Silicone sealants - complete purchase guide

What are the types of silicone sealant? What scenarios can they be used in? Please refer to our guide for more information.

What is silicone sealant?

Silicone sealant is a kind of adhesive, which is usually used to form a watertight or airtight seal at the joint of two surfaces. In some occasions, silicone sealant is also called silicone sealant. The general term "sealant" or "adhesive" is often used to refer to various products, such as silicone sealant, as well as many other commonly used sealants and adhesives.

Generally, the consistency of silicone sealant is liquid or gel when it is first used. After drying under appropriate temperature and humidity conditions for a period of time, it will solidify into a more solid rubber like substance. After curing to this state, silicone sealant products are as durable and elastic as solid silicone rubber.

Silicone sealant is usually sold in a separate extrusion tube for manual use, but some products are sold in a larger rigid cylinder, which is also popular. The latter is suitable for inserting into the convenient applicator (such as sealant gun or dispensing syringe), which can make the sealant application effect cleaner.

In this guide, we will learn more about the concept of silicone sealant, and outline various silicone products that can form a tough, waterproof seal around walls, tiles, windows and fixtures. We will also learn about the best use and location of these products, and answer some common questions about the application and maintenance of silicone sealant in different locations.

Use of silicone sealant

As mentioned above, silicone sealant is often used to form a waterproof and airtight connection between two surfaces or included angles. Normally, this is a frequently used position. The seal should be durable and elastic to block excess air or moisture.

Silicone sealant is flexible, durable and more popular than sealant, adhesive and sealant. After curing, the silicone sealant can create a bonding effect with high toughness and slight elasticity. Even if time passes, the colloidal shape will remain very intact and relatively inert at higher and lower temperatures.

These characteristics make silicone an ideal material for creating wear-resistant, durable seals and connections in frequently used or extremely harsh exposed areas and environments. The expansion or contraction caused by mechanical force or humidity and temperature change will cause surface displacement, while the dry silicone seal has rubber properties, so it can play a buffer role between these surfaces.

Generally speaking, there are four main uses of silicone sealant. They are home repair and maintenance, building sealing and bonding, glass and plastic bonding in handicrafts or pet appliances (including glass tank and aquarium sealing), and manufacturing or producing various products, such as electronic products, electrical appliances and automobiles.

Typical scenarios for sealing with silicone adhesive include:

Window seal

Door seal

Shower or bathtub seals and trim

Cooker seal

Refrigerator seal

Pipe connection

Electrical maintenance

Wire entry seal

Connection protection

In addition to physical material properties, there are many other reasons behind the preference of professionals and DIY enthusiasts for silicone sealant over other adhesives and adhesives (such as polyurethane sealant and acrylic adhesive).

On the one hand, the reliability and stability of silica gel after sealing and curing are excellent; On the other hand, they are also very convenient to use. Users can quickly make waterproof joints by simply applying the gel. The curing process is very simple. The user only needs to wait for the gel solution to solidify without further operation.

Silicone sealant is usually weatherproof, and all products are resistant to a variety of harsh indoor and outdoor environments. They are chemically inactive, do not promote mold growth, and because they contain specially formulated adhesives, they can easily bond with many other surfaces and materials.

Therefore, silicone sealant can provide a solid, reliable and lasting silicone sealing effect, which can be maintained in good condition for a long time with little maintenance.

How to use silicone sealant

If you are planning to learn how to use silicone sealant, or want to know how to achieve perfect silicone sealing effect (including manual application and use of caulking gun), please remember the following tips and techniques.

Silicone Sealant

First of all, it is very important to choose the right product for the specific application and installation environment you are using. In the next section of this guide, we will introduce various types of silicone sealants.

Silicone Sealant

Secondly, it should take some time to master the basic application technology, so that the joints can be neatly made with silicone products or the spot coating can be completed. Proper application can greatly improve the bonding effect of sealant.

Silicone Sealant

Different types of silicone sealant

Silicone sealant has many colors, such as black, gray, white and transparent. They are usually sold in drums or tubes, and many products have a nozzle for precise spot coating applications. The colloid in the extrusion tube can be extruded manually, and the colloid in the rigid tube can be sprayed with a sealant gun.

