How long does silicone sealant dry?

Water has unique properties: on the one hand, life itself is impossible without it, on the other - moisture causes significant damage to everything that man creates. For this reason, people have to invent the means to protect against moisture. One of the materials capable of successfully resisting the effects of water and its vapors for a long time is silicone sealant.

Silicone sealant is a universal material. Its feature is that it is possible to use it in almost any conditions. It serves perfectly both indoors and out.

Most often, silicone is used in the installation of sanitary products. Today it is difficult to imagine that the sealant is not used in the bathroom.

In this room it is present almost everywhere:

• closes the gap between the bathroom and the walls;
• serves as a waterproofing at the joints of water and sewer pipes, at the fixing points of taps, corners and tees;
• laid at all the seams when assembling shower cubicles;
• participates in the operation of fixing mirrors and shelves, when gluing ceramic tiles on the walls of the room and porcelain stoneware on the floor.

In the construction of sealant fill the gap in the installation of windows and doors. It is used when laying electrical wires and cables.

Sealant is used in the machine tool industry and the engineering industry - it is indispensable for assembling components from plastic and metal parts.

The basis of silicone sealant is rubber.

Besides him, in the composition are:

• plasticizer - a substance that gives plasticity to the sealant;
• vulcanizer - an element that changes the state of the sealant from the pasty version to the one similar to rubber;
• the amplifier is responsible for the viscosity of the composition and for its strength characteristics;
• adhesion primer - promotes perfect adhesion of the sealant to the materials being processed;
• filler - turns the colorless composition in color (not available in all types of sealant).

All sealants on the nature of use are divided into one- and two-component. The former are used directly, their stable state is formed under normal conditions under the influence of moisture and air. And in order to harden two-component types, an additional substance is required that plays the role of a catalyst.

By composition, silicone-based adhesives are divided into three types.

• Acetic sealant. Contraindicated in concrete and metal products. The material emits acetic acid, which can cause significant harm to the metal and cause its corrosion. Used when working with plastic, wood and ceramics.
• Neutral sealant (or universal). Has on the packaging labeling in the form of the Latin letter N. Applicable for all types of materials.The transparent composition is resistant to water, fits well on the metal, can be used for aquariums.
• Sanitary sealant. Fully meets its name. Its purpose is the sanitary range of operations. Everything that needs to be sealed in the bathroom is performed by just such a means. Waterproof sanitary sealant does not collapse under the influence of hot and cold water, resistant to temperature extremes and UV light. But its main feature is the resistance to cleaning products and detergents, which are so fond of using the hostess, monitoring the cleanliness of bathrooms and kitchens.

The sealant may have a white color, be colorless or have a color. Color gives to the pasty substance filler.

Colored sealants can be divided into three types by application:

• construction;
• automobile;
• special.

The question of the rate of drying of the silicone compound is of interest to anyone who intends to use it.

There is no unequivocal answer, because the tool freezes differently, depending on various factors:

• composition;
• layer thickness;
• places of application;
• external factors.

It is believed that the acidic sealant takes an average of 5 hours after application to the surface. His neutral "brother" needs much more time - the whole day. At the same time, the ambient temperature should not fall below + 5 degrees. In both cases, it is understood that the sealant is applied in a single layer of medium thickness. For each type of adhesive, the drying time is indicated on the packaging.

The composition dries out gradually. First, the outer layer hardens - it takes about 15 minutes. If after a quarter of an hour to touch the sealant hand, it will not stick, as it would during the application. However, the polymerization process is still incomplete, since the setting reaction occurs inside the plastic mass under the film formed outside.

Normal conditions for drying silicone sealant is considered to be a positive temperature ranging from 5 to 40 degrees. The second requirement is the absence of air stasis. If it is not difficult to provide airing in the rooms and in the kitchen, in the bathroom it is quite problematic to make the air masses move. Therefore, in these areas silicone freezes for a long time compared to other domestic premises.

The long process of working with sealant in bathrooms is also connected with the fact that it is not possible to use quick-drying acetic type here. The composition poured between the wall of the room and the metal bowl of the bath should have a neutral reaction. In addition, the adhesive must contain fungicides that prevent the formation of fungus in places with constant high humidity.

Those who cannot wait for the adhesive to dry out the whole day, and even more than two days, should be aware that there are ways to accelerate the polymerization of the sealant.

The composition dries faster if the temperature in the room is relatively high. If you need to quickly dry the applied layer, you must create appropriate conditions, for example, using a heater. At a temperature approaching 40 degrees, the setting speed will increase significantly.

The period of hardening will decrease with the provision of forced ventilation. It can be like a fan, as well as wide open doors and windows. You also need to ensure that with air on the treated surface is not applied dust.

The sealant dries faster when a limited amount of water is applied to it. For example, if you periodically spray the seam from the spray gun, the process will go faster.

Separately, it is worth staying at work on sealing windows. There is no need to hurry. When processing the window frame you need to open, clean the workplace, apply a sealant around the perimeter of the box and smooth it with a wet hand or trowel.

In order to prevent bonding of the frame, the sealant should be covered with foil or plastic wrap. During drying the window must be closed. With this approach, the composition fills the free volume better. Drying lasts from two to four days.

During operation, a specific odor emanates from the sealant.It is also maintained during the curing process. After the full hardening occurs, the vinegar will still smell for a while.

Some danger means is only in the process of application. The instructions for use say how to use one or another type of silicone composition. If you do not break the rules, then nothing terrible will happen.

If you decide to make repairs in the bathroom or kitchen, replace windows or lay out tiles, you will definitely need hermetic material. The store should not be in a hurry with the purchase - you should carefully read the characteristics of the purchased funds.

It must be remembered that:

• excessive amounts of additives adversely affect the elasticity of the sealant;
• cartridge with the means you need to carefully examine for the presence of cracks and punctures;
• do not take an incomplete tube;
• A good sealant is not cheap - a low price may indicate improper storage of the product and its low quality.

To learn how to properly use silicone sealant, see the following video.