Suppose you need to finish your household fixes or construction projects quickly. In that case, adhesives and sealants can provide invaluable help since they are stable and flexible whether applied in the grueling heat or cold. Among the different adhesive choices in the market, silicone adhesives and sealants are your best bet for their countless applications from household chores to industrial uses.
Silicone adhesives and sealants are strong and easy-to-use products for projects where you need to seal space and make sure the items fit, stay in place, or don’t leak. To maximize their effectiveness, you must know how to use these products.
7 Best Practices for Silicone Adhesives and Sealants
Many people know very little about how to use silicone adhesives and sealants properly. As such, you may not take full advantage of the product or achieve the best finish for your project, leading to wasted resources either way. Here are tips and tricks on how to apply the perfect seal to every use.
1. Choose the right silicone for your project
Before buying a silicone adhesive or sealant, you must know what kind of materials you’re working with. Some adhesives and sealants are fit for specific types of projects. For industrial applications like engines and transmissions, it’s recommended that you use oil-resistant gasket makers, like Permatex Ultra Black Maximum Oil Resistance RTV Silicone Gasket Maker. For home applications, pipe and flange sealings can provide an immediate sealing effect, which can be achieved with Weicon Pipe & Flange Sealing w/ PTFE. You can order these adhesives and more from the Simplex online shop.
2. Follow instructions on the label
When approaching a project using silicone adhesives and sealants, you may be overconfident, thinking it’s simple to fill in gaps and cracks. The task will be an easy one if you follow the product instructions.
There are different kinds of adhesives and sealants like self-fusing silicone tapes and gasket makers. All of them come with slightly varying instructions on how to properly use them.
Generally, adhesives and sealants differ in how long it takes for them to dry. In some cases, you will need to mix them with other substances before use. As such, you must read and follow the instructions and make it an essential first step in completing a successful project.
3. Apply a primer
Primers can enhance your bonds, as they help sealants adhere more easily to the surface. You can use solvent-based primers for this job. There are different kinds of primers, and some of them you can apply by brush or cloth.
4. Use a vise or clamp to apply firm pressure during adhesive cure
The curing process of silicone adhesives or sealants isn’t the same as using glue to bond two pieces of paper together. You don’t just wait for it to dry on its own; rather, you need to apply pressure to make sure that the adhesive is as strong as possible.
Using a vise or a clamp can help hold pieces together with steady pressure. See to it that you’ve waited a significant amount of time before you remove the clamp. Don’t rush the curing process and allow the adhesive to dry so that you won’t encounter any mishaps.
5. Keep sealants in a cool space
Most sealants have a short shelf life once you’ve opened them. When they’re exposed to air, they start curing, which is why they won’t last forever in the tube. To extend the life of your sealant, keep it in a cold place, like a refrigerator, since hot and humid environments accelerate the process of curing.
Keeping the nozzle attached to the tube will also prevent the sealant from drying up quickly. With this, you shouldn’t leave the sealant open as you use it.
6. Create a sealant nozzle cap
A trick you can do to make your sealants last longer is to create a nozzle cap using the sealant itself. After every use, clean the nozzle with a dry cloth. Then squeeze the silicon tube very slowly to get some sealant (around 1ml) on your fingertip. Next, using your finger, lather the sealant on the nozzle to create a cap.
Afterward, store the tube in a cool and dry place where the cap won’t touch any surfaces. The sealant cap you created will slow down the curing process of the sealant in the tube.
To remove the dried cap, hold it and pull it back slowly and carefully. Make sure the dried sealant inside the nozzle doesn’t break, as it’ll be very difficult to get it out if it does.
You should use the sealant within four days of sealing it. When the tube exceeds four days with your makeshift cap, more of the sealant will likely dry up. If you don’t have to use the sealant after four days, you can just replace the cap.
7. Put petroleum jelly in the nozzle cap
If your sealant has a nozzle cap and you don’t want to create a cap out of the sealant, you can always do the old petroleum jelly trick. After use, wipe the nozzle clean. Then fill the nozzle cap with petroleum jelly. Next, press the cap onto the tip of the nozzle. Finally, with electric tape, wrap tightly around the base of the nozzle to the tip of the cap.
If you want to use the sealant, you can easily remove the tape and cap, and your sealant will be as good as new.
Improve Your Sealing Game
Aside from using high-quality silicone adhesives and sealants, it’s also important that you maximize the use of each product to save costs and finish the project effectively.
If you’re looking for the best sealants in the market, Simplex has everything you need. We are a premier supplier of adhesives, sealants, and other high-quality industrial and engineering parts for different projects. Browse our online shop today to get started!
