Silicone + Acrylic

Silicone + Acrylic

Acrylic and silicone are among the most common sealants that you can use to close and fill joints, gaps, cracks, small holes, and to bridge connection points. The big question is: acrylic or silicone - when to use which sealant? To help you decide, here are the most important properties and areas of application.

Anyone who has ever had a spill when sealing joints knows the difference. Acrylic can be formed into a roll, similar to chewing gum or plasticine. Silicone does not take shape, but sticks between your fingers. Even if, for the layman, silicone and acrylic initially appear visually identical when dry, a closer look reveals that the silicone is shiny and the acrylic appears more matte. In addition to these subtle differences in appearance and feel, there are significantly different areas of application.

Because of its impermeability to water, silicone is still the first choice in kitchens and sanitary facilities, for example for sinks, hobs and worktops, shower walls, bathtub joints and toilets. In addition, silicone often contains antifungal agents, which makes it ideal for use in wet areas.

Acrylic sealants are particularly suitable for dry area applications, such as filling plaster and wall cracks, smoothing and repairing defects. It adheres very well to many substrates such as concrete, stone, glass, wood, plastic, and gypsum fiberboard and plasterboard. Unlike silicone, acrylic can also be easily painted over or covered with wallpaper. Acrylic dries very quickly and shrinks after curing. Therefore, it is often advisable to apply an additional layer in the second pass.