You broke your glass bong and rather than investing in a new one, you want to fix it yourself. Good choice. If you don’t know how to fix a glass bong, read on because we’ve got you covered.

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Keep in mind there are a number of ways to break a glass bong, from a crack during cleaning to a total shatter on the floor.

Not all are repairable. If your bong is still fairly intact, with just a clean break or some cracks and chips, you may be able to repair it with some products that are easy to get your hands on.

Other times it’s a lost cause, and the only way to repair your bong is to purchase a new one.

Assess the repairability

With so many ways to damage a bong, there is no cure-all to fix all types of damage. The first thing you need to do is make sure the bong is repairable at all. Some damage cannot be reversed.

If you dropped your bong and it shattered into a million pieces, you’re pretty much out of luck. Don’t expect to sweep up all of those shattered pieces and be able to put them together again. You’re better off moving on at this point.

However, if the damage is more along the lines of a single crack, chip or busted piece, the bong may be salvageable. Now you just have to decide what method will work best to fix your bong based on the damage incurred.

It’s important to go for the safe-for-humans options to repair a bong. While some substances may do a good job of sticking glass together, they may also have toxic solvents that you don’t want to accidentally heat up and inhale.

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Here are our top choices for repairing a salvageable bong:

Food grade silicone for bong repairs

Food grade silicone can be a great option for bong repairs. It’s a non-toxic substance often used to make molds for various food items like chocolates or jellies.

This substance is also highly resistant to damage and doesn’t crack, crumble, peel, or dry out. It’s great for use as a sealant.

Now, if your entire bong is shattered in pieces, you’re not going to successfully stick all the pieces back together with food-grade silicone. Instead, it should be used in cases like cracks or chips in the body or connecting joints of the piece.

Use food-grade silicone to repair cracks, chips, and other minor damage to your bong.

If there’s a clean-cut piece of glass that busted off, you may be able to stick it back together with silicone. Just don’t expect to stick a bunch of broken pieces together with it.

Duct tape for bong repairs

Not glamorous, and definitely not as discreet as food-grade silicone, duct tape is a handy option for bong repair. Only go for this method if you care about not spending money on a new bong, and not if you care about the way it looks.

If your bong has incurred some cracks or chips, duct tape does a good job of sealing it up and keeping it together and functional.

If the damage is near the base of the bong, duct tape may help provide a seal, but should only be used temporarily.

Epoxy for bong repairs

Epoxy adhesives are useful for repairing bongs in some situations as well. You’ll want to go for two-component epoxy which is great for sealing, coating, and bonding substances. Much like with silicone repairs, it’s important to go for a food-grade epoxy when fixing a bong.

And like silicone, epoxy can be used for cracks and dings in the glass. But it’s best suited for situations where the glass has had a clean break and needs to be stuck back together.

It’s not recommended for use near the base, where water will eventually wear it down and break the seal.

What not to use when repairing a bong

Silicone, duct tape, and epoxy are all common products used to repair a bong. They all have their flaws, but they work better than other options some people try.

Poor choices to fix a glass bong include superglue, putty sealants, and similar products. Superglue doesn’t bond to glass, which is a problem when trying to repair a bong. Beyond its obvious flaw of not bonding to glass, it also could have chemicals that are harmful to humans.

And then there is Loctite glass glue, which does bond to glass, but also contains harmful substances for humans.

Similarly, JB Weld and other putties should not be used to repair a bong, especially if the damage is near the bowl where you’ll expose yourself to the sealant’s chemicals.

Other options for bong repairs

If you’re still wondering how to fix a broken bong and none of these options fit the bill, it may be time to give up the idea of self-repairing your bong.

That leaves you with the choice of finding a professional or just purchasing a new bong. If your bong is both repairable and has a lot of sentimental value, it may be a good idea to leave its repairs to the professionals.

Depending on your location, you may have a large selection of bong and glass repair people near you. Others may have to do a great deal of searching to find a professional who can repair their piece. Check-in with local headshops and see if anyone can point you in the right direction.

If all else fails, it may be time to purchase a new bong and hope for a safer life with it. We all make mistakes and breaking a beloved piece is seemingly inevitable, but sometimes all you can do is move on from the experience.

You can always make a homemade bong temporarily until you’re able to purchase a new one.