# Glazing with Butyl



## LBCarpentry (16 Jan 2021)

Guys - I’ve just started glazing all our windows now with butyl66 from hodgesons. Much prefer it over low mod silicone due to its ability to be instantly cleaned. 

Question - is there a tool for application anywhere? Like a butyl gun or something. We are using 10kg tubs and applying it by hand which seems a bit primitive. And I don’t like eating through endless tubes due to cost and the fact it’s not very eco friendly. 

I’m thinking of something like a mortar gun or similar.

Any thoughts?

Louis


----------



## Doug71 (16 Jan 2021)

I use the butyl tape, works well for me. Only downside is some people do say it can look a bit scruffy a few years down the line.









Butyl Tape Flexistrip


Suitable for both non-drained, drained and ventilated frames Excellent finish. Does not need capping Can be over-coated immediately with solvent or waterborne paints and stains Immediate application onto coated timber. It requires no special primers More Information




www.reddiseals.com


----------



## LBCarpentry (16 Jan 2021)

I tried the tape and didn’t really get along with it. Couldn’t get it to stick very well. But it was still very cold. Difficult to bed onto as it’s already pretty flat.


----------



## Doug71 (17 Jan 2021)

You should try it in hot weather, it gets too sticky, it's like chewing gum! 

It is flat so all your rebates need to be in line, also for this reason it's not great for replacement units where you have had to hack out the original one.


----------



## lexi (17 Jan 2021)

The stuff in tubes is generally super sticky with great big threads coming off as you lift the nozzle away from your joint.
There is a knack of putting tubbed stuff on with the ball of your hand and the thumb. The tubs are different recipe IME. I doubt you could squeeze it out of a Barrel gun even if you could load it.


----------



## eribaMotters (18 Jan 2021)

Stick with the tubs, it's a bit messy but you have more control and no waste. On a couple of refurbs, workshop build and jobs for "friends" I probably fitted 300+ double glazed units about 20 years ago. On some of these I used the tape and just ran butyl putty on the top edge to improve the look and stop water sitting. Some said glazing like this into wood [thoroughly primed] would lead to the units breaking down. I've had 2 do this, so not bad on the quantity and time scale.

Colin


----------



## RobinBHM (18 Jan 2021)

LBCarpentry said:


> butyl66 from hodgesons


I thought that was for Single glazing applications?


----------



## Hornbeam (18 Jan 2021)

Butyl mastic tape is very temperature sensitive. If its cold there is no way you will get adequate compression on a wide flat bead. Keep it somewhere warm in the winter. Hodgesons also do round beads which are easier to compress but may not fill the gap fully leaving a water trap


----------



## LBCarpentry (18 Jan 2021)

Interesting that the tubed stuff is sticky. Sounds like you couldn’t do an instant clean up after which is the main benefit IMO. 

I don’t believe butyl is only for single glazing. We follow the hodgeson instructions. We bed the glass in with butyl, fill the void around the glass with low mod silicone and then front it with traditional putty. 

I think we’ll stick with the buckets for now. It’s really doesn’t cost that much to have an apprentice applying by hand. I just thought there should be a quicker way or faster way. Gets me thinking - gap in the market......


----------

