62 0979c 01

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality
Assurance Guide
SILICONE STRUCTURAL
GLAZING MANUAL
2001 Dow Corning Corporation
An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide
Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

In addition to this quality guide, the following European and National Standards or guidelines are
relevant for this application:
Guidelines for European Technical Approval (EOTA ) for Structural Glazing (ETAG 002 part 1
Sept. 1998) (Europe)
CEN Draft European Standards CEN/TC129/WG16 - PrEN 13022 (parts 1 - 4) October 1997 (Europe)
Bundesanzeiger 92a - Bekanntmachung der Leitlinie fr die europische technische Zulassung fr
geklebte Glaskonstruktionen, Vom 15. Dezember 1998, ISSN 0720-6100 (Germany)
Ift Rosenheim Leitfaden fur den Ubereinstimmngsnachwies fur Structural Glazing (Germany)
Vitrages extrieurs colls faisant lobjet dun avis technique - Conditions gnrales de conception /
fabrication et mise en uvre. (Cahiers du CSTB 3130, Livraison 399 - mai 1999) (France)
BSI: BS 6262 Code of practice for Glazing for Buildings Part 6: Special Applications (U.K.)
STS 56 - Vitrage Extrieur Coll and Cahiers de lINV (Belgium)
Standard Guides for Structural Sealant Glazing. ASTM C1401-98 (United States)
Structural Silicone Sealant for Building. GB 16776 - 1997 (China)
Users are advised to check with their local Building Authority to verify the Standards and requirements
for Structural Glazing prior to commencement of the work. Please consult your local DOW CORNING
Construction Office for assistance and further information.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Dow Corning Structural Glazing
Silicone Adhesives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Joint Preparation and Sealant

Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Dow Corning Silicone Sealants for

Non-Structural Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Substrate Cleaning Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Solvent Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Non-Porous Substrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Porous Substrates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Masking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Two-Cloth Cleaning Method . . . . . . . . . . 10
Dow Corning Primers and Cleaners . . . . . . . . 2
Primer Application Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Dow Corning Insulated Glazing

Silicone Sealants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Setting Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Project Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Sealant Application Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Product Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Sealant Cure Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Site Glazing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Factory Glazing One-Component Silicone 12
Factory Glazing Two-Component Silicone 12
Drawing Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Adhesion Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Compatibility Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Non-Stain Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Other Test Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Structural Adhesion Limited Warranty . . . . . . 5
Product Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
One-Part Structural Silicone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Shelf Life and Storage Conditions . . . . . . . 6
Skin-Over Time/Elastomeric Test . . . . . . . . 6
Multi-Component Structural Silicone . . . . . . . 6
Shelf Life and Storage Conditions . . . . . . . 6
Pump Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Quality Control Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Glass or Butterfly Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Snap Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Mixing Ratio Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Replacement and Remedial Glazing . . . . . . . 13

Replacement Glazing Due to
Individual Unit Breakage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Replacement of Glazing Due to
System Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Adhesion Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Peel Adhesion testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
H-Piece Adhesion testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Quality Control Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Quality Control Log Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Project Timetable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Construction Project Checklist . . . . . . . 19

DOW CORNING Offices and Locations . . . . 24

Introduction
2.
Silicone structural glazing is a method utilizing a

silicone adhesive to attach glass, metal, or other
panel materials to the structure of a building. The
wind-load stresses on the facade are transferred
through the silicone adhesive sealant to the
structure of the building. The sealant must
maintain its cohesive integrity and adhesive bond
to support the panels bonded to the facade.
The sealant cures appropriately and is within

its stated shelf life.
Two component sealants must be checked to
verify the correct mixing ratio.
3.
Joint Preparation and Sealant