Silicone sealant is generally divided into two categories, namely neutral sealant and acid sealant (or acetic acid base). The acid adhesive is very suitable for non porous surfaces, such as glazed tiles and glass. However, since the acid adhesive will corrode or damage the surface when it is directly applied to unsuitable materials, the neutral adhesive will have a better effect when dealing with wood or scratched plastics and metals.

The curing speed of high modulus sealant is faster, the hardness is higher, and it will emit a slight acetic acid smell when curing. Most acetoxy silicone sealants are high modulus colloids, while most neutral adhesives are usually low modulus colloids. They have almost no smell and the curing process is slightly slow, so the sealing will be more flexible and elastic.

Most silicone sealant products are widely used. They can generally be used for a variety of general applications and are suitable for bonding a variety of surface materials. Hygienic silicone sealant can effectively inhibit the growth of mold, so it is very suitable for wet environments (such as bathrooms).

When purchasing sealant and adhesive, you should pay attention to whether the product is clearly marked as indoor/outdoor silicone sealant. You should also remember any specific operating temperature ranges listed in the product instructions.

Although silicone sealant performs well in both hot and cold weather conditions (especially after curing), in the actual application process, too high or too low temperature will sometimes affect the ability of the adhesive to cure evenly and neatly around the joint. If the seal needs to be completely waterproof or airtight, this feature should be taken into account.

Many adhesives, glues and sealants are advertised with chemical formulas that can meet the needs of specific use scenarios. Common products include waterproof silicone sealant, quick drying silicone sealant and high elongation silicone sealant. You may see the following labels and characteristics in the sealant package or in the manufacturer's guide:

Flexibility

Fungus/mould proof silicone

High elasticity

High strength

High temperature resistance

Low shrinkage

Low modulus

Small smell

Non corrosive

Non flammable

Cohesionless

Color of silicone sealant

Silicone sealant has many colors. However, the most popular colors are white and transparent.

However, with the passage of time, as the bright colors and tones used in many common accessories and fixtures are increasing, the color of silicone is also increasing. It is not difficult to find a brand or supplier that sells silicone sealant in copper, gray, red, cream, brown and black.

When neutral or colorful appearance is required, semi transparent or transparent silicone sealant can also be selected. Silicone sealant is very suitable for bonding glass, and is an ideal material for bonding appliances and fixtures with various colors or patterns.

Brand of silicone sealant

Today's professionals and DIY market welcome, and trustworthy high-quality silicone sealant brands include:

Ambersil

Dow Corning

Bostik

Loctite

Electrolube

Evo-Stik

Geocel

Henkel

RS Pro

ACC Silicones

GOODE

common problem

How to store silicone sealant after use?

The best way to store silicone sealant or sealant after use is to prevent air from contacting unused products in the tube or cylinder. One method is to extrude a small bubble to block the open end of the nozzle, thus forming a gas tight seal. You can then apply a small piece of sealing material to the entire nozzle end and fix it in place with a rubber band. Although this does not guarantee the permanent quality, it can significantly extend the shelf life after opening.

How to remove the black mold on the silica gel?

Most silicone sealants can inhibit mold growth for a long time, but over time, there will still be black mold growth on the old silicone seals, especially in high humidity areas. The simplest way is to soak the paper towel or cotton wool with high concentration household bleach, and then directly smear it on the mildew spot, and keep it for 15-20 hours.

How to remove the old silicone sealant?

There are many methods to remove old sealant and adhesive, but generally speaking, the simplest, most effective and most reliable convenient method is to use special chemical sealant remover. This method is cost-effective and time-saving. Remember to confirm whether the remover product you selected is effective for silicone.

How long does it take for the sealant to dry?

The recommended drying and curing times for various silicone sealant products vary depending on the specific materials and compounds contained in the product. The temperature and humidity of the installation location, and any residual moisture in the sealant application surface (such as the recently plastered surface) will also have a significant impact on the drying and curing time.

Generally speaking, most silicone based adhesives and sealants will reach surface dryness within 1-3 hours of application. However, it is recommended that you wait at least 10-12 hours (preferably 24 hours) before exposing the curing seal area to water. After a whole day, all high-quality silicone sealants in typical environments will basically be completely cured.