My dishwasher has a stainless steel interior. To hold the rubber door seal in place the manufacturer attached a stainless strip along the edge forming a channel for the gasket. It's held on with spot welds every couple of inches.
The dish rack caught on the metal strip bending it and eventually pulling it loose at the bottom. I cut off the bent piece and straightened it out, but now I'm having trouble reattaching it to the stainless interior.
I can't spot weld, so I've tried JB Weld and another type of epoxy. I did the recommended surface prep, scuffed it with sandpaper and clamped it for 24 hours. It makes it through about two washes before it falls off. The epoxy just won't stick to the stainless well enough to deal with the hot water and detergent. I really don't want to drill holes and invite leaks, but at this point that looks like my only option.
If I drill holes and use small, good quality stainless screws what would be the best way to prevent it from leaking? And how do I make sure the screws are good enough quality to stand up to the harsh treatment?
Best Answer
I did end up screwing it down. I used small, stainless, countersunk screws and took Ed Beal's suggestion of sealing it with red RTV. So far it's holding up just fine.