Few glues name aluminum itself: J-B Weld Original, KwikWeld and ClearWeld, Loctite’s Extreme Glue, Metal Glue and Epoxy Plastic, and Liquid Nails Fuze*It Max. Many more list metal in general.
Gluing
Aluminum
aluminum sheet, frames, furniture
aluminum sheet, frames, furniture
Where
What holds
7 products have both surfaces on their makers’ lists.
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What each maker says about aluminum
| Product | What its maker says |
|---|---|
| J-B Weld Original, ClearWeld | All metals, including aluminum |
| J-B Weld KwikWeld | All metals; not as strong on aluminum |
| Loctite Extreme Glue, Metal Glue | Lists aluminum; test compatibility with non-ferrous metals such as aluminum first |
| Liquid Nails Fuze*It Max | Lists aluminum among the surfaces it bonds |
| Loctite Epoxy Plastic | Its page names aluminum (its data sheet doesn’t) |
| Gorilla Epoxy, Epoxy Ultimate | Gorilla’s epoxy FAQ says both bond steel, aluminum and brass |
Gorilla’s line is from its epoxy FAQ, not the product pages, so the finder leaves those two out. A glue that lists metal without naming aluminum shows when you pick Metal.
Getting aluminum ready
- Sand: Gorilla says to lightly sand smooth or coated metal, and Loctite’s metal glue guide suggests lightly roughening smooth surfaces with fine-grit sandpaper.
- Clean: Gorilla says to clean away the dust and any oil before you mix the epoxy.
- Dampen: for metal to metal with Extreme Glue, Loctite says to wipe both surfaces with a damp cloth first.
Loctite’s metal glue guide says to wear latex or nitrile gloves, not PVC, nylon or cotton. The Metal Glue SDS calls it a combustible liquid and warns that it may cause an allergic skin reaction and serious eye irritation, and is suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child.
Aluminum to something else?
Glue finder