Installation Guide

Plastic tape
Good
Better
Backer rod
Backer rod
Best
Sealant
Use bond-breaker tape to
avoid third-surface adhesion
in shallow joints.
Bond-breaker
tape
such as accelerated weathering, peel strength and sealant
staining and fade resistance.
Some sealants will work better than others on certain
substrates. See specific product details to determine which
sealant is right for your desired substrate. Staining can occur if
a sealant is used on a non-recommended substrate.
Surface sealers and coatings often end up repelling sealants.
Whenever possible, sealers and coatings should be applied
after the sealant is cured, as it is extremely difficult to apply
such materials onto the surface without contaminating the
joints.
BUTT JOINTS: Be sure to correctly determine joint movement
if you would like to install a butt joint, due to its high risk of
joint failure.
STEP FOUR: FILLING THE JOINT
BACKING MATERIAL: Backing materials such as open cell,
closed cell, or bicellular backer rods or bond breaker
tape/backing tape are used to control the depth of the
sealant. Backing material functions as a bond breaker to
eliminate three-sided adhesion and to allow the sealant to
expand and contract properly as designed.
Backer rods should be approximately 25% wider than the gap.
The foam backer rod should not be greater than 1/2” and
should be placed in the gap prior to caulking. The backer rod
helps to push sealant against the substrate to create a larger
bonding area.
Bond breaker tape should be used on a firm bottom surface
and where the joint is too shallow to fit a backer rod. Size the
tape appropriately; if it is too large, the tape will wrap around
the sides of the joint, eliminating bonding area required for
good adhesion.
Closed-cell backer rods should not be used with moisture-cure
sealants. Open-cell backer rods should not be used where
moisture absorption into the backer rods can be a problem,
including horizontal and submerged joints.
Visit www.TITEBOND.com for the most up-to-date product information.