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Best Uses of Waterproofing Silicone Based Sealant

12 years ago

I was able to able to buy some high quality silicone rubber based sealer for waterproofing wood, tile, concrete, stucco, stone etc and was wondering which of these applications would be best to this type of sealer on?

1) A resurfacing of a small concrete pond

2) Sealing new saltillo tile

3) Waterproofing stucco around a BBQ grill area that bubbles after rain

4) Waterproofing a fiberglass door to use in a high salt and humidity coastal environment.

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Comments (9)

User
12 years ago
A "sealant" is not the same thing as a "sealer" so I don't know what kind of material you are asking about.

A 100% silicone "sealant" should not be used when it will be in constant contact with water.

When the term "silicone-based" is used, performance is highly dependent on what it has been mixed with.
happs
Original Author
12 years ago
This product is a "sealant." The composition is 8% Silicone Rubber.
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Silicone is very waterproof but it doesn't adhere well to surfaces especially if they are porous or not completely clean and free of contaminants. It also should not be in contact with water too long so, water must drain away from the joint. Silicone also does not seal well when applied thin to a surface. The joint should be between 1/8" and 1/4 inch wide and of the same depth with a backer rod or something to form a concave shape to the back side or at least prevent it from filling the joint to deeply. The front side should also be concave. This hour-glass shape ensures that the sealant will stretch before the adhesion to the surfaces fails. But since the sealant failed immediately I would assume the surfaces were not cleaned properly. Old sealant is the worst contaminant and the most difficult to get rid of. Silicone is used for joints with a lot of movement between dissimilar materials like at exterior aluminum windows. If this joint will not move much you might consider a polyurethane sealant which is less flexible but more resistant to water contact and adheres to surfaces far better. It is preferred over silicone in marine applications.
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100% GE silicone is best for a joint that will move that much. There must be good adhesion on the sides and it can stick to nothing in the middle which is best accomplished with a backer rod if it will stay in place long enough to give the sealant an hour glass shape. I would try to match the color of the brick not the window because it will be a mess. But it will only be temporary since the window doesn't really fit in the opening. For a proper sealant joint the window must overlap the brick about an inch and there should be about a 1/4" joint for the sealant. You might have to add some small aluminum angles to the front of the window to create that kind of joint or tear it out and start over.
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Welcome, blitz! A few questions come to mind so we can give you a good answer. First, is your substrate porous like wood or non-porus like ceramic or glass? Frankly, I don't know of anything that will work on wood to keep it from absorbing moisture and popping the tesserae off. If you're using something non-porous (a glass tabletop for example), I don't think you would have to waterproof it. Applying an outdoor sealer would probably work in your climate....I'm in North TX and ours is pretty similar. Most of the time I use thinset for both an adhesive and grout on outdoor objects. That way I can seal it and let it go. ;) HTH, Pat
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Update: It was a nightmare to get this company to make it right even with emails from the manufacturer stating that they sealant must be removed and an environmental company coming out and informing the owner of the company the air quality was so bad he would not advise sitting out there. They removed the caulk and recaulked but it did nothing to help as it absorbed into the concrete slab and I am pretty sure it was used behind the wall in the corners. The air tester came out after the caulk had been removed and then re-caulked and it was still unsafe. After 4 more months of them doing nothing and the threat of getting a lawyer involved they sealed the floor and it began to ease some. After installing tile and molding, and it helped more. It has never entirely gone away and it has been 2 years. I haven't had the air quality tested because I think deep down I know there is still a small hazard there but in the state I live there is very little consequence to these types of things. Which is why the owner was so blatent and arrogant. He thought he would never be held accountable. Once he got wind of us calling lawyers and asking for formal reports on the testing, he realized it probably best to take our calls. Unfortunately, they've installed hundreds of sunrooms this way, including my neighborhood full of elderly people. They all noticed a smell but thought it was supposed to smell that way because it was new. I personally know of 3 people who have had their sunrooms longer than me and you can still smell the fumes too. My advice is to learn to do things yourself because contractors are really, really bad right now with all the work coming in and they know there is little accountability to be held.
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User
12 years ago
What is the other 92%? It sounds more like a surface sealer than a joint sealant.
happs
Original Author
12 years ago
I'm not sure what the other 92% is. It's for surfaces. If it is allowed/permitted in this forum, I can reply with a link to the product website with specifications.
User
12 years ago
link all you want as long as you aren't selling the stuff
User
12 years ago
What you are probably talking about is a fluid applied, water-based, breathable, silicone one-component elastomer waterproofing for application to the above-grade exterior surfaces of cast concrete, precast concrete, clay brick masonry, concrete unit masonry, synthetic stucco, exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), cement plaster, stucco, and synthetic stucco.

Such materials are considered water repellents not sealants. A silicone sealant should be 100% silicone and applied to smooth uniform joints between materials to allow for movement of the materials.
happs
Original Author
12 years ago
I think your description is accurate. Here is the link to the product. It's called Professional Products of Kansas Water Sealant PWS-8 Extra.

http://www.watersealant.com/

I don't understand all the technical specs associated with the product, but the person I bought these extra quarts from used it on flagstone and showed me how it repelled the water on it. I'm wondering if I can use this in addition to an oil based or water based sealer on outdoor saltillo if I were to install new saltillo tile? I guess I can't use it when I refinish a concrete pond since it's below grade and it doesn't say anything about fiberglass.
User
12 years ago
I generally prefer to use better known brands and water-based if the project is important or the materials are expensive to replace.

Be careful, it is not silicone-based, it is solvent-based (petroleum distillates) with a small amount of silicone in it. Only use it on porous materials and don't use it near plastics, fiberglass, painted surfaces, asphalt or plastic foams. Try a sample first; it may darken/discolor masonry materials.

The fact that they misuse the term "sealant" in their product name is irritating to me but I'm old and intolerant of people who take liberties with long-standing construction industry specification terminology. And the use of the term "professional" as a registered trademark irritates me too. I guess they thought "deluxe" had been overused.
HU-793436663
last year
Does the pws 8 breathe too ?
My builder wants to use it in our new poolside flagstone.

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