1  Installation Equipment & Storage

• In addition to safety equipment required to comply with applicable Federal, state and local safety regulations, equipment to prepare and repair the joint-faces, as well as normal tools for the trade, the following are required:

2  Pre-Installation

• Ensure joint faces are parallel and have sufficient depth to receive the full depth of the size(s) of COLORSEAL being installed plus at least 1/4-inch (6mm) for the application of corner beads where needed.

• Repair spalled, irregular or unsound joint surfaces using accepted industry practices for repair of the substrates in question.

• Remove protruding roughness to ensure joint sides are smooth as well as all residues of old sealants.

• Wire-brush or angle-grind, if necessary, to clean sides.

• Wipe joint faces with lint-free rags dipped in Denatured Alcohol or *Toluene or other agent suitable for use on the substrates in question to ensure joint sides are free of dust, previous sealant, oils, grease, etc.

• Ensure joint sides are dry prior to installation. 

*(Solvents mentioned or referred to are toxic and flammable. Observe solvent manufacturer’s precautions and refer to Material Safety Data Sheets as well as local and federal requirements for same handling and use).

3  Find & Open Correct Box

Material has been supplied to your mean- temperature field measurement of joint widths. Joint widths for material supplied are marked at the end of each box.

• Find correct box and open it.

• Compare material width marked on each stick against joint width.

• Actual material width measured between hardboard will be slightly less than indicated joint width. If unsure of correct material selection, consult EMSEAL.

4  Do not remove outer plastic packaging until you have read and understand the rest of these instructions as material may expand prematurely.

5  Open Plastic Packaging

• The sealant is held under compression by hardboard and plastic wrapping. When ready to install, slit the plastic wrapping by cutting on the hardboard, discard hardboard and inner release liner.

• WARNING:

   DO NOT CUT ALONG SILICONE-COATING FACE -- YOU MAY CUT THROUGH IT

6  Wipe Release Agent off Silicone Facing

• For packaging and production reasons, the silicone facing is coated in the factory with a release agent.

• Prior to installation, this agent must be wiped off using a damp rag in order for the fillet beads described in Step 12 to adhere to the silicone facing and to avoid contamination of the substrate at this point.

• Lightly, quickly and thoroughly wipe the cured silicone facing with a lint-free rag made damp with water to remove the release agent.

7  Apply Sealant to Edge of Silicone Facing

• Joining: Lengths are joined together at butt joins between each stick.  The silicone bellows is joined with a band of field-applied liquid silicone from the tubes provided with the order.

• Apply thin bead of sealant to squared-off end along the edge of silicone facing only. Use correct grade and color of sealant as supplied.

8  Remove Adhesive-Release Paper & Insert Into Joint

• Peel off release paper to expose pressure-sensitive adhesive on one face of material.

• 'Feed' material into joint, working sequentially in one direction starting at the bottom of the joint.

• Always push material--DO NOT PULL IT--to prevent stretching. (Start at bottom of wall and work up.)

• Recess 3/8" (9mm) from wall surface.
• Use a stiff-bladed putty knife to press the adhesive side of the material firmly against the substrate so that it will hold in place while it expands.

• TIP: If material binds, lightly spray the putty knife and/or self-adhesive with water from the spray bottle to help it slide into joint-gap.

• If necessary use small--approx. 3-inch (75mm)--pieces of used hardboard packing as wedges to hold sections in place while they expand.

• For changes in direction and plane see Step 12.

9  Joining Successive Lengths

• Insert first piece of material as described in Step 9 but leave mitered end protruding up and out of joint.

• Place butt end of next section against end of first piece 1 .

• Leaving join just made protruding from joint, insert the rest of this section of material into joint.

• Finally push protruding join section into joint 2

• Using a caulk knife, blend silicone bead applied in Step 7 into the silicone bellows being sure to preserve the bellows shape. Caution: Excess silicone material could restrain the movement of the bellows and must be removed.

10  Install Corner Beads

• Wait until material is expanded fully against both sides of the joint.

• Using the silicone tubes provided, insert the tip of the tube between the bellows and substrate and inject a band of liquid silicone. 

• Using a caulk knife, firmly dry-tool the excess silicone that extrudes to form a clean corner bead between the substrate and the preformed silicone bellows.

Note: certain metal surfaces, may require priming with Dow 1200 primer. Consult EMSEAL.

11  Direction Changes