What Adhesive Would You Use to...

[Qs Laptop]

DW was cleaning the front of our 12 year old Whirlpool Gold french door refrigerator when the Whirlpool logo badge came off. This badge is positioned in the upper right hand corner of the right hand side door. The finish on the front of the door is stainless steel, so it has a bit of a micro-texture to it (meaning it's not perfectly smooth.)

I want to glue the logo back on to the refrigerator door, but I'm kind of at a loss for what kind of adhesive I should use? Among the choices I already own are 2-part epoxy, contact cement, super glue, and Power Grab clear exterior adhesive (comes in a 2" diameter tube, 11" long.)

The back of the logo badge has a rubber surface, which right now is covered with a dried, thin film of whatever adhesive was used to apply the logo from the factory. I suppose some acetone would remove any residual adhesive leaving only rubber exposed.

I figure I would ask the brain trust here at ER.ORG what they thought. So what adhesive would you suggest to get my Whirlpool logo back on the front of the fridge?

[Who doesn't like playing with glue?]

 

[Jerry1]

Thick double sided tape. Similar to those 3M Command Strips (or exactly them).

 

[Car-Guy]

 

[Walt34]

Super glue is brittle and does not do well with changes in temperature because of the flexing. Epoxy is a better bet, but hunt for the slowest setting you can find (24 hour is best) because it is not as brittle as the quick setting five-minute epoxies. What might work well is the glue used to glue car pieces on, like those for door sealing rubber, or the glue used for holding the rear-view mirrors on the windshield. Those have to withstand extremes of temperature changes.

 

[freedomatlast]

3M Plastic and Emblem Adhesive or 3M double sided tape.

 

[OldShooter]

The stuff on the back is almost certainly some kind of mounting tape. Clean with lacquer thinner, acetone, etc. Be careful not to get the solvent on the edges or the front of the logo.

Then go to homedepot.com and search "scotch double stick tape" Put your favorite onto the back of the logo and trim carefully. Clean the fridge door with your lacquer thinner or acetone. While it's still moist pull the backing paper from the tape and place the logo. You only get one chance.

The 3M stuff I routinely use is 3M "VHB" (very high bonding.) It is clear with a red backing film though I think the adhesive is available in other colors too. Maybe this: Amazon.com but I don't remember where I got it.

 

[TheWizard]

I'd use super glue, fer sher...

 

[slaternuthink]

If the mounting location can be cleaned to match the surrounding area, I would opt for the clean look and just leave it off.

 

[Route246]

Search "automotive double sided tape" made by 3M that is used to hold logos, letters and ornaments on almost all cars manufactured today. It is by far the best adhesive for things like this. You need to thoroughly clean both surfaces before using it, be sure to use a lot of alcohol to get any residual oils and contaminants just before adhesion. You will not regret this.

 

[Ronstar]

I would use a little bit of epoxy (to prevent runs) and tape the logo to the door for 24 hrs

 

[erkevin]

silicone adhesive

 

[Surewhitey]

If you’re looking for the strongest double-sided tape designed to withstand extreme temperatures, harsh weather conditions, and even vibrations, 3M™ VHB™ tapes. Very High Bond...

We used to use something called killer red tape and it was a beast.

 

[Surewhitey]

silicone adhesive

And tape until it cures...

 

[rk911]

J.B. Weld.

 

[Tetto]

Gorilla glue. Just a bit will do

 

[dmpi]

Rubber cement. Reapply monthly.

 

[Badger]

I used a double sided carpet tape on a carpet tile with a rubber backing that said Permanent. Stuck the carpet to a wood surface that my cats like to use as a scratching surface. Has hard as they try they haven't pulled the carpet tile up after 2 years of daily pulling on it.
Since you can stick the tape to the rubber surface and trim before you place in on the refrigerator this would be the quickest, least messy and easiest to do. Of course clean the badge and refrigerator before applying.

 

[sengsational]

Blu-Tack. It would hold, and if you need to stick a reminder paper on the fridge, you could borrow a bit of it. And Blu-Tack requires no gloves, no tape, no clean-up, no smell.

 

[Jerry1]

A lot of good ideas, but I wonder, OP, why wouldn’t you just clean up whatever mark is left on the refrigerator and just leave the emblem off?

 

[Qs Laptop]

Great ideas!

I should mention that we use an aerosol spray stainless steel cleaner/polish product to clean our stainless steel appliances. This stuff has some sort of petroleum product in it, I'm guessing a very light oil and /or possibly a solvent like acetone. I'm wondering if repeated uses of this cleaner weakened the adhesive or if the adhesive simply dried up with age causing the logo badge to fall off.

Anyway, I'm leaning toward the double sticky tape since I don't have any and I might find other uses for it in the future. Otherwise, I'd probably try contact cement or JB Weld, since I already them.

 

[Qs Laptop]

A lot of good ideas, but I wonder, OP, why wouldn’t you just clean up whatever mark is left on the refrigerator and just leave the emblem off?

I could do that, but I think the badge adds some value if/when I were to sell the house.

 

[38Chevy454]

X3 on the VHB double sided tape. Just clean both surfaces well, and press emblem onto the door. VHB tape is used for emblems on cars, to affix siding on trailers, as examples and many far worse environmental conditions. Pretty cheap to buy.

 

[latexman]

I should mention that we use an aerosol spray stainless steel cleaner/polish product to clean our stainless steel appliances. This stuff has some sort of petroleum product in it, I'm guessing a very light oil and /or possibly a solvent like acetone.

I suspect the cleaner is the cause. I’d try the JB Weld, whether it’s their epoxy or super glue. Epoxies and cyanoacrylates (super glue) are oil resistant. I would still worry about the rubber component absorbing the oil, softening, becoming structurally unstable, and the adhesive bond fatigue failing. After you adhere the logo hard rubber component to the SS, let it set and apply no cleaner yet. Then, apply a bead of JB Weld around the edge of the logo badge, to keep the cleaner out.

 

[OldShooter]

I wouldn't consider super glue, epoxy, or any other brittle adhesive. The temp coefficient of expansion difference between the logo and the substrate will create stresses in the glue joint, possibly enough to break it. That is why all the 3M products are a little rubbery/have some compliance -- to absorb the stresses.

 

[TOOLMAN]

E6000 Adhesive Glue​