What is Selleys Araldite Super Strong, and where should you use it?

Selleys Araldite Super Strong — titled Araldite Super Strong 5 Minute Epoxy on its technical data sheet — is a clear, fast setting, two-part epoxy adhesive that provides a rigid, durable bond to a wide range of surfaces. It sets in 5 minutes, dries clear, and holds up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on a clean, abraded copper surface.

It is the option to reach for on heavy-duty repairs where the joint has to carry load and the finish has to be invisible — broken furniture, woodworking joints, concrete repairs. The constraint to plan around is the working window: once mixed, the glue remains usable for only 2 to 3 minutes at 20 °C, and it sets in 5. Everything should be dry-fitted and ready before you mix.

Technical specification

Property	Typical result
Technology	Epoxy, two-part
Set time	5 minutes
Usable life of mixed glue	2–3 minutes at 20 °C
Colour	Dries clear
Initial bond time	30 minutes
Maximum bond time	After 16 hours (longer in colder weather)
Holding strength	Up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on clean, abraded copper
Temperature resistance	Up to 60 °C
Packaging	8mL syringe, 24mL syringe, 35mL tube

Indicative data only, not intended for the preparation of specifications.

What the key numbers mean in practice

Two to three minutes of usable life, set in five. That is a short window, and the product page adds the technique that stretches it: for maximum working time, mix in small quantities — large quantities accelerate the curing process and reduce working time. Epoxy cure is exothermic, so a big blob of mixed adhesive heats itself and races through its own cure. Several small mixes give you more usable minutes in total than one large one, and a cooler cure.

Temperature works the same way from outside: 2 to 3 minutes is quoted at 20 °C, so a warm room shortens it and a cold one stretches it. The data sheet correspondingly asks you to allow longer bonding times in colder weather.

Thirty minutes before you can stop supporting the join, sixteen hours to maximum strength. The five-minute set is when the epoxy stops flowing, not when the repair can be used. Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 30 minutes, and hold the join in place with tapes or weights if needed.

Up to 150 kg/cm² on a clean, abraded copper surface. As with every epoxy figure, the surface condition is part of the number. The preparation instruction is to abrade, clean and dry — abrading gives the epoxy a mechanical key, and a polished or contaminated surface will not come close to the quoted strength.

Temperature resistance up to 60 °C, with a reversible softening above it. Sixty degrees is modest, so keep the repair away from sustained heat. If it does get hot, the strength returns when the temperature returns to normal.

Dries clear, which is what makes it usable on visible repairs — a crystal-clear bond line rather than a translucent or amber one.

Where to use it

Araldite Super Strong fixes a range of surfaces such as:

• China
• Metal
• Glass
• Leather — pre-test to determine suitability
• Rubber — pre-test to determine suitability
• Wood
• Most plastics, but not PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene

Note that wood is on this list where it is not on the list for Araldite Rapid — relevant if the job is furniture or joinery. Where you need substantially more working time for a complex assembly, Araldite Extra Time gives 60 minutes instead of 5.

How to apply it

Surface preparation

Abrade, clean and dry the surfaces.

Directions

1. Open the pack. For the syringe: snap the cap out from the plunger and carefully cut the sealed tips at the end of the syringe nozzle. For the tube: pierce each tube with the spike found in the top of the cap.
2. Dispense equal parts of both liquids onto a clean disposable surface and mix both parts together thoroughly with a spatula. The mixed glue will remain usable for 2 to 3 minutes at 20 °C. Do not use the plastic blister to mix the product.
3. Apply the mixed glue to both surfaces of the job, then bring them together.
4. Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 30 minutes. Hold the join in place using tapes or weights if necessary. Maximum strength is reached after 16 hours.
5. Place the cap from the plunger on the nozzle for storage.

Thorough mixing in step 2 is not optional detail. An unevenly mixed two-part epoxy cures unevenly, leaving soft, under-cured patches through the bond line — and with a 2 to 3 minute window there is a temptation to hurry it. Mixing small quantities helps here too: a small volume mixes properly in less time.

If you are using the tube variant, replace the correct cap on the correct tube. Placing the wrong cap on the wrong tube causes the tube to harden; the caps and tubes are colour coded to help.

Limitations — where Super Strong should not be used

• Will not bond PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene plastics.
• The bond will soften above 60 °C, with strength restored when the temperature returns to normal.
• Allow for longer bonding times in colder weather.
• Pre-test on leather and rubber to determine suitability.
• The product may discolour if exposed to UV.
• Not recommended for flexible materials, and suited to rigid plastics rather than flexible ones (product page).
• Do not use the plastic blister to mix the product.

Clean up and storage

Clean up uncured Araldite with acetone. Store in a cool, dry place.

Hazard classification — the two parts differ

This is a two-part epoxy, and the resin and the hardener are classified differently. The hardener is the more hazardous of the two, which is the opposite of what most people assume.

