Silicone sealants are one of the most widely used fixing and sealing products, both at home and in industry, on a small or large scale, since their properties make them the best allies to isolate homes from environmental elements or to fix and seal different materials.
However, before you start using silicone sealants, it's important to understand what their applications are in practice, in order to choose the one that best suits your needs.
In this short but useful guide, we explain all the essential details about it.
About Silicone Sealants
Pure silicone is a colorless, odorless polymer that's mainly used to glue or seal materials and that has the following characteristics:
- It's odorless and non-toxic
- Maintains a certain degree of elasticity and flexibility after being applied
- Serves as an electrical insulator
- It's resistant to compression deformation
- Resists extreme temperatures (-60ºC - 250ºC)
- Resists external climatic conditions such as UV rays or humidity
- It's easy to clean
These properties are what make it a material with a wide variety of applications in different areas. Let's see.
Different uses of silicone sealants according to its type:
There are some factors that you should consider before choosing a silicone sealant for a project:
- The function you want to fulfill - Whether it's to fix, seal or fill
- The type of material you are going to work on
- Whether the project is indoors or outdoors
Answering these three points can help you better choose the type of sealant that's most appropriate for you. In this sense, we can classify silicone into several types according to the use that you're going to give it.
According to its composition
- Neutral Silicone - It has great elasticity and is ideal for interior applications and places that require structural movement.
- Acrylic silicone - It's very resistant and can be used outdoors.
- Acetic Silicone - Excellent for sealing and for use outdoors due to its strong resistance to moisture and UV rays.
According to its shape
- Liquid silicone - Useful for gluing and sealing different types of materials.
- Emulsions - They're used to fill cracks since they've very little humidity.
- Specials - Especially suitable for industrial uses.
According to its use
- Construction - They serve to seal, fill, and waterproof both indoors and outdoors.
- Bathrooms and kitchens - They're resistant to wear, moisture and mold, in addition to offering great adhesion.
- Wood - These are mainly used indoors and are very flexible to prevent cracks in the wood.
- Glass - Special for sealing glass pieces such as mirrors, showcases, or crystals.
- Multipurpose - It's a very elastic silicone ideal for all types of materials such as PVC, glass, wood, and others.
As you have seen, there is a good variety of silicone-based sealants, each one for different applications. However, in most cases, using a multipurpose sealant can help you solve your gluing and sealing needs, saving you time and money.
Our GE Silicone Sealant SCS1000 has great adhesion strength to different types of surfaces. In addition, it is highly resistant to water and extreme weather conditions, being ideal for interior and exterior projects, both for homeowners and professionals looking for a high-quality product.
4 applications of GE Silicone Sealants
1. Home maintenance
One of the most common uses for silicone sealants is as a home repair glue. Multipurpose GE silicone sealants easily adhere to a good variety of materials, including wood, glass, and plastic. In addition, their impermeability makes them ideal for filling holes and gaps in the most critical areas.
These silicones also retain their flexibility and resistance to extreme temperatures over time, a feature that makes them an excellent option for sealing doors and windows, thus avoiding the unwanted exchange of air and humidity between the interior and exterior.
2. In the bathroom and kitchen
Silicone sealants act as a powerful adhesive and sealant, flexible, durable, waterproof, and with enormous versatility to be applied on different surfaces, including glass, plastic, and metal. These features allow the use of silicone to work without problems in:
- Sinks
- Showers
- Bathtubs
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Counters
- Walls
Many people even use it for sealing glass pieces, such as aquariums. Its water-resistant properties make it an essential material for those who produce glass tanks and art pieces.
On the other hand, silicone not only prevents water from passing from one surface to another, but it also helps prevent the appearance of mold and moisture. These sealants also come in a sufficient variety of colors to cover all needs. You can see the variety of colors available on our website.
3. Sealing and protection outdoors
Unlike plastic and metal gutters used outdoors to protect your home from the elements, GE silicone sealants are perfect for outdoor use without weakening their bonding and sealing properties. Multipurpose silicone retains its properties of flexibility and resistance to low temperatures and exposure to UV radiation.
Additionally, silicone is widely used as a sealant and adhesive in many commercial construction and restoration projects, where great resistance to extreme hot or cold weather conditions is required. These applications include the sealing and/or glazing of:
- Glass windows in buildings
- Gaps between windows and frames
- Structures in bathrooms
- Structures in kitchens
4. Special applications
Due to its properties, silicone can adhere without problems to the various materials used in the foundations and exterior walls of buildings, including concrete, brick, stone, and metal. This makes it a perfect caulk for sealing items such as:
- Stove hoods
- Dryer outlets
- Outdoor faucets
- Air intakes
Another industry that also makes extensive use of silicone is automotive. Silicone's ability to withstand extreme temperatures makes it an excellent bonding and sealing component in automobiles and appliances. In fact, silicone is also used in car gaskets that have to withstand high temperatures.
And believe it or not, silicone is also used as a glue and sealant in the manufacture of electronic devices and accessories!
At ShapesPlastics we not only offer you the highest quality GE Silicone Sealants and cut-to-size plastic products. Our long-standing philosophy of excellent customer service covering businesses, DIY-ers, and everyday users, will help you fit your plastics needs! Our team is ready to answer any questions you have. Visit our website or contact us: customerservice@shapesplastics.com Phone: 844-970-0650
