How Do I Choose the Right Sealant Solution?

There are a variety of sealants out there that can be used on any number of building applications, making selecting the right sealant for your needs a bit tough. That’s why the team from Metro Sealant is here to provide some insightful tips. For those in need of sealant, we’ve collected some of the most popular types as well as their uses and benefits, so read on!

What to Look For in a Reliable Sealant?

There are a few important characteristics to look for when selecting the best sealant for your needs. Be sure to make note of:

• Its substrate compatibility
• Its movement tolerance
• Relative cost
• Service life
• Material makeup
• Paintability
• Substrate straining

What Different Types of Sealants Are Available?

 As previously mentioned, there is a number of different types of sealants, each with its own benefits, such as:

• Silicone Sealant: Boasting strong performance characteristics, silicone sealant is ideal for a variety of construction and building applications. Some of these high-performance characteristics include high-movement capability, UV resistance, good flexibility over time, a long lifespan, and is also resistant to higher temperatures. It’s important to note that silicone sealants do take longer to cure than other alternatives. Some of today’s leading silicone sealant manufacturers include GE and Tremco silicone sealant.

• Latex: These type of sealants are water-based, paintable, and easy to install and clean up afterward. They’re also one of the more economical sealants available on the market. Although most latex sealants are suited for interior applications there are some more durable latex sealants that can be used outside that have an extended lifespan.

• Butyl: Butyl sealant is made up of synthetic rubbers that are highly adhesive and solvent-based. They’re designed to adhere to a wide variety of different substrates, anything from concrete to EPDM roofing materials. Although they’re extremely durable, butyl sealants aren’t always easy to apply because of their consistency. Even so, they remain one of today’s most widely-used sealant solutions.

• Acrylic: Used for more commercial and industrial exterior applications, acrylic sealants are somewhat difficult to install; however, they’re solvent-based, and paintable. Most often used for construction purposes where low-movement joints are present, acrylic sealants don’t boast a wide range of movement.

• Polyurethane: One of the toughest sealants out there, polyurethane offers good movement capability; it can also be painted and is abrasion-resistant. Although similar in strength and flexibility to silicone sealants, it can’t be used in structural glass assemblies. Polyurethane sealants also include other chemicals, such as silicone and polysulfides, which make them have a great lifespan.

• Polysulfide: As a high-performance sealant, polysulfide is mostly used in swimming pools and other environments that come into contact with water but don’t require much movement. Being both water and chemical-resistant, they can last extremely long even while being submerged in water over a long period of time. They’re also one of the cheaper sealant types available today.

• Hybrid or Polymer Sealants: Lastly, there are some newer sealants available these days that are modified or hybrids of some of the sealants mentioned above, such as polyurethane and silicone. These modified sealants combine the best attributes and strengths of each to create a high-strength sealant without the need for using solvents.

Some of Metro Sealant’s Best-Sellers

Before you go, we wanted to highlight a few of our best-selling sealants to give you a better idea of your options when it comes to our inventory.

Pecora BC-158 Butyl Sealant: This sealant is designed to provide a durable seal for all types of aluminum, glass, wood, and even masonry and steel. Additionally, it’s also great for channel glazing panels, caulking joints, and curtain wall construction, and since it’s BC-158, it’s also approved by the United States Food Drug Administration for use in food processing plants and agricultural applications.

Dymonic FC Tremco Sealant: Those looking for a fast-curing sealant that offers high strength, moisture curing, and works well as a modified polyurethane joint sealant will find it with Dymonic’s FC Tremco Sealant. It’s easy to apply with conventional caulking equipment. For those sealing joints, closed cell backer rod is recommended.

MasterKure CC 180WB Acrylic Sealant: Allowing concrete to retain its full strength potential, this MasterKure CC acrylic sealant is easy to maintain. It’s designed to reduce surface stains and concrete dusting so it’s easy to keep clean. Additionally, it’s also VOC compliant and compatible with most tile and carpet adhesives.

Tremflex 834 Latex Sealant: Made by Tremco, one of the world’s leading sealant and waterproofing manufacturers, the Tremflex 834 sealant is a general-purpose sealant that offers great flexibility to any acrylic latex sealant job. It can also be used indoor and out and is ready to paint after only 30-45 of curing time. Rated Class A Building Material, Tremflex 834 has also been designed to reduce sound transmission.

Contact Metro Sealant today for silicone sealant, Tremco sealant, and more!

 If all of the tips above still left you with some questions, our team is always available to help you find the right product. As a family-owned business, we’ve been providing clients with quality sealant and construction solutions since 1989. Metro Sealant values our relationship with our customers, which is why we partner with today’s leading industry manufacturers to provide you with the highest-quality goods at the lowest possible price.

In addition to all of the sealant solutions we carry, we also specialize in building tools, backer rods, caulking guns, and more. For those just beginning a construction project and creating a detailed budget, Metro Sealant also offers a variety of estimating tools on our website to make things easier on you.

For more information, contact us online or call (866) 695-6617 today!