Can you glue glass to plastic?

Yes if the plastic is a compatible rigid type — ABS, acrylic, PVC — and both faces are clean. Plastic onto glass is the same pair. Polyethylene and polypropylene need a primer kit; they shed ordinary epoxy.

Should I use silicone instead of epoxy on glass and plastic?

Use silicone when the plastic flexes or the joint stays wet. Epoxy is the clear rigid line for a still, indoor fit. Do not ask a flexible seal to carry bending load in the glass.

Does super glue bond glass to plastic?

Only a tiny, tight, unloaded contact on a compatible plastic. It has no gap fill, blooms a white haze on glass, and fails on PP and PE. Anything that could fall needs a better family plus a retainer.

Can glue alone hold glass on plastic?

Not when a fall could injure someone. Use clips or a frame; adhesive can locate, cushion, or seal, but the glass should stay retained if the bond fails.

More material pairs

Material pair

How to Glue Glass to Plastic

Use 2-part epoxy (clear) for most glass-to-plastic joints. Bonds a compatible rigid plastic to glass with a clear, stable glue line.

Best Adhesive for Glass to Plastic

2-part epoxy (clear)

Bonds a compatible rigid plastic to glass with a clear, stable glue line.

Not for: Flexing or movement

Reviewed and adjusted by an editor.

Why 2-part epoxy (clear) Works

Non-porous and unforgiving — any grease film or fingerprint weakens the joint and stays visible through the glass forever.
Two very different families hide under one word. Rigid PVC, ABS, and acrylic bond well; waxy PP and PE shrug off ordinary adhesives.
Cures clear and rigid, and stays waterproof.
Wets out hard plastics that ordinary glues bead off.

Preparation

How to Prepare Glass and Plastic for Gluing

Glass

Clean with isopropyl alcohol on a lint-free cloth immediately before gluing, then handle only by the edges.

Plastic

Identify the plastic first, then lightly scuff a compatible hard plastic and wipe away the dust; PP and PE need a primer system.

Conditions

When to Use Silicone Instead

If Water immersion
Use Silicone
If Flexing or movement
Use Silicone

A rigid epoxy joint suits a small, stable part. If the plastic flexes or the joint stays wet, switch to silicone and treat it as a flexible seal rather than a structural bond. PP and PE need their own primer system, whatever the glass side is doing.

Alternatives

Other Adhesives That Work

Silicone
A flexible seal for movement or persistent water exposure, not a structural connection.
Better when: Flexing or movement, Water immersion

Products

Products for Bonding Glass to Plastic

Questions

Common Questions About Gluing Glass to Plastic

Can you glue glass to plastic?: Yes if the plastic is a compatible rigid type — ABS, acrylic, PVC — and both faces are clean. Plastic onto glass is the same pair. Polyethylene and polypropylene need a primer kit; they shed ordinary epoxy.
Should I use silicone instead of epoxy on glass and plastic?: Use silicone when the plastic flexes or the joint stays wet. Epoxy is the clear rigid line for a still, indoor fit. Do not ask a flexible seal to carry bending load in the glass.
Does super glue bond glass to plastic?: Only a tiny, tight, unloaded contact on a compatible plastic. It has no gap fill, blooms a white haze on glass, and fails on PP and PE. Anything that could fall needs a better family plus a retainer.
Can glue alone hold glass on plastic?: Not when a fall could injure someone. Use clips or a frame; adhesive can locate, cushion, or seal, but the glass should stay retained if the bond fails.