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Clay is one of the oldest building materials in the history of mankind. This building material has so many positive properties that it is still extremely popular today in industry and trade, as well as among private users. However, it has various disadvantages, such as with regard to joining, because it cannot be welded or screwed. In our adhesive guide, we show you how to glue clay and discuss the best glue for polymer clay according to the project at hand.
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What Is Clay?
Clay is not only one of the most popular building materials in history, but also one of the oldest. It has been used in the form of dried clay bricks for more than 10,000 years; its use as pottery and tableware is even older. Clay is extracted from soil containing clay particles. Its components are, in turn, mostly fine-grained minerals.
In its original state, it can be molded with great ease due to the high content of water, and can therefore be shaped into any imaginable form. After molding, it is dried or fired and thus achieves high strength and brittleness. Due to these properties, there is a high risk of breakage, which is one of the few disadvantages of clay. On the other hand, however, the material achieves a high load-bearing capacity, especially through the firing process.
Applications for Clay Bonding
When bonding clay, a distinction must first be made between glazed and unglazed clay. As a rule, thinner adhesives are selected for glazed clay than for unglazed clay, since the latter is more absorbent and would partially absorb the thin adhesive film.
Clay and terracotta bonding is particularly interesting for artists because it opens up many creative possibilities. However, many do-it-yourselfers also appreciate the advantages of clay bonding. For example, broken or damaged pottery can be repaired very well with the help of a suitable adhesive for fired clay. You can even glue roof tiles with a high-strength curing clay glue.
Clayware Glue
Glue for clay pots and pottery is one of the few methods of joining this material together. Adhesives for fired clay come in different varieties. Some of them are highly heat-resistant, and can withstand temperatures of up to 2282° degrees Fahrenheit (1250° Celsius). These are therefore suitable for repair as well as for the subsequent firing of damaged pottery.
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Other adhesives for clay, while not heat resistant, are excellent for clay bonding. One example is a two-component epoxy resin adhesive, or more precisely a construction adhesive based on epoxy. Its two components, once mixed, set off a chemical reaction that cures to high strength and can bond a wide variety of materials together. This clay adhesive offers many advantages, such as high shear strength and optimal resistance to ageing processes and weather-related influences. Some of these two-component adhesives even have a gap-filling effect.
If you need to do it quickly and it is only a minor repair, we can recommend the use of a suitable superglue. You can use this to glue a damaged clay pot, for example. One superglue that we can recommend for such repair work with a clear conscience is the following.
Recommended Glue for Clay Pots: GORILLA Clear Glue
This crystal-clear glue by the Gorilla brand offers an extremely strong, water-resistant, and non-foaming product for bonding your clay pots and pottery. You can use this glue with the greatest ease on both indoor and outdoor items.
Simply dampen the surface of your piece with some water (a spray bottle works well for this), and then apply a thin layer of this clear glue. You should wipe off any excess glue within the first 15 minutes, after which time you should clamp it down for a couple of hours and allow at least 24 hours for it to cure. This product offers excellent value for money and is a great choice for smaller repairs.
We can, due to the many advantages compared to only two disadvantages, give a full recommendation for the Gorilla brand’s clear glue.
How to Glue Clay Pottery
For clayware bonding, you can use a two-component adhesive as well as a superglue. Note that the pot life is limited for both types of adhesive. However, the two-component adhesive offers you a longer working time than the superglue. The disadvantage is that you have to mix its components first.
For complicated bonding operations, make sure that you use a gap-filling adhesive. First, join all the fragments together without glue to find out whether they are a perfect fit. Now, you can apply the clay glue on both sides and fix it. You can use a wide adhesive tape for this purpose. When the glue has hardened, you can gently remove the tape. Use a cutter knife to carefully scrape off any excess dry adhesive.
Gluing Terracotta
Terracotta is an unglazed material that is extremely popular, especially in the form of flower pots or planters. It gives the garden a pristine, Mediterranean look and is very beneficial to delicate plants. However, it has this sensitivity in common with plants, because terracotta breaks quickly. Fortunately, it is easy enough to learn how to glue terracotta provided you have the right adhesive.
Best Glue for Terracotta: PC PRODUCTS PC-Clear Epoxy Adhesive Liquid
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PC Products is renowned for their excellent products, and this clear two-part epoxy adhesive liquid is no different. While the adhesive may appear more opaque at first, once cured this glue for clay will become completely clear, thus blending in with the bonded item. This adhesive will form a tough, durable bond to your terracotta pieces, and will also resist chemicals, oils, salts, and water.
Epoxy can be toxic to work with, which is why you should always wear the appropriate safety gear. Apart from this, bonding with this two-component epoxy adhesive is no problem, so we recommend this product without reservation.
How to Glue Terracotta
Gluing terracotta is usually not a problem if all the broken parts are present and there are no major gaps. If you want to glue a very heavy terracotta piece or clay pot, you should resort to a really strong adhesive. The two-component epoxy resin adhesive mentioned above is the first choice here. It scores not only for its adhesive strength, but also for its weather resistance. This is particularly useful for items that are used in the garden.
When working with this adhesive, however, be sure to wear gloves and, ideally, a respirator. Furthermore, you should ensure optimal ventilation of your workplace or work outdoors.
Best Glue for Polymer Clay Roof Tiles: LOCTITE PL Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive
Loctite’s top-performance polyurethane adhesive is strong, effective, and evironmentally friendly. This product will allow you to cover twice as much surface area than you would with ordinary adhesives, and it is also three times as strong. Add some shine to your tiles by using this construction-grade adhesive, which can be used on both interior and exterior projects.
This clay glue is waterproof, can be painted, and will cure in cold temperatures. In fact, you can apply this adhesive directly to wood that is wet, dry, or frozen. This product is easy to use due to it having only one component, making this the ideal choice for gluing your clay roof tiles.
This construction-grade adhesive by Loctite is ideal for bonding your clay roof tiles, as it will provide a great deal of strength and resistance to the elements. You cannot go wrong by choosing this product!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Glue Terracotta?
Gluing terracotta is easy if you use the right adhesive. This should be a two-component epoxy adhesive.
How Do I Glue Fired Clay?
You can fix fired claywith the help of adhesive tape, after which you can apply a two-component epoxy adhesive. Now that the fragments are joined together, allow the adhesive to harden. After that, the fixing tape can be carefully released.
Clay is an easy material to glue if you use the right clay glue. With the right technique and some tools, the gluing process is no problem.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor