Butyl Tape Yet Again

[Maine Sail]

MS - does your butyl tape have a shelf life? Thanks.

DH

My manufacturer guarantees at least one year but if you keep it in a Ziplock bagk you can likely get 8-10 years+. The shelf life is more dependent upon the tape sticking to the coated backing paper than anything else. I have a roll from 1998, bought two cases that year, that I show folks who drop by to pick it from my house. The only problem with it, at 14, years is that it does not like to release as well from the backing paper. Still does release but every now and then one area sticks worse than another...

 

[Maine Sail]

In the top pictures most knowledgable people in the RV business call this putty tape and in the bottom pictures it is called butly tape ...big difference

BUT, that tape was sold as "butyl tape" by an RV supplier and that customer even called to make sure it was a "butyl tape" not a lesser product. The manufacturer of that tape also calls it a "butyl" tape not a "butyl putty" or "putty" tape.

 

[Deadhead]

Bed-It Butyl Tape

My manufacturer guarantees at least one year but if you keep it in a Ziplock bag you can likely get 8-10 years+.

Thank you Maine Sail.
DH

 

[Shoaldrafter]

I guess it was typo due to needing 2nd cup of coffee

Ummm I never said "I" use 5200.. I do use 4200, UV4000 and Sikaflex PU products but not 5200...... I have been ranting against a 700PSI bond strength as needless for years..

My point was that most boaters choose a proven or quality product sold to stand up better in the marine environment. Products like 3M, Boat Life or Sikaflex, some actually like 5200 go figure are not the same as the stuff at K-Mart. They do not usually choose some bathtub caulk from K-Mart even though they are both sold as "polyurethane" sealants...

- - - - // - - - -

In the earlier post with the stretching pictures you said,
"Just like Polyurethane sealants such as 4200, 5200, Sikaflex etc., of which there are hundreds of "brands", people use the good ones in the marine environment because they work well and are time tested and proven."

As I said it was early...

Ed K

 

[Maine Sail]

I the earlier post with the stretching pictures you said,
"Just like Polyurethane sealants such as 4200, 5200, Sikaflex etc., of which there are hundreds of "brands", people use the good ones in the marine environment because they work well and are time tested and proven."

As I said it was early...

Ed K

Ed,

The KEY words there are "PEOPLE USE" not "I USE" 5200....

I have not owned or used a tube of 5200 since perhaps the late 80's. In fact I coined the term Satan's Glue a number of years ago in reference to 5200.. You can also persue my 15k+ posts, over 14 years on this and other forums, and I don't think you'll find a single post where I recommend someone use 5200...

I generally used 3M 101, when I needed a sealant, which has been discontinued. I really don't even like UV4000 or 4200 as even they are too tenacious, at 300 PSI, but I will, on occasion, use them as a last resort if I can't get Sikaflex 295UV or 291...

That statement was in the context of comparing a known quality product, and yes 5200 is a "known quality", to a cheaper alternative. Most would not even consider buying K-Mart polyurethane sealant for use on their boats but don't consider that cheap butyl and Bed-It Tape are also not the same quality...

 

[dscribner]

Case in point - Cheap vs quality.

When I first bought my boat, the portlights were screwed to the fiberglass, sandwiching a layer of "butyl" between them. Note the drool in the photo. I had to scrape, clean, scape, scrub and mutter (heavy on the mutter). Goof-Off seemed to clean it OK but it still took lots of elbow grease. Since the tape we use at work doesn't drool like this and it sees much higher temperatures than this, I figure this was cheap, HomeDepot tape, not the good stuff.

 

[SNOWCROW]

I'm just popping in to say although I'm not in the process of re-bedding anything as yet, I sure enjoy and appreciate all the great comments and insights and links and pics. If there's one thing we all agree on, "leaking is not an option". Maine Sail is certainly a font of info...thanks again to everyone.

 

[C34Honu]

Do you think that butyl tape would be a good sealing alternative for rebedding the Beckson ports in my Catalina 34 Mk I?

 

[AlanRothenbush]

Butyl for leaking toe rail bolts?

I have a number of leaks that seem to be down the bolt holes of my toe rail .. from maybe three or four locations.

The toe rail is bedded with something now rigid and there's NO WAY to remove the whole rail without completely demolishing the interior.

The current bolts are flat top with a countersink, to match a countersink in the toe rail.

I'm thinking about solutions that do not require removing the whole toe rail .. or cutting it into sections and removing just the suspect sections.

That closeup picture earlier of the cutaway deck with a bolt sticking through looks like what I had in mind .. a bolt with a big head to cover the countersink and some "goop" .. of some sort .. to act as a sealant.


But I'm surely open to advice!

Any thoughts or opinions gratefully accepted.


Alan

 

[Maine Sail]

Do you think that butyl tape would be a good sealing alternative for rebedding the Beckson ports in my Catalina 34 Mk I?

