3C Polymer Sealant Polysulphide Alternative
Why is 3C Polymer Sealant classed as a polysulphide alternative?
To categorise 3C Polymer Sealant, we tend to stick with calling it a polysulphide alternative. For decades, as well as the obvious choice, the industry standard materials used for mastic sealants were polysulphide (aka polysulfide) and polyurethane, this has evolved over the years to become less popular in the marketplace for various reasons, some practical, some ecological and also some financial but the bottom line is, although polyurethanes still have a place in the construction industry, polysulphides, as such, are a dying breed of product which has made way for the newer technology of high quality hybrid polymer products such as 3C Polymer Sealant.
As a way of simplifying the process of product selection, it makes sense to us and our customers to classify our 3C Polymer Sealant as a ‘polysulphide alternative sealant’ officially.
What benefits does 3C Polymer Sealant have over traditional polysulphide sealants?
As previously stated, polysulphide sealant (also occassionally spelt polysulfide sealant) was an industry standard material used for making mastic sealants and traditionally used for many external (and sometimes internal) joint sealing tasks such as perimeter sealing of window and door frames, expansion joints in brickwork etc. and any other applications where highly elastic movement was necessary, as this technology has all but fizzled out, a newer product type with better UV stability, non-hazardous, more environmentally friendly, solvent-free technology was necessary and 3C Polymer Sealant perfectly fits this category whilst doing a more efficient and longer-lasting job than its predeccessor.
Polysulphide Sealant versus 3C Polymer Sealant
Polysulphide Sealants
- Strong odour chemistry
- Notoriously slow-curing
- Shorter shelf-life
- Solvents used in production
- Poor environmental & health profile
3C Polymer Sealant
- More application options
- Better adhesion
- Solvent-free
- Newer chemistry
- Fantastically UV stable
- Excellent environmental & health profile
What benefits does 3C Polymer Sealant have over standard silicone sealants?
Polymer Sealants (aka hybrid polymer, or often just, hybrid sealants) as well as offering the continuous flexibility, UV stability and weather resistance of silicones, polymers don’t contain solvents that often damage sensitive materials such as plastic whilst offering a huge selling point advantage over silicone sealants of being over paintable just like acrylic sealants such as caulks etc.
Although traditionally more expensive than silicone and acrylic-based sealants, polymers have recently become more cost-effective in comparison to silicones especially and can be thought of as a multiple use construction sealant which can be painted over shortly after cure or perhaps more importantly, in the future should the situation/decoration require it!
Another huge benefit of polymers such as our polymer sealant is that they are very forgiving of damp (even slightly wet on occasion) surfaces, so 3C Polymer can be used to seal, reseal and/or repair areas such as window and door frames in conditions where drying in preparation for application is difficult or impossible.
In summary; 3C Polymer Sealant is all-round, overpaintable, professional construction sealant for applications inside & out and useable in damp conditions should it be needed.
If you wish to know more about the difference between silicone & hybrid polymer, we have a separate blog post, please click here to read.
Is 3C Polymer Sealant a fully over paintable sealant?
One thing we’re always asked is “do you sell an over paintable sealant?” and this question is both technical and simple to answer so we tend to stick to the latter for explanations sake and tell our customers that, in general, any kind of silicone sealant is NOT over paintable whereas, in general, any kind of polymer, hybrid polymer or modified polymer is over paintable!
The easiest way to understand it from a layman’s point of view is that, silicone cures like a sealed rubber finish and thus anything water-based will bead off of it whereas, polymer, hybrid polymer or modified polymer dries to an almost dry but slightly tacky finish and thus will accept a coating into it’s body and won’t crack or chip off at a later date.
Can 3C Polymer Sealant be used as an interior sealant?
As well as being an ideal choice for external joint sealing where any movement occurs due to it’s outstanding resistance to extreme weather & UV, 3C Polymer can also be considered for many internal applications, especially where good ventilation is in place and low humidity is present. One such example would be sealing around new or refurbished door and window frames in the connection joints which are more often than not between different materials/substrates (a timber frame to plastered brickwork for instance).
Basically, 3C Polymer Sealant will perform very well inside a building in any situation where a seal is required, which is then either; going to be painted immediately after cure or maybe over painted in the future. Many experienced trade users of silicones and acrylics such as painters caulks etc. are pleasantly surprised how effective they really are when they first use polymer sealants and continue to use them instead of their usual silicone sealant & caulking products for certain applications!
Who is 3C Polymer Sealant polysulphide alternative actually intended for?
In short, the answer is everyone! As it’s a sealant product that is equally at home being used internally as it is externally, the limitations are really only that it shouldn’t be used in areas of high humidity such as bathrooms & kitchens (we produce 3C HM Sealant for that exact purpose). Many tradespersons such as builders, plasterers, painter/decorators, cladding specialists and certainly glaziers / window fitters tend to go for a simple paintable sealant solution and with good reason! The real standout strengths of 3C Polymer Sealant is the fact that it has good tooling & finishing properties and remains suitably elastic upon full cure which makes it ideal for perimeter sealing of various connecting joints.
As a mastic sealant product, 3C Polymer Sealant is a very useful tool to carry in any professional tradesperson’s box, whilst also being a high quality, affordable sealing or even caulking option that will seal, protect and take a multitude of coatings very well whilst being user-friendly, reliable and long-lasting for all casual home users or DIY enthusiasts!
Can 3C Polymer Sealant be used instead of a decorators caulk by painters etc?
