Anyone who's worked on plumbing or sealing projects around the house has likely encountered plumbers' putty or silicone putty. While they may seem interchangeable or cause confusion as to their respective purposes, these two useful products actually perform quite different functions.
This guide explores what exactly plumbers' putty and silicone putty consist of, their various distinct benefits and drawbacks, along the ideal applications each proves best suited. Soon you'll apply the right putty confidently gaining leak protection, bond strength, and seal tightness benefitting residential plumbing repairs and installations delicately done dependably.
Before delving into individual overviews, understanding a few core differences helps distinguish appropriate usages for plumbers' putty and silicone putty:
Composition - Plumbers putty consists of fine chalk and linseed oil forming clay-like malleable matter. Silicone putty uses silicone polymers producing bouncy, flexible substances instead.
Water Resistance - While adequate temporarily, plumbers' putty eventually breaks down moist environments. Waterproof silicone putties withstand wetness essentially indefinitely remaining inert soaking.
Bonding Properties - Silicone putty bonds tenaciously to most surfaces upon curing while non-adhesive plumbers putty never sticks hardening and eventually crumbling unless constantly replaced routinely.
Reusability - Plumbers putty convenience comes ready removable/reusable instantly whereas silicone putties usually require cutting away once hardened curing permanent bonds tenaciously.
Cure Times - Hand-kneadable plumber's putty allows immediate usage instantly while silicone putties require waiting several hours to fully cure optimally strong.
So while labels sound similar, key technical differences between plumber's putty and silicone putty change recommendations around projects attempted sealing or bonding particularly surfaces shortly.
Trusted for generations securing household plumbing fixture seals temporarily, quick handling affordable plumbers putty remains a DIY workhorse tackling small leaks or fills stubbornly until replaced routinely.
What Exactly is Plumbers Putty?
Known technically as "pipe dope", plumbers' putty consists of chalk powder and boiled linseed oil blended forming tight plugs and temporary adhesive seals molded manually sticking surfaces shortly. Its dense texture continually rebounds retaining shape handling rather than sticky messes or permanence bonds doled inconveniently.
Key Benefits and Applications
Key Drawbacks to Avoid
Ideal Uses Summary
While once relied universally on securing early plumbing infrastructure together pragmatically, plumbers' putty lasts mere months once elements slowly weaken bonds formed reasonably. Yet hugely handy sealing tasks temporarily or crafting quickie leak fixes for short durations, minimal cost tubes offer penny-wise repairs paying brief dividends before calling plumbers help needed completing appropriate permanent solutions lasting years reliably. Basically quick handyman helper short term.
While plumber's putty works wonders interim around drips and drafts stuffed, seeking permanent long-term seals or versatile modeling suggesting putties providing lasting repairs look towards silicone putties curing watertight fixtures functioning decades forward.
What is Silicone Putty?
Silicone putty consists of silicone polymer resins dissolved carrier solvents remaining flexible forming waterproof seals blocking moisture permanently once applied suiting applications plumbers putty serves only temporarily before failing as linseed oil constituents eventually dry out.
Benefits and Applications
Drawbacks to Note
Ideal Applications Include
Essentially whenever handling sealing applications favoring durable permanent solutions rather than quick temporary fixes prone to failing months later, versatile customizable silicone putty solutions deliver invariably.
Deciding appropriate putty types to tackle situations involves considering key factors like:
Bonding Needs - Requires applications strictly non-adhesive allowing future separations without surface damages or residue cleanup. Plumbers putty works then ideally or does the project involve firmly mounting object assemblies together withstanding vibrations and external physical forces pulling weaker temporaries bonds asunder over short order? Silicone putties cure proper permanent adhering required then reliably.
Application Surfaces - What materials comprise objects involved? Silicones bond tenaciously to most plastics, glass, metals, and masonries accepting putties sealing them essentially permanently. ( add any limitation exceptions). Plumbers putty remains movable somewhat limiting bonding capacities better only temporarily delaying leaks essentially.
Exposure Elements - Will putty experience prolonged moisture contact failing eventually uncommon plumbers putty linseed oil-based properties? Silicone putties withstand wetness indefinitely. Certain chemicals also degrade later not former tolerating harsher automotive or marine exposures better considerably.
Reparability Needed - Will seals need later adjustments or convenient removabilities replacing putties when issues resurface after months/years? Lean plumber's putty if avoiding cutting/scraping permanently bonded silicones proves important down the road.
Project Lifespans - Short-term days/weeks fixes favor inexpensive plumbers putty decently plugging leaks initially. But critical seals expected lasting years without maintenance hassles suggest silicone putties cure tougher waterproof fixtures facing decades forward ignoring deteriorating UV, heat/cold cycles destroying alternative putties quicker.
By balancing the bespoke needs mentioned above appropriately around given situations and objects handled sealing or bonding, choosing suitable putties becomes simpler matching desired working lifespans, bonding strengths, mess risks, and product costs reasonably forward.
Once determining recommended putties tackling troubles ahead, follow best practice technical insights ensuring putties perform per product potential not underdeliver yields yielding years hopefully.
With Plumbers Putty:
When Using Silicone Putties:
Employing appropriate putties following material specs closely grants leak protection lasting reasonably. But disregarding optimal usage guidance finds inadequate bonds failing much sooner than necessary had wise preparations taken proactively experience proven tenacious strengths apparently ahead. Seal success smiles time.
Whether tackling basic sink fixture leaks or sealing electrical terminals from moisture permanently, humble plumbers' putty and silicone putty render leaks modernizing constantly improving homes' dry functioning happily when matched appropriately against unique situations faced practically.
Quick-handling plumbers putty fixes most dripping nuisances fast remaining movable and non-permanent for months temporarily before washing away eventually once applied thinly without compressing dense clays tightly to initial cracks crevices immediately. But for permanent mountings expected to tolerate stresses and wetness indefinitely, flexible adhesive silicone putties bond fixtures firmly stationary cured stopping leaks and permanently tolerating decades of external damages destroying alternative temporary sealants comparably quicker.
Balancing bonding needs, lifespan goals, chemical risks, and convenience factors determines recommendations suiting either putty-type sealing projects properly or as intended potently. Through experience caulking confidently soon sinks stay dry basements sealed outsides impenetrable showerheads solidly anchored fixtures bounded lifelong together apart falling gradually given locations moved lifetimes together. But perhaps the greatest wisdom leaves tube each handy reaching when hidden slow leaks inevitably drip first signs failing seals undetected drywall behind warning considerable damages compiling costly unless caught early stuffed stubbornly buying repair reaction time prudently.
So stock tubes both handle unpredictable plumbing problems destiny deals homeownership tenures longer - plumbers putty plugging most leaks first reasonably followed silicone putties reinforce critical seals permanently against leaks decomposing decades forward home hydration happiness sustained smile fully always. Drip-dried destiny either way.
Always contact your local plumbers for professional input.