Homeowner’s Guide to Silicones and other Sealants

In our experience both as homeowners and as sealant manufacturers, we have found that many people know very little about sealants and silicones. We wrote this guide to help homeowners to be more informed on silicones and sealants, and to help them make better choices. This is a good thing for us, because we find that homeowners are willing to spend a little more on better-quality products that last longer (like our products). Contractors, on the other hand, want to save on costs. If homeowners are ill-informed, contractors will use any sealant they like (usually the cheapest). Having informed homeowners help the industry move to a higher overall quality.

In this guide, we’ll go through the economics, the basics, and some technical details.

1. Renovations, sealants, and our suggestions
2. Contractors and their choice of sealants
3. Why you should insist on a good sealant
4. Sealant basics
5. Silicon or Sealant?
6. Types of sealants
7. Silicone Sealants
8. How To Choose Anti-Fungal Silicone Sealants for your Bathroom and Kitchen
9. Acrylic Sealants
10. Hybrid Polymer sealants
11. Sealant applications
12. Conclusion

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Recently, there’s been talk going around of newspaper found in a HDB wall, calling it “half cement half newspaper”.

Screenshot of the video (Screengrab: Facebook/ Singapore Uncensored)

Since then, HDB has come forward to clarify that the use of newspaper was by a renovation contractor hired by the flat owner in 1999. The balcony was completed in 1984.

We’re not surprised, because we’re in the window industry. Stuffing newspaper into window frame joints is fairly common practice back in the day. You know where else you can find newspaper stuffed into a window joint?

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

We visited the hospital for personal reasons in 2014, and found this window at the ward.

It’s the same thing. Newspaper stuffed into a window joint, and then a layer of acrylic sealant over the newspaper. Read more