Installation Guide

STEP THREE:
PRIOR TO INSTALLATION
Review sealant precautions prior to application.
REPLACING OLD SEALANT: It is recommended to remove old
or damaged sealant from a joint prior to installing new
sealant. Remove sealant by cutting away product with a knife
or razor and follow steps below for preparing the substrate.
SUBSTRATE PREPARATION: Substrate preparation should be
done on the same day you apply the product. Surfaces should
be clean (free of dirt, dust, oils, water repellants and old
sealant compounds), stable (substrate must handle
movement/hold together as the joint moves), dry (free of ice,
frost and standing water), and primed (if required by sealant or
needing additional substrate stabilization) prior to sealing. Be
sure to test any product on the substrate before installation.
0.70 to 1.80
6.91 to 14.08
7.37
8.32 to 8.96
8.70 to 9.60
STEP TWO: CAPABILITIES
ENVIRONMENT: Environmental stresses such as UV light,
temperature extremes, humidity/moisture levels, physical
stress such as creep (permanent) and elastic (temporary)
deformation due to wind and other variable loads and others
all affect joint movement.
CLASS: ASTM C920 Class can be used to determine if the
sealant has enough “stretch” to handle the dynamic joint in
question. ASTM C920 incorporates a number of tests that
determine cyclic movement on a number of substrates
such as accelerated weathering, peel strength and sealant
staining and fade resistance.
Some sealants will work better than others on certain
substrates. See specific product details to determine which
sealant is right for your desired substrate. Staining can occur if
a sealant is used on a non-recommended substrate.
Surface sealers and coatings often end up repelling sealants.
Whenever possible, sealers and coatings should be applied
after the sealant is cured, as it is extremely difficult to apply
such materials onto the surface without contaminating the
joints.
BUTT JOINTS: Be sure to correctly determine joint movement
if you would like to install a butt joint, due to its high risk of
joint failure.
STEP FOUR: FILLING THE JOINT
BACKING MATERIAL: Backing materials such as open cell,
closed cell, or bicellular backer rods or bond breaker
tape/backing tape are used to control the depth of the
sealant. Backing material functions as a bond breaker to
eliminate three-sided adhesion and to allow the sealant to
expand and contract properly as designed.
Backer rods should be approximately 25% wider than the gap.
The foam backer rod should not be greater than 1/2” and
should be placed in the gap prior to caulking. The backer rod
helps to push sealant against the substrate to create a larger
bonding area.
Bond breaker tape should be used on a firm bottom surface
and where the joint is too shallow to fit a backer rod. Size the
tape appropriately; if it is too large, the tape will wrap around
the sides of the joint, eliminating bonding area required for
good adhesion.
Closed-cell backer rods should not be used with moisture-cure
sealants. Open-cell backer rods should not be used where
moisture absorption into the backer rods can be a problem,
including horizontal and submerged joints.
Visit www.TITEBOND.com for the most up-to-date product in
formation.
Visit www.TITEBOND.com for the most up-to-date product information.
CONSIDER TEMPERATURE:
Sealant should be applied within the specified temperature
range stated on the product label. Not doing so may alter the
application and resulting performance of your product.
For best performance, apply sealant at the mid-range of
expected temperature extremes. This will minimize joint
movement in each direction, reducing stress on the sealant
(see troubleshooting).
Do not apply product in hot and dry conditions, or when heavy
rain or freezing temperatures are anticipated.
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