Adhesive for address sign

[earl84]

Moved to the country. Bought a piece of sandstone and some HDPE numbers for an address sign out by the road. What should I use to adhere the numbers to the stone. Strongly prefer something clear. Live in Colorado at 7000 feet and we get all seasons, and all temperatures. I’d really like something I can buy at the Home Depot. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[DTE]

clear silicone

 

[txvwnut]

I used Gorilla glue for a wooden sign over the door of my shop over ten years ago, I did clear silicone first and it lasted about two years.

 

[nadogail]

2nd recommendation for clear silicone.

 

[CJM8515]

gorilla glue, a few dabs will do it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Nothing will stick PERMANENTLY to sandstone !

Drill small (1/4") hole through the sign and into the sandstone. Insert plastic wall anchors. Use stainless steel screws so you won't have rust.

 

[like2wheel]

HDPE is pretty challenging to glue too.

I vote for some sort of mechanical method.
Maybe screws or pinning them.

 

[rustyjames]

Yup, HDPE laughs at pretty much all types of adhesives. Mechanical fasteners is the way to go.

 

[The Cobbler]

Nothing will stick PERMANENTLY to sandstone !

Drill small (1/4") hole through the sign and into the sandstone. Insert plastic wall anchors. Use stainless steel screws so you won't have rust.

this

or, how thick are the numbers? drill into the back side of them, insert a stainless threaded rod (peg), drill corresponding holes in the sandstone, put some silicone on the pegs & tap in place.

 

[rayra]

yep, HDPE and sandstone, nothing will stick to either. Mechanical attachment is indeed the way to go. You can drive screws into the backs of the numbers, transfer some alignment marks and drill the stone, then use some 100 silicone in the holes, pressing the screw heads into the goop.

 

[like2wheel]

You can drive screws into the backs of the numbers, transfer some alignment marks and drill the stone, then use some 100 silicone in the holes, pressing the screw heads into the goop.

I like this idea.

You could correct an angle if the stone is not perfectly flat, or even have them stand off the stone a little for visual effect.

 

[earl84]

Got some plastic anchors, going to use 2 part epoxy and sink the plastic anchors into that after drilling holes, then drive screws into all that once cured. I’ll hopefully remember some pics after all is said and done.

 

[tez929rr]

Are the numbers reflective? Finding rural addresses at night is often a real challenge for us, and reflective numbers make a huge difference.

 

[earl84]

Not reflective, but I do plan on having a solar uplight shining on them, so should be easy to see. Also, high contrast with black letters and a really light stone.

 

[Jeepster04]

Moved into the county, gonna eat a lot of peaches.... Peaches come from a can,
They were put there by a man In a factory doooooowwwwwntown..

 

[earl84]

Thought I’d close this out in case someone ran across this thread in the future. Ended up drilling into the stone with a masonry bit, setting plastic anchors into the holes with a little two part epoxy, then screwing them in once the epoxy set. Works well. The letters are really light, and I suspect this is a bit of overkill. The letters also came with spacers, so there is a bit of a standoff. We love it. Buried the bottom foot of stone in the ground, added solar accent light, and voila.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Well, it's done and looks good. I was just going to suggest having a monument company etch the numbers like a headstone. ..paint them black.

 

[4xdog]

Got some plastic anchors, going to use 2 part epoxy and sink the plastic anchors into that after drilling holes, then drive screws into all that once cured. I’ll hopefully remember some pics after all is said and done.

This is what I'd do.

Room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicones are sealants. They're pretty crappy adhesives.

Depending on how hard is the sandstone, epoxy directly to the stone might work, but then the adhesion to HDPE will always be a problem. The solution you've proposed, earl84, is the way to do it for a lasting mount.

(Speaking as one who's spent the last 40 years in polymer science and technology...)



Your results look terrific!

 

[blacksporty]

Nice, need night time pic.

 

[Marctrees]

even though I love RTV silicone for many adhesion situations, In this case I would do mechanical fasteners.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

HDPE will not stick well due to somekinda microscopic surface oil or something layman's terms like that.

Sandstone may or may not stick well due to it is made of tiny grains not super well held together.

Like, if it was Granite... THEN the RTV would stick awesome to THAT, but not as reliably stick to Sandstone.

And still, NOT to the HDPE.

Any adhesive can stick well to the Sandstone surface layer, but because the Sandstone grains are not super strong to EACH other... that is the problem.

Marc

 

[hans109h]

HDPE pegs, holes in the sandstone, and two part epoxy.