FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Silicones, Sealants and Adhesives

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

BELOW ARE SOME EMAILED QUESTIONS SENT IN SO FAR, IF YOU CAN'T SEE AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION PLEASE SEND US ONE BY CLICKING HERE

Message Sent:
Hi there. We are having problems sealing our new shower - we have leaks between the tray and the tiles on the walls. The tray is acrylic and has a small amount of flex when you stand on it. The walls are travertine. Please can you recommend the best sealant to use - we have been told that it should be a low modulus, neutral cure one, but we are not sure which is the best one to choose. Thanks

Answer:
The Silirub MA is available in Travertine colour, this silicone is also Low Modulus, Neutral Curing which means that it can cope with movement and it sticks really well, this is also anti-mould, so ticks all the right boxes.

Here is a link for you.
www.absealants.co.uk/product_14-1-3_Soudal-Silirub-MA.htm'

Jamie Richmond

Message Sent:
I want to secure an oven door hinge bracket to the body of the cooker where the normal self tapping screws are useless because the back plate has dropped down within the cabinet and is inaccessible. Please advise the most suitable adhesive for this job - obviously oven door gets hot. The oven door will be located onto the bracket via lugs on the door. The other hinge bracket is OK with the self tapping screws

Amswer:
I'm sure that pass customers have used the 'High Temperature Resistant Silicone' with success.

Have you read the product reviews?

Read Product Reviews 'High Temperature Resistant Silicone'
Scroll to bottom of the page (after click link above)

Message Sent:
I need a sealant in RAL1013 to weatherproof the exterior of a window frame. The frame is painted wood (smooth satin finish) and it needs to be sealed against a green oak, untreated, house frame.
I thought that the sealant in use already (which is pulling away from the oak) is generally referred to as Mastik. Do I need mastik for this application or is mastik just another name for silicon? If the two are not the same will silicon give me the same weatherprrofing, adhesion and longevity as mastik? Thank you

Answer:
Mastic is often used as another name for silicone, There are many different types of silicones used for different applications.

Our Silirub Colour which is available in Oyster White (Ral 1013) is a Low Modulus, Neutral Curing Silicone which is ideal for your application.

Message Sent:
I am looking to seal the upstands on my granite worksurfaces to the kitchen wall - can you advise of an appropriate sealant.

Can you also advise if this sealant can be obtained in a high gloss black?

Answer:
If it's natural granite you need to make sure that you use the correct type otherwise it will stain.

The Silirub MA has been approved for this application, it is also available in a Black Gloss, please click the link below to view/order.

Here is a link for you.
www.absealants.co.uk/product_14-1-3_Soudal-Silirub-MA.htm'

Message Sent:
Can you tell me please which sealant I need for an expansion joint on the outside of an extension we have built. (we require the sealant to match a milton buff brick)

Answer:
Hi, for an expansion joint in brickwork you need to use a Low Modulus, Neutral Cure silicone.

Low Modulus means that it has high flexibility to cope with expansion and contraction of the joint and Neutral Cure meaning solvent free, which has great adhesion to brick. Brick is an alkaline and if you were to use an acidic silicone which is at the opposite end of the Ph scale it would not adhere.

We have these properties any of the Silirub range and also in our Superflex range.

As for the colour you could take a look at the Silirub 2 - Colours, in here we have a Buff colour.

Here is a link for you
'http://www.absealants.co.uk/product_44-11-52_SILIRUB-2.htm'

Message Sent:
Hi
I am looking for a fire retardent foam which could be injected into hollow cavities of period doors in order to comply with Fire Regs (20 mins) for domestic doors in the event of fire.

Would Soudafoam FR (GUN APPLIED) be a suitable product and is 750ml the expanded volume.?

Thanks
steve

Answer:
The Soudafoam FR has a 4 hour fire rating.

750ml is the size of the can or the un-expanded volume, the expanded yield is about 40 liters.

You could try injecting the foam in the hollow sections but it's worth remembering that the foam needs to absorb moisture in the air to enable it to set and expand, otherwise it will not go off. This can be helped by spraying water around the area.

Message Sent:
Is the High Temperature Resistant Sealant waterproof?

Answer:
Yes it is.

Message Sent:
What is the difference between High Modulus and Low Modulus ?

Answer:
Please give us a call as it is a little difficult to explain and would be better done over the telephone.

Message Sent:
Please advise if Mirobond will sucessfully bond a mirror directly to matt surfaced ceramic tiles? Is there andy particular preparation recommended?

Answer:
Yes, you can use the MiroBond no problem without any preparation required.

Message Sent:
Hi, I'm looking for a sealant for use inside a kettle. It seems like Soudal Silirub HT-N (Code: HTRB) would be suitable as it's high temperature resistant, non-toxic and waterproof. Do you perhaps know if this would indeed be suitable? Does it come in white or transparant?
While I'm tapping into your expert advice, what would you recommend for sealing the roof gutter on a car? Seems as if Soudal Carbond 940FC (Code: SDCB940BL) would do the trick.
Many thanks, Johan

Answer:
Soudal Silirub HT-N is only available in Black and has not been tested for use with drinking water.

Soudal Carbond 940FC should be ideal for your car.

Message Sent:
Hi,
I need to bond 4 pieces of 30mm granite, 150mm x 900mm, to form the surround to an insert wood burning stove. The wall is part render, part concrete block. Will Soudal Supertack be resistent to the heat and do the job?
Kind regards, Jane

Answer: Supertack will be ideal for your use and has a temperature resistance up to +90c.

Silirub MA is a silicone adhesive with a temperature resistance up to 180c.

Message Sent:
We put in a shower on our top floor. The shower room is just above a bathroom. The shower has been leaking and when a toadstool started growing through a new hole in the ceiling plaster we knew it was time to do something about it. We have stripped out and replaced the shower sealant several times, and have now knocked a hole in the bathroom ceiling and tackled leakages from underneath. We have stuck bits of wood under the shower tray to keep it steady. We have replastered. The shower is now leaking again. We think we have the answer. We are going to put a weight on the shower tray while putting in new sealant. That will mean the tray is in a natural and leak-proof state when under pressure ... we hope. But what I want to do, also, is use the very best, most elastic and most adhesive sealant it is possible to use. Can you recommend something, please? Many thanks.

Answer: Use Soudal Fix-All, which is a very strong adhesive with good movement capabilities, this also contains a very good anti-mould agent.
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Remark: The directives contained in this documentation are the result of our experiments and of our experience and have been submitted in good faith. Because of the diversity of the materials and substrates and the great number of possible applications which are out of our control, we cannot accept any responsability for the results obtained. In every case it is recommended to carry out preliminary experiments.