Dictionary of Moisture Protection & Restoration

They are pre-cured elastic strips with greater than 800% elongation and superior weathering characteristics. These strips or tapes are installed by covering the joint and using the silicone or urethane sealants for bonding on either side. They are used for rehabilitation of joints that have failed and replacement to cutting out and re-caulking. Do not use when there is vehicular traffic. Precompressed foam sealants: These are open-cell polyurethane foam, impregnated with neoprene rubber sealant. They are manufactured to the required dimensions but are expensive. Do not use for submersion or below-grade applications. Possible staining of substrate may occur. Sealants are not only the most important and widely used waterproofing materials, but also the most incorrectly used. They are minor cost items, but contribute a major function in a building’s life cycle. We ask a lot from our sealants, but we do not treat them very well! They are required to provide watertight transitions between different materials, to secure waterproofed joints between similar materials (e.g. sheet membrane joints) and provide watertight expansion capability between moving building components. How many times have you heard “caulking is caulking”! This is totally false.

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