If you are looking to glue your table tennis racket rubber, you will need the following tools:

1. Table tennis blade
2. Two table tennis rubbers
3. Glue 
4. Scissors
5. A good sponge 
6. A rolling pin or ball tube
7. The edge tape

You can find ready-made table tennis rackets, but gluing them yourself is an easy and straightforward task. 

In addition, gluing your table tennis racket yourself offers you more versatility and flexibility in creating a racket specific to your preferences.

Before You Glue Your Table Tennis Racket Rubber

Now that you already know all the tools you need to glue your table tennis racket rubber at home with ease let’s find the steps required to achieve the best result. 

Before we start, we recommend using a larger-sized good, quality sponge. This will help you to spread out the glue over the surface equally. 

Make sure that the scissors you will use are sharp and can cut the rubber easily. 

Measure the size of the table tennis rackets and cut the rubber to fit the rubber. Place the cut rubber on your racket and ensure it is the right size and shape. 

How To Glue Your Table Tennis Racket Rubber

If you are doing this for the first time, you may feel worried, but follow the steps we describe below, and you will be set. 

You can use any adhesive designed specifically to glue rubber to a wooden surface. One of the most commonly used adhesives for this project is water-based glue. 

This is how to glue the rubber to get the best results:

1. Apply the glue on the rubber – add a smaller amount, and if you need more, add more. 
2. Use a sponge to equally spread the glue over the surface of the rubber – make sure that you don’t have spots that have more glue and others that have less, as this will cause bumps in the rubber after you glue it to the racket.
3. Allow enough time for the glue to dry until it becomes transparent
4. Add one thin layer of glue to the blade, spreading it out equally over the entirety of its surface, applying the surface from the bottom and moving up
5. Allow the glue to dry properly
6. Have the blade on a solid surface where it won’t wobble 
7. Take the rubber with the glue on it, place it over the blade, starting at the shaft of the blade, and slowly roll it upwards using a good roller
8. Make sure the rubber is smooth, not leaving any bubbly spots behind 
9. Use the rolling pin to help the rubber adhere properly to the blade 
10. Repeat these same steps on the other side of the blade
11. Glue the edge band onto the racket 

If you accidentally put too much glue on the rubber or the racket blade, use the sponge to take off the excess adhesive and transfer it over a piece of paper that you will dispose of later. 

The drying time, both on the rubber and racket blade, depends on a few factors, such as:

• Temperature 
• Humidity 

If you are drying the rubber and blade outside or inside where it is dry and hot, the drying time may be about 3-4 minutes. 

If there is an increased level of humidity or wetness, it can take about 40 to 
50 minutes until the adhesive has properly dried.   

Make sure you wait enough time to ensure an equal bounce. 

What Not To Do When Gluing A Table Tennis Rubber

With various gluing projects, you may already know of techniques that help speed up the drying time with tricks such as:

• Using a hair dryer 
• Using a heat gun
• Using a fan
• Increasing airflow

These same techniques would also speed up the drying time for this project, but we don’t recommend applying time, and here is why. 

Applying hot air to the rubbers will cause them to lose their stronger elasticity and become softer. This will cause a different bounce which won’t yield the best results.  

The Best Tips On How To Glue Your Table Tennis Rubber For Best Results

Tip Number One.

If you usually play in smaller venues, you can apply two adhesive layers on the rubber and one layer on the blade.   

For the big venues, you may apply three layers of glue. This will give it more power and a solid grasp as the rubber will be thicker. 

Tip Number Two.

You will get slightly different results depending on how you roll the rubber to the blade. 

If you want the rubber to be harder in the end and get the attaching done faster, here is how you can achieve this:

1. Stretch the rubber with your upper hand and apply more force with the roll and    
2. Rolling the rubber with more force will cause it to be harder

If you want to achieve a slightly softer rubber that will have more spin, then do it this way:

1. Don’t stretch the rubber with your upper hand
2. Roll the rubber smoothly on the blade using the roller pin

Tip Number Three.

Make sure that you glue your table tennis racket rubber for at least two days before you need to use it for a game. 

You will need one day to glue it, having enough time to let it dry properly before fully assembling both sides. 

Then you should have at least one day for some practice. Try out your newly glued racket and ensure that everything is as it should be, ready for your game.

Tip Number Four.

If you want your table tennis racket to serve you well, it isn’t just about gluing it the right way but also taking care of it properly. 

So how can you best take care of your tennis racket to maintain its quality and ability for great performance?

Protect the rubber (and the racket as a whole) from moisture, dust, or direct sunlight. You can either use a protective film for this or have a racket bag to store and carry them in.

Conclusion

Gluing your table tennis racket rubber isn’t as hard as you may have thought. If you have the following tools and materials, you can tackle this project within a day:

• Table tennis blade
• Two table tennis rubbers
• Glue 
• Scissors
• A good sponge 
• A rolling pin or ball tube
• The edge tape

Applying the rubber to the blade will influence if the rubber will be slightly softer or harder, which will then determine the type of spin you will have during your games. 

When you apply the glue to the rubber and blade, first do one side before moving on to the next, and ensure that the glue is spread out equally. 

Avoid bumps in your rubber by making sure the rubber will have a smooth surface when glued with the help of a roller.