Andrew Cummins, Senior Product Manager at Geocel, provides an overview of MS Polymer sealants' user and performance benefits – and how to distinguish product quality.
MS Polymer sealants and adhesives, sometimes called ‘hybrids’, were first introduced to the construction market by Geocel 20 years ago; with a focus on their non-staining attributes, which made them ideal for sealing high value facade materials such as granite.
The technology eventually became more readily available to the wider market, in particular targeted at those in the trade for use on day to day jobs, where easy application and long term performance are key.
MS Polymer products feature many of the attributes of traditional sealants – with the flexibility and UV stability of silicones, the paintability of acrylics and the durability and toughness of polysulphides. In addition, they boast the same properties as high quality ‘grab’ adhesives.
They also offer some unique advantages of their own. The non-staining properties mean that they are ideal not just for facades but also for projects like sealing marble or granite kitchen worktops. With excellent adhesion properties they can also be used directly on wet or dry surfaces, including most plastics, tiles, wood, stone, and many more – and they will even bond and cure underwater. Plus, once applied, they also won’t attack synthetic materials, unlike their solvent counterparts.
Ideal multi-use products, the combined sealants and adhesives are also great for those ‘odd job’ type projects, where installers may be called upon to refresh a tired bathroom or rectify someone else’s poor workmanship (or DIY bodge!). These products seal, fill, and bond any surface, wet or dry, inside or out, so are a really effective all-rounder.
Environmentally friendly, MS Polymers contain no solvents, so are non-hazardous and odour free. To evaluate a product’s specific credentials look for its EMICODE classification, this offers the trade guidance to decide which materials offer maximum security against indoor air pollution and guarantee the best health protection and high environmental compatibility. ISEGA is another certification system of note, specifically for products that may come into contact with food, so in food preparation areas such as kitchens.
Of course, for any installer it’s product reliability that is key, with ‘callbacks’ not just a hassle but a waste of valuable time – and when you think about it, the choice of sealant and adhesive can actually really make a difference. Research from the Association of British Insurers, for example, suggests that £1.8m is paid out every day in the UK to settle claims relating to the escape of water. Whereas that will cover a wide range of repairs, we all know that failing sealants in particular can lead to untold damage.
Choosing a high quality product that offers long lasting performance, is therefore crucial – with a number of areas worthy of comparison:
Whether you’re embarking on a complete project refurbishment, newbuild, or simply ‘making good’, MS Polymer sealants and adhesives are a high performing solution geared to achieving a long lasting result, easily and quickly and, with the launch of the next generation of MS Polymer products, there’s now even more reason to give them a try.
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