Page 266 - Construction Waterproofing Handbook

SEALANTS 5.25
installation still requires comparison of products under some form of standard basis.
Appropriately, industry associations including the Sealant, Waterproofing and Restoration
Institute (SWRI) are providing a means of comparison and standardization for the industry.

SEALANT VALIDATION PROGRAM

The SWRI Sealant Validation Program eliminates the confusion created when trying to
compare the product literature of different sealant manufacturers. The program requires
that the manufacturers perform specific ASTM testing and reveal the product’s actual test
results. This standardization permits industry members to review compare similar products
using the same standardized tests.
Rather than having to rely on product literature that merely implies passing test results
for the ASTM tests, the SWRI Validation Program provides specific test results. The pro-
gram details actual test results (not just pass or fail), if primers were used or not, and any
waivers granted the manufacturer from the basic test procedures. The sealant must pass
three specific tests: C 719 (adhesion and cohesion under movement), C 794 (adhesion),
and C 661 (shore hardness).
Once a sealant has passed all three tests and provides supporting and detailed test
results, SWRI then provides the manufacturer with a Certificate of Validation that is cur-
rent for 3 years before tests must be redone (or whenever a product is reformulated). The
Program establishes a baseline for comparison of products produced by different manu-
facturers and removes the guesswork of deciphering manufacturers’ specifications and
product literature.
Products meeting the Validation Program receive a documentation seal for their prod-
uct literature as shown in Fig. 5.30. More information about the program, and a list of
sealants that meet the standards, can be obtained directly from SWRI (contact information
is provided in Chap. 16).

MATERIALS

The numerous materials used as sealants exhibit a wide range of properties. In choosing a
sealant, properties should be matched to expected conditions of a particular installation. The
most common materials available and used for sealing joints in building construction include:

● Acrylic
● Butyl
● Latex
● Polysulfide
● Polyurethane
● Silicones
● Precompressed foam
● Preformed derivatives