
Joint sealants are used to seal joints and openings (gaps) between two or more substrates and are a critical component for building design and construction. The main purpose of sealants is to prevent air, water, and other environmental elements from entering or exiting a structure while permitting limited movement of the substrates.
What is the purpose of a joint sealant?
Joint sealants are used to seal joints and openings (gaps) between two or more substrates and are a critical component for building design and construction. The main purpose of sealants is to prevent air, water, and other environmental elements from entering or exiting a structure while permitting limited movement of the substrates.
What are the different types of concrete Joint sealants?
To solve many of these problems, manufactures have numerous product options for concrete joint sealing. Three of the most common are liquid sealants, impregnated foam sealants, and hybrid technology sealants.
What is the difference between Joint sealants and joint fillers?
Joint sealants and joint fillers are two different materials in terms of chemical composition, properties, function, installation, and applications. Modern joint sealants can be made of various materials including polysulfide, polyurethane, and silicone.
Why use concrete hybrid Joint sealants?
With concrete hybrid joint sealants, the opening and closing movement of a joint gap results in the surface sealant folding and unfolding, rather than stretching an compressing. This eliminates the substrate bond line stresses and failure or composition changes caused by pre-cure joint gap movements.

What is joint sealant used for?
Joint sealants are used to seal joints and openings (gaps) between two or more substrates, and are a critical component for building design and construction.
What are the 3 types of sealant?
In construction, the seven most common types of sealants are:Water based Latex. Popular for residential use because of the ease of application and ability to adhere to most substrates. ... Acrylic. ... Butyl. ... Polysulfide. ... Silicone. ... Polyisobutylenes. ... Polyurethane.
Is joint sealant the same as caulking?
Caulk vs Sealant In fact, the terms “caulk” and “sealant” are often used interchangeably, since both are used to fill joints and seams. However, the biggest difference between caulk and sealant is elasticity. Caulk is more rigid than sealants when dry.
What is a concrete joint sealant?
A sealer is soft and able to accommodate the concrete slab's expansion and contraction. The sealer's purpose is to prevent water, ice, and dirt from getting into the joint (and into the subgrade) and to prevent intrusion from below the slab—including of radon.
What are joint sealants in construction?
Joint sealants are used to seal joints and openings (gaps) between two or more substrates and are a critical component for building design and construction.
Which is best sealant?
The Best Silicone Sealant Overall—Gorilla Clear Silicone Sealant Caulk. ... The Best Silicone Sealant for Small Projects—Loctite Clear Silicone Waterproof Sealant. ... The Best Silicone Sealant for Bathroom and Kitchen—GE GE5070 Silicone Kitchen & Bath Sealant.More items...
Which is better sealant or silicone?
A sealant offers superior elasticity and water resistance because it primarily contains silicone. The silicone material allows a sealant to easily expand and contract during changing temperatures without losing its airtight/watertight seal.
What is silicone joint sealant?
Silicone sealant is a single component product and typically used for sealing and/or replacing longitudinal and transverse joints in Portland cement concrete (PPC) pavement. Pavement joints include isolation joints.
What is the difference between a sealer and a sealant?
Although the terms are commonly interchanged, sealants typically leave an elastic layer on the surface like rubberized coatings or caulks. A concrete Sealer is either film-forming like acrylics, urethanes, and epoxies, or they are penetrating, sealing the substrate internally.
What is the best concrete joint sealant?
The best option for sealing expansion joints is a flexible silicone sealant like Concrete Elite from Silicone Depot. Concrete Elite lasts up to 10x longer than common polyurethane sealants.
How much does concrete joint sealing cost?
On average, if you're paying a contractor to seal your concrete, you will pay $1.20 – $1.75 per square foot.
Should concrete joints be sealed?
Sealing joints in your concrete structures is key to prolonging the life of a concrete structures. Joints in slabs are critical for relieving stress to prevent cracking but they are also the weak point when it comes to traffic. Joints in containment structures are the main route liquids take to get to the ground.
What are the different types of sealer?
Film-forming sealers are available in three different types: Acrylic, Polyurethane, and Epoxy; each have unique benefits, while providing a gloss or sheen to the surface of the concrete.
How many types of sealants are there?
Sealant Types There are seven types of sealants that are the most common in construction. They differ in cost and applications, based primarily on the performance properties mentioned above and the substrate properties.
