Silicone is a peculiar material that doesn’t work for any material.

Silicone is difficult to work with; only specific adhesives can bond it safely and for longer periods.

Below, I’ll tell you several types of glue you can use to bond silicone to other materials.

It’ll be an easy process if you follow the steps outlined in this article.

If your project involves silicone, you need an easy-to-use, durable, strong, and flexible adhesive.

There aren’t too many types of glue that fit these criteria, but fortunately, I found the best of them!

Keep reading to find out more!

Our guide on gluing PEX to CPVC will provide you with additional information.

What Is Silicone?

Silicone is simple and complicated, a material that takes on a rubber-like texture at room temperature.

You can use it for many things, including manufacturing gaskets and seals in machinery, making sealants and caulking, or coating fabrics.

To fill cracks or gaps that will be exposed to rough water, silicone is an ideal solution!

There are many types of silicone, some of which are contact cement or adhesive primer.

However, every type of silicone works better for specific situations.

Many factors will determine what glue to use, such as materials used, climate conditions, the permanence of the bond, and so on.

Simply put, you can use silicone glue to bond silicone to a surface, create adhesive seals to prevent leaks, create durable and flexible sealants that can withstand heat, and replace old silicone that has deteriorated.

You can use silicone for most porous surfaces, including concrete, stone, ceramics, and grout.

Types of Glue for Silicone

Essentially, there are three main types of plastic glue you can use to bond silicone to other materials:

Silicone Adhesive

Silicone adhesive can take the form of gel, liquid, or paste and will cure with the help of UV light to form a flexible bond.

Check out our UV glue guide for more info.

The good thing about silicone adhesive is its versatility. You can use it on vinyl, ceramic tiles, glass, or metal, but I wouldn’t recommend using it on wood or plastics.

You can find more info on vinyl glue and glass glues in the linked guides.

Silicone adhesive is very difficult to remove once it has cured, so I recommend extra attention when using it.

Only professionals generally use it for construction work, but nothing’s stopping you from using it at home for general repairs.

Caulk

You’ve probably used caulk in the bathroom and kitchen. It’s a great adhesive for bonding silicone, though.

Of course, there are several varieties of caulk, including acrylic polyurethanes, latex, and more.

A silicone caulk adhesive is water-based and only cures with the presence of moisture.

Thankfully, this type of glue is very inexpensive and accessible to anyone, but it’s just as hard to remove once cured as silicone adhesives.

If you apply too much, you’ll be in trouble.

Silicone Sealant

This last type of adhesive cures only in the air, and the curing process takes 24 hours.

Silicone sealant is a thin adhesive that works on most non-porous surfaces and porous materials like plastic.

Its only downside is that it dries too fast, so it’s not great for larger surfaces where you need more time to spread the glue evenly.

Best Silicone Glue – What to Pick

Here I will list the best glue for silicone based on my personal experience.

1. Silicone Rubber Caulk

With this silicone rubber caulk on hand, you won’t have to worry about bonding silicone ever again.

It’s a 100% silicone sealant that’s permanently weatherproof once dried and cured.

This means you can safely use it for outdoor applications without worrying about water or humidity.

Silicone Rubber Caulk is a versatile adhesive used for baseboards, sides, doors, windows, trimming, pipes, ventilation, and various cellar or attic applications.

It can bond to plastic, glass, wood, metal, vinyl siding, and plaster-to-plaster.

It also meets all Federal specifications and will fill every nook and cranny once you use it.

It’s a bit hard to squeeze, but once you get used to it, Silicone Rubber Caulk is very easy to use and accessible.

2. 3M Scotch-Weld

This instant adhesive is loved by all professionals who work in construction. It’s easy to use, strong, and extremely durable in harsh weather conditions.

It can also bond to multiple substrates like rubber and plastic, and its bond is long-lasting regardless of the surface you use.

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

Its precision applicator uses a pinching concept to apply small drops where you need them.

Alternatively, you can squeeze the bottle to apply a steadier adhesive flow.

Either way, this adhesive has a low viscosity and is very strong, which makes it great for silicone applications.

3M Scotch-Weld cures very fast, so you’ll be done with your project in no time!

3. Loctite Clear Silicone Waterproof Sealant

I recommend this silicone for all applications that must be flexible and durable simultaneously.

Loctite Clear Silicone Waterproof Sealant creates a permanent bond that remains flexible and durable even in extreme weather conditions.

You shouldn’t worry about humidity with this glue!

Loctite Sealant is a silicone glue, and it’s impact-resistant and will also not crack, peel, or shrink.

It works in various applications, such as attaching sinks in the kitchen or plumbing fixtures together.

You can make waterproof seals on your tub in the bathroom or just about anywhere that’s at risk of leaking water.

Loctite Clear Silicone Waterproof Sealant is a great adhesive to bond silicone and makes waterproof seals when you need them!

4. Gorilla Silicone Sealant Caulk

This adhesive is one of the most versatile glues out there. It can easily fill the gaps and cracks between two surfaces.

You can also use it on various materials such as toilets, gutters, doors, bathtubs, windows, and more.

Moreover, Gorilla Silicone Sealant Caulk is 100% waterproof, making it ideal for outdoor applications.

The adhesive will also never yellow or shrink with it. At most, it can peel off or deteriorate if too many years pass.

You won’t need to reapply it too soon, though, since Gorilla Silicone Sealant Caulk is extremely durable and long-living.

However, you may have a problem using the applicator if you’re not used to these things.

5. BAZIC Silicone Glue

If you’re into home improvements or need to repair something around the house, BAZIC Silicone Glue is your best bet.

It’s very durable and boasts incredible water resistance. This glue is 100% waterproof and resistant to cracks and impacts.

It will set very quickly and is also latex-free.

However, BAZIC Silicone Glue is not very strong. Even though you can use it for lightweight applications like scrapbooking layouts or other artistic projects, it won’t work on heavyweight applications.

Still, it’s a good enough silicone glue for most household applications that you’ll go through.

How to Use Silicone Glue

Before you do any gluing, you first need to prepare the working surfaces. Silicone won’t bond to just any material, and if it’s dirty, the bond will be even weaker.

Here are a few tips and tricks you can try when preparing the surfaces:

• Clean and dry the two surfaces perfectly
• When gluing two surfaces that don’t touch each other, you don’t need to use any adhesive at the joints. Glue them together, and the pressure will do the rest.
• For applications that come into contact, you’ll need to secure the joints using liquid latex (or caulking). This will create a durable waterproof barrier because the water often penetrates through the silicon seam.
• Apply liquid latex or caulking on the underside of the silicone sheet, as well. The reasoning is the same as above.
• Silicone glue is best used to joint sheets that come into contact and aren’t put under pressure.

You need to know how to use silicone to glue two surfaces together. First off, apply some silicone drops on both surfaces and let it set for 20 seconds.

Then, clamp them together until there’s no gap between the materials. If any air bubbles get between the two surfaces, they will eventually expand and damage the bond.

When silicone cures, air tends to expand, creating stress points between the two surfaces.

They’ll be much more likely to break apart in the future. After you’ve clamped the two surfaces, let them set for a few more minutes.

The curing process will take anywhere between one hour to four hours.

If you want to double-check the bonds and be sure the surfaces are well-bonded, try to pull on both sides gently and see if they come apart.

The bond is good enough if there aren’t any gaps or signs that they may come apart.

Wrap Up

With this guide, you have everything you need to use silicone like a true professional.

I recommend Silicone Rubber Caulk because it’s both durable and waterproof.

Its formula is specially made for sealing leaks and outdoor projects, so it’s a great adhesive for any silicone-dependent project!