Most glues that list plastic mean hard plastics such as PVC, ABS and acrylic. Almost all of them rule out polypropylene and polyethylene, so check the number in the recycling triangle first.
Gluing
Hard plastic
ABS, hard plastic objects
ABS, hard plastic objects
Where
What holds
Two-part epoxy or super glue
20 products have both surfaces on their makers’ lists.
Gorilla suggests a specialty plastic adhesive for these. A part with no number may be any plastic: test the glue on a hidden spot.
“Plastic” on the label has limits
Gorilla Epoxy works on PVC sheet, but Gorilla doesn’t recommend it for PVC pipe.
Loctite Epoxy Plastic lists ABS, PVC and fiberglass, and rules out nylon and anything flexible.
Loctite Extreme Glue lists sanded ABS, then excludes ABS and rigid polystyrene in its limits, so sand ABS first or pick another glue.
Loctite Vinyl, Fabric & Plastic rules out PET, the number 1 plastic of drink bottles.
Super glue on skin
If super glue bonds skin, don’t pull it apart. Poison Control says soaking in warm soapy water, or using acetone or rubbing alcohol, can loosen it, and that it can take hours. For glue in the eye or mouth, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
On many hard plastics. Gorilla and Loctite super glues list plastic, and both rule out polyethylene and polypropylene. Loctite's gel also rules out polystyrene foam.
What if the plastic has no recycling number?
Then you can't rule out polypropylene or polyethylene. Test the glue on a hidden spot and give it the full cure time on the label before you rely on it.
The plastics each glue takes and rules out come from the glue makers’ own product pages, data sheets and FAQs, and the skin advice from Poison Control. Checked against published data from Henkel, Gorilla Glue Company, J-B Weld, Eclectic Products and Pittsburgh Paints Company (plus 1 more).
See all 30 sources
Gorilla Glue Company, Gorilla Super Glue Gel: product page, FAQ and SDS (2025)
Gorilla Glue Company, Original Gorilla Glue: product page, FAQ and SDS (2024)
