What sealant to choose for bathroom?

There are several specific requirements for bathroom sealants. First, it must resist mold growth well. Secondly, it must be water-resistant. And thirdly, it must be flexible, because the joints that have to be sealed in a bathroom are often subject to movement. On top of that, a bathroom sealant must have excellent adhesion to a wide range of materials.

To choose a suitable sealant, let us look at the sealant selection chart. It shows that two types meet all of these requirements: hybrid and silicone sealants.

Best choice

Excellent choice

Can be used

Silicone or hybrid?

Hybrid sealants are a versatile and balanced solution: they combine the best of polyurethane, silicone, acrylic and rubber sealants and adhesives. Their main advantages are that they can be applied to damp surfaces, they are strong, they have excellent adhesion, they do not yellow, they are odorless and, most importantly, they resist mold and mildew very well. But because of that strong adhesion and high strength, a hybrid sealant is harder to remove if you ever need to.

Silicone sealants come with either an acetoxy cure or a neutral cure system. Acetoxy grades give off a sharp smell of acetic acid during application, while neutral grades are almost odorless. Acetoxy grades are used on stainless steel, glass, ceramics and wood, but they are not compatible with alkaline materials (cement, lime, gypsum), marble or granite, and they can corrode metals. Neutral grades can be used without these restrictions.

By application, silicone sealants split into general purpose, sanitary and specialty grades. Sanitary grades are the best choice for a bathroom, because they contain the most fungicide to prevent mold and mildew. General purpose and most specialty grades can also be used in a bathroom – they contain a fungicide too, although in smaller amounts. The exception is the aquarium sealant – it resists mold and mildew poorly precisely because it contains no fungicide, which would be harmful to aquarium fish and plants.

What sealant to choose for a bathroom

Sealant remover

Choose a sealant
Roofing sealants