ADHESIVES AND SEALANTS

All materials have at least two common characteristics. Cohesiveness, the

ability of particles material to cling tightly to one another and adhesiveness,
the ability of material to fix itself and cling to an entirely different material.

GLUES
a. Animal Glue -Available in either solid or liquid form. Solid glue is
melted and applied hot. It is slow setting and allows time for adjustment to
the glue joint. Animal glue has excellent bonding properties with wood,
leather, paper or cloth developing up to 12,000 psi in shear. It has moderate
resistance to heat and good resistance to cold but poor resistance to water. It
cures by air drying at room temperature.
b. Blood-Aluminum Glue- a special animal glue made for use particularly
with leather and paper. It has only very moderate bonding/power with wood.
It is usually sold as a dry powder which is mixed with water. It has fair
resistance to both heat and cold but poor resistance to water, will dry from
150 to 200F.
c. Casein Glue made from protein materials, is a dry powder to be mixed
with water. It has good bonding powder for wood to wood or paper4to-wo0d
applications and will develop the full strength of the wood in most situations.
Casein glue has good dry heat resistance and moderate resistance to cold. It
has moderate resistance to water but does not perform well when subjected
to high humidity or wetting and drying cycles. It is subject to attack from
molds, fungi, and other wood organisms, will dry to as low as 359F with
moderate pressure.
d. Starch and Dextrin glues-available in both dry and liquid state, the dry
glue being mixed with water. They have good bond with paper or leather and
fair bond with wood, but strength does not compare with those of animal or
casein glues. They have fair resistance to heat and cold but poor resistance
to water. They dry at room temperature.
e. Asphalt Cements - are thermoplastic' materials made from asphalt
emulsions or asphalt cutbacks. They have a good bond to paper and
concrete and are used mainly for roofing applications and for laminating

layers of wood fiberboard. They have relatively poor resistance to heat but
good resistance to cold and good water resistance.
f. Cellulose Cements-are thermoplastic in nature and have good bond to
wood, paper, leather or glass, developing up to 1400 psi in shear with wood.
They have moderate resistance to both heat and cold and good resistance to
water. A common solvent is ethyl acetate. Cellulose cement cures by air
drying and setting.
g. Chlorinated-rubber adhesive-is usually a liquid; it has good bond for
paper and fair bond with wood, metal or glass. Strength does not compare
with animal or casein glues. It has moderate resistance to heat, cold, and
water but poor resistance to creep. It cures by drying at room temperature.
The usual solvent is ketone.
h. Natural-rubber adhesives -are usually latex emulsions or dissolved
crepe rubber. They have a good bond with rubber or leather and fair bond
with wood, ceramics, or glass, developing strengths of about 350 PSI in
tension with wood. They have fair resistance to heat and cold, good
resistance to water, but poor resistance to creep. Room temperature is
sufficient for drying.
i. Nitrile or Buna N rubber adhesive -available in both thermoplastic and
thermosetting types. It has good bond with wood, paper, porcelain, enamel
and polyester film or sheet. The thermosetting type will develop up to 4,00
psi shear and the thermoplastic type up to En> psi. It has good _resistance
to heat and cold and excellent water resistance, while its creep resistance is
fairly good. This adhesive cures under heat.
j. Neoprene-rubber adhesives-are essentially thermoplastic in nature,
though they may have some thermosetting characteristics. They have
excellent bond with wood, asbestos board, metals, glass and some plastics
with strengths up to 1,200 psi in shear. They have good resistance to heat
and cold and excellent resistance to water. Creep resistance is fairly good.
Used to cement' plastic laminates to walls or flat surfaces. Also used in
cementing gypsum board to studs and ceiling joists and for laminating one
layer of gypsum board to another.
k. Urea formaldehyde resin glues -available in powder-form to be mixed
with water, and in liquid form, which requires the addition of a hardener.
They are thermosetting in nature, with excellent bond to wood, leather, or
paper having a shear strength of up to 2,800 psi. They have good resistance

