Fix Almost Anything with Clear Gorilla Glue!
Learn how to use clear Gorilla Glue to fix a glass dessert plate! Gorilla Glue bonds glass, wood, stone, metal, ceramic, foam, and more. Indoor/outdoor use.
Have you ever broken something you really didn’t want to break? My intention is never to break anything, but it happens – and recently I dropped a relatively new glass dessert plate that my mother gave me as a housewarming gift. Luckily I was able to fix it with Clear Gorilla Glue®!
I was pulling the dessert plate out of an upper cabinet to use, and it slipped out of my hand and dropped and hit the top of the fridge. It wasn’t enough to shatter the item (thank goodness!) but it was enough to break off a portion of the stand. I was SO upset.
I quickly realized, “wait a second – Clear Gorilla Glue!” Yes . . . Gorilla Glue makes a very strong crystal clear formula perfect for bonding glass together. I realized this would be a perfect application for the glue and would save my dessert plate.
Why Gorilla Glue?
I’ve always had success with Gorilla Glue for home repairs and for various DIY projects that I’ve done. I was sure that if I tried the clear formula, it would work well – and I was right! What drew me in was that it’s crystal clear (perfect for glass like this!) and it doesn’t foam or expand. So for a small fix like this one, the clear Gorilla Glue was exactly what I needed.
Not only does it bond glass, it bonds wood, stone, metal, ceramic, foam, and more. This formula works both indoors and outdoors, and it’s really easy to dispense from the bottle (which is not true of all glues!). Here’s how I fixed my dessert plate! This was the before with the bottom of the plate stem broken off cleanly.
Step One: I made sure everything is clean and dry, and added clear Gorilla Glue to the stem.
You don’t need a lot of glue, but enough to cover the area.
Step Two: I secured the stem back to the plate and wiped away the excess glue that came out the sides.
Step Three: I set my dessert plate top down on a hard, flat surface. You can clamp or place a heavy item on top to keep everything secure. I used a small, heavy book.
After 24 hours, my dessert plate is fully secure and ready to use. I can even hand wash it again!
Here are some additional questions you might have about the product.
How Long Does it Take Gorilla Glue to Dry?
This glue takes about 2 hours to dry, but then about 24 hours to reach full cure (fully dry). Clamps are recommended, or heavy items to keep the pressure on the items you’re gluing. I noticed that the base of my dessert plate was pretty secure in about 15 minutes! However I left it to dry overnight just to be sure.
Is it Water Resistant?
Yes! It’s highly water resistant but not recommended for continued water exposure. You can definitely use it outdoors, but you wouldn’t want your project in an area where water is on it constantly. Screen porches or covered areas are perfect!
Can you Remove Gorilla Glue?
Wipe off the excess glue after applying and securing your item – you can also use paint thinner while it’s wet. If it’s dry you’ll want to remove the excess with a chisel or sandpaper. I recommend sandpaper if you’re working with glass just so you don’t break the item again!
If you love Gorilla Glue and use it around your home, I’d love to hear what you do with it in the comments. Also let me know if you’d love to try the clear formula! You can purchase the clear formula from your local Home Depot!
I use Gorilla glue. They have a glue for any purpose.
I use Gorilla Glue to glue magnets on things. 🙂
Love this stuff. So handy to have around the house.
Thanks for sharing. I love this idea!
I had no there was CLEAR Gorilla Glue. Thanks for the heads up!
Clear? Wow. Now maybe people won’t know when I break things.
I have a pink depression glass bowl that has about a 3 x 3 chunk broken out. Will Clear Gorilla Glue work on depression glass?
Hi Diane! Yes it will. However I can’t say that it will become an invisible crack. The glue will dry clear but you’ll probably be able to see the break unless it’s in an inconspicuous area!
Would this work to blue big glass pieces, like a teapot and glass plates and vases to make a bird bath?
Hmmm – I’m not sure. It would work if you glued the pieces to some sort of base that acted as the bath. And it definitely holds glass together very well. So I’d do a little test in the direction that you want things to go and see if it holds. My guess would be yes.
I had both “horns” break off a Swarsky Horned Owl. There is no way to clamp the “horns” after I glue them back on. Will the clear Gorilla glue still work if they aren’t clamped? Or will the horns slide out of position before drying? Any suggestions? The piece is about 3 to 4 inches tall.
Hi Karen! WHat I do in those instances is use painter’s tape to hold it on. Yes, it’s likely to slide. I would at least try to use something to hold it on OR adjust the owl in a way so that the horn is glued on straight up and down and not at an angle, so it doesn’t slide off.
I have a question. I have just started using Clear Gorilla Glue in making jewelry, but some of my glass that I use to over small paintings I use in pendants gets glue on the outside if the glass pendant. Any suggestion for getting it off. I didn’t notice until it had dried.
I would try either using a razor to scrape it off or paint thinner/nail polish remover. If it can be done, I’m not sure. One tip to recommend from jewelers – a lot of them apply their glue with a toothpick to help with being more exact and not getting it everywhere. Says the girl who gets glue everywhere (me!)
I used to say Duct tape and super glue fixes everything, but now I live by Gorilla Glue. From tools, to my favorite coffee cup, my newest project is an old wood bird house, that is been in the weather and falling apart. Haven’t tried the tape or adhesive spray yet, but I’d love to check them out.
It’s so true! Lol. The tape and spray are awesome!
Can I use it to fix something that goes in an aquarium?
Hi Cathy! I looked it up and my search said you should find a “aquarium safe silicone sealant.” NOW, some of the posts say that you can use Gorilla Glue in an aquarium once it is fully cured, and if the main ingredient is cyanoacrylate and not polyurethane. I recommend checking with Gorilla Glue themselves. My guess is they have some GG’s that will work but I would hate to give you the wrong advice and hurt any fish. Please reach out to them! Thank you.
Question here, would clear gorilla glue work to fix a broken glass candle jar? Or would it get too hot?
Hi Crystal! This is a great question. I did some looking up and it says that Gorilla Glue formulas can withstand to 200F . . . and that candle jar glass can withstand to 250F. I doubt the candle jar ever gets that hot. Having said that, it seems like it’s close enough. I would try it. And of course, don’t leave unattended!
While I love Gorilla Glue in general as a product. however, The Gorilla Glue Clear really hasn’t lived up to expectations. I have used it in several different applications and really has preformed quite poorly.
#1. I was trying to increase the strength of the adhesive on the back of strip lighting that i was placing under the backseats of my car. The seats are leather and the backing was plastic, but it failed to hold the lights up even after the 24 hours. Classic super glue worked much better.
#2. I was trying to glue Cotten balls to a plastic water bottle and was pretty much worthless.
#3. Right now, I am attempting to glue 2 plastic pieces together, we’ll see how it is in 24 hours.
But all said, I’d buy a different glue from Gorilla.
Thanks for the feedback Nick! I like that you are trying different materials. For me I have used it around the house for glass, ceramic, wood and those applications work well. I’m wondering if the liquid bonding would work for your applications!
Can I use the Gorilla super glue to adhere metal bails to glass pieces?
Thanks,Denise
My guess is you could but with the beating that jewelry usually takes I would use a specific jewelry glue like this one: https://www.amazon.com/E6000-242001-Jewelry-Bead-Adhesive/dp/B00F2KPF3U/
I used the clear gorilla glue to bond a glass tower for my outside garden. It in the begining it dryed clear
A few days outside it clouded up.What went wrong,?