Storing sealant tubes

[matthew.larkin]

Hi

We're just at the finishing stages of a two storey extension (kitchen downstairs, bedroom, ensuite upstairs) and we are doing some of the finishing ourselves. This means I've got at least 4 different tubes of sealants on the go:-

- brown frame sealant

- white mould resistant shower sealant

- clear sealant

- white decorators caulk

I know the stuff isn't particularly expensive, but none of the tubes (nor the wiki) tells me how I should store these once I've used them. For the time being I'm just wiping the tip of the nozzle and wrapping a babywipe round the top, but I'm sure there is a "proper" way to store these if they aren't going to be used again for a couple of months. Seems odd to me that few of them come with a top to reseal either the tube directly or the nozzle (though a tube of sealant eater that I've got did have a resealing nozzle).

Cheers!

Matt

[sm_jamieson]

I just push a long nail down the nozzle, which does a reasonable job. Or put a screw in the end. Re-using old tubes, sometime you find they have thickened too much to push out of the end. Sometimes you have to clean out the nozzle but the stuff in the tube is OK. Now, re-using expanding foam cans is another interesting hobby ... Simon.

[Broadback]

I remove the nozzle, clean it then replace having first put cling film over the cartridge hole. Only works for so long.

[Andrew Mawson]

(kitchen

wrapping

reseal

Be aware that some tubes of sealants have a shelf life that has the disasterous consequence of the stuff remaining gooey and not setting. A while back I bought a few tubes of brown all weather exterior sealant from Screwfix to finish expansion joints in my newly built garage walls. I had a couple of tubes left over which I kept too long, and tried to use as a frame sealant the following year. It flowed and formed nicely, but three days later when it hadn't set I rang the manufacturers for help and they said they were always getting such calls - it does that and theres no way to get it to set !! I had always asumed that if you overstepped the shelf life it would go hard in the tube rather than stay gooey on the job, but this is NOT the case.

AWEM

[Huge]

I crumple aluminium foil over the end of the nozzle, then squirt a little of whatever it is into the ball of crumpled foil. That forms an airtight seal and stops the contents of the nozzle "going off". When you come to use the tube again, just pull off the foil and throw it away. Repeat as necessary.

The only thing I've found that this doesn't work with is Pink Grip.

[clot]

I do the same. Last week, I used a tube that had been sealed this way for at least 4 years and the contents were fine.

[matthew.larkin]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I'll try several!!

Matt

[OldBill]

Is Pink Grip really only for use by gay people?

[meow2222]

Now updated with your the suggestions here

[The Medway Handyman]

Anyone know what thread they use on the top of the cartridge? Screw caps for cartridges would be really useful.

[clot]

darned good point - have the cap handy and quickly screw on after removing the spout would save wasting the gloop after you've just used it - and no need for the cling film, provided it made an airtight seal.

[The Medway Handyman]

There are companies who make nothing else but threaded caps, so if we can identify the thread they should be available off the shelf.

[Andy Hall]

This is as closely guarded a secret as the recipe for Heinz tomato ketchup. I don;t know why, because it's really the two "sh"s. Sugar and shit.

[clot]

Could even be used as a marketing point by the manufacturers of said gloop: "we've added this product-saving and environmentally freindly cap at no extra cost", whilst bumping up the cost subtly by a penny.

[cerberus]

Why bother? Just put an 'uncut' nozzle on when you want to store 'em.

Don.

[Andrew Mawson]

message

Screw caps

The uncut nozzle will contain air which will let the stuff set - you need to exclude the air hence cling film or plastic bag or blanking nut.

AWEM

[Dave Liquorice]

Naw by going from 4.99 to =A35.00 a tube the sales would slump more than= the increase from the greenies.

[Huge]

It does say it's for professionals only. What *kind* of professional, it doesn't say.

:o)

[cerberus]

In the 20 odd years that I've been using Sikaflex (on a daily basis) all I have ever used was a new unused nozel to blank of the cartridge. All that normally happened was that the mastic had leeched into the nozzle & sometimes hardened, but the catridge was still usuable when the nozzle was replaced.

Don.