How to Glue Plastic to Wood: The Very Best Methods

Plastic is notoriously hard to glue because there are so many different types of plastic and depending on the type it can be easy or very hard to create a strong bond between them. Glueing Plastic to wood is unsurprisingly a little more complicated than it might initially seem mainly because of the Plastic and all the different kinds of Plastics there are. But I tried a whole lot of methods and I found a few types of glue, that work with almost every Plastic type.

For gluing plastic to wood the best type of glue is Epoxy. It works on almost every type of plastic and it creates a very strong bond. Hot Glue can also be used but it will not be as strong as epoxy. Depending on the type of plastic, Super Glue can also be used, but it will not work on every type of plastic.

Gluing Plastic to Wood With Epoxy

Let´s firstly take a look at my number one choice for gluing Plastic to Wood which is Epoxy.

Epoxy is a two-compound mix, that hardens into a resin plastic. It creates a very strong bond and will stick to pretty much any plastic, except some very specific industry-grade plastics maybe.

The only downside to using Epoxy is that it is slightly toxic while it isn´t completely dry yet and it is a little bit harder to work with than regular types of glues. So make sure to use it in a well-ventilated area only.

You can get Epoxy Glue at pretty much any hardware store or right here on Amazon.

Depending on the type of Epoxy you either have to mix it yourself or it will come in a kind of double syringe where the epoxy gets mixed as you apply it.

If you have to mix the Epoxy yourself, then check the instructions for the right ratio in which to mix the hardener with the Epoxy.

Once you have mixed your epoxy simply apply it to either the wood or the plastic, depending on which side makes more sense, and press both parts together. Epoxy doesn´t initially adhere all that well but once it is dry it will have created a very strong bond.

Depending on the type of Epoxy it can take anywhere between 10 and 24 hours until it is completely hardened.

Gluing Plastic to Wood With Hot Glue

Hot glue is a very popular glue, especially amongst hobby crafters. I personally use it for a lot of different crafts and I simply love it but Hot glue is not the one glue for everything.

So when it comes to gluing plastic to wood it can create a very good and strong bond but it is not a perfect solution.

First of all, Hot Glue does not work on every type of plastic, there are some plastics out there where it will simply not stick. These are mainly very heat-resistant plastics.

That being said it will still work on most common plastic types.

You should not use Hot Glue if the Plastic is going to be sitting outside or if it is being hit by sunlight regularly and for long periods of time.

If Hot Glue gets warm again then it will melt eventually and the bond, created between the plastic and the wood, will weaken eventually.

To Hot Glue plastic to wood simply apply the Hot Glue to the plastic first (it needs to be really hot or it might not hold otherwise) and then quickly press it down on the wood.

It will only take a couple of minutes until it has cooled down. Once it is cooled down it should have created a strong bond.

You can buy a hot glue gun at your local hardware store or right here on Amazon.

If the Plastic can be removed with just a little force then Hot Glue might be the wrong choice for that type of plastic and you may have to either use Epoxy or Super Glue.

Using Super Glue for Gluing Plastic to Wood

Super Glue is an amazing Glue. It is easy to use, not very expensive, you can get a lot of different types in any hardware store, and Super Glue can be very strong too. I personally love to use it for a lot of my projects but you need to know what it can and can´t glue in order for it to be effective.

It is Possible to glue Plastic to wood with the right type of Super Glue and that is the part where it gets a little complicated. In order to successfully glue plastic to wood with Super Glue you first have to identify the type of Plastic, that you want to glue.

Then you have to choose the right type of Super Glue for that type of plastic. Not every type of Plastic can be Super Glued.

I have another article about gluing Plastics to each other. In that article, I have created a Table, where you can see how to identify the type of plastic and what type of glue works on it.

Once you have identified the type of plastic and the right Super Glue for it its time to prepare the wood and the Plastic.

For an optimal result, you first have to rough up the area on the wood where you want to glue the plastic to.

Simply use some sandpaper and lightly sand the area. Make sure, that both parts sit flush to one another to give the Super Glue enough surface area.

Once you have prepared everything simply apply a thin layer of superglue to either the wood or the plastic and then press both parts together.

After a few hours, depending on the type of super Glue that you used, the Glue will be completely dry and both parts will be bonded together permanently.

Gluing Wood to Plastic With Contact Cement

Contact Cement is one of my all-time favorite glues. I use it primarily for gluing EVA-Foam, thicker Fabrics, and sometimes Plastics. Contact Cement is an easy-to-use glue that can create a very strong bond when it is used correctly.

You can use contact cement on a wide variety of different plastics but it needs a big surface area in order to create a strong bond.

So you can use contact cement to glue plastic to wood it the surface area, that is being glued, is big but you should not use it when you only have a few contact areas.

Only use contact cement in a well-ventilated area!

You can get contact cement in pretty much every crafts store and in every hardware store or right here on Amazon.

Apply a thin layer of contact cement on both parts. Then wait for one to two minutes until the glue is dry to the touch but still a little bit tacky.

Then carefully align both parts up and press them together. Once both parts made contact they will adhere almost instantly to each other. It will still take up to 12 hours until the contact cement has completely dried. Once it has dried the bond will be very strong and permanent.

What is the Best Glue to Attach Plastic to Wood?

I have tried a lot of different glues for gluing Plastic to Wood. Some worked well, some didn´t work at all, some only worked sometimes and only one glue seemed to work pretty much every time. To spare you the time looking for the right type of glue for yourself I wrote this article just for you.

The best glue to attach plastic to wood is epoxy. Epoxy will stick to almost every type of plastic and it adheres very well to every type of wood. It will create a very strong bond once it is hardened. It is the best choice for gluing Plastic to Wood if the type of Plastic is unknown.

In the end, the best, most reliable, and surprisingly easiest way to glue Plastic to Wood is using Epoxy.

It almost doesn´t matter what type of plastic you want to glue or how much surface area you have, epoxy will create a strong and permanent bond.

Does Wood Glue Stick to Plastic?

The short answer is, wood glue does not work on Plastic. Wood Glue is a glue, that only works on porous and water absorbent materials like wood. Plastic, however, does neither of these things. So Wood Glue will not work on any type of Plastic.