How to glue rubber to steel

[Jennifer Murphy]

I have a very old, but lovable children's table and chair set. The table and the chairs have heavy metal legs, which look like steel and appear to be solid (not tubes). Each one has a little white cap or foot made of (I think) rubber. Some of the feet are cracked or split and some are just loose. I have tried taping them, but it doesn't last and looks awful.

Is there a glue that will permanently stick these rubber feet to the metal legs? I have some T-88, but the list it works on does not include either metal or rubber.

Thanks

[DD_BobK]

How about a photo of the situation?

Diameter of leg material? Does the tube leg terminate with no change in diameter, no footpad?

cheers Bob

[Smitty Two]

I'd be shopping for new feet, instead. The rubber is shot, as evidenced by the cracking, and loss of grip. The first place I'd look is McMaster Carr, just because it's convenient, but not necessarily because they'd have a large selection. (There is probably a website called rubberfeet dot com, although I haven't actually tried it.)

[Jennifer Murphy]

Thanks for the link. I was hoping someone had personal experience they could relate.

[Jennifer Murphy]

The legs are just under 0.5 in diameter. The feet have a rounded bottom, and are only about an inch long. The legs go just over half an inch into the feet.

[Jennifer Murphy]

I have looked around a little at local hardware stores. But I'd like to keep the original feet, if possible.

[mike]

Depends on whether you need structural strength or to just keep it from falling off. I use the stuff used to hold rubber weatherstripping on your car door. Holds rubber well, but it's not very strong.

[HeyBub]

Not possible. Rubber-type material almost always deteriorates. First it gets hard and brittle, then cracks, and eventually turns to dust.

[Stormin Mormon]

If you don't get any other ideas, please consider a good brand of silicone caulk. That can be adhesive, and also rather flexible.

GE brand is good. My experience with latex caulk, Dow is wow, Dap is crap.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

The legs are just under 0.5 in diameter. The feet have a rounded bottom, and are only about an inch long. The legs go just over half an inch into the feet.

[Jennifer Murphy]

Then maybe this is not rubber. It's not at all hard or brittle. Most of then are just a little loose. The ones that are cracked or split just have small cracks around the edges, probably from being taken on and off many times.

[Jennifer Murphy]

Auto supply store? Brand name?

[dadiOH]

Better to replace them if you can. Look for cane/crutch tips.

[Frank]

I agree with others comments that feet are degraded. Original adhesion was probably just a friction fit as feet are kept in place by weight of the chairs and table.

Personally, what I might try is Gorilla glue. Gorilla glue is a polyurethane that cures with moisture and expands due to carbon dioxide evolution. After applying, I'd bind tightly and let it glue everything together - plastic to steel and plastic to plastic. If feet are degrading, this would not be a permanent fix but might last a few years.

[Frank]

I agree with others comments that feet are degraded. Original adhesion was probably just a friction fit as feet are kept in place by weight of the chairs and table.

Personally, what I might try is Gorilla glue. Gorilla glue is a polyurethane that cures with moisture and expands due to carbon dioxide evolution. After applying, I'd bind tightly and let it glue everything together - plastic to steel and plastic to plastic. If feet are degrading, this would not be a permanent fix but might last a few years.

[Dave M.]

Jenny,

Auto supply store. Permatex brand. Weather Strip Cement.

Dave M.

[TomR]

I would suggest not using Gorilla glue. That will dry in the wrong color and will end up being brittle and will just crack.

[TomR]

I think you need something that has adhesive properties and also stays slightly flexible when dry. And, since the rubber feet are white, something that is either white or clear would probably be best.

There are white silicone caulks, but if they don't say "adhesive" caulk, they probably won't have the adhesive quality that you need. So, something that is just 100% silicone caulk and doesn't say "adhesive" caulk probably won't work.

Here are a few examples of what I think may work:

.

What I would do is go to a Home Depot and look in the paints section for glues and adhesives and look for products with the qualities I mentioned above -- stays flexible, adhesive quality, and dries either clear or white.

Good luck.

[Evan]

Definitely need to see a photo of the furniture, it sounds like it is older school type chairs...

In that case the part you are looking for is called a "glide" and it is made of nylon not rubber as a pad of rubber on a chair foot would mark most of the types of flooring such furniture was designed to be used on...

The entire foot assembly is one unit, you can not repair or attempt to re-glue the little white pad back on the bottom once it cracks or comes off, you just take that entire foot off and replace it with a new one as the pads are not glued in place, they are crimped/ press fit into the bottom of the foot...

This webpage will give you an idea of the type of foot I am describing:

Please confirm this is the type of feet used on your chairs and table or host a photo of your chair's legs and link to the picture here in a response...

These items are generally not stocked in any hardware store but some of the better independent hardware stores might be willing to order them for you if you know the size you need...

[Jennifer Murphy]

I went to the local hardware store and checked out the glues. None were an exact match. I ended up getting a tube of Amazing Goop. The repair is done and it seems to be solid.

[Frank]

Then you paint it. Point is that if you stick with original feet, its not just plastic to steel but plastic to plastic. It's just a kiddie souvenir which would not take a lot of abuse.