Features of use of sealant for glass

All glass products must be not only durable, reliable in use, but also sealed. This is especially true of ordinary windows, aquariums, car headlights, lanterns and glasses. Over time, chips and cracks may appear on their surface, which during further use provoke mechanical damage. To prevent this, it is enough to perform sealing using special glass sealants. This building product is easy to use and allows you to simultaneously solve two problems: compacts the connection points and protects the glass from the negative effects of external factors.

Glass sealant is a unique material that is made on the basis of liquid polymers and rubbers.Thanks to the special components that make up the product, upon contact with air, it begins to interact with the environment and becomes elastic or solid (polymerizes). In the process of manufacturing a sealant, special technologies are used that provide the molecular combination of organic substances and polymers. As a result of this, a durable material is obtained; it forms on the glass surface a net structure resistant to moisture and mechanical damage.

The main advantages of glass sealant can be attributed.

• Reliable sealing. This indicator is considered important, since it depends not only on the load on the glass surface, but also on the obstacle between dust and moisture between the joints.
• Elasticity. The material has a special structure, thanks to which it is easily applied to the substrate and creates flexible joints between the surface and glass. This is important for the finishing of automotive glass, as they are often subjected to vibrations and vibrations, after which mechanical stress is formed and the glass can deform and crack.Due to the properties of the glass sealant, the surface on the outside is durable and protected, while on the inside it remains elastic.

• Resistant to mechanical damage. Regardless of the application of glass, it may be exposed to water, chemical solutions, dust, and small debris. As a result, the base loses its strength and begins to break down. Glass sealant does not react with sources of external influence and creates a reliable film, thereby providing a permanent connection.
• The ability to use in any temperature mode. There may be various non-standard situations where the glass may first be heated and then cooled sharply. If, however, perform the sealing correctly, the sealant will be able to withstand the temperature range from -40 ° C to + 150 ° C.

Today the construction market is represented by a huge selection of sealants for glass. Each of them is characterized by individual characteristics and scope of application.

Depending on the basis on which the material is made, there are two groups of products:

• Acetate.
• Neutral.

Sealants belonging to the first group are most often used for structural sealing of glass units or for glazing windows. As for the second type, it has a high adhesion, so it can be used not only for sealing glass, but also for puttying external seams of facades, supporting structures made of metal.

Sealant may differ in the components included in its composition and can be diverse.

• Acrylic. This material is considered ideal for sealing windows. They can cover as new windows, and use it to seal the old. The sealant creates a strong layer between the glass and the frame and prevents air from penetrating. The result is a tight joint that is resistant to moisture and low temperature. Most builders consider this sealant to be universal for working with glass.
• Butyl. It is a construction product that is designed for the finishing of double-glazed windows. It is mainly used in the case when you need to dock with each other several glasses.Such a sealant is characterized by excellent protection and well resists the penetration of wet steam and air into the space between the panes. It is necessary to apply it on a working surface at a temperature over 100C.

• Polyurethane. The material has an excellent sealing structure, so it is often chosen for sealing plastic and glass. In addition, it can additionally perform the role of thermal insulation. The surface after sealing with such a sealant acquires strength, its service life increases. Masters most often use this material for edge bonding. Glass reinforced with sealant is not “afraid” of temperature changes, ingress of acids and oils.
• Silicone. It is the most common and popular type of sealants. It is used in almost all stages of construction work. The material is also well suited for sealing facade glass, as it has high performance. The popularity of this product is due to the fact that it is inexpensive and is characterized by excellent quality.

Due to the unique characteristics and special composition of silicone glass sealant allows you to reliably seal the seams and glue materials.In addition, the product has found its application in the auto repair, as it can serve as gaskets. Often one has to deal with the problem of sealing joints between glass and coatings such as metal, ceramics or bricks. Many adhesives do not cope with this, but the silicone sealant for glass perfectly sticks together all the objects, including elastic polymers, plastic, aquariums, and car parts.

