Home renovations as well as professional construction are indispensable without the use of silicone sealant. This material has replaced homemade mastics, bituminous mixtures and all kinds of putties that were previously used for gluing elements, sealing cracks and sealing joints.
Main Features
Water resistant silicone sealant is a dense viscous mass that is used for sealing seams, sealing joints and bonding surfaces. The material is able to maintain moisture resistance and protect the structure from external negative factors. Among the ingredients of the described composition, one can distinguish an enhancer, a base, an adhesion primer, vulcanizers and a silicone plasticizer. Silicone rubber acts as the basic component, but the amplifier is designed to give strength, determining thixotropic characteristics, or rather the level of viscosity. The adhesion primer is added in order to ensure a reliable adhesion of the material to the treated surface. Plasticguaranteed by the silicone plasticizer, but the vulcanizer is able to convert the pasty form into a final material that resembles plastic rubber. To expand the scope of use, some manufacturers add dyes and fungicides, as well as mechanical fillers, to the above components. The second ingredient is designed to prevent or destroy the occurrence of fungi or mold, especially when the sealant is supposed to be used in rooms with high humidity. Mechanical fillers such as sand, glass dust or quartz are added to improve adhesion.
Quality characteristics
Water-resistant silicone sealant has a rather complex composition, this is what determines the characteristics of the material, namely elasticity, resistance to temperature fluctuations, immunity to aggressive environmental influences, high water resistance, excellent aggressive qualities, as well as the ability to withstand biological attacks from mold and fungus.
If you decide to purchase a waterproof silicone sealant, you should know that it is highly elastic, which allows it to be used when sealing cracks and joints, even on moving joints. At the moment of stretching, the fibers of the composition are elongated by 90%, which allows the sealant not to be afraid of seam displacement. You can count on high resistance to temperature fluctuations. Thus, it will be possible to operate a product that has been treated with a sealant whentemperature range from -50 to +200 degrees. If we are talking about heat-resistant compounds, then they will be able to endure temperatures that reach 300 degrees.
Some flaws
Waterproof silicone sealant is not without its drawbacks, namely, not every material of the described type is capable of being painted, not all compositions have high adhesion with polyethylene, fluoroplastic and carbonate. Among other things, you should be prepared for the fact that application to wet surfaces may not give a positive result, since sealants are difficult to process such substrates. If you want to eliminate the above drawbacks, then you should choose silicone varieties, they contain mechanical fillers and organic substances.
Scope of application
If you need a silicone aquarium sealant, you can purchase it from the appropriate store. However, the scope of these compositions is very large. They can be used for both indoor and outdoor work. Thus, they can be used when it is necessary to seal joints in downpipes. Sealant is simply necessary when sealing joints in the area of \u200b\u200bwindow frames and in the process of repairing tiles that are made of stone. This is true for the case when some elements peel off the surface. During the installation of the roof, it may be necessary to seal the seams, as well as sealing the joints. The last statement is true for installing vinyl cladding.
Indoor application area
Aquarium silicone sealant can be used successfully. However, this is not limited to the use of the material indoors. It can be used to seal floor, ceiling and wall joints with drywall surfaces. You can seal seams with this compound on window sills or countertops that are made of artificial or natural stone. The mixture will perfectly cope with the sealing of parts that are exposed to high temperatures during operation.
Scope in the bathroom
Used in the repair process glass sealant. This is true in the case when there is a need to install mirrors inside the bathroom. It may also be needed for the installation of plumbing fixtures. Through the described mixture, you can close the junction areas, as well as the joints of sewer pipes. Joints may need to be sealed during installation of a cubicle, shower or bathtub.
Varieties of sealant and application rules
If you want to purchase a sealant, reviews of which are the most positive, then it is important to know that such compounds are divided into two groups, the first of them is one-component, the second is two-component. Single-component are the most popular in everyday life, they are sold in tubes,as well as foil bags. The hardening of the material occurs when exposed to air, and the composition reaches its full hardness with a thin layer of material ranging from 2 to 15 millimeters. If there is a need to use a sealant in the industrial field, then a two-component silicone compound should be preferred. Its solidification occurs at the moment of contact of the catalyst, but there are no restrictions on the thickness. One-component mixtures, depending on the ingredients of the vulcanizing agent, can be divided into neutral and acidic.
Features of acid sealant
This mixture releases acetic acid, which can corrode zinc, brass, copper, lead and other materials. If you want to purchase such a sealant, the price of the mixture will be $ 3 per bottle, the volume of which is equivalent to 300 milliliters. You can recognize such a product by marking A. Before using such a silicone compound, it is recommended to carry out a test, which involves checking whether the surfaces to be joined will react with acid. This is important when working with cement and marble surfaces. Among the ingredients of such materials are carbonate, alkali and lime, which are able to interact with acetic acid.
Features of neutral sealants
If you need a silicone bath sealant, you can choose a neutral variety that is versatile and can be used on all kinds of surfaces. Alcohol or ketoxime acts as a vulcanizing agent. Such compositions are capablewithstand high temperatures, and high-temperature sealant can be used in the construction of saunas and baths. If you choose a colorless silicone sealant of this type, you can count on high bactericidal. But many consumers do not like that such mixtures are somewhat more expensive - for 300 milliliters you will need to pay about $ 7.
On sale you can also find compositions of narrow specialization, some of them are designed to perform specific tasks.
Conclusion
Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of sealants for sale. Thus, motorists will be able to choose for themselves compounds that are designed to repair a car and replace gaskets. Such a material perfectly protects the elements from moisture, antifreeze and engine oil. The mixture does not flow at the time of application and is able to undergo short-term exposure to impressive temperatures. If you need a sealant, the price of which was mentioned above, then you must remember that during application and operation, the mixture must be protected from the effects of gasoline.
