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Sealants have a number of different household applications but there isn’t really a single sealant that works for everything. Whether you’re looking for a waterproof filler for your shower, bathtub or windows, you're assembling glass walls or you need something for both indoor and outdoor use, you’ll want the right product for the job.
We’re here to take you through the different types of acrylic and silicone sealants available on Amazon and eBay and let you know which options lend themselves best to certain tasks. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices, so our buying guide and recommendations are here to help you make your decision. Your home project will be completed in no time!
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Table of Contents
The main use for a sealant is to create a waterproof seal around an area, so our buying guide will take you through which sealants are best for the different parts of your home. We’ll take a little look at their make up and give a few suggestions about what works best where.
If you’re reading an article on silicone sealants, you probably have a job in mind and need the right product to match. Luckily, most sealants are branded in a way that it is clear what job it is suitable for. If you're set on re-doing your sinks and shower, for instance, looking out for a “Bath & Kitchen Sealant” or a “Showerproof Bathroom Silicone” will serve you well.
You’ll also see many general-purpose sealants, which are a brilliant choice to have handy around the house for maintenance and odd jobs. Great for use inside or outside the home, it's always useful to have a couple of tubes in a cupboard somewhere for when you need to quickly patch something up.
Most of the sealants you will find on the market today are made up of silicone polymers and cure to make a strong, flexible rubber, creating a good waterproof seal. These are stronger, more flexible and longer-lasting than their acrylic siblings.
Acrylic sealants, or caulk as they're sometimes known, are usually a cheaper alternative and can be painted on without any issue. If you have a lot of ground to cover and are working on a budget, acrylic can be a good option, but silicone really is better in almost every other way.
The third category of sealant is the hybrid, usually made up of a blend of silicone and other polymers. These tend to combine the strengths of all materials, creating a high-performing and weatherproof fusion, but often come at an increased price point.
If you're working with fridges or freezers, it's worth making sure your sealant is food-friendly to ensure that it's not toxic when coming into contact with food. There are countless other examples, but most are fairly self explanatory and do exactly what they say on the tube!
It's also worth noting that to use most sealants you will need a sealant gun, which is a device that the tubes slip into to squeeze out the silicone. There are some products, usually smaller ones, that don't require any other accessories as you're able to squeeze the tube like glue or toothpaste.
It can be difficult to determine how much sealant you will need for a particular job, but it’s important that you have enough because once you start you need to make sure you’re finished with a section before it begins to cure. Luckily, a lot of sealants are relatively inexpensive, so it’s just a case of picking up a couple of extra tubes.
Measuring the size of the tube against the length of the area you’re sealing will give you some idea of how much you’ll need, but you should also consider the width and depth of the joint as well. Most tubes are around 300 ml and should last around 8 meters for an average joint.
While you won’t find a rainbow of different colours in the sealant world, there is a choice to be made when it comes to which shade of silicone to opt for. White is by far the most common and has the most applications, but it’s also easy enough to find black and grey options if you want them.
You can also get clear silicone, which is transparent. This makes for a perfect choice when working with glass or clear plastics. Keep in mind that you can’t paint silicone, so once you’ve made your choice you’ll be stuck with whatever colour you decided for a while.
The best sealant in the UK, for our money, is the Premium 500+ Bath and Sanitary Silicone from Everbuild as it creates a long-lasting seal with a powerful fungicide and food-safe sanitary properties.
What lifts it a little higher than similar products is the extremely competitive price point for a sealant of this quality, as well as the fact that it's available in five different colours to match any project and any decor. A truly great pick that's worthy of the no. 1 spot!
It was tough to choose between our top 2 products, as both are excellent options for the bathroom and kitchen which is where sealants are most used. The Unibond Anti-Mould Kitchen and Bathroom Sealant only misses out on the top spot because of its small differences in price and colour range.
This fantastic sealant is touch dry in just 20 minutes (and fully dry in 24 hours) and holds up incredibly well in humid environments. If you're after a durable, long-lasting seal, you really can't go wrong with this.
Even if you end up opting for another sealant on our list, you should pick up a couple of tubes of this General Purpose Silicone to put in a cupboard or drawer for when you need it. As you can guess from the name, this is suitable for everything from sealing glass to aluminium and pointing round door frames.
Just as a top-quality sealant should, it contains an anti-fungal compound to prevent mould from forming, and in addition, it has a translucent colour that's practically invisible. There's not much more to say except that it's hands down the best multipurpose option on the market.
We know that in most cases you'd prefer a silicone sealant over an acrylic option, but if you have a lot of ground to cover, which happens a lot when working on exteriors, sometimes you need a cost-effective option.
Everbuild make quality sealants – you've probably noticed their name pop up a few times already – and this External Frame Sealant is something of a cheap and cheerful choice for when you have a whole house-front to cover and don't want to break the bank.
If you're working outside with a lot of different building materials, then the Dura+ is the way to go. It's an all-in-one hybrid polymer adhesive and sealant, meaning that it will stick to practically anything without any difficulty, even underwater or in the rain!
It's UV-resistant, food-safe, and has anti-mould properties too, making it incredibly versatile. It does come with a more premium price tag than some, but it's well worth the investment if you need a great combination of strength and flexibility.
You may have heard of the extremely strong and reliable Gorilla Glue, and we're pleased to say that their sealant has the same qualities. Impressively, the formula is water ready just half an hour after applying and is mould resistant.
While you don't need a sealant gun to apply it, the payoff is that, at 80 ml, it's one of the smaller options on our list. If you need to make a quick fix that is ready to go in under an hour, though, you can't do much better – it even has a lifetime guarantee.
Dowsil, formerly known as Dow Corning, has been in the sealant business for over 50 years and are an extremely reliable and popular brand. The 785 Sanitary Sealant is a great choice for the bathroom and kitchen and dries tack-free in just an hour.
While it is a great sealant, the reason it sits low down on our list is that the bathroom and kitchen sealant space is incredibly crowded, and we think there are better options below that offer just that little bit more.
Sometimes you don't need a big tube of sealant, or you don't want to mess around with an application gun when there's just a small patch-up job to do. This is where the 151 Silicone Sealant comes in. You just squeeze some out of the tube and Bob's your uncle, DIY done!
You are paying for the convenience though as, at only 70 ml, this is the smallest option on our list. Nonetheless, if you see some sealant peeling around a window or the shower, this will sort you out no problem.
One of the unfortunate realities of home construction and ownership is mitigating the risks of fire. This sealant is designed specifically to resist the passage of fire for up to 5 hours, as it swells to three times its original size when exposed to heat.
This option also works well as an acoustic sealant, having great sound dampening qualities. Due to the specific nature of this sealant, however, it doesn't work well as a general-purpose option – there are much better options for the kitchen and bathroom.
If you have a lot of bathroom and kitchen work to do and you're after a cheap way to do it, then this option from Everbuild is a good choice. Featuring mould resistance, it's great for sealing worktops and ceramics.
As it's acrylic, it's not suitable for shower trays and you may want to opt for a silicone sealant if you're tiling an area that's going to see some serious water. It's great for bathroom door frames, though, and you'll be able to paint over it if you like.
Just like a tube or two of sealant, there are some things that are always worth having around for when that home improvement inspiration strikes. Find our tips and recommendations for more of the best DIY essentials below, because as we all know, getting the right tools for the job is half the battle!
There you have it, our top 10 list of the best sealants on the market today. We hope you've been able to find what you've been looking for and you can crack on with that project as soon as possible. Just remember to pick up enough for whatever you have in mind, and maybe grab a couple extra tubes just to be safe!
Author: David Sexton
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The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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