All about construction mastic

In the process of carrying out construction and repair work, professionals and home craftsmen use a wide variety of materials. Today in our article we will talk in detail about what construction mastic is, what types of material exist, and for what purposes they are used.

First of all, it is necessary to determine what a material such as construction mastic is. In fact, it is a mixture of organic substances, mineral additives and various fine fillers. Specific requirements for the ratio and quality of these components of building mastic are detailed in the corresponding document of the GOST class.

During the selection and purchase of mastic, be sure to make sure that the seller has a certificate of conformity of the goods to GOST, as well as other documents that confirm the quality of this product.

Like any other building material, mastic is not ideal, it has both positive and negative characteristics. It is very important to evaluate the properties of a product in advance before purchasing and using it. Only after weighing all the pros and cons, you will be able to make an objective decision, which you will not regret in the future.

First of all, consider the positive characteristics of mastic.

• The possibility of purchasing environmentally friendly formulations... For example, mastic for wood has a fairly pure composition, therefore, its use will not harm the environment and human health.
• Long service life... Thanks to this, you can save not only your material resources, but also time and effort - you do not have to constantly update the coverage.
• High indicators of elasticity... In this regard, you will be able to process not only perfectly flat surfaces and regular geometric shapes. Objects with streamlined and any other complex geometry are subject to processing.
• Simple and fast application. Almost any person can cope with this task, regardless of whether he has construction skills.
• Attractive appearance.

All characteristics described are not absolute. For example, in comparison with other building materials and compositions, mastic can retain its original state for quite a long time. However, you will have to update it at least once a year. In addition, despite the environmental friendliness of some mastic compounds, there are also types of this building material that contain harmful and chemically active components - accordingly, you need to be as careful as possible when choosing building raw materials.

Beginners and inexperienced builders often confuse construction mastic with a substance such as a primer. However, these mixtures have significant differences. So, first of all, mastic and primer have completely different purposes.

In addition, building materials differ in their texture. Typically, the primer is thinner and the mastic is more viscous.

Often, mastic and primer are used in combination. This is due to the fact that the use of a primer will improve the performance characteristics of the coating on which the mastic will be applied in the future, and will also increase its service life.

As mentioned above, mastic – This is a fairly popular, widespread and demanded material among consumers, which is used for a variety of purposes. In this regard, in the modern construction market, you can find several types of mastic, which differ in their key characteristics.

Depending on the method of laying the material, as well as on the basis of technological features, the mastic is divided into two main groups: cold and hot.

The composition of cold mastic traditionally includes such chemically active components as gasoline, solvents and white spirit. Accordingly, it is necessary to take into account the fact that during the drying process, the building material of a cold type emits fumes hazardous to human health. Hot mastics are more environmentally friendly, they contain substances such as bitumen and rubber. At the same time, hot versions of mastic have such positive characteristics as high penetrating power and durability. It should also be borne in mind that the process of applying hot compounds is very dangerous to human health, requires maximum care, accuracy and safety precautions - otherwise there is a high risk of serious burns.

In addition to the division into cold and hot, construction mastic is classified into several types, depending on the purpose for which it is used. In this regard, the following groups of mastic are distinguished:

• anti-corrosion;
• sealing;
• filling;
• universal;
• road;
• vibration damping;
• anti-noise.

The specific type of material should be selected based on your needs. In this regard, they should be thought over, analyzed and evaluated in advance.

Depending on the composition and key characteristics (for example, density), the mastic is shale, liquid, two-component, black, suture, airfield, raw, heat and moisture resistant, non-hardening, mastic-paint, water-based material, in the form of a paste or aerosol in a spray can. Consider the common classification of material depending on what material the building materials are made of.

Silicone-type building mastics contain substances such as low molecular weight silicone rubber and flame retardant additives. The distinctive characteristics of the material include the ability to cure in air, passing from a pasty to a rubbery state.