to heat and cold and fair resistance to water. Creep resistance is good. Wood
welding can be done by applying a high-frequency electric current directly to
joint for rapid curing.
I. Phenolic Resin Glues-are made in both dry and liquid form. They are
thermosetting glues with excellent bond to wood and paper. Shear strengths
up to 2,800 psi are developed. They have excellent resistance to heat, cold,
creep, and water. Some set at room temperature, while others require a hot
press. These hot-press glues are commonly used in the manufacture of
plywoods.
m. Melamine Resins -thermosetting glues manufactured as a powder with
a separate catalyst. They have excellent bond with wood or paper resistance
to heat, cold, creep, and water are all excellent. Melamine resins are cured
under hot press at 300F. Melamine-formaldehyde resin glues are
manufactured as a powder mixed with-water and may be either hot setting
or intermediate-temperature setting types.
n. Resorcinol resins-are usually made as a liquid with a separate catalyst.
They have good bond with wood or paper, developing shear strengths up to
1,950 psi with wood. They have very good resistance to heat, cold and creep
and are generally used where a water proof joint is required. Some cure at
room temperatures, while others require moderate heat up to 200f.
o. Epoxy resins -are thermosetting in nature, manufactured in liquid form
with a separate catalyst. The amount of catalyst added determines the type
of curing required. They have excellent bond with wood, metal, glass and
masonry and are widely used in the manufacture of laminated curtain-wall
panels of various kinds. They are also used in making repairs to broken
concrete. They have excellent resistance to both heat and cold, while creep
resistance and water resistance vary widely, depending upon how the glue is
compounded. Adding a regular catalyst, curing is by hot press, up to 3900f
while adding a strong catalyst results in glue which will cure at room
temperature.
p. Polyvinyl-resin adhesives-in the form of an emulsion. They have good
bond with wood or paper or vinyl plastics and reasonably good bond with
metal. Shear strengths up to 1,000 psi are developed with wood. Resistance
to cold is good, but heat, creep, and water resistance are only fair. These
glues cure at room temperature.

q. Sodium silicate adhesives-are liquids which have excellent bond with

paper or-glass and reasonably good bond with wood or metal. Resistance to
heat, cold and creep are good, but water resistance is poor. Some cure at
room temperature. while other require moderate heat, in the 200F range.

SEALERS
Sealing compounds are products which are used to seal the surface of
various materials against the penetration of water or other liquids or in some
cases to prevent the escape of water through the surface. To do this they
must have some adhesive qualities and the ability to fill the surface pores
and form a continuous skin on the surface to which they are applied. In many
applications the adhesion should be permanent, while in others it needs only
to be temporary.

Types of Sealers
a. liquid asphalt- either in cutback form or as an asphalt emulsion.
Uses are, to coat the outer surface of concrete below ground level to prevent
the penetration of water to the interior through pores in the concrete.
Another similar use is to seal the inside surface of wooden or concrete
water tanks. Another use is as a sealer or primer over a concrete slab before
asphaltic tile adhesive is applied. Here, the sealer prevents liquids from
being withdrawn from the flooring or adhesive, allowing it to become dry and
hard. In order to be effective as a waterproofing membrane, sealers must be
elastomeric in character. That is, they must be resilient enough to be able to
expand over small cracks in the base surface 'without losing, their
effectiveness and be able to bridge joints between members without rupture,
in. case of movement at the joint.
b. Polysulfide polymers-this has excellent adhesive qualities, are highly
flexible, and maybe applied either by hand or by spray. They are being used
in exterior wails of foundations, between two-course concrete slab floors, on
roof decks, as swimming pool waterproofing and under roof flashing. These

polysulfide-polymer sealers are two-component, chemically curing materials

which are produced for either hand or machine mixing. The hand-mix sealer
has a work life of approximately 4 hours and curing time of 24 hours at 75F.
The machine-mixed variety will have a work life of about 5 minutes and
curing time of approximately 45 minutes.
One gallon of prepared sealer will cover approximately 25 sq. ft. or
about 3 to 5 sq. m., with a membrane of 60 mils thickness, which will expand
and contract the base without cracking.
c. Solution of sodium silicate-used to seal the inside surface of concrete
liquid containers. The sodium silicate forms a gel-like film on the surface to
prevent water penetration.
d. Wax compounds-made in the form of emulsions to be sprayed over
the surface pf. newly placed concrete. The wax oxidizes to form a continuous
film prevents the evaporation of water from concrete in this case the
adhesion is only temporary. As the wax continues to oxidize it becomes hard
and brittle and flakes or is worn off the concrete by traffic.
Other waxes are used to make sealers for concrete and terrazzo floors
which prevent the penetration of oil and grease into the floor surface.
e. liquid silicones-are used as sealers over concrete, brick and tile
masonry to prevent the penetration of water into the surface.
The absorption of water by masonry walls often leads to staining and
efflorescence. The silicone sealers are particularly valuable for such
applications because they are colorless and do not affect the appearance of
the wall.
f. Oils and turpentines -sealers used to seal wood surfaces before the
application of paint or varnish. They penetrate into and are absorbed by the
wood fibers so that the vehicle in paints and varnish will not be similarly
absorbed. Similar sealers are used to seal wood which will not be painted
against moisture penetration.
g. Synthetic plastic products-sealers for wood which form a film over
the surface and allow better bonding of synthetic lacquers to wood ..
h. Thin solutions of animal and casein glues -are used to coat the
surface of plaster and gypsum board under paint. These products are
commonly known as wall sizing.

i. Epoxy-resin formulation-used as sealers over concrete, wood, or old

terrazzo surfaces before epoxy-resin terrazzo is applied. The thin liquid
adheres to and seals the old surface and provides good bond for the new
application. Similar sealers are used under concrete surface repairs.