Application
The substrates should be prepared in

accordance with DOW CORNINGs
recommendations for the specific project
(eg. Cleaner or primer recommendations).
Not all silicone sealants are suitable for use in this

application. A considerable amount of time has
been spent developing and testing specific silicone
products to meet the needs of this application.
Whenever a silicone adhesive is used to
structurally bond facade panels, a comprehensive
quality control procedure must be established to
assure the smooth, efficient, trouble-free
completion of the project.
The sealant joints must be filled completely

with no gaps or air bubbles.
4.
Sealant Adhesion
The sealant should be physically checked to

confirm it has cured, has been appropriately
applied, and has developed adhesion after
application.
Specific quality control procedures must be used

on all projects and are required to obtain DOW
CORNINGs 10-year Structural Adhesion Limited
Warranty. A quality control procedure must
include steps to assure that the following criteria
are satisfied. These points are described in greater
details later in this manual.
1.
Product Quality
5.
Documentation
Quality control procedures should be recorded in

an easily retrievable fashion
(see Quality control logsheet p. 16)
This guide is intended as a generic starting point
for the development of a quality assurance
program for the application of silicone structural
adhesives. As construction projects vary in many
aspects such as design, customer requirements,
and environment, this manual cannot be
considered as a comprehensive quality assurance
procedure for all situations. DOW CORNING is
willing to assist in the review of quality control
procedures for specific projects or applications.
Project Review
Once a structural joint has been designed, the

sealant joint details should be reviewed by
DOW CORNING.
Laboratory adhesion testing should be
completed for all surfaces to which the silicone
must adhere.
Any material that the structural silicone
adhesive comes in contact with (eg. gaskets,
spacers, backer materials, setting blocks)
should be tested in the laboratory to confirm
their compatibility with the silicone sealant.
Dow Corning Structural Glazing

Silicone Adhesives
of non-structural building sealant product line:
The following products are the adhesives currently

offered by DOW CORNING for use in silicone
structural glazing:
1. Dow Corning 993 Structural Glazing Silicone
Sealant a two-part, high modulus product
with a fast cure rate for in-factory structural
glazing. Extensively tested to European
Specifications.
Dow Corning
897 Natural Stone and

Facade Sealant
Dow Corning
797 Weatherproofing
Sealant
Dow Corning Primers and Cleaners

Although DOW CORNING strives to develop
primerless adhesives and sealants, in some
instances, optimal sealant adhesion is only
obtained with the use of a primer. The primer
chemically bonds itself to the substrate and the
sealant then adheres to the primer. Store primer
with the caps tightly closed when not in use to
prevent unnecessary exposure to moisture.
2. Dow Corning 895 Structural Glazing Silicone

Sealant - a one part, high modulus, neutral cure
product for structural glazing either in-factory
or at the job site.
DOW CORNING Insulated Glazing

Silicone Sealants
The following primers are available from DOW

CORNING (Consult Primers Selection Guide for
further information):
The following products are currently offered by

DOW CORNING as insulation glazing sealants
for use in structurally glazed facade systems:
1. Dow Corning 1200 OS Primer

The most commonly recommended product
for a wide variety of construction surfaces.
1. Dow Corning 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant

- a two-part, fast curing silicone used as the
secondary sealant in insulated glass unit
production, designed for application in the
factory.
2. Dow Corning P Primer for porous substrates.

3. Dow Corning Barrier Primer for porous
substrates and barrier properties.
2. Dow Corning 3793 Insulating Glass Sealant a one-part silicone sealant used in the factory
as a secondary sealant in insulated glass unit
production.
The following cleaners are available from

DOW CORNING:
1. Dow Corning R40 Cleaner - a special
formulation used to clean the surfaces of glass
and metal profiles prior to application of the
structural sealant.
DOW CORNING Silicone Sealants for

Non-Structural Applications
2. Dow Corning 3556 Cleaner for SSG recommended specifically for cleaning of
anodized aluminium surfaces only.
Non-structural applications refer to any

application where the silicone is not required to
structurally hold the panel in place (eg.
weatherseals, end dams, dilatation joints, sealing
screwheads, expansion joints, butt joints). Many
of the services and application recommendations
described in this guide are applicable to our range
3. It is also possible to use an IPA (isopropyl

alcohol) - water solution or a solution of Dow
Corning R40 Cleaner (70%) - water (30%)
(maximum water content is 50% by weight) as a
cleaner for both glass and aluminium substrates.
Contact your DOW CORNING Construction
Office for more details.