In addition, the construction product is used to seal the joints between various glass objects. In the car with it you can strengthen the headlights, fixed windows and hatches. However, during the use of this sealant, it must be remembered that it is not suitable for the performance of work in which it is necessary to combine glass with polymers. When interacting with fluoroplastic, polycarbonate and polyethylene, a chemical reaction occurs and the material loses its properties. In addition, this sealant can be destroyed when exposed to gasoline, synthetic oil and ethylene glycol.

Recently, a new product such as polysulfide sealant can be found on the construction market.It does not contain solvents in its composition, it is not produced in tubes, but in large cans and is used, as a rule, in the manufacture of double-glazed windows. This sealant is obtained by mixing polymers with pigments and a structuring substance, as a result of which a sealing material is obtained, which has high rates of resistance to penetration of gas, steam and water. As a rule, such a product is used as a secondary sealant. Sealant is simply applied, it is not harmful to human health and does not require additional precautions.

You can seal the glass yourself with your own hands, as for this type of work use convenient in use sealants. Before starting the process, it is necessary to carefully prepare the foundation. To do this, its surface is cleaned of dust and dirt, if necessary, then washed and dried. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the application of sealant can be performed only in a certain temperature mode, which should not exceed + 40 ° С and not be lower than + 5 ° С.

For work with glass sealant, you need to use a specialconstruction pistol, it allows you to economically spend the mixture and simplifies the seal sealing, making the seams even. Before placing the cartridge with the adhesive mixture in the gun cut off the tip. Apply sealant should be a small layer, it should be done evenly and evenly. It is advisable to apply the material in a continuous motion, this will provide a quality result. Otherwise, the mixture will be distributed in layers of different thickness and after drying it will have to cut off the excess.

The key to high-quality glass repair is not only the correct choice of sealant, but also the technology for performing work.

To ensure successful sealing, it is important to consider the following recommendations.

• Before purchasing a sealant, determine the level of glass damage and the need for additional items such as fasteners, plugs or boards.It is also important to consider what material the parts in contact with the glass are made of, since for some sealants there are limitations in working with polymers.
• To avoid unnecessary consumption of the mixture, it is necessary to calculate in advance the surface area to be glued.

• To increase the sealing strength will allow a properly selected type of sealant, so it is necessary to take into account the conditions in which it will “work”, whether vibrations, pressure, moisture and temperature will affect it. In addition, the environment will also play a huge role. The presence of water, gasoline and oils can adversely affect the operation of the mixture and it will not last long.
• When buying a sealant, it is recommended to pay attention to how to apply it. Many mixtures are used independently, and some require additional primer or activator. Also, when applying a sealant, there may be a need for masking tape, sandpaper and detergents. All this must be purchased in advance.
• Before working with a sealant, you will need to prepare tools such as a construction pistol, spatulas and brushes.

• When performing sealing, one should pay attention to the fact that each type of material is characterized by a certain surface preparation and duration of drying. The subsequent finishing of glass is possible only after complete drying of the sealant. It is also important to note that when using a mixture, it is impossible to avoid the formation of its surplus, therefore, it is necessary to clarify how to remove them.
• It is undesirable to purchase cheap products, as an affordable price is not always characterized by high quality. It is best to give preference to well-proven manufacturers who are known in the market and have positive reviews. Poor quality sealant will quickly darken, become brittle and begin to peel off, causing the surface to require repeated repair. Therefore, the quality can not be saved. In addition, more expensive products have better structure and are applied quickly and easily.

• Before buying a glass sealant, you must carefully study the instructions and pay attention to its physico-chemical properties. For some types, the temperature mode of application ranges from + 20 ° C to -70 ° C, but if the package contains a range from + 20 ° C to-5 ° C,then it is best to refuse such a product, since it will not last long and will not be able to provide reliable protection to the glass.
• Important at the time of purchase of a sealant is its release date and permissible shelf life. As a rule, expired products will not be able to dry on the glass and poorly glue the parts. In addition, a product with an expired shelf life will not be transparent, but black. If all of the above is present, then the purchase can not be done.
• Sealing of seams, sealing and gluing should be carried out with gloves and after finishing work the room should be aired.

About features of use of sealant for glass look in the following video.