The butyl rubber mixture is used to seal the seams that are pre-purged and rinsed. The material is dark in color.

Acrylic building material is characterized by high elasticity. In addition, this mastic is available in several colors. The product is used for waterproofing roofs, as well as other surfaces and structures.

The construction material of the rubber type includes a dispersed emulsion or rubber crumb. Most often, this material is applied in the so-called hot method.

It is quite difficult to find exclusively latex mastic on the market.Often, buyers are offered a bitumen-latex material.

In addition to the types of mastic listed above, which are the main and most common, there are other material options. They can be used in construction, renovation and many other works.

• Shale type of mastic belongs to the category of compounds that do not harden. Most often, such a building material is used in the automotive industry. This is due to the fact that shale mastic does not have an oxidizing effect on the metal, respectively, we can talk about the presence of special anti-corrosion properties of the material. Another area of ​​application of slate mastic is as an anti-noise material that significantly reduces vibration noise.
• Universal mastic used quite widely within the construction industry. For example, it is used in the course of coating waterproofing, gluing roofing materials, as well as in the process of carrying out some other construction and repair work.
• Vibration-damping material, or the so-called vibromastics, originally intended for in-hull treatment of ship premises. However, today it is also used in other areas: for example, for sound insulation of metal building structures.

Thus, there are a large number of different formulations of construction mastic on the market. This characteristic should be taken into account when choosing a material.

To date, a number of domestic companies are engaged in the manufacture and production of various kinds of construction mastics. Let's take a look at some of them.

• Grida company specializes in the production of modern waterproofing and road materials. In the assortment of the company you can find bituminous, emulsion and many other types of mastics.
• Brand "Novbytkhim" professionally engaged in the development of mastic. Moreover, the employees of the company carry out such work within the framework of a specialized research laboratory.
• Trade mark "Gepol" specializes in the production of sealants and mastics. It is important to note the fact that the products of this company are popular and in demand not only in our country, but also abroad (for example, in Lithuania and Turkey).
• One of the largest companies in the range of which includes mastics is firm "Technonikol". The brand produces various mastics based on bituminous binder and its derivatives.
• Company "Germika" develops building mixtures on thiokol, acrylic, silicone and other bases.

The manufacturing company is one of the key parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing and buying mastic.

In order to achieve the desired result, you should follow the rules for surface treatment with this material. For a competent application of mastic, you should use the advice and recommendations of specialists.

• Apply mastic to the surface to be treated. even layer, in this case, you can use a roller, brush or any other tool convenient for you. If you ignore this rule, then later you will have to carry out additional work.
• Before applying the mastic to the surface, the latter must be thoroughly washed and cleaned of dirt, residues of paint and varnish materials and other. The surface should be as flat and clean as possible.
• It is very important to correctly calculate the consumption of mastic per square meter (1 m2). Thanks to this preparatory work, you will be able to purchase a sufficient amount of material and not spend extra money.
• In the process of work it is imperative to use personal protective equipment, namely: mask or respirator, glasses, gloves. This is due to the fact that some formulations of the mastic are toxic and can harm your health.

In addition, many mastics are sold along with instructions for using the building material. Be sure to read these instructions before using the mixture.

As mentioned above, the scope of application of the substance is quite diverse. So, the building material can be used for both indoor and outdoor work. The mixture is used to process many materials:

• flexible shingles;
• wood;
• concrete;
• tiles;
• roofing material;
• asphalt;
• stone;
• metal.

The main purpose of using the building mixture is waterproofing, protection against corrosive processes, as well as other negative influences from the environment. Respectively, building material can be used in the arrangement of a swimming pool and baths, stoves and windows, for processing the seams of a panel house, interpanel spaces, as well as during the creation of such an element as a soft soundproofing surface.

At the same time, it is very important to carefully and carefully approach the choice of material: you need to consider the type, composition, purpose and other key characteristics. In addition, you must follow all the rules for using the material - otherwise you will not be able to achieve the desired result.