Project Review*
Drawing Review
Selection of the correct sealant in construction

projects has become increasingly difficult due
to :
Guidelines for silicone structural glazing details

are provided in this section. DOW CORNING
must review all structural details before any
approval or acceptance is given. Preliminary
requirements for standard cases are (4 sided SG) :
1. The number of sealants available,

2. New construction substrates and surface
treatments,
3. Special sealant requirements in silicone
structural glazing applications.
1. The structural bite (Hmc) must be a minimum

of 6 mm(1).
DOW CORNING professionals are available to

assist you in selecting the correct sealant for your
specific application.
All silicone structural glazing applications using
Dow Corning adhesives should be reviewed on a
project-by-project basis by our technical service
staff prior to sealant specification. The review
and testing must be successfully completed
before DOW CORNING can issue a 10-year
Structural Adhesion Limited Warranty.
A project submittal form (Project Checklist) is
included with this manual for your use. Additional
forms and information are available from any
DOW CORNING Construction Office.
2. The joint thickness (e) must be a minimum

of 6 mm(1).
3. The structural bite must be equal to or
greater than the joint thickness.
e Hmc
4. The structural bite must not be greater than 3
times the joint thickness.
Hmc 3 e
5. To accommodate the windload for standard
cases, the structural bite is calculated with the
equation :
The following services are offered by DOW

CORNING :
Structural Bite (m) =

Smallest Side of Largest Pane (m) Windload (Pa)
2 Dynamic Sealant Design Strength in Tension
(= 140.000 Pa)
Product Recommendations
After reviewing project drawings and
specifications, and having performed the
necessary laboratory testing, DOW CORNING
will assist in the selection of the correct Dow
Corning silicone sealants.
(1) Note : Other proprietary systems may have

alternate details. The appropriateness of such
systems will be determined on a case-by-case basis,
using independent test data supplied by the system
manufacturer.
* Any review, recommendation, or statement, made on

behalf of DOW CORNING relating to an engineering
design, architectural drawing, product formulation, enduse specification, or similar document is limited to the
knowledge of product properties as determined by
laboratory testing of material produced by DOW
CORNING. Any comments or suggestions relating to any
subject other than such product properties are offered only
to call to the attention of the engineer, architect, formulator,

end-user or other person, considerations that may be relevant
in his/her independent evaluation and determination of the
appropriateness of such design, drawing, specification,
document or formula. DOW CORNING assumes no
responsibility for the comments or suggestions relative to
subjects other than such product properties, and expressly
disclaims any warranty or responsibilities for same.
When using this equation, always round up to the

nearest millimeter. For example, a 1.8 m x 1.8 m
glass unit exposed to a 1100 Pa windload requires
7.07 mm of silicone bite. This amount is rounded
up to 8.0 mm. Never round down. Production
tolerances must be added to this value. (2 mm
tolerance is generally recommended).
8. The structural sealant joint must be able to

be filled using standard application practices.
9. The units containing structural joints must
not move during cure.
10. The joint design must allow the sealant
exposure to air to enable it to cure.
6. To accommodate dead load for standard cases :
Adhesion Testing
Structural Bite (m) =
Weight of glass (kg) 9.81 ms-2
DOW CORNING will evaluate the adhesion of

