Sealant is a fairly common guest in the hands of plumbing and bath repairers in particular. It does an excellent job of sealing seams, some kind of cracks or joints, thereby protecting the treated area from moisture. Water, getting into such holes, promotes the development of microscopic bacteria and fungi, and they, in turn, destroy everything they encounter.
We will try to figure out which bathroom sealant is better, what types can be found in stores and what to pay special attention to when buying. Let's take into account the opinion of professionals in this field and the reviews of ordinary users.
Types of sealants
Before determining which bathroom sealant is best, let's first look at its composition and main types. Its basis, for the most part, are polymers, fillers, hardeners and dyes.
Depending on the percentage of these parts and the polymer used, the types of composition differ. If you do not go into the chemical wilds, then in total there are four main types of bathroom sealant.
Silicone
This is one of the most requested types, butat the same time the most expensive. Experts in this field consider silicone bath sealant to be the best among others. It is suitable for any coating: cast iron, steel and the most modern - acrylic. In addition, silicone bathroom sealant, along with a variety of colors, goes well with the exterior of the room itself.
He is not afraid of sunlight, can withstand almost any temperature fluctuations (-50 … +200 degrees) plus has enviable performance characteristics that allow you to forget about the problem for many years.
Silicone sealants for the bathroom, in turn, are divided into two subspecies - acidic (acetic) and neutral. The former are distinguished by their low price, characteristic odor and fastidiousness to the surface on which they are applied. The chemical reactions of the acid sealant can cure, oxidizing some alloys and metals.
The main direction of such compositions is ceramics, plastic and wood. Therefore, acid silicone sealant for acrylic bathtubs is definitely not suitable, and it is not recommended to use it for other coatings.
In a good half of cases, experts advise working with a neutral composition. It goes well with all types of coatings, and the sealing of seams, joints and cracks does not cause critical chemical reactions, such as the same vulcanization. Hence, in fact, the name - neutral. Such a bathroom sealant is noticeably more expensive, so be careful and do not inadvertently buy an acid composition when trying to save money.
Acrylic
This type of sealant is practically not inferior to the previous one in terms of service life and also has good adhesion on any coatings. Its cost is slightly lower than silicone compounds, where the difference is due to the lower elasticity of the seam. It is the ideal sealant for an acrylic bath, but only if the joints to be sealed do not warp.
The composition is very easy to use and applied without any problems. Acrylic bathroom sealant is also resistant to sunlight, does not fade and withstands temperature fluctuations from -25 to +80 degrees.
One of the main advantages of this composition is unpretentiousness to subsequent coatings. Acrylic sealant can be safely applied with varnish, paint, or well-flavored with plaster. The only thing worth clarifying is that sometimes in stores they meet compositions that are not resistant to moisture. They are used for some specific needs, but certainly not for bathtubs and bathrooms, so be sure to pay special attention to the labeling.
Polyurethane
This is a powerful, effective and heavy chemical bathroom sealant. It costs more than a silicone counterpart, but it has its own undeniable pluses and minuses. The former include excellent resistance to mechanical damage and excellent adhesion.
Very often, instead of removing the sealant from the bathtub, a polyurethane compound is simply applied on top of it. This procedure is usually carried out withold silicone sutures. Then any decorative or preparatory coating is applied on top, such as varnish or paint.
As mentioned above, the polyurethane compound is stuffed to capacity with serious as well as dangerous elements, so you need to work with it with extreme caution, using gloves and a protective mask.
Silicone Acrylic
As the name implies, this is a kind of hybrid that incorporates the best features of both species. Here we have a strong composition and a long service life. Due to its versatility, this hybrid sealant can be freely used to bond surfaces, i.e. act as an adhesive.
If you are in doubt and cannot choose between silicone or acrylic sealant, in most cases the hybrid composition will solve this problem. It costs more than its original counterparts, but still cheaper than polyurethane.
Choosing the best sealant
Almost all experts in this field prefer to use a synthetic sealant. This option is moderately versatile and not so expensive, especially when it comes to a comprehensive bathroom renovation, and not a spot patch.
Silicone composition does an excellent job of sealing the seams between the bathroom, the wall and other plumbing. He also showed himself perfectly when sealing wiring and sewer pipes. It can be safely used to update old seams.
If your bathtub is made of metal, then the sealantmust be neutral, and in the case of acrylic products, it is better to use the composition of the same name.
Sealant Properties
Separately, it is worth mentioning the sanitary type of sealant. The corresponding mark should show off on the label. You should not miss it, because manufacturers are trying in every possible way to attract consumers to their products and indicate remarkable properties in large letters or icons. Such a "chip" adds not only practicality, but also marketing weight.
Fungicides are added to the sanitary sealant, which several times reduces the likelihood of catching some kind of fungus or pathogenic bacteria. So be sure to pay attention to this useful feature at the time of purchase.
Also, in addition to the main polymers, many manufacturers add various kinds of expanders and fillers to the composition. The latter are usually chalk or quartz flour. Such fillers help to cope with wide seams and do not resort to the help of polyurethane foam or other expanding synthetics. Be sure to pay attention to the percentage of additives to the main composition - they should not exceed 10%. With each extra percentage, the sealant will simply lose its useful properties. It also determines how long the bath sealant dries.
But in pursuit of some additional "chips" you should not lose sight of the main characteristics of the composition. Any good sealant must be water resistant, meet safety standards and have a long service life.
Top Producers
There are quite a few brands on the domestic construction market that produce sealants. It is very easy for an inexperienced consumer to get lost in all this diversity. And even if the appropriate conclusions are drawn from the information given above, it is very difficult to choose a normal manufacturer.
Taking into account the opinion of experts in this field and consumer reviews, you can make a kind of rating, which includes really smart brands that care both for their reputation and for their customers.
Titan
This is a fairly well-known brand from the Polish company Selena. Sealant "Titan" is used by a good half of craftsmen and plumbing specialists. It has proven to be not only reliable, but also inexpensive.
Acrylic and silicone formulations can be found in stores. The only drawback that ordinary consumers complain about is 310 ml tubes. To seal small cracks and seams, this is too much, and the rest simply disappears as unnecessary. For masters doing repairs, as they say, in bulk, this is an ideal option, but others have to overpay for volumes.
Moment
This brand is probably on everyone's lips. Compositions can be produced in different countries and regions: these are Germany, Russia, the Czech Republic or Belgium. But this is not so important, because the result will be the same - high-quality sealing of seams and joints for a long time.
It is also worth noting more thanaffordable price tag for products and a variety of compositions, as well as volumes of sealant.
Ceresit
The Ceresit brand is a German branch of the venerable giant Henkel, which produces chemicals for almost all areas. The company's products are distinguished by their excellent quality and variety of assortment.
Ceresit sealants are mostly universal. They can be safely used as glue, attaching, for example, some decorating elements. Excellent quality simply cannot be cheap, so the brand's products are noticeably more expensive than the same "Titan" or "Moment".