Although we don’t market the product as such, 3C Polymer Sealant is a fantastic alternative to traditional decorators caulk. It’s usability is head & shoulders superior as it naturally has a thicker body and exhibits more controlled and smoother tooling off when compared to decorators caulk (also widely known as painters caulk).
The cheap & cheerful water-based acrylic caulks are notoriously unstable when fully cured and tend to shrink and/or crack over time. This is just a fact that both professional painter & decorators as well as DIY users have just tolerated over the years with re-application being a standard procedure to neaten and cover up the failures, (think door frame architraves, tops of skirting boards and bottoms of ceiling covings!)
PLEASE NOTE; An important point to consider is that, as it is a polymer rubber-based product, 3C Polymer Sealant does not ‘sand down’ well at all as per acrylic caulks. this fact might make the product inappropriate for some prep work whereby the gaps, cracks or joints are purposely over-filled proud to then take back to flat.
But if you want a sealant that you can apply, wait to dry, paint over and leave alone pretty much forever, it’s well worth a go 😉
We recently had an experienced and trusted professional Painter & Decorator Lee Thornton post a detailed review on the Decorators Forum – click here to read.
Lee’s business LEE THORNTON DECORATING SERVICES are based in Southport and you can check out his fantastic work on his Facebook here.
Other examples of what 3C Polymer Sealant can be used for?
Especially suited to sealing joints that have movement due to it’s elastic and durable properties, 3C Polymer Sealant is the perfect choice for external expansion joints between frames to openings or between differing materials in cladding such as metal to plastic, but also, as previously stated, has a multitude of other positive characteristics for waterproof and weatherproof joints especially where over paintability is desirable.
Here’s some specific examples of materials and applications where 3C Polymer Sealant might be used:
- Making good concrete or stone surfaces subjected to trauma (eg. rendered outside walls hammer-drilled to fit cables etc.)
- Sealing between different substrates (eg. metal frame into a brickwork surround)
- For sealing all inside & outside construction connections where high movement occurs and is necessary (expansion joints)
- Adheres perfectly to all woods, metals, plastics (such as uPVC), brickwork, stone (caution advised when used with certain natural stones), plaster, composites & more
- Seals that subsequently require painting over (either; after cured application or anytime in the future)
- Applications where old-fashioned Polysulphide sealant (mastic) has been specified
- Weather sealing of new window frames, door frames and cladding (as well as remedial or repair works to the same)
What colours is 3C Polymer Sealant available in?
- White
- Black
- Grey (approx. RAL 7045 / 7046)
Obviously being very accommodating as an overpaintable sealant, 3C Polymer Sealant is relatively easy to cover with most paints & coatings, but as per the market requirements of such a product (i.e a construction sealant suited to window and door frames) the 3 x main colours are available as above.
What benefits does 3C Polymer Sealant give you?
- No special tools required other than a standard mastic sealant gun
- Permanent elasticity
- Good U.V. and weather-resistance
- Overpaintable with most paints
- Interior and exterior use
- Works well to fill larger or irregular gaps & cracks etc.
- Sealing applications where painting might happen in the future versus silicone
- Great workability to shape & tool off to a nice finish
- Solvent-free & virtually odourless
- Excellent performance between different materials such as; plastics, composite, uPVC, aluminium, wood, brickwork and plaster
Which products is 3C Polymer Sealant similar to?
Obviously as stated more than once in this blog, this product was introduced into our range as a solid alternative to traditional polysulphide products which, as we’ve established is an old technology that’s gradually being phased out but there are still polysulphide sealants available in the marketplace as listed below:
Actual polysulphide sealants still available
- Arbo Arbokol 1000 (380ml) – click here to buy
- Arbo Arbokol 2150 (2litre) – click here to buy
- Arbo Arbokol 682H (gun grade) (1.2litre) – click here to buy
- Arbo Arbokol 682H (pouring grade) (1.2litre) – click here to buy
- Fosroc Thioflex 600 (gun grade) (2.5litre) – click here to buy
Polymer sealants similar to 3C Polymer
- Arbo Arbomeric MP10 (380ml) – click here to buy
- Geocel 201 (380ml) – click here to buy
- Fosroc Nitoseal MS60 (380ml) – click here to buy
How do you apply 3C Polymer Sealant?
As with all cartridge based products, a mastic sealant gun (sometimes known as a caulking gun) is used as a means of controlled extrusion (usually anything from a 3-30mm bead for sealing & filling type applications.) We recommend the 3C Cox Professional Gun (1st) for a longer-lasting tool or the 3C Cox Skeleton Gun (2nd) for a budget option.
How much is 3C Polymer Sealant?
3C Polymer Sealant is available to purchase by the following cost-saving price break quantities:
| 1 – 23 | £3.87 +vat |
| 24 – 239 | £3.61 +vat |
| 240 – 611 | £3.35 +vat |
| 612 – 1223 | £3.23 +vat |
| 1224 or more | £3.10 +vat |
Where can I buy 3C Polymer Sealant?
Over the phone via our technical sales team, online @ our E-Shop or over the counter at our showroom in Chingford, North-East London. – Click here to find us
If you’re a shop, merchant or other retailer and are interested in stocking 3C Polymer Sealant, (anything over 5 x boxes (125no.)) then please contact us for trade prices.
Please click here to find out more about the 3C Sealants brand.
Visit the 3C Sealants website for more information about 3C Polymer Sealant
Click on the pic below to read more about 3C Polymer Sealant on www.3c-sealants.co.uk
