Araldite Toxicity
Is Super Strength Araldite toxic when cured, and is a repaired coffee pot safe to use?
The specific question was about a metal coffee pot whose spout had snapped off and been rejoined with Araldite, where the repair would be in contact with hot water as it pours. Selleys does not recommend using that pot for warm or hot liquids.
The reason is temperature, not poison. Araldite will provide a strong repair, but these adhesives will start to soften with temperature. If the pot has sentimental value, the advice is to keep it as a show piece rather than putting it back into service for hot drinks.
The number that decides it
Araldite Super Strong 5 Minute Epoxy publishes a temperature resistance of up to 60°C, with the limitation stated plainly: the bond will soften above 60°C, though strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal.
| Property | Araldite Super Strong | Araldite Rapid | Araldite Extra Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set time | 5 minutes | 90 seconds | 60 minutes |
| Initial bond time | 30 minutes | 10 minutes | 6–8 hours |
| Maximum bond time | After 16 hours | After 16 hours | After 24–72 hours |
| Temperature resistance | Up to 60°C | Up to 60°C | Up to 80°C |
| Holds up to | 150 kg/cm² | 75 kg/cm² | 150 kg/cm² |
These are indicative figures only and are not intended for the preparation of specifications.
Why 60°C rules out a teapot
Water for tea or coffee is brewed at or near boiling and is still well above 60°C in the cup. A joint that softens above 60°C is therefore softened for the entire time the pot is in use, every time it is used. Two things follow from that, and the second is the one people miss.
The joint is weakest exactly when it is loaded. A full pot is heavy, and the spout takes a bending load when you pour. The moment the adhesive is at its softest is the moment you are asking most of it.
Repeated softening and re-hardening is a fatigue cycle. The data sheet says strength is restored when the temperature returns to normal, and that is true of a single excursion. It is not a licence for the joint to be cycled through that softening point twice a day indefinitely, with a mechanical load applied at the top of every cycle.
Note also that Araldite Extra Time is rated 20 degrees higher, to 80°C. That is not a workaround for this job either — near-boiling water still exceeds it, and the food and drink question below is a separate matter from the temperature question.
What Selleys does and does not say about toxicity
This is worth being precise about, because "is it toxic" and "is it safe for a drink container" are two different questions.
The Araldite technical data sheets cover set times, bond strength, temperature resistance and the surfaces the products will and will not bond. They do not carry an approval for food contact or for contact with drinking water. Selleys' answer to this question does not rest on a toxicity claim at all — it rests on the softening temperature. The absence of a food-contact approval is a second, independent reason not to put the pot back into service.
Warnings, first aid and shipping information for the Araldite products are published in each product's Safety Data Sheet, available through the Selleys website. If your question is about handling the uncured product rather than the cured joint, that is the document to read.
What to use instead, if the pot must work
There is no Selleys product recommended for structurally rejoining a metal spout that will carry near-boiling water for drinking. If the pot has to function rather than sit on a shelf, the realistic options are a silver-solder or braze repair by a metalworker, or replacement.
For a decorative repair — a display piece that will never hold hot liquid — Araldite Super Strong is a sound choice. It bonds china, metal, glass, leather, rubber, wood and most plastics, dries clear, and reaches maximum strength after 16 hours.
Getting the best out of an Araldite repair on metal
- Abrade, clean and dry both surfaces. Epoxy on a smooth, greasy metal face is the most common cause of a weak repair.
- Snap out the cap from the plunger and cut the sealed tips of the syringe nozzle, or pierce each tube with the spike in the top of the cap.
- Dispense equal parts of both liquids onto a clean disposable surface and mix thoroughly with a spatula. Do not mix in the plastic blister.
- Work quickly — the mixed glue remains usable for 2 to 3 minutes at 20°C.
- Apply the mixed glue to both surfaces, then bring them together.
- Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 30 minutes. Hold the join with tape or weights if needed. Maximum strength is reached after 16 hours, and longer in colder weather.
