How to choose a sealant for plastic windows: installation and care

When installing new PVC windows, do not lose sight of seemingly insignificant details - seals. Again, you will have to think about them when their service life comes to an end and replacement is required. Let's find out which sealant for plastic windows is considered the best, how to pick it up and change it yourself.

Types of seal

The main task of this element for PVC frames is to seal the entire structure. Sealing gaskets provide thermal insulation, protect against noise and dust, and prevent the formation of condensate between the panes.

Seals differ in the way of installation. There are three options:

With fastening on an adhesive solution.
Self-adhesive. Convenient for self-replacement. The adhesive is already applied to the element, the protective layer is removed before installation.
Elastic bands that are inserted into the prepared grooves. Most often used for sealing wooden frames.

They are made:

from rubber;
rubber
thermoplastic;
silicone;
PPU.

Let's consider these types in more detail.

EPDM

The abbreviation translated from English means ethylene-propylene rubber sealant. The best choice in terms of price and quality.

EPDM

Advantages:

Soft and elastic.
Service life - from 10 to 20 years.
Resistant to environmental influences, does not crack.
Suitable for any climate - hot or very cold. Operating temperature range - from -50 ˚С to +80 ˚С.
Does not absorb water.

Disadvantage: usually black, may stain the frame a little.

Silicone

The English designation is VMQ. These gaskets have excellent performance properties, but are not popular due to their high cost.

Benefits of silicone seal:

Elastic, not deformed.
Does not absorb moisture.
Does not change its properties and shape in the temperature range from -60 ˚С to +100 ˚С.
Not afraid of aggressive chemicals.
Service life - up to 40 years with regular care.

The disadvantage of silicone seals is also there. They do not tolerate mechanical stress: they are easy to tear or cut.

TPE

It is a thermoplastic polymer - a modified plastic - that has the properties of rubber at ordinary temperatures.

TPE

Advantages:

The high degree of elasticity ensures good sealing.
Excellent resistance to welding, non-flammable.
It can have any color, most often it is gray.
It is mounted in an automated way in production, so the percentage of defects is less than that of other types.

Flaws:

At temperatures below -20 ˚С, it loses its elasticity - it “dubes”.
At a temperature of +35 ˚С it softens.
Not resistant to mechanical damage.
The soldered seal is more difficult to replace, so this service will cost more.

Rubber

The material is vulcanized rubber. Elastic bands are only black because of the color of the filler - soot.

Rubber

Advantages of a rubber seal:

reliable sealing of the window;
low price.

Flaws:

cracks and cracks from temperature changes;
short-lived.

Foam (Q-Lon, Shlegel)

Recently, German-made sealing tape Shlegel Q-Lon (“Schlegel Pendant”) has appeared on sale. It is a polyurethane foam base in a polyethylene film sheath, additionally reinforced with a fiberglass thread or a polypropylene core.

Advantages:

durability, ability to recover, fast restoration of a form after compression;
resistance to weather conditions, ultraviolet, ozone;
operating temperature range - from -60 ˚С to +70 ˚С;
choice of colors, color fastness;
good indicators of sound and heat insulation;
no lubrication or maintenance required.

Flaws:

the slightest damage to the shell leads to failure: the foam absorbs water, swells and freezes;
increasing the load on the window fittings; after installation, you need to adjust the hinges;
high cost, expensive installation.

The best sealant for PVC windows: manufacturer rating

It is more profitable to seal windows with materials from trusted manufacturers. The ranking of the best companies includes:

Rehau. This German company not only produces profiles, but also supplies them with a complete set of the necessary high quality fittings. Seals are in the form of a double petal. In addition to sealing, they do not allow the sash to knock on the frame when closing.

rehau

Veka. Reliable sealing cords at an attractive price. They are distinguished by the angle of inclination: so the gaskets are less noticeable. Another advantage is the possibility of mounting with a whole tape along the entire contour: blowing through the slots in the corner joints is excluded.
KBE produces gaskets in various shapes and in all possible materials. Distinctive features are quality and durability.
Welles products stand out for their protective properties. Gaskets are durable, do not change the characteristics of the entire period of operation.
Novotec. A young, less well-known, but rapidly conquering market firm.

Some useful tips:

Cheap is rarely of high quality: prices for decent seals start at 30 rubles per linear meter.
The products of European companies outperform Chinese manufacturers in terms of quality and appearance, but are more expensive.

Choice by shape

There are many on the market PVC window models from different profiles. The sealant is selected individually according to the shape and technical characteristics. Universal gaskets do not exist. The best option when replacing the sealing gum is to choose products from the same company that manufactured window profile. However, this is not always possible: there are too many manufacturers.

You should not be upset: any little-known profile system is similar to the products of a famous brand. So, it belongs to one of three groups:

According to the KBE standard, Proplex, Novotex, VITRAGE profiles are produced.
Rehau analogues: Montblanc, BrusBox and others.
A large group of domestic profiles is manufactured according to Veka standards.

