If you want to fasten stainless steel somewhere, screwing and welding naturally come to mind first. You might also think of brazing stainless steel - for fine joints, as with stainless steel jewellery. What does not occur to most people is gluing stainless steel. Yet there are applications where that is precisely the optimum joint, and you gain many advantages by relying on an adhesive bond.
Since we deal with stainless steel constantly, we want to explain here where and how stainless steel can be glued, so that you can consider carefully which method to use to fasten a sheet or a bent sheet of stainless steel in your project. One thing we can tell you right away: not everything can be glued - load capacity sets certain limits. In return, wherever you can rely on stainless steel adhesive, you have a quick, clean solution at hand.
What are the advantages of gluing stainless steel?
Before we look at how to glue stainless steel correctly, let us highlight why this fastening method can be advantageous. Unlike welding or riveting, gluing stainless steel is invisible: no unsightly weld seams or rivets are created. That is decisive wherever appearance matters. Gluing stainless steel also offers an advantage in total weight: both rivets and welding material add extra weight to the workpiece - one reason why stainless steel is often glued in model making.
In some areas, safety also plays a role. If welding or brazing is not possible at a workplace for safety reasons, gluing stainless steel comes into play as a hazard-free alternative. Gluing also works if you want to join different materials - plastic and stainless steel, for example. Even gluing stainless steel to concrete is possible, and even very thin sheets can be fastened with adhesive.
Where can stainless steel be glued?
Much like stainless steel itself, gluing stainless steel is suitable for many environments. Since a silicone-based adhesive is usually used, gluing also works very well outdoors: both silicone and stainless steel are waterproof, and thanks to silicone's sealing effect, you can even obtain an absolutely watertight joint.
If you want to glue stainless steel instead of welding it, you can also do so in areas with considerable heat development. Silicone-based stainless steel adhesives are heat-resistant, though not fireproof - so they should not be used for building a stove. For the cover of an electric motor, however, their temperature resistance is sufficient.
Which adhesives are used?
There are various adhesives suitable for joining stainless steel to stainless steel or to another material. Superglue, which many use as an all-rounder in the household, is expressly not among them. We can recommend the following adhesive types for stainless steel:
Silicone adhesive
This comes in two variants: as a one-component and as a two-component adhesive. The base is a silicon compound, divided into neutral-curing and acetoxy-curing silicones. Thanks to its flexibility, silicone adhesive is suitable wherever joining and sealing are both required. Application and dosing are relatively easy.
MMA adhesive
This is a two-component adhesive based on methacrylate. It is known as an all-round adhesive but is particularly well suited to gluing stainless steel to plastic. Thanks to their low surface tension, MMA bonds are incredibly stable.
STPU polymer adhesive
This adhesive is based on polyurethane and is a hybrid assembly adhesive, available as one-component and two-component versions. The difference lies in processing and curing: while a one-component STPU polymer adhesive cures with the help of ambient moisture, the two-component variant cures through the reaction of the two components. Because this adhesive remains flexible even after curing, it is - like silicone-based stainless steel adhesive - suitable for joints where stress must be compensated.
Double-sided adhesive tapes
If you need large bonding areas, you can use double-sided adhesive tapes based on acrylate adhesive. They are very well suited to stainless steel in combination with almost all materials.
The right preparation matters
If you want to join stainless steel using stainless steel adhesive, a few preparations are necessary. The area that comes into contact with the adhesive must be dust-free and clean - this also applies when joining stainless steel to another material. It is advisable first to clean the bonding area with a broom or hand brush and then also to wipe off fingerprints and other residues.
Particular attention must be paid to gluing stainless steel when food-safe work is required - for example in commercial kitchens or the food industry. Here you must use special cleaners approved for areas where food is processed.
Where do you get the materials for gluing stainless steel?
A distinction must be made here. The adhesive for stainless steel can be bought in any full-range DIY store. It is considerably more difficult to purchase the right stainless steel sheets - these are not common merchandise. If a DIY store offers stainless steel sheet at all, it will only be in fixed sizes, and to reach the right dimensions you would then have to cut it yourself.
Alternatively, you can of course order made-to-measure sheets from us. We have specialised in processing stainless steel sheets and offer surface treatment and forming in addition to cutting. From us you get not only sheets, but also stainless steel angle sheet and other stainless steel profiles.
We deliver quickly and reliably
Our ordering process ensures that you get the optimum alloy for your intended use - depending on where it will be used, the composition of the stainless steel matters. From us, you naturally get heat-resistant stainless steel as well as stainless steel that is resistant to seawater. Our sales team will advise you on the phone without obligation and determine together with you which alloy you need.
You are quoted a price for your individual sheet immediately - for private customers just as for key accounts. Thanks to our lean production processes, we can also accept small orders and produce them within 48 hours. Including shipping, you only need to allow a few days until you hold a sheet made individually to your specifications. All that remains is to glue the stainless steel so it can be put to its intended use.
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