Seal it tight

Good to know: The best silicone caulk and sealants

Silicone caulks are powerful, easy-to-use sealants that are appropriate for countless applications. Formulated to be flexible and stable, even in grueling heat and cold, they can provide invaluable help when you need to wrap up fixes and construction projects quickly and easily. However, there are many different types of caulks and adhesives available, so it’s important to find the best silicone sealant for your job. Follow our guide about the basics of silicone sealants and start filling cracks today.

Silicone sealants offer an easy, quick solution for many household repairs and fixes.

What is silicone caulk?

Silicone caulk is a type of adhesive sealant that can be used for a number of household and professional applications. Most silicone caulks and sealants are highly resistant to weather, temperature, water, and chemicals, making them versatile for indoor and outdoor use.

Silicone adhesive caulks are formulated to be flexible, elastic, and stable across many conditions, including heat and cold, which makes them very useful in construction and repairs. Most of them have a gel-like consistency, as opposed to the more glue-like texture of polymer-based adhesives. Also, unlike many super glues and ordinary sealants, silicone caulk must properly cure before full bonding is achieved. For most silicone sealants, this takes from 24 hours to several days when heavier coats are applied.

What are common uses for silicone caulk?

Silicone sealants can be used to bond many common materials, including plastic, metal, glass, and ceramic. Probably the most common household use for silicone caulk adhesives is caulking cracks. Because these sealants are so simple to use and their consistency is easy to handle, applying silicone sealants to all your gaps, cracks, or breaks is a snap.

 

Silicones are not paintable. The paint will neither stick to the silicone itself nor to silicone stained substrates. So make sure you choose the right silicone colour for your project and clean away all residue and stains before finishing.

Since silicone is waterproof, silicone sealants are well suited for repairs around bathtubs, faucets, toilets, and sinks. The powerful hold created by silicone caulks and sealants also makes them useful for construction jobs, especially outdoors. Silicone sealants are commonly used to seal windows to frames, as they provide a water-resistant seal that maintains a strong hold against harsh weather conditions. For the same reasons, silicone sealer is often used for automobiles, appliances, and sealing cables and sensors in electronic devices.

Need some inspiration for your silicone project? Check out this video. It demonstrates how to repair an engine block using Loctite silicone sealant.

Even though silicone sealant creates strong, durable bonds, it is not suitable for holding weight-bearing structures or beams.

Silicone caulks do a great job in the bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere strong, waterproof holds are needed.

How to pick the best silicone caulk

While silicone caulks are versatile and can be used for many applications, certain ones are better for specific tasks and materials.

  • In case of high temperatures
    For applications exposed to high temperatures, look for a high-temperature silicone adhesive caulk. For a tough, watertight, mildew-resistant seal, we recommend using Loctite 100% Silicone. It’s a tough, waterproof, and UV-resistant adhesive that withstands temperatures from -65°F to 300°F, making it a perfect choice for repairs in humid or hot areas, such as plumbing, engines, or HVAC systems, as well as some industrial purposes, such as sealing various gaskets, cable insulation, and ductwork.
  • In case of moisture 
    Silicone sealants are terrific for bonds exposed to water or atmospheric moisture. For a quick fix when sealing leaks, placing tiles, mending glassware, or any job that might get wet, try Loctite Plumber and Marine Clear Adhesive. It can be applied thickly but won’t run, creating watertight seals when bonding aluminum, brick, cardboard, ceramic, fabric, fiberglass, glass, leather, most plastics, rubber, steel, and wood.
  • For construction projects
    For construction projects such as sealing gaps or cracks around windows, door frames, baseboards, walls, and molding, a caulk that combines acrylic and silicone is a smart choice. Loctite Polyseamseal Acrylic Caulk with Silicone bonds to wood, drywall, plaster, metals, brick, concrete, and masonry and can be painted within half an hour if you are using latex paint.
  • For diverse projects
    If you have multiple projects and are looking for a silicone adhesive caulk that does it all, try a multipurpose adhesive and sealant like Loctite Clear Silicone. It can be used on aluminum, ceramic, glass, metal, wood, plastic, porcelain, granite, and many more common surfaces, making it an easy choice for household repairs.
Silicone sealant bonds securely to glass and metal, making it perfect for weatherproof holds.

Keep your projects sealed tight.

Find the best sealants and adhesives for any material from Loctite.

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