butyl tape as bathtub caulking?

[JonnyQuest]

While doing house chores my mind wandered off to more important tasks, like sailboat repairs. Which got me thinking that Maine Sails butyl tape would be infinitely better as bathtub caulking than bathtub caulking itself is. Would y'all agree with this logic? Flexible waterproof does not dry out-- all the reasons normal tub caulking fails.

If it's a good idea then what about coloring? Wife wouldn't be thrilled with the standard gunboat grey on our white tub. Are other colors available?

Thanks in advance for letting me wander a bit off topic here.

Jonny Quest

 

[Ross]

Not such a good idea. it stays sticky. Using the best grade acrylic-urethane caulk withh serve you well for 5 years or more . By then you need to dig it out and kill the mold anyway.

 

[oldboat]

i used 3m 5200 for the tub. caulked in the morning, used the shower in the evening. works great. been at least five years since i put it in.

 

[JonnyQuest]

Good thoughts, thanks both of you. Since I have some acrylic urethane caulking I'll stick with it.

 

[JoeWhite]

I used 5200 in my shower and works well. I was more interested in its no-mold feature.

 

[48dodge]

I'm actually in the middle of caulking my shower right now. I also pulled the glass shower door out to redo. I thought about using butyl under the door sill. Probably wont but definitely haven't counted it out. The silicon I picked up to do the glass block wall is rated for 10 years mildew free. Not too shabby. I'll just use the acrylic caulk for the tiles since I'm using sanded joints.

 

[Douglast]

GE has a 10 year mold free shrink proof and crack proof silicone that is ready for use in as little as an hour under ideal conditions but normally 4 hours..i do alot of bathroom renos and silicone is the best imo..just have a rag slightly damp with spirits for a clean neat joint..i use acrylic for second best....if you don;t care how it looks then the longest lasting and strongest is marine goop..lol..

 

[JonnyQuest]

10 yr GE Silicone

GE has a 10 year mold free shrink proof and crack proof silicone that is ready for use in as little as an hour under ideal conditions but normally 4 hours..i do alot of bathroom renos and silicone is the best imo..just have a rag slightly damp with spirits for a clean neat joint..i use acrylic for second best....if you don;t care how it looks then the longest lasting and strongest is marine goop..lol..

Douglas,

My big concern is the cracking/shrinking issue; I'll look for the GE product next time I hit the store. Since you have used it a lot more than the occasional redos that I do around my home, I'll go with your experience.

Thanks!

 

[Hermit Scott]

I used Maine Sail's butyl tape to seal some ports last winter. I was sealing some stancions a few days ago and I inspected the ports. They looked just like the day I installed them. Some were concerned that butyl would melt in the Texas sun. This is just not true, especially with the type that Maine Sail is distributing. Some is too soft and some is too hard. This stuff is just right. I believe Maine used 4200 around the edges of his ports with the butyl inside. The butyl never cures. You wouldn't want that anywhere you are going to frequently be rubbing at it while cleaning it. Butyl is great where the seam of the two pieces is very thin. I wouldn't use it where the seam is 1/4" between tiles.
I often run across things non-sailboat related that I need some advice on, that I would rather ask these guys than any one else I know of. They are super smart and enjoy helping others. I wish they were all on my dock.

 

[thinwater]

Butyl? I like it for some things, but only when it is compressed by bolts.

Silicone? Adhesion is limitied, as is durability. I've been a homeowner for amany years.

Try Locktight's PL line, available at Home Depot.
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/17...lyurethane-Window-Door-and-Siding-Sealant.htm

This is sort of like 3M 4200 for the home. You need to mask to do a neat job, but the results are impressive. I had a tub that was leaking every few years due to movment issues. This (5 yearsago) was permanant. I have also used this in marine applications with very good results at a bargain price. But try it in the home first.

 

[Maine Sail]

I would not choose it for that application and the other guys have covered the "why's"...

 

[JonnyQuest]

Butyl? I like it for some things, but only when it is compressed by bolts.

Silicone? Adhesion is limitied, as is durability. I've been a homeowner for amany years.

Try Locktight's PL line, available at Home Depot.
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/17/26/pl_seal_dws/overview/Loctite-PL-Polyurethane-Window-Door-and-Siding-Sealant.htm

This is sort of like 3M 4200 for the home. You need to mask to do a neat job, but the results are impressive. I had a tub that was leaking every few years due to movment issues. This (5 yearsago) was permanant. I have also used this in marine applications with very good results at a bargain price. But try it in the home first.

Great advice and product suggestions, I'll hit the store and look this one up as well.

Thanks again for all the help here.

JQ

 

[thinwater]

Great advice and product suggestions, I'll hit the store and look this one up as well.

Thanks again for all the help here.

JQ

BTW, they have several products, and there are differences other than color. For example, the concrete product is thinner, to run into cracks. The product I suggested is the most usefull around boats... and tubs.