Sealants have a major role to play when putting together the final elements of a housing project. Here, Andy Cummins, Senior Product Manager at Geocel takes a look at the most suitable solutions on offer to those in the sector.
Used in a wide range of applications, from baths to windows, sealants play an important role in housing developments. Not only do such solutions help to ensure quality, long lasting finishes within properties, but they also have a key role in limiting the chances of unwanted call backs. To this end, it’s important that housebuilders and developers understand the different solutions on offer across the market and know what’s most suitable for the task in hand.
For example, while some applications like glazing tasks require sealants with a degree of elasticity, bathroom and sanitary jobs need sealants that instead offer durability and mould resistance. Unfortunately, using incorrect sealants can end up causing serious issues on projects and will inevitably require fixing further down the line. For those in the residential sector, these problems can end up being expensive to mend and affect rates of profitability.
Silicone solutions
Silicone sealant solutions continue to be popular, offering a great degree of versatility and generally adhering well to a wide range of construction substrates. Silicone sealants are an appropriate choice for both internal and external gaps and joints, but can also be used across a range of more basic construction tasks. Therefore, for housebuilders and developers, silicone sealants offer a highly adaptable solution.
When looking to pick silicone sealant solutions, it is crucial to choose the right silicone despite its versatility. Each silicone has been tailored to the specific performance requirements and substrates it will encounter in different applications. For example, a solution like Trade Mate Glazing Seal is perfect for internal and external glazing applications, including the bedding in of glass and sealing between the glass and framework.
Acrylic solutions
Acrylic solutions are more suited for simple tasks like jointing, caulking and filling gaps on materials such as plastered walls, masonry and wood. Most notably, acrylic solutions are well-suited for applications where there is low movement and little to no contact with water.
When using acrylic solutions, housebuilders and developers should look for products with fast overpainting times. For example, products like the Painters Mate Flexible Filler have been designed to work well on a variety of surfaces and can be overpainted in just one hour. By adopting solutions like this, tradespeople are able to speed up on-site work and complete projects in a far shorter timeframe.
MS Polymer solutions
MS Polymer products feature many of the same attributes of traditional alternatives – with the paintability of acrylics and UV stability of silicones. They also have additional features that make them very versatile. Their non-staining properties on natural stone mean they are ideal for projects such as sealing marble or granite kitchen work tops.
Additionally, MS Polymer solutions perform as adhesives and offer excellent compatibility and adhesive properties – superior to ‘grab’ adhesives – as they are suitable for use outside and they will even bond and cure underwater. For example, the Trade Mate Paintable Frame Seal can be used directly on wet or dry surfaces, including most plastics, tiles, wood, stone, metal, glass, concrete, roofing materials and many more. Finally, once applied MS Polymers will not attack synthetic materials, unlike solvented grab adhesives.
Choosing an expert
While there are a number of suitable sealant solutions available for individuals involved in the housebuilding and development sector, when deciding what’s the best solution for an upcoming job, it’s important to assess what’s most suited for the specific task in hand. In doing so, housebuilders and developers can ensure they’re always delivering high-quality installations.
With that said, it’s always important to choose solutions manufactured by a genuine industry leader, such as Geocel. As a leader in the development, formulation, manufacture and marketing of quality sealant and adhesive products, the company is able to provide high-performing acrylic, silicone and MS Polymer solutions that are ideal for use across a wide range of housebuilding tasks.
To this end, the company’s solutions are backed by more than 30 years of technical expertise in the construction and industrial sectors. Benefitting from a dedicated research and development facility within the UK, the manufacturer is able to supply superior product formulations and technical expertise to ensure the right products and best performance are guaranteed across a myriad of different jobs.
