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Sealants: types, features, scope

Sealants are materials used for bonding and sealing components together to prevent unwanted materials or gases from entering or exiting. Different types of sealants are available to suit different applications, such as silicone for waterproofing, acrylic for structural sealing, and polyurethane for general-purpose sealing. Each has its own unique features and advantages. For example, silicone sealants are highly waterproof and ultraviolet resistant, while polyurethane sealants provide superior adhesion in high temperature and moisture applications. Furthermore, the scope of application for each type varies depending on temperature resistance, chemical resistance, and environmental conditions. Sealants provide an effective and economical way to prevent the transmission of unwanted materials, serving a broad range of applications in car manufacturing, aerospace, and other industries.

In the process of repair, sooner or later it becomes necessary to connect something and this place is reliably sealed. So there is simply nowhere without sealants! Our advice site decided to figure out what sealants exist, what features they have, where and how they can be used.

Sealants: types, features, scope

Sealants are a viscous mass created on the basis of polymers with an inhomogeneous structure. Sometimes oligomers are the basis. The composition may include a colorant, a hardener, a filler, and to reduce the cost of production โ€“ additives, such as expanders, fillers in the form of chalk or quartz flour, mineral oils. Such additives always make up no more than 10% of the total volume of the sealant..

Sealants: types, features, scope

The scope of application of sealants is very wide. In construction and repair, they are used during plumbing work, for sealing joints and pipe joints, for sealing gaps in window frames, filling the space between the frame of the interior or entrance door and the wall, protecting the joints between the shower stall, bath rim and tiles, processing seams when installation of a sink, sink and toilet.

It can take a long time to list all the areas where the sealant is used. In general, wherever there are joints and seams between individual structures, you can and should use a sealant to create a waterproof layer.

Sealants: types, features, scope

All sealants by the nature of the acquisition of shape after application are divided into the following types:

  • Drying out. Water or solvent that is in the composition evaporates after application to the surface, the composition dries out.
  • Hardening. Hard polymers when exposed to air and moisture.
  • Non-hardening. Remain similar to plasticine, mastic.

For use outdoors and in unheated rooms, you need to choose a frost-resistant sealant, this is indicated on the package. In addition, there are universal sealants suitable for different surfaces, and there are specialized ones: for metal, tiles, glass, wood, and so on. In addition, if the sealant is to be used for sealing joints on hot water or heating pipes, it must be heat resistant..

Depending on the composition, the main component, sealants are:

  1. Silicone. Versatile and most popular formulations today. They can be used both indoors and outdoors, on a wide variety of surfaces. They freeze quickly, are not afraid of moisture and sun. The downside is that before using silicone sealant, you need to thoroughly clean and prepare the surface. In addition, old sealant can be very difficult to remove..
  2. Acrylic. Used inside the house. Inexpensive, but not flexible enough. There are waterproof acrylic sealants, there are fire retardants.
  3. Polyurethane. Elastic, resistant to deformation. Can be used for roof installation and foundation reinforcement.
  4. Rubber and bituminous. Pasty, easy to work with, you do not need to clean the surface before use.
  5. Silicone acrylic. Combine the benefits of silicone and acrylic sealants.

Sealants: types, features, scope

Important! For wet rooms, bathrooms, kitchen sink installation, plumbing work, you need to choose moisture-resistant silicone, acrylic, silicone-acrylic and polyurethane sealants. The rest are most often used only for dry surfaces..

Sealants: types, features, scope

Today, sealants are sold in the following packages:

  • Barrels.
  • Tubes.
  • Buckets.
  • Tubes with a volume of 60-100 milliliters. Includes a cone nozzle for precise and convenient application.
  • Tubes with a volume of 310-600 milliliters. You need a construction gun, it is very convenient if you have a fairly extensive scope of work, you need a lot of sealant.

Sealants: types, features, scope

The following brands of sealants are popular: Permatex, Sikaflex, Remmers, Krass, Belinka, Henkel (produces sealants under the Moment and Ceresit brands), Selena. As for the price, silicone sealants cost an average of 100 rubles per 80 milliliters. Acrylic and silicone-acrylics are cheaper โ€“ about 200 rubles for 310 milliliters. The cost of polyurethane is on average 350 rubles for the same volume.

Sealants: types, features, scope

The process of applying the sealant looks like this:

  1. The surface is degreased with acetone and wiped dry.
  2. We recommend sticking masking tape on two or one side of the future seam, so as not to stain the rest of the surface.
  3. You need to work with gloves.
  4. The tube is cut, a nozzle is put on, which ensures uniform application. How to use a construction gun, we will show in the video below.
  5. The seam must be continuous, for this you need to ensure constant pressure on the tube.
  6. You can align the seam with an elastic spatula, the portal wrote in detail about the varieties of this tool.
  7. The composition must first stop sticking to your hands, and then completely freeze.

Sealants: types, features, scope

Finally, we will give you tips for using various sealants:

  • If the seam is narrow, choose a silicone sealant, but for a wide one, it is better to take an acrylic compound.
  • If you attach a corner along the side of the bathroom, the sealant must be used as an adhesive.
  • Do not use silicone acid sealants, that is, acetic, marked โ€œAโ€ on the packaging, for working with metals, marble, granite, cement and glass.
  • If you need to fill a deep seam between the plumbing and the wall, place a piece of, for example, styrofoam so that the composition does not flow down and harden where needed.
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Comments: 2
  1. Isla

    What are the different types of sealants available, and what are their distinguishing features and functionalities? Additionally, in what areas or applications are sealants commonly used?

    Reply
  2. Wyatt Wright

    What are the different types of sealants available? Can you please explain their various features and the specific applications they are suitable for?

    Reply
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