Building seams - with what are we going to fight?
In general, construction joints can be divided into groups:
- in concrete structures;
- in ceramic and finishing tiles;
- waterproofing( in bathrooms, saunas and pools, places of abutment of a roof, ventilation, pipelines);
- in window and door openings.
Each type of joint has its own design tasks, and the material for sealing seams is used different. For concrete floors and waterproofing, sealants are used, for decorative tiles - grout, and for windows and doors - mounting foam. Size matters: for joints less than 3 cm, sealants and grout are used, more than 3 cm - foam.
Sealant is the most popular filler for joints
Sealants are polymeric materials, they are single- and multicomponent, hardening and not, their main quality is elasticity. Based on the material of the basis of sealants are silicone, acrylic, polymer and bitumen. For concrete joints, a silicone sealant is used.
Any building is deformed, causing it to drop outside temperatures, humidity, ultraviolet radiation, soil motions and machinery movement. Parts of the building move in different directions, and in the places of possible stress of the structure, cracks are created, which perceive elastic deformations.
Failure is not part of the building's operational plans, so cracks should be repaired as soon as possible. They are filled with prepared fiber and silicone sealant. Sealing also protects seams from water and aggressive liquids.
Silicone sealants are available with antifungal additives, they are convenient to use in toilets, baths and showers, they prevent the appearance of mold. Acrylic sealant is embedded in slow-moving joints, and this is the best means for sealing cracks. It is suitable only for outdoor works, hardens on the cold and loses its plasticity.
Polyurethane sealants are called façade because of their suitability for outdoor work and high adhesion, thanks to which the sealant is kept in a vertical joint without draining. They easily withstand deformation, do not lose their properties from cold and heat, they are painted in any color.
Bitumen sealants in everyday life are called roofing, their correct name is thiokol. The bitumen base allows them to adhere well to wet surfaces, they are good for sealing cracks in the foundation and external walls.
Grout and foam - where do we use these fillers?
Suture filler for decorative tile( or grout) according to the type of base is divided into two types:
- cement;
- epoxy.
Grout on the basis of cement contains quartz sand and mineral plasticizers, it is used for external and internal works. Some cement paste is added with the second component - latex, it is mixed on its own. In this case, the grout can be used for swimming pools and saunas.
Epoxy grout is initially two-component, it gives an impermeable, very strong seam, it is used for exclusive design. The mixture for sealing joints is selected depending on:
- type of coating. Cement grout is not used on limestone, PVC and wood, epoxy - on porous stone and brick;
- seam size, this parameter is indicated on the grout label;
- operating conditions, if necessary, apply special impregnations on top of the cement grouting, the glass epoxy is used in the most expensive design.
With a fracture size of more than 3 cm, foam is used to seal joints that can expand when hardened. Foam fills everything, even invisible cavities, and freezes, forming a porous heat and soundproof material. Foam is summer, winter or all-weather, you can protect it from ultraviolet with putty or decorative ribbons.
