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Source for window sealant

I had to remove a broken aluminum window from one of my garage walk doors.

I found I could gently pry the frame out of the opening with just a thin putty knife, but when I got it out, I found something that surprised me.

The sealant the manufacturer used had the properties of both a silicone sealant, and a non-hardening, clear "goo" -- the gooey part acted like a conventional putty, but the hardening part acted just like regular silicone sealant.

The bead appeared to have been gunned onto the door, then allowed to cure completely before screwing the frame onto the caulk. The "silicone" part was just as strongly adhered to the door skin as you'd suspect regular silicone would be (although it was a bit softer and more elastic that GE Silicone), but the gummy part only adhered to the window frame by its tackiness. It was a perfect sealant, in that it compressed fairly easily, sealed well, but allowed the window to be removed easily for repairs.

There was broken glass embedded in the sealant bead, and the bead had been cut in a couple of places where the glass edges got it, so I scraped it off the door.

I can use regular non-hardening "ribbon caulk" to re-do this, but I'm fascinated by the sealant they used.

Has anyone here worked in a window or door manufactury and is familiar with this stuff. I'd love to use it on future jobs, if I can find a source. The manufacturer of the door is no help -- must be a "trade secret".

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh
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Urethane window adhesive. Same stuff that is used to glue in auto glass.

The outer "shell" will harden up and be sort of like silicone (flexible, no tacky feel) while the inner core will not fully cure and stays semi liquid.

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Reply to
Steve W.

"Steve W." fired this volley in news:jum9o6$qkq$1 @dont-email.me:

(flexible,

No, just the opposite here. I've used urethane windshield sealer.

This stuff was "hard" in the core, and gummy on the surface, except right where it was gunned on. Not just soft on the surface, but really aggressively sticky, and the stuff would come off on your fingers. Yet, the bead adhered strongly to the surface on which it was originally applied.

This stuff is really "backwards" from any other sealant I've seen. ALL the others skin over and either cure solid, or remain soft at the core. This stuff is hard at the core and soft on the outside.

This is also milky-clear, just like regular silicone sealant.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Lexel, maybe? Ace carries that, $11-12/tube. Only clear sealant I know that really sticks and stays rubbery. Silicone isn't as clear.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

snipped-for-privacy@prolynx.com fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

No... I've used the acrylic/styrene solvent-based sealants, also. They are tough and rubbery. They do NOT stay "wet" and gummy on the air- exposed surface. They skin over quickly, self-level well, and are great sealants.

But you'd NEVER get a window back out of a steel door if you glued the whole flange to the door with that stuff.

This sealant was cured on the door, still "wet" on the window side, and very, very soft, so it complied almost like regular caulk when the window was screwed together.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Does the door have a label with the company name that you could use to locate the OEM?

Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

May be they just brush on something that inhibits the cure of the sealant. There are a lot of things that do this to silicone. Maybe it was not even intentional?

Reply to
anorton

"Michael A. Terrell" fired this volley in news:I42dncGn-IttvZLNnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

The company desk "didn't know anything about the caulk..." That's the "Florida Salute" -- _I_ don't know!

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

"anorton" fired this volley in news:8t- dnSXLFZE1uJLNnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

That's a good point. It only takes about five minutes to remove and clean up one of those windows (when it isn't broken). I have two such doors. I'll check the other one, too.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

As translated from the orignal German, "I KNOW NOTHINK!!!" :(

Did you ask them to ask production? Tell them you need the MSDS, so you don't have to ask the EPA to get the information to safely dispose of the materials without paying hazmat fees. ;-)

Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Maybe this product:

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Reply to
Denis G.

Call me naive, but I couldn't help but think that maybe they just had a bad batch of sealant, like the problems that plagued GE Si II for awhile (kept it from curing fully).

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

A related question that's been on my mind for years, and since I'm just getting retty to refurb 20 windows in my house...

Is there something better than old-fashioned glazing putty to seal glass in wood sashes? I was thinking that maybe RTV silicone would do better and last longer.

Any thoughts?

Reply to
rangerssuck

If you're still using the old oil and whiting putty, then yes. I've used D= AP for years. Usually lasts until the glass is replaced. Key thing is tha= t the glass has to be CLEAN, no fingerprints, no oil, no paint, where the p= utty is supposed to stick to it. Same thing with the frame, old putty has = to be scraped off down to bare wood. Then a coat of paint over the top kee= ps it good for 20 years or so. I did the 25 windows(plus storms) the folks= had during a college break one year, lasted until they replaced them with = vinyl 30 years later. A clean and polished putty knife helps, too. Flexib= le for application, sharp and rigid for chipping out the old stuff.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

rangerssuck fired this volley in news:47f35f7d- snipped-for-privacy@x12g2000yqe.googlegroups.com:

The common wisdom is to use siliconized acrylic caulk.

You cannot paint RTV silicones, nor paint any surface to which they've been previously applied unless you sand down to bare wood again.

The siliconized acrylics are paintable, last well, and are strong (once thoroughly dry. They shrink somewhat more than glazing putty, and are a bit more difficult to remove in the future, but work quite well.

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

I think different types of silicone are sensitive to different things, but the usual culprits are sulphur compounds, oils, and amine compounds. you could experiment with some things.

Reply to
anorton

Consider using double back tape to hold the glass in place while the sealant sets up.

=20 Dan

Reply to
dcaster

" snipped-for-privacy@krl.org" fired this volley in news:655a686a- snipped-for-privacy@z11g2000yqa.googlegroups.com:

DAN! Have you never used glazier's points? That's what they're for!

Lloyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

On Jul 25, 2:06=A0pm, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" wrote: .

Have you ever used double back tape? You just press the window in place.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

" snipped-for-privacy@krl.org" fired this volley in news:96200ed8- snipped-for-privacy@m38g2000yqf.googlegroups.com:

And then it doesn't sit in against the frame where it should, leaving an ugly gap on the inside surface that must also be caulked.

Glazier's points are cheaper, too.

I use lots of double-stick in the shop, including a very aggressive, thin tape for mounting work on the mill that cannot be clamped -- but never for anything that must fit tight to its mating surface.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

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