UNDERSTANDING SILICONE SEALANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION

Sealants serve an important role in building and home design. Preventing moisture and air penetration, it’s essential the right sealant is chosen for the application. However, with many sealants on the market offering different chemical and physical properties, keeping track of them can be difficult.

Learn more about silicone sealants in particular, including their uses, advantages and limitations.

Silicone sealants for construction applications are formulated for moisture cure. Their cure rate depends upon:

• Temperature
• Humidity
• Moisture placement in the system

One-part silicone sealants in particular offer two major types, acetoxy and neutral systems, with corresponding sub-categories. However, both cure with reaction to moisture.

Available in a range of modulus formulations, these sealants are ideal for the following construction applications:

Silicone sealants offer many advantages, including:

• UV stability
• Color stability
• Adhesion to variety of construction surfaces
• Exceptional high movement accommodation
• Extreme temperature resistance
• High workability

As a result, they are a versatile option for many construction projects.

While silicone sealants work well in many construction applications, it’s important to note their limitations prior to selecting them for a project. These include:

• Possibility of surface dirt retention due to static charge
• Not successfully paintable (in general for high quality silicones)
• Primers may be required on some surfaces
• Lower tear and abrasion resistance

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Bostik offers smart silicone sealants that are highly resistant to:

• Weathering
• Mold
• UV light
• Water
• Cyclic movement of dynamic building joints

Providing workability for building, construction and glazing joints, they offer exceptionally high movement accommodation. For more information on our smart silicone sealants and how they improve construction overall, contact us today.