GLAZING AND CAULKING COMPOUNDS

These are similar materials, but difference is that when used for
sealing glass they are known as glazing compounds.
Properties of caulking materials.
a. it must be able to adhere to the surfaces with which it comes in
contact.
b. it must remain workable over a considerable range of temperature.
c. it must be able to form a tough, elastic skin over the surface, while
the interior of the mass remains flexible.
d. it must be able to stretch or elongate with changes that may occur
in the width of the joint.
e. it must have good movement capability that is, it must have
movement in either extension or compression from that mean.
f. it must be able to recover well after having been extended or
compressed.
g. it must have very low sensitivity to water.
h. it must have low volatility.
i. it must be able to provide good service performance.
Five groups of Caulking Compounds.
a. Mastics group of caulking compounds includes linseed-oil-putty,
linseed-oil-isobutylene caulks, mastic glazing and caulking compounds, this
has a recovery of 0 to 10 percent.
b. Elastomastics - includes butyl caulks having a solvent base, acrylic
caulks with solvent or emulsion base, and acrylic caulks which are 100%
Solids and one part polymer captan. This has a recovery of 10 to 49 percent.

c. Elastomers - include one and two part polysulfides containing 100

percent solids, one part silicone with 100 percent solids, one and two part
urethanes with 100 percent solids, vinyl chloride polymers, and butadienestyrene copolymers.
d. Elastoplastics-include neoprene and hypolon caulks with a solvent
base.
e. Plastics-include high-molecular weight caulking materials which are
specially treated to be extruded as plastic or cellular sheets or strips.

Materials for caulking

a. Linseed-oil putty- most common. Used almost exclusively for glazing
wooden . sash. It is made by mixing very finely ground calcium carbonate
with raw linseed oil. Putty tends to become hard and brittle with age, but its
life can be extended by priming the sash before glazing and by frequent
painting.
Mastic glazing and caulking compounds are composed of a number
of materials blended to produce a substance which has a much longer life
than putty and which may have an elongation rate of up to 10 percent. They
are made up of:
1. Drying oil- a vegetable oil such as soya-bean or linseed oil to provide
the cohesion and absorbs oxygen from air to produce a dry film.
2. Monodrying oil -a hydrocarbon - oil is included to plasticize and to
help the material maintain its flexibility with age. .
3. A drier - used to accelerate the formation of a surface skin and is
usually a metallic salt.
4. Solvents used to adjust workability.
5. Mineral stabilizer - often an asbestos fiber, which helps the caulking
to maintain its position or Shape prior to set.
6. Filler usually a very low finely powdered limestone which gives the
caulking body, and reduces shrinkage.
The caulking materials described above are oxidizing types and are
used in exposed areas where painting over their surface may be desirable.

b. Asphalt and polybutene caulking compounds - are mastic materials.

They are non-oxidizing and set through the evaporation of the solvent. Both
may have fillers and stabilizers combined with them and give good results
where a skin is not required. Like under flashings, between lapped joints, and
in hidden joints between wood and masonry.
c. Polysulfide elastomers-two types one is a two-component type of
caulking, consisting of a base compound and an accelerator. It cures by
polymerization. The rate of curing being increased with increasing
temperature and humidity. It is normally applied by a caulking gun.
Aluminum colored polysulfide-based caulking is also popular for use with an
aluminum-frame window units.
d. Silicone mastic caulking -one component product which cures on
exposure to air. It has excellent adhesion and can be used where high
elongation properties are required. This caulking is available in a number of
colors.
e. Butyl, neoprene and hypalon mastic caulkings are solvent types
made with fillers and pigments and are thus available in a range of colors.
f. Cellular sponge sheet and strips-produced from high-molecular
weight materials, with similar properties as mastic caulkings. The
disadvantage of using this is that special adhesives are required to join
strips, and may not be available in the field.

Backup Materials are important part of a good watertight joint.

The purpose of such a material is to control the depth of joint, to
prevent moisture from attacking the bond between caulking and the sides of
the joint, and to serve as a bond breaker, so that the material can elongate.
Backup materials are sponge rubber, non-tarred oakum, fiberglass
insulation, polyurethane foam, closed-cell polyethylene foam, neoprene or
butyltubes and cords, fiberboard, and corkboard strips. Do not use any oil,
tar or asphalt impregnated materials, moisture absorbing materials and
polystyrene foams.