Adhesive and Sealant Applications & Tools

I have found that it takes well thought out solutions based on solid engineering theories for anything to work and work well. I guess that is what brings me to who I am, an Engineer. You simply can fight gravity, or expect adhesive to truly stick to ice. Basic proven theories allow us to solve problems.

One of the strongest organizations I know in our industry is the Sealant Waterproofing Restoration Institute, SWRI, (www.swrionline.org) an organization of contractors and material manufacturers who focus on sharing technology, finding solutions and raising industries technical level.

Most people feel that anyone can put sealant in a joint, but truly they must understand the characteristics of the joint, match those characteristics to the proper sealant capable and then properly clean, prime and install the sealant. There is some real serious theory behind sealing a joint properly….and I think that is what separates an SWRI contractor from the guys with their pickup trucks and low bids. Think about it for just one moment, sealant is generally there to keep water out of your buildings for a long time….improper installations and/or improper material selection will cause failure and leaks.

Those within SWRI review applications and share their experiences, discuss difficult issues and work to train those within the industry. The connection between the manufacturers brings a higher level of accountability on parties, the contractors and the manufacturers. It also allows issues to be discussed and hopefully resolved possibly through the development of new products. But, again I must emphasis the solutions have to be sound.

I am not an expert for I supply the SWRI contractor with tools, the SWRI contractor is.

My next Blog will be on another organization the Firestop Contractors Institute Association, FCIA.

Labels: SWRI, trade organizations