Exceptions to this rule are rare, so you can choose a sealant knowing which group the profile belongs to. All components are interchangeable.

The shape of the seal also depends on its tasks:

To seal the double-glazed window, gaskets are placed between the glass and the frame, glass and glazing bead.
For sealing the porch, a sash and frame seal is used.

Which seal is better, gray or black?

First of all, the quality of the sealing gum depends on the material.

Gray is the base color of the TPE thermoplastic seal. It can also be white, brown, black. You can order other colors, dyes do not change the properties of the material.
Black color has EPDM and rubber gaskets. They contain soot, which plays the role of an antiseptic. These products can also be made gray or colored. But for this, soot is replaced with highly active silicates, which reduce the elasticity of the gum.

Conclusion: the black seal will always have the declared properties, the gray one will be durable only if it is made of TPE. If we are talking about Shlegel Q-Lon PPU tape, then its qualities do not depend on color.

From an aesthetic point of view, it is difficult to determine which color of the seal is better, gray, white or black.

Black accentuates the outline of the window, but many people don't like how it stands out against the white plastic.
Gray and white colors are almost invisible and merge with the frame.

How do you know if the seal needs to be changed?

Signs that the gasket needs to be replaced:

Change in appearance: the cord is flattened, cracked, stiff and brittle.
The appearance of condensate around the perimeter of the double-glazed window.
Freezing of the porch in winter.
Increased street noise level when the window is closed.
The appearance of a draft when the sash is closed.
A sheet of paper placed between the sash and the seal can be easily pulled out after the window is closed.

Any of these signs indicate that it is time to change the gasket.

How to change the seal

Replacement is performed in the following order:

The old gasket is carefully removed, the seat is cleaned of dirt and adhesive residue.
The sash is removed. To do this, pull out the pin. You can pry it off with a chisel or a thin flat screwdriver.

It is not necessary to mount the seal without removing the sash: it will not be possible to fix it in the hinge area with high quality.

Regardless of whether the sealing gum is attached to the glue or simply inserted into the groove, the corners are smeared with an adhesive solution.
The gasket is mounted with a continuous tape: the fewer joints, the better. The cord is laid without tension, it should be freely located in the groove.
The excess part is cut with a paint knife. A joint is made in the corner and fastened with glue.
After the glue dries, the sash is inserted into place, a hairpin is inserted into the loop.

Signs of correct installation:

Ease of operation of the sash when opening or closing.
No blowing.
The sealing cord remains in the groove after several cycles of operation of the sash.

The new gasket is coated with a silicone-based lubricant.

The process is shown in detail and clearly in the video.

Seal care

The average service life of these parts is 10 years. Proper care increases this period by 5-6 years.

The procedure is simple: once every six months, dust is removed from the gasket with a damp rag and its surface is treated with a silicone-based lubricant. It can be replaced by ordinary glycerin, which is in any pharmacy. These compounds form an elastic film on the surface of the cord that protects against moisture and sunlight.

Care

Conclusion: the durability of the seal depends not only on the material, but on the quality of installation and care for it.

kucektsku

And what sealant is better was not written

Answer

Olga

I decided to give preference to silicone seals. Yes, at a price they are more expensive than other options, but they do not deform and can last a very long time. If you handle them carefully, of course, but here I am confident in myself.

I AM

Not long ago I ordered a window unit for the REHAO loggia. They discussed a gray seal, but they brought windows with a white seal. The seal is very soft and already dirty. I say they discussed gray, no white, I don’t know how I could not see it in the mountain, although I read it, there are doubts that they got drunk. The corners are wrapped under the glass and between the frame. although they should be glued and stand exactly at the corners. Before that, he put a window block in an apartment with a door, also REHAO, so the addition brought 58 profiles, and block 70, they began to be wiser. They didn’t put a bead closed. the gap connecting the window and the door (should be mandatory), they began to be wiser, to drill, as a result, I understood and stopped the work, we sat for 3 hours and waited for the glazing bead.

Alex

When in the fall I decided to change the seals, I went to a hardware store. The seller began to praise silicone seals. Durable, reliable, etc., etc. True, the price they were higher than others. But still bought. Which I regret. It would be better to take ordinary rubber or rubber. Silicone began to tear literally the next week.

Yuri Isaev

We recently installed plastic windows, and so far I’m just trying to get acquainted with the types of seals, since I would like to be able to replace them myself. I would give my preference to self-adhesive seals, and yet it is better to choose the color to match the color of the frame so that there is no sharp contrast.Interested in a foam seal from a German manufacturer. I think that if careful care is provided, it will last a long time. I like that the material does not require lubrication and is quite weather resistant.

Oleg

In general, I was disappointed with rubber seals. Unaesthetic and not very reliable. Much more like silicone. Virtually invisible and in fact, the most functional and well protected from the cold-wind. In addition, the service life is almost unlimited. Not suitable only for regions with very cold winters, it becomes dull. But this is the extreme north.