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Best Glue for Plastic Toys – What to Pick and How to Use

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Written by: Jeremy Sanchez

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Best Glue for Plastic Toys – What to Pick and How to Use

Have any broken plastic toys or figurines? Before throwing them out, you probably thought about fixing them but didn’t have the right tools on hand.

Well, don’t worry! I’ll discuss the best glues for plastic toy repairs in this article.

Whether you’re working on bigger applications or miniatures, there’s something here for you.

Plastic is difficult to bond, but the right adhesive will help you fix things quickly and effortlessly.

With these glues, you’ll get the best strength and durability for your money. Even better, I’ve also included some clear-drying plastic glues.

If you must restore rare collectibles, these invisible adhesives will make them as good as new ones.

Recommendation – Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue has all the advantages of a high-grade superglue and none of the downsides. This 100% clear, rubber-toughened formula is quick-drying and forms unbreakable bonds. Moreover, it has high resistance to tension, impact, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, and most solvents.

But this is just one of the multiple powerful types of glue on the list. Keep reading for more amazing options!

Suitable Glues for Plastic Toys

There are plenty of glues, but we’re only interested in the best ones for your application needs.

Here are the most suitable options. All of these glues have their perks and drawbacks.

But they’re compatible with most types of plastic, which is the most important thing. They also create strong bonds and have decent resistance.

Super Glue

Super glue is a go-to for many people, and there’s a good reason for that. It works very well.

It’s also very easy to use and highly versatile. While super glue bonds most materials together, including most plastics, it won’t work well on polyethylene or polystyrene.

Still, most plastics are okay.

Superglue also has a lot of great properties. It’s thin, so it can fill in gaps and create very tight bonds.

Its consistency also makes it easy to apply. It’s very fast-acting, usually curing in less than 45 seconds.

That means that there’s little to no clamping required. You can move quickly from one step to another and be done in a short time.

Most superglues dry clear, and that makes them suitable for a lot of applications.

Certain superglues are also sandable and paintable if you want to go the extra mile for the most impeccable finish.

Performance-wise, this glue is virtually waterproof and has an insane tensile strength of 4000 PSI on average.

However, it doesn’t have the best resistance to extreme temperatures or solvents. It’s also not impact-resistant, so it’s not ideal for moving parts.

Check out our guide on heat-resistant glues for more info.

Epoxy

Epoxy glue is highly versatile since it’s compatible with virtually all materials.

It’s not the easiest to use, depending on your type. One-part epoxies can be used straight out of the tube.

Two-part epoxies require some extra time for mixing, and they can be messy to apply.

However, in terms of performance, this adhesive is virtually unmatched. Most epoxy glues have incredible tensile strength, usually at least 3500 PSI.

They also greatly resist water, solvents, impact, shock, vibration, and extreme temperatures.

These qualities make epoxies very durable and suitable for all sorts of applications.

Depending on your needs, you can even choose between rigid and flexible epoxies.

The only negative you can expect is the very long curing time. Epoxies need around 24 hours to set completely.

This also means you’ll need to clamp the materials for a long time.

For very small plastic toys such as miniatures, it’s probably not worth the hassle.

But this glue is a great option if you have larger plastic toys, especially ones with moving components.

Cement Glue

Cement glue is a happy medium between superglue and epoxy.

Also known as model cement or rubber cement, this stuff allows you a decent working time without requiring extensive clamping.

Once out of the tube, you get 10 minutes to work before the adhesive is fully cured.

This is a great perk because you can always reposition components if you make any mistakes.

You don’t have to rush, but you’ll also not wait too long. After 10 minutes, the glue is set, and you no longer need to clamp the components.

This glue is specifically designed for model building. It has most of the perks of superglue, including the thin consistency and quick initial tack.

Cement glue is great for filling in small gaps and has high bonding power.

It also has the edge over super glue because it’s compatible with most plastics, including polystyrene, ABS, and acrylic.

Read our guides on the best glues for ABS plastic and best glues for acrylic for more info.

Glues that aren’t suitable include wood glue, epoxy resin, solvent cement, hot glue, polyurethane glue, and cyanoacrylate glue.

Best 5 Glues for Plastic Toys

Here are my recommendations for the best glue for plastic toys.

1. Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue

Pros

  • Well suited to glue plastic
  • Works on acrylic plastic
  • Works on plastic cement and hard plastic
  • One of the strongest glue around

Cons

  • Leaves a bad smell for a couple of hours

The Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue is the perfect choice for fixing or building plastic toys.

This formula is rubber-toughened, which means the glue is flexible and highly resistant to shock, impact, and vibration.

On top of that, this glue is also water and temperature-resistant and has excellent weight-bearing capabilities.

The gel-like consistency and the side-squeeze bottle design offer great control and a mess-free application.

The best part is that this glue doesn’t drip or run. It will stay exactly where you apply it.

To top it all off, this adhesive has a very short working time of just 45 seconds.

You won’t have to clamp anything. It’s as simple as applying the glue and connecting the surfaces. You’ll get a near-instant bond every time.

The glue also dries clear, so you can use it even for visible surfaces without worrying about unsightly dry spots.

Last but not least, this glue is also pretty versatile. It works on more materials than just plastic.

You can even use it to bond plastic to other materials, such as wood, metal, leather, ceramic, rubber, or paper.

This is also one of the best glues for rubber to plastic, in my experience.

2. Gorilla 7700104 Super Glue Gel

Pros

  • Perfect for bonding plastic
  • Doesn’t leave excess glue
  • Works on any plastic surface and even automotive plastic
  • Can glue any plastic parts

Cons

  • Not waterproof

The Gorilla 7700104 Super Glue Gel is a high-power, quick-setting Gorilla super glue suitable for a wide range of applications.

