# Help repairing a plastic shelf in the refrigerator **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993 "2017-11-07T19:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/1 "2017-11-07T19:37:11Z")
It is the top shelf and needs to support some weight. It has a 3 inch crack in the front. I am concerned that if I try to separate it to insert some mending stuff, it will crack further. Not really concerned about the aesthetics’s of the repair. Just want it to be effective. Thank you for your assistance. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/2 "2017-11-07T19:43:23Z")
It’s common when repairing cracked plastic to drill a small hole at the end of the crack. 1/8" or so is plenty. It relieves stress at that point and helps keep the crack from spreading. Other than that no too much help. Have any pictures? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/3 "2017-11-07T19:52:07Z")
Not sure what “insert mending stuff” means. I’d tend to use a liquid glue in the crack which takes essentially no space. But … different plastics need different glues. If you can tell us the make and model of fridge we can get a parts list and point you in the right direction. As **GaryM** said, pix of where and how it’s cracked will help. You’ll be wanting to take it out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temp before fixing it anyhow. So you may as well figure out how to do that now when you pull it out to take nice pix with a plain contrasting background, good lighting, and a ruler for scale. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/4 "2017-11-07T20:05:37Z")
Plastic welding is what you need. Since you don’t need it to look great, just be functional, it’s somethig you could do with a old butter knife. Search Youtube for videos on plastic welding. [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6_IiAdSYEg) is a video of a guy doing it with a soldering iron. But any heat source could work, thus the suggestion of a heated up butter knife. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/5 "2017-11-07T20:06:34Z")
Do you care if it’s ugly, but functional? Consider [using fiberglass.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBS9od9GzsE) ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/6 "2017-11-07T20:10:00Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Do you care if it’s ugly, but functional? > > Consider [using fiberglass.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBS9od9GzsE) Great post/username combination. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/7 "2017-11-07T20:34:01Z")
One option might be to get a 5" square of lexan or something and epoxy it beneath the crack. This will help support the weight. I’m concerned that if you just glue up the crack, the mend will fail suddenly when it’s fully weighted. By gluing a large piece of plastic beneath the crack, it is less likely to collapse. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/8 "2017-11-07T20:38:22Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Great post/username combination. Heh, yeah my experience with fiberglass is from repairing hulls of kayaks, hobiecats, canoes, etc. When you have a bunch of fiberglass repair products laying around, you tend to try it on other stuff. For plastic refrigerator shelf that cracked I’d sand the area, clean it up, and fiberglass it! Alternatively I’d search on Amazon for the brand, make, model and buy a new shelf. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-repairing-a-plastic-shelf-in-the-refrigerator/800993/9 "2017-11-07T21:03:31Z")
I am lazy, and a sorry slacker. So I’d put a large can underneath it and never use the juice or whatever is in the can.