Using Polyurethane Self-Leveling Sealant question.

detyianni

I have some areas on my driveway with expansion joints where whatever was in them before is gone. This is my first year in the house and want to take care of them before another Michigan winter.

I bought some foam rod for the deep ones even though the gaps are clean and not wide. So my question is about applying the sealant. Do I just run a thick bead and allow it to "self level" or do I treat it like bathroom caulk and run my finger on it?

Never used the stuff before and wanted to ask before the neighbor laughs at me when I'm taping the sides of the joints to get a clean line forgive my ignorance first time home owner. Thanks!

c.haynes

its it a concrete driveway or asphalt. if concrete, u want to get some denture alcohol, damp rag and clean both side of joint. place backing rod in joint first, then put the poly in... and yes u can smooth t like caulk. C. Haynes

Just Bill

Actually, the self leveling type will do just that, level itself. It flows to any low spot, no fingers needed. You definitely will need backer rod in most driveway type cracks. Make it about 1/4" below level.

itsreallyconc

take the sealant back & buy 100% silicone instead - backer rod should be larger than the jnt width - IF it isn't, twist it on itself til it is,,, silicone sealants are max'd at 3/8" thickness - you should ck what you have now IF you're going to use that to be sure its not too thick,,, normally pvmt sealants will fall into the 2wide:1thick ratio - you're welcome

as you know, there's a cure for ignorance - its 'stupid' that's fatal

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if you hear it from a guy in the apron store, be VERY suspicious the mtl/method will work,,, when it time to build something together, they won't answer phones NOR help
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detyianni

Thanks for the advice. How's this look? Attached are the before and after of a joint. Is this what it should look like? this after pic is about 4 hours after.

Thanks

Attached Thumbnails

   

Bud Cline

"Denture alchohol" ???? I love it!

weberus3

detyianni,

I had the same problems with gaps for expansion joints. The self leveling worked good but I had one tube that wasn't self leveling more like caulk. But I found that if you buy pipe insulation and cut it in half it works just as good as the rod type foam. (cheaper) then fill over the top with the self leveling.

detyianni

Thanks for the tip. I am cutting the foam backing in half lengthwise anyway. The pipe insulation is cheaper and I think the grey ones are the same material.

Maintenance 6

If it's really self leveling, you just need to pour it in at the recommended depth for the width of the joint. If it's gun grade, you should tool it to seal the sides of the joint. You still need to follow the depth to width ratio.

Ron6519

I use that stuff all the time. More often then not, it touches the tongue on the way down.

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Bud Cline

Jack Daniels???

Maintenance 6

Jack.....or Jim.... or Johnny...... They all make good "Denture Alcohol"

Captain_Hogan

When I did mine, it looked similar to the picture posted by detyianni where it is poofed up in the middle like it was filled with air. I was expecting "self-leveling" to be flatter or lower in the middle rather than higher in the middle. Does anybody know what caused that?