Hairline crack in laptop casing

My probably 3-year-old Dell Vostro 14 3000 has developed a hairline crack in the casing, running from the top of the Ethernet socket and heading rapidly towards the Caps Lock key.  I guess this is due to me holding it one-handed on one or the other side of the touchpad too often.  Anyway, is there anything I can do to prevent the crack from going any further?  I'm a bit reluctant to try random adhesives since I don't know what effect they'll have on the plastic.  Any suggestions welcome!

Truthfully, if it's a hairline crack in the casing only, best to just leave it be.  A hairline crack is no great danger to the components. Just hold it a different way in the future. 

There are ways of reinforcing that crack with plastic epoxy, but it will ruin the look of the unit and, IMHO, is not needed. 

Anything you do will look bad in done on the outside of the case.

If you are happy to take the laptop completely apart then there are plastic welding solutions that might restore the strength of the case. But you run the risk of it not going back together right. 

Until you decide maybe some black gaffer tape (duct tape) will prevent the crack advancing. Also consider drilling a tiny hole at the end of the visible crack, if you do this do it by hand with something like a micro hand drill and the lightest pressure. The hole should arrest the propagation of the crack.

I'd take it to a repair shop and have a new case if it was me.

I meant to come back on here and say thank you for the suggestions.  In the meantime, I haven't done anything to it, and the crack now stretches as far as the Caps Lock key - where I trust it will stop!

I can only conclude that the laptop is slightly ill-balanced, with a bit too much weight on the hinge section, so that when you hold it from the touchpad area there's an excessive amount of downwards pressure on the keyboard/touchpad part of the laptop which causes the crack to open.  The crack is now quite noticeable, but if you put one hand on the back of the screen portion and the other on the corner of the keyboard section and press them together it seems to disappear.

I'll have to be careful next time I buy a new laptop, I guess.

A picture would be a help, but......if the crack is widening, then an external or internal brace will stop it. Internal would be a problem, because it would mean dis-assembling the case to access the inside of the case.

Outside would be the easiest.

> Get yourself some J-B Plastic epoxy, and a flat strip of fairly tough plastic that does not flex it is so firm, the length of the crack and 1/2 wider on each side than the crack. About a 1" wide strip would be good. 

> Lightly sandpaper-scuff one side of the plastic strip and the laptop case crack (to remove smoothness and make strong bond); a 60 grit would be fine. 

> Mix even amounts of the epoxy on an old piece of cardboard; make sure the mix is thorough!  Apply somewhat liberally to the sanded side of the plastic strip only, and press down firmly over the crack. Use a paper towel slightly moistened with a little paint thinner to wipe away any epoxy that squeezes out along the sides.

>Sit the laptop on a table, and put a couple of heavy books on top to keep the plastic strip pressed down.

>Let it sit overnight, and in the AM your crack is fixed and stabilized permanently. 

Edited by ranchhand_, 22 August 2026 - 08:49 PM.

Superglue flows quite easily.

So > Flex the case so that the crack is as open as possible > Run the nozzle of freshly opened tube of SG along the line of the crack > Gently, allow the crack to close and open again, a couple of times >Then leave your lappy to sit with the freshly glued side, uppermost > don't move it for 12 to 24 hours.

Superglue works on some plastics so if it doesn't work the loss is relatively small.

Incidentally I found a pack of 6 Mini Superglue tubes in Tesco's for a fiver, which means - No more solid glue tubes

Thanks, ranchhand_, and thanks, wee-eddie, for the tip.  Superglue might well be a good idea as long as it doesn't get into the body of the machine itself - I'll nip down to Tesco and have a look.

Photo attached, since it was requested, even though it's not very clear.

Edited by alisp, 25 August 2026 - 11:50 AM.

This might be worth a punt but, it's a very long shot.

Ring Dell, all innocent, saying that it's over 2 years old and what do they recommend that you should do.

All nice, quiet and chatty. No threats, no bluster, just ask if they have any possible solution.

Superglue might well be a good idea

and...

if you put one hand on the back of the screen portion and the other on the corner of the keyboard section and press them together it seems to disappear.

If you choose to go with Sglue, I suggest that, after application, you hold the case together manually to let the glue set-up. I suggest holding at least 2 minutes, because if you release pressure too soon the glue will break open and then you have a problem. That's the trouble with Sglue...it's great for static applications, but it doesn't take flexing and pressure too well 

Good point - thanks.