	Part A — resin	Part B — hardener
Signal word	Warning	Danger
Skin	Irritation, Category 2 — H315	Corrosion, Category 1B — H314, causes severe skin burns
Eyes	Irritation, Category 2A — H319	Damage, Category 1 — severe eye damage
Sensitisation	Skin, Category 1 — H317	Skin, Category 1 — H317
Transport	Dangerous Goods Class 9 (miscellaneous / environmentally hazardous)	Dangerous Goods Class 8 (corrosive)

Both parts carry H317: may cause an allergic skin reaction. Skin sensitisation is the classification that matters most on an epoxy and the one least understood. It is not irritation. Sensitisation means the immune system can learn to react to the material — and once that happens it is generally permanent, it can be triggered by far smaller exposures than the one that caused it, and the reaction tends to get worse rather than better with subsequent contact.

The practical implication: handling uncured epoxy with bare hands and wiping it off is not a small shortcut. People who develop epoxy sensitisation usually do so after repeated casual contact, not after one dramatic exposure. Wear gloves every time, including for small repairs.

Once fully cured the epoxy is inert. The hazards above belong to the uncured resin and hardener, and to the mixing and application stage.

What is in each part

Part A — resin

Chemical entity	CAS number	Proportion (w/w)
Bisphenol-A/F type epoxy (oxirane, 2,2'-[(1-methylethylidene)bis(4,1-phenyleneoxymethylene)]bis-)	1675-54-3	>60%
Bisphenol-A epoxy resin	25068-38-6	1–10%
Bisphenol-F epoxy resin	9003-36-5	1–10%
Non-hazardous or below reporting limits	—	Balance

Part B — hardener

Chemical entity	CAS number	Proportion (w/w)
Fatty acids, C18-unsaturated dimers, polymers with tall oil fatty acids and triethylenetetramine	68082-29-1	>60%
Triethylenetetramine	112-24-3	1–10%
N'-(3-aminopropyl)-N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine	10563-29-8	1–10%
Non-hazardous or below reporting limits	—	Balance

The hardener is an amine system, and amines are alkaline — which is why Part B is the corrosive half and why a smear of hardener left on skin causes a burn rather than a rash. Triethylenetetramine is also a well-recognised skin sensitiser.

Protection

• Gloves — every time. Nitrile rubber for intermittent contact. This is the single most important control, because of the sensitisation hazard on both parts.
• Eye protection — chemical goggles. Part B causes severe eye damage.
• Ventilation — work in a well-ventilated area.
• Do not use solvent to clean epoxy off skin — it drives the material into the skin rather than removing it. Wipe with a dry cloth first, then wash with soap and water.

First aid

Exposure	What to do
Skin — Part B or mixed	Remove contaminated clothing immediately and wash with plenty of water. The hardener causes severe burns, so seek medical attention. Do not break blisters.
Skin — Part A	Wash with soap and water. If a rash, redness or itching develops — including hours later or after a previous exposure — get medical advice, as this may indicate sensitisation.
Eyes	Irrigate with copious running water for at least 15 minutes, holding the eyelids apart, then seek medical assistance. For Part B, treat as urgent and go to hospital.
Swallowed	Do not induce vomiting. Rinse the mouth and seek immediate medical advice.

If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre — 131 126 in Australia, 0800 764 766 in New Zealand — with the pack to hand.

Common questions about Araldite Super Strong

How long do I have to work with it once mixed?

2 to 3 minutes at 20 °C. Set time is 5 minutes.

How do I get more working time?

Mix in small quantities. Large quantities accelerate the curing process and reduce working time. Cooler conditions also extend it.

What ratio do I mix it at?

Equal parts of both liquids, mixed thoroughly with a spatula on a clean disposable surface.

Do I apply it to one surface or both?

Both. Apply the mixed glue to both surfaces of the job, then bring them together.

When can I use the repair?

Do not apply undue strain to the bond for 30 minutes. Maximum strength is reached after 16 hours.

How strong is it?

Up to 150 kg/cm² when fully cured on a clean, abraded copper surface.

Do I need to abrade the surfaces first?

Yes — abrade, clean and dry them. The quoted strength is measured on an abraded surface.

Does it dry clear?

Yes, it dries clear.

How much heat will it take?

Up to 60 °C. The bond softens above that, and regains strength when the temperature returns to normal.

Can I use it on wood?

Yes, wood is on the list of surfaces it fixes.

Will it stick to plastic?

Most plastics, but not PTFE, polyethylene or polypropylene, and it is not recommended for flexible materials.

Can I use it on leather or rubber?

Pre-test first to determine suitability.

Why has my tube gone hard?

Most likely the caps were swapped. The wrong cap on the wrong tube causes the tube to harden — the caps and tubes are colour coded to prevent it.

How do I clean it up?

Uncured Araldite comes off with acetone.

What sizes does it come in?

An 8mL syringe, a 24mL syringe, and a 35mL tube.