Polyurethane Sealant 101: Fill Gaps and Joints

In construction, there are a lot of different materials being used to create certain structures but what’s between these strictures is what can make or break the final result. In most cases, the sealant is used in order to keep all kinds of substances, especially fluids from entering between the small crevices. Sealant is as important as the materialism used when building as it helps keep a structure standing for longer.

Sealants are also used as a fire stopping component and for the prevention of corrosion. Throughout the years various types of sealants have been made since their first-ever production in the 20s. This includes polyurethane sealants which are based on an organic material, unlike most other sealants which are based on inorganic materials. Although polyurethane sealers were made available later on they are a great alternative to some more popular types of sealants.

Benefits and Uses of Polyurethane Sealant

Source: industrial.bostik.com

Benefits

Not every sealant is the same though as the chemicals used to make each one determine its properties and uses. While polyurethane sealers are tough to work with they are actually known for having low permeability and being chemically resistant too. Quality polyurethane sealant has high adhesion to different types of surfaces and it is highly flexible while being resistant to sunlight.

Polyurethane sealants are also known for being to keep their stability when exposed to high temperatures and for being corrosion resistant too. You will also find that a polyurethane sealer is resistant to various weather conditions which makes it extremely durable. Polyurethane sealers are known for reducing vibration especially when it comes to metal sheet joints.

Uses

Because of the above-mentioned advantages, polyurethane sealers can be sued in joints of rainwater collection pipes found in rain gutters and on roofs. You can find polyurethane sealers used between precast concrete blocks as well as for the sealing of joints of aluminium pipes found in HVAC systems. You can also use a polyurethane sealer for bonding purposes such as in the manufacturing of vehicles, the repair of metal structures and auto glass as well as in the manufacturing of air conditioning systems.

How to Apply Polyurethane Sealant

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Preparation

1. Before you start using polyurethane sealants to your advantage you need to know how to prepare the surface or surfaces you’re going to be using them on. This is done by doing the two-cloth cleaning method. The method involves wiping the surface with a clean, lint-free cloth dampened in solvent first. The solvent is usually isopropyl alcohol.
2. Once you’ve done that immediately follow up by wiping the surface(s) but this time with a dry, lint-free cloth in order to remove oil or loosened dirt. When it comes to non-porous surfaces you should clean them once again if a couple or more hours have passed from the previous cleaning.
3. When the surfaces have been cleaned properly it’s time to isolate any other areas where you don’t want the sealant to go. This will ensure that you don’t spend much time cleaning up afterwards and make the whole process a lot easier. Masking tape in this case works great

Application

1. When applying polyurethane sealant the joint needs to be sealed from the backside to the front side. This way you ensure that no air will get trapped in the body of the sealant bed. In case air does get trapped into the body of the sealant bed the sealant joint won’t be able to hold well when exposed to movement.
2. There sealant needs to be in full contact with the two joining surfaces so that it works as intended. Doing so otherwise will make the applied sealant last less. Doing so otherwise will make the sealant ineffective at providing a strong bond and its protective proprieties too. This is why you need to use more force when gunning (applying) the sealer in order to press the sealant fully into the joint.
3. When you’ve applied the necessary amount of sealant which will vary depending on the surface area you need to apply it on you then need to let it cure. This simply means you need to let the sealant rest for a certain amount of time depending on the type of polyurethane sealer you’ve used. The curing period will also depend on environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity.

Conclusion

Whether you’re using polyurethane sealers to bring to surfaces together or fill openings on your windows or between tiles it’s important to have the right one. While there are different types of polyurethane sealers unlike various types of sealers they are don’t make it hard to make the right decision as they don’t have as similar properties. The more important thing here would be to apply polyurethane sealers properly and although it may seem like a walk in the park it can be easy to forget some essential steps.