Need suggestions for repairing ceramic birdbath pedestal

I've had good luck with JB weld and ceramics, aside from leaving a telltale gray outline. Epoxy, of some sort, is your likely best choice.

So use a regular epoxy (non-putty).

How about crazy glue?

The stuff they sell for putting the cap blocks on those dry-stack retaining walls should probably work, if you can squish the parts together tight enough. Scrape off any excess that oozes out before it sets up, of course. May have to do the repair in several stages, so you can get the rope or webbing around it to clamp it. Doing it with epoxy would likely cost more than a new birdbath.

-- aem sends...

That link showed up here, before...a good reminder from you.

I guess that depends upon where you buy the epoxy...last I bought was $65 for 1 1/2 gallons. Just $15.50 for 24 oz. The little tubes (25 ml or so) at HD, Lowes. Ace, etc are usually under $5, don't know how much OP needs.

I once put back together a largish (30" high) vase with white glue, couple of hundred pieces from large to tiny, still together 30 years later. That wouldn't be any good for something outside but Titebond II should be OK for the pedestal, not for the water tray.

Thanks to Eric, Joe, aem, etc.

I'm going to try liquid nails to put the pieces together. One of the salespeople at the local hardware store said that she'd had good results with fixing several red clay pots using the stuff. I may back up the inside with epoxy.

Northe

Bummer of a choice unless you don't give a rats' patootie about appearance...just use a good epoxy

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I'm guessing that's because the sales person has never tried a real 2 part epoxy like West Systems or a similar product.

Head over to your local Marine Supply shop and check out their epoxy aisle.

Yup - Liquid nails is an awful choice and will likely leave you with all types of messy smudges and since it is so thick, it is likely to give a poor bonding if the join between the ceramic parts is truly hairline.

A high quality, slow cure two part epoxy (like West System's) without any filler is the perfect solution. If necessary you can strengthen the joint by filetting with various epoxy+filler combinations +/- fiberglass tape but my guess is that if the pieces truly fit that tight together then just epoxy alone will be more than sufficient.

Liquid nails is for bonding subfloors, panelling, sheathing etc...

Fill the pedestal with after you glue it back together. Dave