Sealing the Deal How Silicone Enhances Glass Durability and Design by Joshua Huff Silicone is commonly used on construction products worldwide due to its durability and versatility, making it a popular choice for glass applications. G lass can only do so much to ward off the elements. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to do so alone. Glazing systems, including high-performance components, parts and sealants, help ensure a building’s interior remains safe and snug. Silicone, for one, is commonly used on construction products worldwide due to its durability and versatility, making it a popular choice for glass applications. Brian White, technical section manager at Minnesota-based H.B. Fuller, says silicone of-fers excellent temperature and weather resis-tance, ultraviolet (UV) stability and flexibility. It is also used for its aesthetic appeal, provid-ing a clean and seamless look and eliminating the need for fasteners or clamps. “Silicone is found in several important ap-plications when used in a structurally-glazed façade,” explains White. “It serves as the sec-ondary sealant in the insulating glass unit (IGU) edge seal, the weather sealant found at the joints between IGUs and the replacement for mechanical fasteners securing the IGU to the structural components of the façade.” Doug Walker is the national structural glaz-ing commercial manager at Momentive Per-formance Materials in New Jersey. He says silicone’s UV stability is unmatched, making it the most used product for glazing. Of course, the quality of the silicone determines its effec-tiveness, ensuring the longevity and perfor-mance of IGUs, which is why many steps go into the process of deciding which silicone to use. 40 USGlass Metal & Glazing October 2024
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