Best glue for MDF

jlm29 · 10-12-2019 1:14am #1

I have a Christmas decoration made from mdf (it’s a Santa sleigh, about 1cm thick). My 2 year old wrecking ball got at it, and there’s a piece that hasn’t quite snapped off, but is cracking and threatening to do so.
What’s the best type of glue for this? I don’t want to wreck it by using the wrong product on the mdf!

looksee · 10-12-2019 9:06am

Well I would use PVA/wood glue, maybe there are better options? However you can only glue adjacent fibres together so just gluing might not be entirely successful. I suspect you may need a bit of support on it. One possibility - and I can't see the problem so may not be right - would be to 'bandage' it with a bit of papier mache.

Use narrow, torn paper strips (not cut, tear with the grain of the paper and you will get nice straight, soft edged strips). You need a soft paper like old telephone directory or cheap newsprint, not copier or glossy or heavily sized paper. Use 2" strips of paper, apply pva to the surface of the straightened mdf and apply a strip of paper like a bandage. brush it on with your pva brush so it is soaked and lies very flat with no creases. Apply a few more so that the entire damaged area is covered - you are making a thin cast, like for a broken leg. Apply the last layer - you will need about 3 layers - with your fingers so there is minimum glue on the outside. This is so it will paint without cracking or bubbling.

kadman · 10-12-2019 3:49pm

Re attach the decoraction to a backing piece of hardboard or lite MDF

jlm29 · 10-12-2019 4:49pm

He has actually managed to get his hands in it, and broken off the part that was cracked, and now I can’t find it (wah!!!). It actually doesn’t look too bad, if the missing bit doesn’t turn up, i might just sand off the rough edge and leave it as is.

looksee · 10-12-2019 7:37pm

Attrition by toddler.

jlm29 · 10-12-2019 8:32pm

Heart is broken. We put up the tree on Saturday, and I’ve been hoovering up broken baubles ever since. I thought the breakable ones were out of reach, but his hands seem to extend like inspector gadget’s. Nothing is safe.

smelly sock · 10-12-2019 8:33pm

Gorilla wood glue.

FrancieBrady · 10-12-2019 8:36pm

jlm29 · 10-12-2019 10:10pm

He would see that as a challenge

jlm29 · 16-12-2019 11:09pm

I found the piece and tried gorilla glue, but it didn’t look like it was going to stay. So I (kind of) took the idea of attaching the decoration to a piece of hardwood. I glued a lollipop stick along the back securing the broken piece to the main body. I’ll have to be extra careful when packing away what’s left of the decorations from now on ðŸ˜‚

Best glue for MDF

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