acrylic versus silicone caulk what is the difference?

Question

i am installing a new shower stall instructions call for latex/acrylic caulk for floor drain i dont have any wondering if silicone caulk is the same

Answer 1

Seems to read that you've gotten opinions about what's better. Better is a relative word, but for your application Silicone would be superior to Acrylic. The difference for one thing is that silicone remains more durable yet flexible, for a longer time period.

It can't be painted over, which is not an issue here, and does come in at least 2 standards, clear and white. It will not wash up with water, so in your initial install, a bit more caution might be taken into consideration.

The initial adhesion properties are negligible in any difference, but acrylic is more prone to shrinkage, and a loss of adhesion through heat and moisture, and would need replacing more often.

For a floor drain, I probably wouldn't use either however. I'm surprised you're instructed to do so.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Silicone Caulking

Answer 3

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RE:
acrylic versus silicone caulk what is the difference?
i am installing a new shower stall instructions call for latex/acrylic caulk for floor drain i dont have any wondering if silicone caulk is the same

Answer 4

Latex caulk is primarily a painters product and fails quickly if exposed without a coating over top of it. I know the material you are reading/quoting as it is same in all shower stall literature/directions, but what I suggest you use GE Silicone II(Bathroom Sealant) which comes in clear and various colors that may closely match your enclosure color. I personally use clear and suggest that you have a small can of mineral spirits/paint thinner on hand for clean up.

There's a bit of an art to caulking correctly regardless of the type of caulk, best advice I can give you here and now is -

1. less product applied is better and neater.
2. apply a steady flow of material.
3. dip your finger into thinner or water, whichever applies, and smooth out the bead with with one complete top to bottom, left to right motion.

Mike Lonergan
TradesProfessional, Inc.
http://www.tradesprofessional.com

Answer 5

silicone caulk usally has a longer life than latex and would be a better choice but in some cases, silicone will discolor the drain if it is metal, like nickel or brass. If it is plastic I would use it.

Answer 6

silicone is different but better, being more suitable for water immersion.
if you want to make a really good job out of it, buy a polyurethane sealant. it will stick to everything beautifully. silicone loses adhesion over the years especially exposed to sunlight (uv). also prone to failure if surfaces are not perfectly clean.

Answer 7

silacon will take longer to cure, but should work,