Marine Adhesives and Sealants
The selection of marine adhesives and sealants (referred to by many boaters as “caulks”) found on these pages encompasses some of the most popular products that are used for boat building and maintenance. When shopping for an adhesive or for a sealant, it is important to select products with the properties you need to do the job right. Let’s begin with a discussion of adhesive/sealants.
Types of Adhesive/Sealants
Sealants are waterproof bedding, bonding and sealing agents. Notice that this definition includes the word “bonding” which implies that in addition to sealing applications, sealants also possess adhesive strength. Examples of adhesive/sealants include 3M’s Series 4000 Polyether Adhesive/Sealant, 4200 Adhesive/Sealant and their 5200 Adhesive/Sealant. In addition to polyether and polyurethane compounds, silicone compounds, like 3M’s Marine-Grade Silicone Sealant also possess adhesive strength. Other examples of adhesive/sealants include BoatLife’s Polyurethane/Silicone Adhesive/Sealant and their LifeCaulk Polysulfide Sealant.
How Adhesive/Sealants Differ
In general, the adhesive/sealants mentioned above provide strong, waterproof, flexible bonds between similar or different materials. They offer good chemical resistance and environmental durability. However they do differ in their cure time, adhesive strength, compatibilities and whether or not they can be sanded or painted over. For example, polysulfide adhesive/sealants will attack and ruin anything made out of plastic. And while adhesive strength is generally a virtue, it can also be a problem. For example, 3M’s 5200 Adhesive/Sealant, which creates an exceedingly strong, virtually permanent bond, should not be used on parts that might require disassembly.
For an expanded discussion on adhesives and caulks, please read our West Advisor article How to Select Sealants and Caulk.
Other Types of Adhesives
Within the category of Marine Adhesives and Sealants, West Marine offers a variety of other products, including one-part glues, two-part epoxy glues, spray adhesives, contact adhesives, liquid rubber aerosols, vinyl/leather repair adhesive and seam compounds.