What are the types of sealing?
The most common seal types include the following:Balanced seals.Unbalanced seals.Pusher seals.Non-pusher seals.Conventional seals.Cartridge seals.
What is a Type 6 sealant?
Type 6 (2014 Standards), Type 7 (2003 Standards) shall be a 1 component hot poured elastic type intended for use in sealing concrete joints in concrete pavement or bridges. It shall meet the requirements specified in ASTM D6690, Type 1. independent laboratory, all sealants (Types 3, 4, 5, & 6).
What is joint filler?
A joint filler is inserted into joints that are deeper than required for the sealant backing and sealant installation. For moving joints the joint filler and sealant backing must be compressible. Sealant backing establishes sealant depth and helps to achieve an hourglass sealant profile.
What must be removed from the sealant adhesion surface of porous substrates?
All weak material must be removed from the sealant adhesion surface of porous substrates including any form release agents
What is sealant used for?
Sealants are used to seal joints and openings in various architectural applications, which include:
What is sealant backing?
Sealant backing provides resistance to sealant tooling pressure and helps to attain proper wetting of the substrate when sealant is tooled
How deep should a sealant joint be?
For a joint size larger than 1 inch (25 mm), the depth should be kept to about 3/8 inch (10 mm). Practically, a sealant joint should not be greater in width than 2 inches (50 mm). The number and spacing of joints is critical to performance. Placing the sealant.
What is joint sealant?
Joint sealants are used to seal joints and openings (gaps) between two or more substrates, and are a critical component for building design and construction . The main purpose of sealants is to prevent air, water, and other environmental elements from entering or exiting a structure while permitting limited movement of the substrates. Specialty sealants are used in special applications, such as for fire stops, electrical or thermal insulation, and aircraft applications.
What to use to eliminate 3 sided adhesion?
Use a sealant backing or bond breaker tape to eliminate "three-sided adhesion." The sealant should bond only to the substrates that will be moving.
What Does Joint Sealant Mean?
It is used to seal joints, gaps and openings between two or more substrates to prevent environmental elements that provide conditions that may lead to corrosion. It is designed to protect joint edges from corrosion in concrete and clay tiles.
What polymers are used in joint sealants?
The polymers used include latex, butyls and acrylic, polysulfide, hybrid polyurethanes, silicones, urethane and advanced sealants (factory preformed). Some of the properties required to increase the performance of the joint sealant include: UV-resistant. Non-chalking, non-staining and self-cleaning.
What are sealants used for?
In order to accommodate structural and thermal changes, there are various types of sealants used in residential and light commercial application on sidewalks, pavements, airplane runways, plaza s, balconies, terraces, industrial floors and swimming pool floors.
Is sealant liquid or preformed?
It is available in preformed and liquid-applied forms. Aesthetics must also be considered when manufacturing the sealant. For a long-lasting sealing, the physical, chemical and durability properties are required to withstand the types of joints.
What is Deck O Seal 125?
DECK-O-SEAL 125 two-part, pourable joint sealant is a self-leveling, polysulfide-based sealing compound. It is a non-staining sealant that cures to…
What is a POURTHANE SL?
POURTHANE SL is an elastomeric, one-component, self-leveling, non-bubbling, premium-grade polyurethane sealant specifically developed to be used as a multi-purpose horizontal…
What is a POURTHANE joint sealant?
The POURTHANE joint sealant line is designed for sealing concrete and metal joints in a variety of applications, including sidewalks, balconies, pavement, terraces, warehouses, factories, civil structures, plazas, and pitch pans. Its one-component technology offers ease of use and cost-effectiveness. The POURTHANE polyurethane sealant is available in different colors to make sure each application is aesthetically pleasing.
What is SOF-SEAL low modulus?
Cold-applied SOF-SEAL low modulus horizontal joint sealant is a premium-grade, pourable, two-component sealant composed of a special combination of polymeric…
What is 1190 cement?
1190 is a hot-applied, single-component polymeric compound developed for the economical maintenance sealing of cracks and joints in Portland cement…
What is CR 90?
CR-90 is a rubberized crack filler for asphalt and concrete. It’s an economical, single-component, hot-applied sealant for use in sealing…
What is HS-1 SL?
HS-1 SL is a one-part, self-leveling hybrid sealant, developed with silyl-modified polymer (SMP) technology . It cures under the influence of…
Why do highways use joint sealants?
