Black rubbery tacky stretchy sealant- What is it?

[CoarsegoldKid]

My skylights leak. I've been chasing this issue for 5 years. Well I finally dismantled one and see the cause. The black rubbery tacky stretchy sealant between the alumimum frame and the bottom acrylic sheet was thinly applied and almost non-existant along the long runs of the frame and gobbed on in the corners. Water got in. A local retailer/repairer of skylights has no idea what the stuff could be but suggests a buytl material. The skylight manufacturer is no longer making skylights. They couldn't tell me either. Another company that bought their tooling told me to use GE Silicone(which particular one was unknown) that would work. But they don't incorporate that type of design. A DIY forum says Silicone won't seal to acrylic materials. Any suggestions on how I should proceed? I have a few more days before rains come again.

[Bud]

Here you go: Black rubbery tacky stretchy tape

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Silicone sealants have very tenacious adhesives, and many of them. They have to be sticky because the silicone kind of prevents it. You might check 3M for an application. There's a bajillion of them.

 

Valley rubber in Stockton or Fresno may have the butyl tape.

[markgoodrich]

Here you go: Black rubbery tacky stretchy tape

 

Bud, I've used that stuff for many, many years for many different things, but I'd never consider using it to try to seal a skylight. It adheres to itself, but is not the sort of thing to seal two surfaces together, I don't think. Home Depot carries, it, by the way...but good luck finding where they hide it, or an employee who would know.... If you know how to use it for the skylights, I'd be very interested, as I could then use it for other projects (I'm not being facetious).

 

Joe, the solution:

 

Remove skylight.

 

Apply sledge hammer to skylight to reduce to sizes suitable for insertion in trash can.

 

Install roof decking in roof hole.

 

Install roofing material to match existing roof.

 

Apply lamp or overhead light switch with finger, in room formerly occupied by skylight.

 

Apply patch to hole in ceiling, paint to match.

 

Done.

[Kitsap]

GE Co. RTV 108 is a translucent vulcanizing silicone rubber adhesive that is spreadable. It's used to bond metal flanges, brackets and such to slick composite assemblies. The two bonding surfaces should be abraded and chemically cleaned prior to application.

[BerndM]

HENRY's 208 Wet Patch Roof Cement

 

Great stuff on earth. As the name implies, can be applied in the pouring rain.

 

This stuff certainly qualifies as "Black rubbery tacky stretchy sealant", although it dries tackfree.

 

 

[BMWRich58]

I purchased a product from an automotive glass install company.

It's exactly how you describe "black tacky stretchy"...and it's use is a sealer/sealant around automotive glass ie:wind shields,rear sliding window frames on pickups etc.

It was about $25.00 for a roll of about 12 linear feet. It's made by 3M,very sticky and plyable but easy to work with, and stays flexable at all heat ranges,even after many years. Very easy cleanup and "No Noxious" smell.

I removed the rear window of a truck,peeled off the "5 yr old stuff" by rolling the old sealer/sealant onto itself,applied the new stuff around the perimeter of the frame,installed the window and was done. E-Z peasy.

[Selden]

Another company that bought their tooling told me to use GE Silicone(which particular one was unknown) that would work. But they don't incorporate that type of design. A DIY forum says Silicone won't seal to acrylic materials.

I'm calling BS on the silicone not adhering to acrylic. Go to any major aquarium. Lots of good suggestions here -- I had no idea there were so many variations on black gooey stuff.

[Lineareagle]

That is what I would suggest as well.

You need to be careful with skylights because they need to expand and contract.

I have used a window tape that comes in various thicknesses to make custom windows.

If the auto window folks won't help you try a window manufacturer.

[Bud]

Here you go: Black rubbery tacky stretchy tape

 

Bud, I've used that stuff for many, many years for many different things, but I'd never consider using it to try to seal a skylight. It adheres to itself, but is not the sort of thing to seal two surfaces together, I don't think. Home Depot carries, it, by the way...but good luck finding where they hide it, or an employee who would know.... If you know how to use it for the skylights, I'd be very interested, as I could then use it for other projects (I'm not being facetious).

 

Joe, the solution:

 

Remove skylight.

 

Apply sledge hammer to skylight to reduce to sizes suitable for insertion in trash can.

 

Install roof decking in roof hole.

 

Install roofing material to match existing roof.

 

Apply lamp or overhead light switch with finger, in room formerly occupied by skylight.

 

Apply patch to hole in ceiling, paint to match.

 

Done.

 

That is the ultimate permanent solution.

 

But then again, how about this grey putty stuff that is used commercially assuming the OP still wants a hole in his roof?

[Rinkydink]

Joe, the solution:

 

Remove skylight.

 

Apply sledge hammer to skylight to reduce to sizes suitable for insertion in trash can.

 

Install roof decking in roof hole.

 

Install roofing material to match existing roof.

 

Apply lamp or overhead light switch with finger, in room formerly occupied by skylight.

 

Apply patch to hole in ceiling, paint to match.

 

Done.

 

 

 

+1

[CoarsegoldKid]

Butyl Rubber Tape not the answer I was looking for. It's tacky but not as tacky as needed to adhere to the two substrates. It is stretchy but does not rebound as needed for expansion and contraction. Butyl tape would not work.

Mark's suggestion is really the best. I've been thinking about for a couple of years. What I will do is seal this stupid design for the short term. Learn about the roofing, drywall and paint texture repair that will be needed and tackle this during the dry season. With the money I save I can get my teeth attended to or move to a smaller town where missing a few is normal.

[ESokoloff]

Not an expert but I don't think you can go wrong using a Polyurethane Sealant unless you need to dis-assemble in the future.

(Not a direct endorsement of Sikaflex Polyurethane Sealant but a good product none the less)

Just don't get in on anything you don't want it on including your skin. This stuff STICKS!!!!!!

[FlyingFinn]

Just don't get in on anything you don't want it on including your skin.

 

Not possible. You get within 10ft. of a tube of Sikaflex (I didn't ever realize you can get that great stuff here!!) and it WILL be on you.

 

The stuff is almost magical. You keep your hands firmly planted in your pant pockets, keep steering at a CLOSED tube of "Sika".

In short order you'll notice there's dab of the darn stuff on the elbow of your shirt, and when reaching to take a better look, you realize the back of your left hand's practically covered in it...

 

Any efforts to wipe it off will only spread it further and reveal new locations where you have it already.

 

Better just give up, save the money and do what Joe said WRT moving to location that better fits one's socio-economic profile.

 

--

Mikko