Okay, so the other day I was trying to get this plastic shelf up on my brick wall in the garage. I figured it would be a piece of cake, but boy, was I wrong.
I started by looking around for what I could use to stick these things together. I mean, plastic and brick? That’s like oil and water, right? But I’ve got to make it work. I did some digging, I read that cleaning both surfaces is key. So I grabbed a rag and some cleaner and went at it. I scrubbed the plastic shelf until it was squeaky clean and did the same for the brick wall section. I figured, the cleaner, the better, so maybe it’ll stick.
Then, I remembered reading something about scratching the plastic surface a bit. The idea is to give the glue more to grab onto. I thought it is worth a shot. I lightly scratched the back of the plastic shelf with some sandpaper, just to make it a bit rough.
Choosing the Adhesive
Next up was figuring out what glue to use. Someone mentioned silicone glue, saying it’s good for heavy-duty stuff and even works underwater. I thought, maybe I need that for brick and plastic. But then I saw another suggestion about using something called “Bostik High Tack” for foamed PVC to concrete or brick. My shelf isn’t foamed PVC, but it got me thinking that maybe a strong adhesive like that would be good.
- Cleaned both surfaces thoroughly.
- Lightly scratched the plastic for better grip.
- Considered silicone glue but leaned towards a stronger adhesive.
I also learned that knowing what type of plastic you’re dealing with is important. Like, is it PVC, PP, or ABS? I checked my shelf, and it was PVC. I did read that epoxy adhesives are strong, so that was something to think about, too.
The Application
I ended up getting a tube of construction adhesive that claimed to work on both brick and plastic. Following the instructions, I applied a generous amount to the back of the shelf. I carefully positioned the shelf on the brick wall where I had cleaned and pressed it firmly. I even used some heavy boxes to hold it in place while it dried. I left it overnight, just to be sure.
The next morning, I cautiously removed the boxes. And guess what? It held! I tugged at it a bit, and it was solid. That shelf isn’t going anywhere. So, yeah, it took a bit of research and some elbow grease, but I managed to stick plastic to brick. Who would have thought?