Therefore, the prevailing current practice by highway agencies is to use joint sealants to minimize passage of surface water through joints and also provide a permeable subbase to remove water from the pavement. The other function of modern joint sealants is to prevent incompressible material from entering the joint reservoir.
What is joint sealant?
The most widely accepted definition of a joint sealant today is a material that minimizes both infiltration of surface water and incompressible material into the joint system. Secondarily, sealants are also purported to reduce the potential for dowel bar corrosion by reducing entrance of de-icing chemicals.
What is compression seal?
Compression seals are often called "neoprene" seals, for the seal’s primary elastomeric compound. Today, 21% of roadway agencies use compression seals in their highway pavement transverse joints.
What is the purpose of joint sealants?
The other function of modern joint sealants is to prevent incompressible material from entering the joint reservoir. In some circumstances, incompressibles may contribute to spalling, and in some unusual cases, may induce pavement migration and "blow-ups.". These problems are caused when incompressibles obstruct pavement expansion in hot weather ...
Why do engineers use sealant?
Many engineers today think of sealant materials primarily for their ability to prevent water from passing through concrete pavement joints.
What is joint filler?
For many years, the term "joint fillers" described the purpose (and expectations) of materials placed in pavement joints. Filler materials were intended to keep incompressibles out of joints to prevent slab migration. Some specifications still refer to joint fillers.
What is the importance of liquid sealant?
Of primary importance in liquid sealant installation are both cleanliness of the sidewalls and the shape of the sealant. The shape factor diagram below shows appropriate size recommendations for liquid (hot-pour or silicone) sealants. An appropriate compression seal width depends upon climate, installation temperature, concrete properties and joint spacing.
What is Sika waterproof?
For construction joints, movement joints and connection joints, Sika waterproof joint sealing solutions including hydrophilic gaskets, thermoplastic waterbars and tape systems stand up to the unique demands.
What is the best sealant for a joint?
When Choosing a Joint Sealant Solution, Sika Recommends... 1 for non-porous substrates like metal and glass, choose Sika’s innovative silicone range. 2 for porous substrates like concrete, bricks and masonry, choose Sika’s advanced polyurethane sealants. 3 for applications where a wide adhesion range is required like for window installations, the unique silane-modified polymer sealants are most suitable. 4 for joints which are too wide for applied sealants or requiring substantial waterproofing, Sika joint tapes, swellable profiles, waterbars and injection hose systems are suggested, depending on a project’s specific needs.
What was the purpose of the refurbishment of the Argessa hydropower plant?
To guarantee future long term earthquake protection, it was decided to refurbish and upgrade the structure of the Argessa hydropower plant. Sika proposed a complete system solution that was accepted and included the detailed...
What is Sika sealant used for?
Sika installation sealants are widely used for interior sealing as they have a much higher movement capability and better adhesion than acrylics and can be overpainted. Especially in wood construction, joints are exposed to higher movement due to seasonal humidity variations.
How many people did Sika provide water to?
Sika provided concrete solutions for a dam which provides supply of water to surrounding communities consisting of 266,000 people.
What is Sika products?
All Sika products are the fruit of many years of experience, outstanding research and development capabilities, continuous adaptation and improvement to modern construction materials and practices and state of the art production sites.
How many countries does Sika work in?
As Sika is globally present in over 100 countries, we can respond to your needs and local requirements wherever projects are located.
What is a fillet bead?
The fillet bead is simply used to ensure that the bellows is sealed to the substrate.
How is concrete seal made?
They are produced by partially filling the cells of high quality cellular polyurethane foam with non-drying, water-repelling adhesive agents. The combination of this impregnation treatment followed by compression of the fully expanded material to as much as one-fifth of its size, creates a concrete sealant material that, when installed in a joint, is always in compression.
What is impregnated foam sealant?
Impregnated foam sealants, by virtue of their depth, density, and adhesive infused cellular composition, also resist air pressure differentials often found between interiors and exteriors of buildings using forced air heating and cooling systems.
What is concrete hybrid sealant?
With concrete hybrid joint sealants, the opening and closing movement of a joint gap results in the surface sealant folding and unfolding, rather than stretching an compressing. This eliminates the substrate bond line stresses and failure or composition changes caused by pre-cure joint gap movements.
What is liquid joint sealant?
