Polyseamseal vs. Silicone – any difference?
Polyseamseal is a water-based two-in-one product that acts as an adhesive and a sealant. It’s more affordable than silicone, and it can be used to bond a variety of surfaces.
Polyseamseal vs. Silicone: Specs&Uses
⏰Cure Time
Polyseamseal: 2-7 days
Silicone: Full cure in 24 hrs
🆚Best Materials
Polyseamseal: Bonds to wood, concrete, metal, ceramic, drywall, plaster, and some plastics
Silicone: Adheres to wood, aluminum, glass, vinyl, porcelain, plastic, rubber
🛠️Common Uses
Polyseamseal is easy to apply and clean and can be painted shortly after application. On the other hand, silicone sealant doesn’t shrink as it dries, which means that once you’re done applying silicone, gaps won’t form. This prevents you from caulking the same seams twice to achieve a watertight seal, which can sometimes be required with Polyseamseal. While 100% silicone is better than Polyseamseal at providing a durable, long-lasting seal in damp environments, Polyseamseal is easier to install and can be painted.
Technical Info
Review of Loctite Polyseamseal
✅Seal Leaks in Areas Exposed to Heat
First and foremost, Polyseamseal is a great option for sealing leaks and gaps in areas exposed to heat, like around radiators or near hot water pipes. I’ve used it around my toilet and bathtub, both of which are close to radiators, and it has held up perfectly fine. While it’s not explicitly stated as being food-grade, the manufacturer should be able to provide more information on that front.
The bare necessities for a window frame.
Speaking of toilets, Polyseamseal is an excellent choice for resealing the area around the base of the toilet, or “commode” as some call it. I was a bit hesitant, but the application process was straightforward. Just apply a bead around the base and use a damp paper towel to smooth it out for a clean look.
In the bathroom, I’ve found Polyseamseal to be excellent for resealing around fixtures like the toilet base and even for filling small nicks in a fiberglass bathtub. However, I wouldn’t recommend using it on dishwasher racks or any surface that comes into direct contact with food unless you have explicit confirmation from the manufacturer that it’s food-safe.
Best Adhesive for Undermount Sink to Granite (Quartz) Instruction
The sealant’s ability to stick to a variety of materials makes it stand out. I’ve used it on metal surfaces, like the roof of my box truck, and it has provided a solid, long-lasting seal. It’s also suitable for sealing gaps in cinder block joints, as long as you’re not relying on it for structural support. If you need to seal larger gaps or cracks in cinder blocks, it’s best to use mortar or ready-mix concrete instead.
As for its paintability, Polyseamseal can be painted over after a 40-minute dry time, and in my experience, latex paints have worked well with it.
❌Cons: Contact Cement
However, I did encounter a slight issue when using the Loctite Polyseamseal caulk to seal an under-the-counter sink. The caulk ended up shrinking quite a bit, allowing water to penetrate about 1/8 inch into the space between the sink and the countertop. It was a minor setback, but something to keep in mind for specific applications.
While Polyseamseal is primarily an indoor sealant, the manufacturer claims it can be used outdoors as well. However, I tend to lean towards silicone-based products for outdoor applications due to their superior weather resistance.
Gutter Sealant Vs. Silicone Caulk: Seal High-Temperature Cracks Around Chimneys, Flues &Fireplaces
One thing to keep in mind is that Polyseamseal is not suitable for sealing plastic surfaces, like car headlight enclosures, as water can slowly migrate through the plastic over time. It’s also not sandable, so it’s best suited for applications where a smooth finish is not required.
Review of Dap Silicone
I had a cracked RV fan cover that got damaged during a tornado warning in Kansas, and it got hit with hail repeatedly for almost an hour. Weather tape and this caulk fixed it and it has held up for several months now with no leaking.
I also had a water leak just above the seam where the left side of the side sliding door connects. It leaked water into the van every time it rained. I got on top of the van, applied this to the cracked seam, and it’s held up for several months now with no leaking. I’m pretty sure this could be used on other vehicles as well that are in different colors.
Dap Kwik Seal Plus Vs. Dap Silicone: Seal Joints on Pvc Baseboard, Waterproof Seal Against Moisture
When I needed a great watertight seal for a fountain that I made and needed to seal a glass lampshade to a glass block, Dap Silicone worked great! Even when temps have gone below freezing it still holds water. However, it does have an intense vinegar smell that burns your nose hairs and remains on it after it’s cured, so I recommend wiping the finished products with a bit of alcohol and spraying with no-oil alcohol-based fragrance spray to cover the stink.
It does a perfect job of sealing water leaks in a toilet tank. The screws that hold my toilet tank in place had rusted away and fallen out completely. To use this sealant, I put on a vinyl glove and applied it in layers over the top of the screw holes. I needed to apply several layers since the sealant was not easy to apply in one coat.
In my opinion, Dap Silicone is 10x as hard to work with as water-based caulks. Just saying, if you need structural quality and are not so worried about a finished edge, this is probably your stuff. If you are a clumsy caulker, or want a forgiving product, then this is probably not for you. It adheres really durably even to smooth surfaces, and I used this for decoden phone cases as “icing” and even though it says 24-hour cure, this stuff cured in 15 minutes or so. Adding more than a drop of acrylic paint to color makes it harden faster and sometimes clump up.
Except for that, it does a perfect job to seal the water leakage of the toilet tank. The screw(s) of the tank has been rusted away and completely dropped out. I applied it as a layer/surface to cover the top of the hole of the screw. It adheres and sticks fine on the surface of the tank. Then wait about 2 days to let it dry, fill the water, and no leakage anymore.
I also needed to seal in a couple of pieces of glass on my door that has frosted glass held in with lead. It did the trick until I can get it professionally fixed after COVID-DAYS.
Other products that claim they are 100% silicone are not as durable. Some contain mineral spirits, petroleum products, or glycol products to be thinned or vaporize to cure with.
I’m Ronald Stevens, a Mechanical Engineer obsessed with adhesives, glue, and all things sticky! My passion began in childhood when I’d always be the one playing with glue during arts and crafts. And I’d spend hours researching and experimenting. Happy reading, and remember: stick with the best, and you’ll never be stuck in a mess!
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