What Every Installer Needs to Know About Choosing Quality Silicone

Installers, think about how often you reach for a tube of silicone. It’s a daily essential, and choosing the right sealant can significantly impact both the ease of your work and the longevity of your installations.

Our new ‘Xpert Advice’ video is designed to guide you through the key characteristics of high-quality silicone. We quickly highlight what to look for and why it matters for achieving a professional and lasting finish.

The Importance of High Silicone Content

When you pick up a tube of silicone, what’s inside makes all the difference. At its core, a top-quality sealant relies on a high concentration of pure silicone polymer. This isn’t just a technical detail; it’s what ensures the product performs reliably day in, day out. Products with a robust silicone content are built for:

Lasting Adhesion: They create a strong, dependable bond to various surfaces – glass, uPVC, aluminium, brick – reducing the chance of your seal failing prematurely. That means fewer call backs and more confidence in a job well done.

Permanent Flexibility: Doors and windows, and the buildings they’re in, are always moving slightly. A quality silicone stays flexible over time, easily handling these shifts without cracking, hardening, or shrinking. It’s the key to preventing those annoying gaps that can appear as seasons change.

Minimal Shrinkage: Some sealants, especially lower-grade ones, contain fillers that can evaporate, causing the bead to shrink and pull away after it cures. Sealant with high silicone content holds its shape better, leaving you with clean, crisp lines that look professional from day one and stay that way.

Understanding Low Emissions with the A+ Air Rating

Today’s work environments demand products that are not just effective but also safer for everyone. The A+ air rating, which you’ll often see on quality silicone packaging, is a clear sign that a product releases very low amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, especially indoors.

For installers, choosing a silicone with an A+ rating means:

A Better Workspace: Less strong smells and fumes make for a more comfortable and safer environment for you and your team, particularly when you’re working inside.

Healthier Buildings: Beyond the installation itself, these products contribute to better air quality for the people who live or work in the building. It’s a mark of quality that shows your commitment to high standards, from the seal to the air everyone breathes.

The Advantage of a Longer Skinning Time

“Skinning time” is simply the period from when you apply the silicone until a thin, non-sticky layer forms on its surface. While it might seem like a small detail, a longer skinning time is a huge plus when you’re aiming for that perfect finish.

This extra working time gives installers:

A Flawless Finish: You get more time to tool the sealant, smooth out the bead, and make sure everything looks neat and professional, without feeling rushed or leaving behind imperfections.

Efficiency on Bigger Jobs: For larger projects or intricate details, having more working time means you can methodically apply and finish the sealant with consistent quality across the whole job. It takes the pressure off, helping you deliver superior results every time.

Our goal with the ‘Xpert Advice’ video is simple: to offer clear points that help you make informed decisions about the silicone you use every day, ultimately supporting better project outcomes and client satisfaction. By focusing on these key characteristics, you can elevate the quality and longevity of your installations.

Ready for a quick but valuable refresh on silicone selection? Watch our ‘Xpert Advice’ video below now! 👇🏼

And for a silicone that truly ticks all these boxes, look no further.

Discover Xpert 117 LMN Silicone: Engineered specifically for the trade professional, our Xpert 117 LMN Silicone combines high performance with ease of use. It delivers the superior adhesion, permanent flexibility, minimal shrinkage, and low emissions (with an A+ air rating) you need, alongside a generous skinning time for a flawless finish every time.

Explore the Xpert 117 LMN Silicone and our full range of high-performance tools designed for the professional installer here.