LIQUID SEALANTS - Liquid joint sealants for concrete are mostly used because of the relatively low material cost and ease of installation. High performance silicone sealants provide moisture impermeability, low modulus, UV resistance, and retain these physical properties with changesin age and temperature.
What is the purpose of sealing concrete joints?
Using concrete joint sealant to seal concrete expansion joints and concrete contraction joints in concrete floors and concrete walls is an important part of maintaining the integrity of the concrete.
What does a concrete joint sealer do?
When it comes to concrete floors a concrete joint sealer will protect the joint from damage caused by heavy equipment being driven and/or rolled over the expansion joint, chipping and cracking the edges, which eventually leads to concrete joint failure .

Introduction
Description
- Selection of Joint Sealants
The proper application of a sealant involves not only choosing a material with appropriate physical and chemical properties, but also having a good understanding of joint design, substrates to be sealed, performance needed, and the economic costs involved in the installatio… - Key Features of Sealant Chemistries
Joint sealants are available in two forms: Liquid-Applied and Pre-Formed. The following references to Class indicate movement potential (e.g., Class 25 indicates ± 25% movement). The following table lists the main types of liquid applied sealants followed by a brief description.
Applications
- Sealants are used to seal joints and openings in various architectural applications, which can include the following: 1. High- and low-rise commercial buildings: 1.1. Exterior and interior perimeter of windows 1.2. Roofing and flashing penetrations and terminations 1.3. Building and material expansion joints 1.4. Interior perimeters of doors, baseboards, and moldings 2. Plazas …
Testing, Applicable Codes, and Standards
- This section's critical function is identifying the required sealant properties for the application and then matching a product with these requirements. In typical sealant installation, determining the conditions and requirements is important to selecting a suitable product. These conditions may include: 1. The temperaturethe sealant will see in use and how long will it endure the high heat n…
Relevant Codes and Standards
- Guide Specifications
1. The American Institute of Architects 1.1. MasterSpec 2. Department of Defense 2.1. UFGS 07 92 00 Joint Sealants 3. Department of Veterans Affairs 3.1. VA 07 92 00 Joint Sealants
Additional Resources
- Trade Associations and Other Organizations
1. The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) 2. ASTM International 3. FGIA (Formerly AAMA) Fenestration & Glazing Industry Alliance 4. Sealant, Waterproofing, & Restoration (SWR) Institute - Trade Publications
1. Adhesives & Sealants Industry Magazine
Introduction
- Sealants were used many hundreds of years ago. The Tower of Babel was reportedly built with mortar and tar or pitch as a sealant. Naturally occurring bitumen and asphalt materials have been widely accepted as sealants for many centuries. Prior to the 1900's most sealants evolved from vegetable, animal, or mineral substances. The development of modern polymeric sealants coinci…
Description
- Selection of Sealants
The proper application of a sealant involves not only choosing a material with appropriate physical and chemical properties, but also having a good understanding of joint design, substrates to be sealed, performance needed, and the economic costs involved in the installatio… - Key Features of Sealant Chemistries
Joint sealants are available in two forms: liquid-applied and preformed. The following references to Class indicate movement potential (e.g. Class 25 indicates ± 25% movement)
Application
- Sealants are used to seal joints and openings in various architectural applications, which include: 1. High- and low-rise commercial buildings: 1.1. Exterior and interior perimeter of windows 1.2. Roofing and flashing penetrations and terminations 1.3. Building and material expansion joints 1.4. Interior perimeters of doors, baseboards, and moldings 2. Plazas and parking deck joints in …
Relevant Codes and Standards
- Guide Specifications
1. The American Institute of Architects 2. MasterSpec 3. Department of Defense 3.1. UFGS 07 92 00 Joint Sealants 4. Department of Veterans Affairs 4.1. VA 07 92 00 Joint Sealants - Standards and Guidelines
ASTM has developed various test methods, guides, and specifications that are used for the design, testing, and installation of joint sealants. A brief listing of selected standards follows (For more information, log onto www.astm.organd select "Standards"): 1. C834 Standard Specificatio…
Additional Resources
- Trade Associations and Other Organizations
1. The Adhesive and Sealant Council 2. ASTM International 3. Sealant, Waterproofing, & Restoration Institute (SWRI) - Trade Publications
1. Adhesives & Sealants Industry Magazine