Many people use the terms mastic and sealant interchangeably. While these terms are related, they aren’t the same. People sometimes ask a mastic man, ‘what is the difference between mastic and sealant?’
It is easier to understand the difference between these two if you know their respective definitions and uses.
Understanding Sealants and Mastic
Sealants are materials that often have little or no flow properties. They stay where you apply them or thin and dry to allow joints or materials to have limited movement accommodation. Tough protective coatings such as Armadillo Liners also fall into specialized categories of sealant-like products, offering enhanced durability depending on the application.
Mastic is a general term referring to all things filler/sealant/silicone type stuff. It isn’t a specific item in its right.
Mastic can refer to a sealant, but you can’t refer to a sealant as mastic. Mastic isn’t THE sealant, just a type of sealant.
Further Information on Sealants
You can use sealants to perform various functions in a residence, industrial, or commercial location.
Here are some of their functions:
1. Gap filler: fills the gap between substrates
2. Barrier: forms a barrier via the sealant’s physical properties and adhesion to substrates
3. Sealing: maintains sealing characteristics for the expected lifetime, environments, and service conditions
You can get many types of sealants from a sealant company. The commonly used sealants include acrylic, fire-resistant, silicone, polysulphide, epoxy, and waterproof sealants. You can buy these sealants in solid, liquid, foam, or powder forms.
Further Information on Mastic
A mastic man can use a mastic sealant to protect an area to which they apply it or join one surface to another. Mastic is appropriate for projects whose joined surfaces need movement, as it remains flexible after it cures. These materials can include building joints and glass balustrades.
You may also use mastic as a protective coating for boats and cars. It is appropriate for these projects because it stays flexible after curing. Boat and car surfaces expand and contract as they move through the environment. Therefore, you need a flexible protective barrier.
Mastic also works well with steel, duct board, concrete, marble, wood, glass, and aluminium.
Mastic is also a popular product in the HVAC industry. This popularity arises from its property of being able to form powerful bonds and resist heat.
Other applications of mastic include:
·wall support: holds walls in place, particularly load-bearing walls
·ceiling projects: dries quickly, removing the need for drywall support
·temporary bond: holds materials in place temporarily as someone fixes, attaches, or fastens them
Sealants can perform all the functions of mastic.
Mastic often comes in liquid form, typically as a paste or thick glue.
The term ‘sealant’ is broad. The product can have limited or no flow properties. Once you apply it, it can stay in place or be runny. It can also be flexible or stiff when cured.
Mastic is flexible after curing. This property is the reason why this term applies to a silicone type of sealant. This use may be where the confusion started.
The bottom line is that mastic is a sealant, but all sealants aren’t mastic.
If you are unsure which type of sealant to use for your project, it is best to consult a professional.
