| Type |
Typical Brands |
Common Uses |
| Silicone |
GE Silicone I
GE Silicone II
3M Marine Sealant Silicone
West Marine, Marine Silicone Sealant |
Primarily used for waterproofing.
Easy to use, they cure to an elastic consistency but don't provide the
adhesive strength of puolysulfides or polyurethanes. When used as a sealing
bedding or gasket, mate pieces together gently until it cures, then tighten
so that it compresses the silicone and will make a better seal.
|
| Polysulfide |
Boatlife Life-Calk Sealant
3M Marine Sealant 101 |
Polysulfides are very versatile
sealants best used to bed deck hardware and seal seams. They can cure
underwater but should not be used on plastics because they'll melt them. |
| Polyether |
3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 4000
UV
West Marine Multi-Caulk Sealant |
UV resistant sealants, after
curing, are permanently flexible, sandable and won't yellow. |
| Polyurethane |
Boatlife Life Seal Sealant*
3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200
3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 4200
Sikaflex - various varieties |
Permanent stuff. The most
adhesive sealants cure to permanent bond (except Life-Seal). Used on
hull/deck joints and bed through-hull fittings. They work above and below
the waterline. It's so permanent that when we used to remove 5/4 Mahogany
planks from a boat to get to the ribs, the thick planks would break before
the 5200 would separate, if something had been bonded this way.
*Life Seal adheres better than silicones but unlike most
polyurethanes its possible to separate parts later. It is a combination of
both polyurethane and silicone. |
