The marine market is seemingly saturated with sealants, making it a hard choice for boaters to navigate uncharted waters. However, reach for a tube (or cartridge!) of any BoatLIFE® sealant and you know you’ve chosen a high-quality, neutral curing boat sealant.
Our Marine Silicone Rubber Sealant, Teak Deck Sealant, and Life Seal® all have one thing in common: they’re all neutral curing. So, what is the importance of neutral curing when choosing a boat sealant?
About Marine Silicone and Silicone Hybrid Sealants
If you read our blog on Silicone and Silicone Hybrid Sealants, you understand that marine grade silicone and silicone hybrid sealants are a great choice when joining two substrates together due to their waterproofing created in the seal. But, did you also know that these sealants are also neutral curing? Yep, you read that right! Products like BoatLIFE’s Life Seal®, Marine Silicone Rubber Sealant, and Teak Deck Sealant all offer an acid free, neutral cure. Why is this important? A neutral curing boat sealant system essentially means that the chemical compounds are acid-free.
The Importance of Neutral Curing when Choosing a Boat Sealant
The importance of neutral curing when choosing a boat sealant, especially for precious woods like teak, mahogany, or balsa, is simple. Neutral curing sealants are composed of either oxime or alkoxy silicones, which are both non-corrosive. This means that neutral curing sealants will only release non-acidic chemicals such as alcohol (from alkoxy silicone) or acetone (from oxime silicone) upon application. On the contrary, acetoxy silicone sealants will release acetic acid while curing. Acetic acid is the same acid found in vinegar and what gives vinegar its distinctive odor. The acid is also corrosive to certain substrates, including some metals (such as copper) and can affect plastics.
Neutral curing sealants, however, have virtually no odor, generally a fast cure time (usually within 24 hours of application), and zero corrosion to substrates once applied as they do not release acetic acid. Therefore, all boat owners should look for neutral curing sealants for any areas with delicate wood fibers or other precious substrates.
BoatLIFE Sealants
All BoatLIFE marine-grade silicone-based sealants offer neutral curing, so you don’t need to think twice when shopping around. We proudly make our products in the USA. We offer free ground shipping on orders over $150 within the continental U.S. Protect your watercraft investment with a brand that’s been on the market for 65 years. For the best boat sealants, boat repair, boat cleaners, and boat restoration products, choose BoatLIFE.
