Sticky when dry...slippery when wet. :(

July 25, 2006 12:42 PM

How do I get self-adhesive velcro to stick to a pedestal sink?

I'm trying to make my sink skirt stay.

After leaving it stuck on the sink for 24 hours, I added the sink skirt. The next morning, after my bf shaved at the sink, water seeped between the velcro and the sink and after about 30 minutes, the whole thing - skirt, velcro hook and loop - fell off. The back of the velcro tape (the sticky part) feels all slippery, from just water.

I've tried drying the tape and putting it back on, and it would stay until he shaves again. The shower's steam doesn't seem to affect it, just direct moisture that drips onto the tape.

There is no "lip" on the pedestal sink, so there's no way to prevent water from getting on it. Is there other ways for me to get it to stay? Gorilla glue? Caulking? (That would look ugly) Put hooks on the sides?

posted by Sallysings to home & garden (9 comments total)

With that kind of adhesive you pretty much only get one shot. If it's fallen off, the adhesive is damaged and won't hold thereafter. You'll have to start over with new pieces.

But I don't have any suggestions for how to make it stay on when doused. Maybe your boyfriend could be careful not to splash water all over?
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 12:47 PM on July 25, 2006

How permanent is this to be?

Thistothat recommends 3M super77. That'[s going to be a permanent bond that you can't remove when move say.

An alternative would be a clear silicone caulk which you press the fabric into when wet. It will peel off and won't look as nice as the spray adhesive, but you can clean it off with a razorblade and get your damage deposit back when you move.
posted by bonehead at 1:23 PM on July 25, 2006

The adhesive on the velcro is useless now, but you could re-tack the adhesive side to the sink with something like hot glue.

I'd forget the Gorilla Glue for this app (it'll foam up, and it seems like overkill), and if you use caulking, you'll need to tape the material to the sink while it sets up, since the caulk won't provide an immediate bond.

Before you do anything, you're going to want to clean the area of the sink to which you'll be applying this thing. Get rid of the soap scum and all that. I'd test on a hidden area first if you have a synthetic sink, but it might also be good to give the area a once over with isopropyl alcohol.
posted by evil holiday magic at 2:40 PM on July 25, 2006

You'll also want to clean, or even remove, the dirty adhesive that's currently on the velcro.
posted by evil holiday magic at 2:41 PM on July 25, 2006

I second evil holiday magic's opinion on Gorilla/similar polyurethane-based glues. Overkill here, and the foaming might interfere with the quality of the velcro/velcro bond. Also can be very tough to get off cleanly.

I've had good luck attaching velcro strips with brush-type contact cement, but I'm not sure how well it sticks to ceramic. I'd see what they think about that option at the hardware store, and make sure they can tell you how to remove it if it doesn't work or when you move out. You can probably get by with one of the lower-strength ones if there is a choice. Barring a better suggestion it may be worth a shot.

Also you might see if you can get your hands on whatever kind of adhesive they put on the stick-on hooks they sell for the shower (it's usually a kind of double-sided tape, I think.)
posted by Opposite George at 5:50 PM on July 25, 2006

...I'm not sure how well [contact cement] sticks to ceramic.

Not well, in my experience. Little mechanical strength and rubs off easily.
posted by bonehead at 8:04 PM on July 25, 2006

Lay a strip of tape longer than your velcro stickey side up place your velcro hooks down on the tape take care to keep it srtaight, now mix up some epoxy and lay a bead right over the old adhesive use the tape to hold it in place while the epoxy cures then zip off the tape .
posted by hortense at 11:16 PM on July 25, 2006

I'd use contact cement. Apply to both surfaces, allow to dry, ie - follow the directions. On a porcelain surface you'll probably be able to get it off eventually with some finesse and elbow grease but it'll stay real well.
posted by phearlez at 2:39 PM on July 26, 2006

Thank you all! I ended up going the household goop route - one of the suggestions off thistothat.

It's holding up the velcro beautifully, and the additional fabric covered up any weird bumps.
posted by Sallysings at 1:11 PM on August 1, 2006