- Clean up uncured Araldite with acetone. Put the cap from the plunger back on the nozzle for storage, and store in a cool dry place.
Common questions about Araldite and safety
Can I drink from something repaired with Araldite?
Selleys does not recommend using a repaired pot for warm or hot liquids, and the Araldite data sheets carry no approval for food or drinking water contact.
At what temperature does an Araldite bond soften?
Araldite Super Strong and Araldite Rapid are rated to 60°C; Araldite Extra Time to 80°C. Above those temperatures the bond softens, with strength restored when the temperature returns to normal.
Is cured Araldite dangerous to touch?
The health and handling information is published in each product's Safety Data Sheet on the Selleys website. That is the document to consult rather than the technical data sheet.
Would a longer-cure Araldite handle the heat better?
Araldite Extra Time is rated to 80°C rather than 60°C, but water for tea or coffee still exceeds that, and it carries no food-contact approval either.
Can I use the pot for cold water?
The temperature objection does not apply to cold liquids, but the lack of any food or drinking water contact approval still does. Selleys' recommendation is to keep the pot as a show piece.
Will the repair itself hold?
Araldite will provide a strong repair — Super Strong holds up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on a clean, abraded copper surface. The issue is the service conditions, not the bond strength.
How long until the repair reaches full strength?
Maximum strength after 16 hours for Super Strong, with longer bonding times needed in colder weather. Do not stress the joint for the first 30 minutes.
How do I remove Araldite if I change my mind?
Uncured product cleans up with acetone. Once cured it has to be dealt with mechanically — see removing dried Araldite.
Does Araldite work on all metals?
It bonds a range of surfaces including china, metal, glass, leather, rubber, wood and most plastics, but it will not bond PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene. Abrading the metal first makes a substantial difference.
What is the main question addressed on this Selleys page?
The page addresses whether Super Strength Araldite is toxic once cured, specifically in the context of a metal coffee pot whose spout was repaired with Araldite and will come into contact with hot water for tea or coffee.
What scenario prompted this Araldite toxicity question?
The spout of a metal coffee pot had snapped off and was rejoined using Araldite. The question is whether the jug is still safe to use for hot water for tea or coffee, since the cured Araldite will be in contact with the water when it is poured out.
Is Araldite classified as hazardous?
Yes. According to Safe Work Australia GHS 7 criteria, Araldite Extra Time 60 Min Epoxy Adhesive (both Part A and Part B) is classified as hazardous, with hazard categories for skin irritation, eye damage/irritation, and skin sensitisation.
What are the skin and eye hazard classifications for Araldite?
Araldite is classified as Skin Irritation Category 2 and Skin Sensitisation Category 1. For eye effects, Part B is classified as Eye Damage Category 1 (serious eye damage), while Part A is classified as Eye Irritation Category 2A (serious eye irritation).
Is Araldite toxic if ingested or inhaled?
No. Araldite adhesives are classified as not hazardous for acute ingestion and inhalation exposure, with an acute toxicity estimate showing an LD50 greater than 2,000 mg/kg body weight for ingestion.
Can Araldite cause skin allergies or dermatitis?
Yes. Direct skin contact with Araldite can cause irritation and, due to its Category 1 skin sensitisation classification, may lead to allergic contact dermatitis, particularly with repeated or prolonged exposure.
Does Araldite pose reproductive or organ toxicity risks?
No. Araldite adhesives are classified as not reproductive toxicants (posing no reproductive risk via any exposure route, including lactation) and are classified as not presenting specific hazards to target organs through either acute or chronic exposure.
Is Araldite carcinogenic or mutagenic?
No. Araldite adhesives are classified as not carcinogenic, not mutagenic, and not presenting aspiration hazards.
What eye injury risk does Araldite pose?
The most serious acute hazard from Araldite is eye exposure — Part B can cause serious eye damage and Part A can cause serious eye irritation, and eye contact can result in corneal burns and permanent injury.