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Piece by piece

Pottery glue: Restore your pride and joy!

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The feeling of dread when we drop a favourite piece of crockery and watch it break is palpable. With the right pottery glue at your disposal, however, it should only last a few seconds before the fixing begins. 

Pottery glue: The lowdown

Whether it’s a fruit bowl, plant pot or even a coffee mug you’ve cherished since the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, we’ve all got a favourite piece of pottery in our homes. But they also come with the potential for heartbreak at any moment, due to their inherent weakness to bangs, knocks and drops.

Thanks to some of the best glues for pottery, should the worst occur, you no longer have to throw a beloved item in the bin. Instead, just a small amount of pottery glue can have that bowl, pot or mug seamlessly pieced back together and looking almost as good as the day you bought it. 

A pair of hands holds two pieces of a broken orange candleholder.
Repairing broken pottery saves time and money

How to select the best glue for broken pottery

As we’re dealing with household items that, ultimately, have significant sentimental value, any ordinary glue just won’t do. You want the best glue for pottery for the best possible repair. Loctite’s Super Glue Liquid Precision comes with an extra long nozzle for the most accurate application and is perfect for both porous and non-porous materials like china and porcelain, as well as metal, rubber, leather, wood and plastic. It dries transparent, is shock resistant to form the strongest bond possible and – most importantly for crockery and dishes – is water and dishwasher resistant.

If the repair job is a big one and you require plenty of glue to go around, Loctite’s Super Glue Liquid Precision Max comes in a larger bottle.

Pottery glue: A step by step user’s guide

So a breakage has occurred, you’ve picked up the pieces and selected the best glue for broken pottery. To revive any broken item, simply follow these steps:

1. Prepare. Lay all the pieces you are gluing out on a clean, flat surface. To ensure the best possible repair, clean off any dirt and dust. A damp cloth may suffice, but a sponge and hot water with dishwasher soap can be used if necessary. Dry every piece before beginning.

2. Practice. You only have one shot at getting the repair right, so you need to know exactly where each piece goes before letting the pottery glue anywhere near them. To do this, dry-fit the pieces together.

A person attaches a broken piece to a green ceramic cactus.
Give your broken vases and crockery a new lease of life with pottery glue

3. Glue. Carefully and with a steady hand, squeeze a small drop or thin line of pottery glue onto the broken surface area of one of the pieces, then press both pieces together and manipulate to get the best fit.

4. Clean. Don’t worry if there’s any excess pottery glue where you’ve bonded the pieces together – it can be easily cleaned off with Loctite Glue Remover. Lightly cover the excess with glue remover, then place a folded tissue on the treated area and leave for several hours. Remove the tissue, wipe the area clean with a fresh one, wash it with a cloth or sponge and dry.

Products used

  • Loctite Glue Remover Packshot
    LOCTITE SUPERGLUE Glue Remover

    LOCTITE Glue Remover: Easily tackles adhesive mishaps! Efficiently removes glues, stains, and labels. Non-drip gel formula for versatile applications.

  • ${/content/heliux/adhesive/loctite-consumer/gb/en/products/central-pdp#/loctite-superglue-precision-max/SAP_0201DCLSGZ77/searchResult.productFields.variants.variantMainImageAlt}
    LOCTITE SUPERGLUE Precision Max

    LOCTITE Precision Max: Ideal for precise applications. Instant strength, transparent drying, waterproof, heatproof, and shock-resistant.

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