How to Repair UGG Boots With Gorilla Glue

I strive to provide helpful information, including smart and fun methods for solving everyday problems.

Yes, you can fix UGG boots with Gorilla Glue! Whether you have genuine UGG boots or one of the quality knockoff brands, such as EMU Australia, BEARPAW, or Ukala, they are probably your favorite boots. In fact, you might love them so much that you have collected several pairs over the years. You might also consider them the warmest, most comfortable boots you’ve ever owned.

Since so many people depend on their UGG boots for warmth, comfort, and fashion, it is surely a shame if you find that your beloved boots are falling apart.

Why Glue?

The sole began to separate from my daughter’s newest BEARPAW boots just a month or two after she got them. I studied the way the shoes were put together and considered stitching them up myself, but it was apparent that they were not stitched together to begin with. I could tell they had originally been glued, so I decided to try fixing them myself. My husband is a big fan of Gorilla Glue, and supposedly the stuff will hold just about anything, is waterproof, and lasts forever.

How to Fix UGG Boots With Gorilla Glue

1. Clean the boots.

First, clean the boots where they have separated. Wipe down the upper section and the sole using an old, damp washrag. Lightly scrub both pieces, removing dust, dirt, and debris.

2. Dampen the material where you're gluing.

Next, wet a clean washrag with water and use it to dampen the portion of the suede and the sole that you'll be gluing together. The instructions on the back of the glue bottle say that it works best on dampened surfaces.

3. Remove any loose threads.

Looking into the hole formed by the separation, clear away any loose threads or fuzzy lambswool lining. You will get the best seal if there is nothing but glue between the suede upper and the sole.

Put some glue on the tip of an ice pick, wooden skewer, or toothpick.

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4. Use a toothpick (or other applicator) to apply glue.

Get out your toothpick, ice pick, or wooden skewer. Squirt a little glue on the stick and use it to place the glue onto the sole where it meets the upper section. Be careful not to use too little glue, or it won't hold. However, too much glue will make a mess.

Gorilla Glue bubbles and expands as it dries, and it does not dry clear; it dries sort of a brownish-yellow color. If you use too much, it will bubble out from the seams, and you’ll have glue showing on your boots.

5. Wipe away excess glue.

Use the damp rag to wipe off any glue that gets on the sole or suede before it dries. It's a little tough to wipe off, especially as it dries. As you can see from my pictures, I got some glue on the boot I fixed, and it left a little bit of a film. Be careful not to get any glue where it will show. (See the video below for instructions on removing Gorilla Glue.)

How to Remove Gorilla Glue

6. Press the upper section and the sole together.

Carefully press the upper part of the boot to the glue on the sole, positioning it just right so that the upper section and the sole make contact with the glue and with each other. You want to form a good bond. Make sure the suede is smooth and not wrinkled or puckered.

7. Clamp the boot.

Use clips to clamp the glued edges together. I used chip clips and left them in place for 24 hours as the glue dried, hardened, and cured to form a strong bond.

8. Let it dry for 24 hours.

After the glue dries for 24 hours, remove the clips. The UGG should be good as new.

A Successful Repair for Beloved Boots

My teenage daughter owns several pairs of knockoff “UGGs” in different colors and styles. She loves to wear them to school because they are so warm and cushy; it's like wearing slippers to school. There is nothing like the feeling of your feet sinking into UGG boots’ real sheepskin lining on a cold winter morning.

I like that she loves them, because if it weren’t for her cute UGG-like boots, she would wear the same pair of worn-out, holey, lime-green running shoes day after day after day. The boots are stylish, warm, comfortable, and practical.

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Oh No, a Hole!

When my daughter's BEARPAW boots came apart at the sole, there was no taking them back, since I'd bought them at a going-out-of-business sale. I was really disappointed because she has another pair of BEARPAW boots that she's worn for years, and they are still going strong. Normally, I have found BEARPAW boots to be of really nice quality for half the price—or less!—of genuine UGG boots.

DIY Saves the Day

I considered having them repaired at a shoe repair shop, but the estimate to fix them was almost as much as the boots cost to begin with. Instead, I glued my daughter's boots back together using the technique shown above, and they were still going strong several months later. Thanks, Gorilla Glue!

More Tips on Fixing Boots With Gorilla Glue

Comments

SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on January 25, 2015:

I'm so glad it worked, San! Thanks for adding your useful information, as well! I appreciate it! Thanks for your help and feedback! :)

San on December 21, 2014:

I said 'nozzle sprayer' but that is wrong...it's a tiny little pointed opening. Sorry!!! LOL

San on December 21, 2014:

This totally worked. It saved my favorite pair of winter shoes and I am SO grateful! You will need something larger than a standard clothes pin to crimp the sides together. I think the key component is the tiny opeing of the new single use (think instant glue) sized tube and it's nozzle sprayer. The opening was pin-point small. You have to slightly fold the side over in order for it to connect. It took me several minutes to get it perfect. Then stick the tiny tip of the tube into the clamped crease and fill it up. I did get a small amount of overfill but will use a black aharpie to color it and it's no big deal. Let it sit, clamped, overnight and they are good again. Thanks for this tip!!!

heatherlund from Tacoma, WA on December 16, 2013:

I love you wrote a hub on this! I had to repair my Uggs knock offs and I did indeed use gorilla glue! It, of course, worked wonderfully and I haven't had any problems since. Gorilla glue is the best!

SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on October 20, 2013:

Fuggs! I'll have to remember that one! Cute! Thanks so much for stopping by.

Jeannie Marie from Baltimore, MD on October 08, 2013:

I love my fake Uggs... or Fuggs as I like to call them. I repair my own, too, except the time a hole ended up on the toe. I had to throw those out. It was a sad day! Great advice and voted up!

SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on September 11, 2013:

I agree, Trista, I looked and looked for stitches on the Uggs, and just new they had to be stitched down, but for the life of me I couldn't find a single stitch. From what I can tell by inspecting them I believe they are simply glued in the factory. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Trista on September 11, 2013:

You'd think Uggs would be better made for how much they cost, but I too have used glue to fix many a pair of shoes I just couldn't throw out.

Maria Giunta from Sydney, Australia on July 13, 2013:

As I sit here wearing my lovely warm Uggs I thank you for this great tip on how to fix them. Thanks for sharing this tip SmartAndFun. Pinning and sharing.

SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on March 19, 2013:

Hi DIYmommy! Yes, Ugg boots are so comfortable and warm. I think they will be popular for a long time for those reasons. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Julie on March 19, 2013:

Uggs seem to be all the rage nowadays. I must have been living under a rock for the last few years...lol. My "little" sister actually just asked for a pair for her birthday, and that was really my first experience with them. I have yet to really try them for myself....it looks like I should give them a try sooner or later....Thanks for the great hub here!