The gel-like viscosity makes this Gorilla Glue perfect for vertical applications because it doesn’t drip or run.

And if you need to bond things quickly, you’ll be happy to learn this adhesive gets the job done in just 10 to 45 seconds.

There’s no waiting or clamping required. In less than one minute, you get an unbreakable bond.

But the perks don’t stop here. This Gorilla Glue is specially formulated for increased durability.

It has great resistance against pressure, heat, vibration, shock, and impact. You’re guaranteed to get a long-lasting fix, especially on toys that are used daily.

This adhesive dries clear, so it works for all toy colors. You’ll get a subtle finish, and nobody will be able to tell where the toys have been broken.

Finally, you can use this adhesive on almost any material, including multiple types of plastic.

It also works great on rubber, leather, wood, metal, ceramic, paper, cardboard, and more. However, it won’t bond well with hard and smooth plastics like polyethylene or polypropylene.

It’s a great glue for polypropylene, given the above properties.

3. Testor Plastic Model Glue

Pros

  • High-quality plastic bonder
  • Comes with a glue gun
  • Creates a strong bond
  • One of the strongest glue around

Cons

  • Not suitable for children’s’ toys

If you’re working on plastic models or need to fix collection figurines, Testor’s Plastic Model Glue is perfect for that.

This adhesive works on virtually any type of plastic, including the ones that are difficult to bond, such as ABS or polystyrene.

If you work on mixed-material projects, you can also use this adhesive to bond polystyrene to wood.

This plastic glue dries quickly and forms very strong bonds. Once fully cured, the glue is also highly resistant to high temperatures, water, and most other solvents.

However, keep in mind that this glue is highly toxic.

You shouldn’t be using this to fix children’s toys or any plastic surfaces you’ll encounter daily.

4. Games Workshop Citadel Plastic Glue

Pros

  • Heat resistant
  • Dries clear
  • Creates a strong bond
  • Works on any plastic material

Cons

  • Not solvent resistant

The Games Workshop Citadel Plastic Glue is perfect for most types of plastic toy repairs or buildings.

This adhesive is compatible with virtually all plastic materials and dries clear for an invisible finish.

The high viscosity formulation makes this adhesive easy to use, even on vertical surfaces.

You won’t have to deal with the adhesive running or dripping everywhere. Another great advantage of the application is the neat bottle design.

The thin nozzle gives you an extra precise application, even for the most meticulous miniature work.

This product is specially designed for miniature plastic applications and highly detailed plastic models.

Regarding performance, this glue is more than decent on most grounds. It has a strong initial tack and creates intense, unbreakable bonds.

It has a short setting time, and you won’t have to spend much time clamping the plastic pieces together.

While the final bond is permanent, remember that this glue is not highly resistant to solvents.

5. Krazy Glue KG94548R

Pros

  • extremely versatile
  • Dries clear
  • Comes with application brush
  • Comes in an anti-clog bottle

Cons

  • Not suited for smooth surfaces

This Krazy Glue product is perfect for a bunch of lightweight applications.

It’s compatible with porous plastic surfaces and metal, wood, vinyl, rubber, ceramic, leather, and more. This is why I always recommend it as one of the best glues for vinyl.

Just keep in mind that it won’t adhere well to smooth surfaces.

If you’re working with plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, you might need to prep the surfaces first.

Where this adhesive shines is in its application. It’s very easy to use for both small and wider surface areas.

Thanks to the thin applicator brush, you can easily dab the glue or swipe it over larger pieces of material.

The thin formula goes on easily and reaches deep within narrow and hard-to-reach crevices.

The anti-clog bottle keeps the brush soft and prevents the glue from drying and sticking the bristles together.

This glue is a fast setting, which results in a very short waiting time. It cures almost instantly, so there’s little to no clamping involved.

It cures clear and forms very powerful bonds but has poor heat and solvent resistance.

This glue is a cost-effective choice for small projects and porous plastic applications.

It works great to glue miniatures as well. It’s also an ideal choice to glue legos.

Tips for Gluing Plastic Toys

Gluing plastic toys and models is simple enough. All you have to do is apply the adhesive on one of the surfaces and clamp the materials together.

However, sometimes there are some additional factors you might want to keep in mind:

  • First, depending on your adhesive, you’ll want to pay attention to the clamping time required. While superglue sets almost instantly, contact types of cement need a bit longer clamping. Epoxies should be clamped for up to 24 hours because the curing process lasts much longer.
  • Also, remember to check for material compatibility. If the plastic toys you need to fix are made of hard and smooth materials like polyethylene, super glue won’t be the best choice. In that case, opt for epoxy glue or contact cement glue.
  • Don’t overlook surface prepping. Most glues won’t adhere to greasy or otherwise dirty surfaces. Clean the materials thoroughly to get rid of any debris. Sometimes, lightly sanding the surfaces you’re about to glue together is also helpful. This creates texture on an otherwise smooth surface; your glue will have something extra to adhere to.

Safety Precautions

Most glues on the market are highly toxic. Taking all the safety precautions necessary is the best way to avoid unpleasant side effects when working with such products.

  • Always read label warnings and follow the producer’s recommendations.
  • Most glues release toxic fumes during the curing process, so wearing a painting mask and eye protection is important.
  • Working in well-ventilated spaces also helps to reduce the risk of respiratory and eye irritations.
  • If you’re using superglue, always wear protective gloves. This adhesive bonds to the skin almost instantly. It’s also waterproof and resistant to most solvents. If it gets on your skin, the only way to remove it is to rip it away, which can be painful.

Wrap-up

Whether you settle for the top pick or any other adhesive on the list, these products should serve you well for most basic plastic toy repairs.

Just remember that not all glues are suitable for very smooth plastics like polyethylene.

Always double-check the label to make sure you’re getting a material-compatible adhesive.

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