For Beckson ports I would use Dow 795 or similar. The trim rings glue on and require a little more "glue" than what butyl can offer. I generally dislike silicone but with Beckson ports polyurethanes and polysulfides can leech the plasticizers out of the plastic and make them brittle prematurely.. There are some uses on a boat for silicone and Beckson ports are one of those areas..

 

[Maine Sail]

I have a number of leaks that seem to be down the bolt holes of my toe rail .. from maybe three or four locations.

The toe rail is bedded with something now rigid and there's NO WAY to remove the whole rail without completely demolishing the interior.

The current bolts are flat top with a countersink, to match a countersink in the toe rail.

I'm thinking about solutions that do not require removing the whole toe rail .. or cutting it into sections and removing just the suspect sections.

That closeup picture earlier of the cutaway deck with a bolt sticking through looks like what I had in mind .. a bolt with a big head to cover the countersink and some "goop" .. of some sort .. to act as a sealant.


But I'm surely open to advice!

Any thoughts or opinions gratefully accepted.


Alan

Alan,

You can try to re-seal the bolt heads but it is likely getting in under the rail too. Best to remove it if you can. If you can get a high E guitar string under the toe rail you can wrap it in two dowels and pull it between the deck and rail and break the sealant.

 

[Deadhead]

Brilliant

If you can get a high E guitar string under the toe rail you can wrap it in two dowels and pull it between the deck and rail and break the sealant.

Absolutely brilliant!

And it gives new meaning to the term "tuning your rig".

DH

 

[FastOlson]

Sorry for not "Sticking" to the topic, but...

For Beckson ports I would use Dow 795 or similar. The trim rings glue on and require a little more "glue" than what butyl can offer. I generally dislike silicone but with Beckson ports polyurethanes and polysulfides can leech the plasticizers out of the plastic and make them brittle prematurely.. There are some uses on a boat for silicone and Beckson ports are one of those areas..

I do not mean to divert the thread from it's butyl origins, but I have had excellent luck with the LifeSeal (r) product. I used it to bed my four external Lexan ports in '95, and they have never leaked a drop. No degradation of the plastic, either.

This particular adhesive-sealant is available in clear, black, and (I believe) white. We$t Marine often carries it.

I have had excellent luck using it under all of our deck fittings, too.

Anyhow, Different boats, Different longsplices...


Regards,
L

 

[harv]

Buytl Tape installation

On the Catalina 27 forum, while ago, there were two posts, both from experienced sailors. Both used butyl on the chainplates.
One felt it was unsuccessful, that it had leaked out on the edges and dried out messing up the deck.
The other counter sinked the screw holes (as advised by Maine Sail) and trimmed the excess with a knife and was successful.
I guess installation is everything!

 

[Maine Sail]

On the Catalina 27 forum, while ago, there were two posts, both from experienced sailors. Both used butyl on the chainplates.
One felt it was unsuccessful, that it had leaked out on the edges and dried out messing up the deck.
The other counter sinked the screw holes (as advised by Maine Sail) and trimmed the excess with a knife and was successful.
I guess installation is everything!

Real butyl tape does not dry out, perhaps that was part of his problem... Probably got a cheap tape..

 

[jmce1587]

I am not familiar with this product and from reading the replies it looks like it should be used for ports, etc. I am about to replace the plexiglass/lexan ports on a H31 (83-87). Should I use this product for the ports and if so, where can I purchase to be sure I am getting the correct material?

 

[Maine Sail]

I am not familiar with this product and from reading the replies it looks like it should be used for ports, etc. I am about to replace the plexiglass/lexan ports on a H31 (83-87). Should I use this product for the ports and if so, where can I purchase to be sure I am getting the correct material?

If they are "dead lights", no metal/aluminum frame just acrylic, then a product like Dow 795 or Sikaflex 795UV with special primer, should be used. You CAN use the butyl on the inner lip to create a uniform spacer thickness, you NEED a spacer thickness for the sealant to perform correctly, but the majority of the "bond" with the dead lights should be the Dow 795 or Sikaflex 295UV..

 

[Joe Snuffy]

Butyl tape is commonly used with metal roofs, so it's usually less expensive to purchase a roll from a metal building supply than an RV parts store. A 1"x40' roll will run you $5 or less.

Rubex makes a good product, and they are American made.

 

[DougM]

I wouldnever dispute Maine Sail's research on Butyl tape or anything else. I probably will end up purchasing some tape from him.
Out of curiosity though, I have a roll of WR Grace tape that is about 3 inches in width and used as roof underlayment joint seal and or window to wall seal. Has anyone ever experimented with it? I have no Idea as to its composition, but it appears to remain pliable for years. I cannot determine whether it gets oozy in compression.

 

[wayneR]

I put new SS ports from New Found Metals in with their Butyl tape. It is wide and worked well, no leaks but never gets hard and I am still trimming a little excess around the ports. I wouldn't use it to bed cleats or deck hardware because it is black and stays sticky but to each his own. I'm sure New Found Metals sells the Butyl separately and I certainly would recommend it for ports. For deck hardware I have used Boatlife Polyurethane caulk/adhesive and never had a problem. It is available in black, white or clear. Good luck.