<p>From personal experience I can say that this is a complicated project. You want all the pieces to stick together safely and in perfect position to avoid gaps that weren't there before.</p>
<p>I once &quot;repaired&quot; a broken ceramic object with hot glue, but the glue hardens too quickly. I couldn't press the piece into position to avoid gaps and once I made my way to the top of the object, the shards didn't align anymore and caused even more gaps.</p>
<p><strong>Super glue</strong> is ideal to hold shards in their original position, because it can flow into gaps and it dries quickly. But it can leave milky residue on surfaces and it's too brittle.</p>
<p>Another very beautiful but much more complicated way to fill the gaps is called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kintsugi</a>. It's a traditional Japanese technique that uses natural lacquer and gold powder, but you can recreate the effect with modern materials like <strong>epoxy resin and gold mica</strong>. I highly recommend watching some tutorials like <a href="https://youtu.be/eO9CnS-NqO8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this one by Alex</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/NqBI7RcsKAc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this one by Chezlin</a> and many more you can find online. Maybe you decide that highlighting the cracks with gold isn't what you want. There are also many tutorials on how to repair ceramics with epoxy glue like <a href="https://youtu.be/OUlcDThfhUU" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this one by Lakeside Pottery</a> or <a href="https://youtu.be/Rg4q0g8zXi8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this one by Ron Hazelton</a>.</p>
<p>If this technique is too complicated and you just want the pieces to stick together again, <strong>construction silicone</strong> is an ideal long-term solution because it sticks to almost anything and stays flexible after curing. You could fill small gaps with it, but it may look ugly. It's best to glue the pieces from the inside so the silicone won't be visible. You can touch and form fresh silicone with your fingers if you wet your finger in water with lots of dish washing liquid.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-03T12:52:06.533Z
Hot glue can be easier to work if you pre-warm the workpiece, but I wouldn't use it here.  I'd use epoxy.  Not that if you've got access to a side that's not on show (probably the inside of a lamp base), you can start with dots of superglue to tack the pieces into place where they do meet nicely, then use epoxy into residual cracks and over the surface that will be hidden.  Check the visible face for epoxy leakage before it hardens, and scrape off
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-03T06:34:54.163Z
2023-01-12T14:43:02.453Z
2023-01-12T14:43:02.453Z
Elmy
<p>I have had this beautiful night lamp, and it fell on the floor.</p>
<p>The lower part hit the floor, a little bit more than 1 meter deep. A part at the bottom got broken off, so it cannot stand by itself.
Original shapes are still present, though, because quite a few pieces that got broken off are large. I want to glue them back together.</p>
<p>I do not know how to approach this, but ordinary superglue wont work. because there are still some little holes that need to be filled. the important thing is, that it holds together.</p>
<p>What is the best type of adhesive material to use?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-04T20:40:40.630Z
Think of this as a two-part problem.  The suggestions from Elmy and Chris H are probably as good as you will get in terms of getting the pieces back together.  If there are still visible gaps/holes, filling those in the least visible way is really a different kind of problem, with different solutions.  It might be worth posting another question (with a picture), after making the basic repair to get recommendations for how best to hide the holes.
fixer1234
<adhesives><ceramics>
Which material should I use to fix broken glazed ceramic lamp?
Jean Pierre
# Which material should I use to fix broken glazed ceramic lamp?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-11-02)

I have had this beautiful night lamp, and it fell on the floor.

The lower part hit the floor, a little bit more than 1 meter deep. A part at the bottom got broken off, so it cannot stand by itself.
Original shapes are still present, though, because quite a few pieces that got broken off are large. I want to glue them back together.

I do not know how to approach this, but ordinary superglue wont work. because there are still some little holes that need to be filled. the important thing is, that it holds together.

What is the best type of adhesive material to use?

**Tags:** adhesives, ceramics

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Think of this as a two-part problem.  The suggestions from username_2 and username_3 are probably as good as you will get in terms of getting the pieces back together.  If there are still visible gaps/holes, filling those in the least visible way is really a different kind of problem, with different solutions.  It might be worth posting another question (with a picture), after making the basic repair to get recommendations for how best to hide the holes.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-11-03. Score: 4

From personal experience I can say that this is a complicated project. You want all the pieces to stick together safely and in perfect position to avoid gaps that weren't there before.

I once "repaired" a broken ceramic object with hot glue, but the glue hardens too quickly. I couldn't press the piece into position to avoid gaps and once I made my way to the top of the object, the shards didn't align anymore and caused even more gaps.

**Super glue** is ideal to hold shards in their original position, because it can flow into gaps and it dries quickly. But it can leave milky residue on surfaces and it's too brittle.

Another very beautiful but much more complicated way to fill the gaps is called [Kintsugi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi). It's a traditional Japanese technique that uses natural lacquer and gold powder, but you can recreate the effect with modern materials like **epoxy resin and gold mica**. I highly recommend watching some tutorials like [this one by Alex](https://youtu.be/eO9CnS-NqO8), [this one by Chezlin](https://youtu.be/NqBI7RcsKAc) and many more you can find online. Maybe you decide that highlighting the cracks with gold isn't what you want. There are also many tutorials on how to repair ceramics with epoxy glue like [this one by Lakeside Pottery](https://youtu.be/OUlcDThfhUU) or [this one by Ron Hazelton](https://youtu.be/Rg4q0g8zXi8).

If this technique is too complicated and you just want the pieces to stick together again, **construction silicone** is an ideal long-term solution because it sticks to almost anything and stays flexible after curing. You could fill small gaps with it, but it may look ugly. It's best to glue the pieces from the inside so the silicone won't be visible. You can touch and form fresh silicone with your fingers if you wet your finger in water with lots of dish washing liquid.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Hot glue can be easier to work if you pre-warm the workpiece, but I wouldn't use it here.  I'd use epoxy.  Not that if you've got access to a side that's not on show (probably the inside of a lamp base), you can start with dots of superglue to tack the pieces into place where they do meet nicely, then use epoxy into residual cracks and over the surface that will be hidden.  Check the visible face for epoxy leakage before it hardens, and scrape off  

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