene to Glazed ceramic
Polypropylene to Mild steel
Polypropylene to Painted metal
Polypropylene to Polypropylene
Polypropylene to Stainless steel
Last reviewed 8 October 2026.