its products to materials that are representative
of those to be used on the project. Upon
completion of this testing, DOW CORNING will
forward in writing, product recommendations,
surface preparation, and primer recommendation
(if required). Testing takes approximately four
weeks from receipt of samples.
2 Height (m) Static Design Strength in Shear (Pa)
bite
e
Compatibility Testing
Incompatible glazing accessories (gaskets, spacers,
backer materials, setting blocks, etc.), can lead to
sealant discoloration and/or loss of adhesion to
the substrate. To ensure compatibility, DOW
CORNING tests the compatibility of project
specific accessory materials with its silicone
sealants. Results of the compatibility test will be
forwarded in writing. Testing takes approximately
four weeks from receipt of samples.
7. To accommodate the thermal movement for

standard cases, the structural joint
thickness (e) is calculated with the equation:
Joint thickness (m) =

Differential dilatation (m) Sealant E modulus (Pa)
Non-Stain Testing
3 Dynamic Sealant Design Strength in Shear (Pa)
If requested, DOW CORNING will test and

evaluate the performance of its sealants to
determine if fluid migration from the sealant has
the potential to stain porous substrates such as
granite, marble, and limestone. Project specific
samples of the porous material will be tested using
the DOW CORNING stain test procedure. Testing
takes approximately six weeks from receipt of
samples.
Additionally, calculations to verify the effects of

panel deadload, glass deflection, or snowloads of
sloped surfaces are also performed as part of the
project review. Detailed explanations of these
formulas are beyond the scope of this document.
Contact your DOW CORNING Technical
Representative should you wish further
information.
Other Test Requirements

DOW CORNING can accommodate special, nonstandard testing requirements. In such cases,
additional time and charges may be incurred.
Please consult your local DOW CORNING
Construction Office at the beginning of the
project.
Structural Adhesion Limited Warranty

Ten year structural adhesion limited warranties
are available for Dow Corning 895 and Dow Corning
993.
To obtain this warranty, DOW CORNING must
perform project-specific adhesion and
compatibility testing on all substrates that will
contact the structural silicone. Also, DOW
CORNING must review the structural glazing
details for the project. These testing services are
described in the previous section.
For this warranty to be valid, all written
recommendations detailed in the limited warranty
must be followed and documented. Additionally,
all daily Quality Control Log sheets, maintained
by the producer for the project, must be submitted
with the request for warranty.
A formal request must be made by the producer
to the appropriate DOW CORNING Construction
office in order to start the process for issuance of
any warranty.

Product Quality
DOW CORNING performs extensive quality
assurance testing in our manufacturing facilities
in accordance with ISO 9001 standards. This
section is intended to provide the end-user with
simple screening tests to verify that the material,
as received at the project site, is suitable for the
proposed application. Should the results in your
facility differ significantly from those listed in the
following test methods, write down the
corresponding lot numbers of the product(s)
involved, and contact your DOW CORNING
Construction Office for assistance.
4. Allow the sealant to cure for 48 hours at 23 C &

50% RH. After 48 hours, peel the sealant off of
the polyethylene sheet. Stretch the sealant slowly
to see that it has cured to an elastomeric material.
If the sealant has not cured correctly, contact your
DOW CORNING Construction Office.
5. Record the results in the project log book.
This testing must be completed and results
recorded, retained and be available for review
upon request.
Two-Component Structural Silicone

One-Component Structural Silicone
Shelf Life and Storage Conditions
The following procedure outlines a series of steps

to ensure that the quality of Dow Corning 895
Structural Glazing Sealant is acceptable for
structural sealant applications.
Dow Corning 993 Structural Glazing Sealant must

be stored at temperatures below 30 C. An
expiry date is clearly marked on both the base
and catalyst product containers.
Shelf Life and Storage Conditions
Pump Procedures
Dow Corning 895 must be stored at temperatures

below 30 C. An expiry date is clearly marked
on the product packaging.
A pump must be used to airlessly meter and mix

Dow Corning 993. The specific operation and
maintenance procedures for the pump should be
supplied by the equipment manufacturer. The
applicator must have a start-up, shutdown, and
maintenance procedure set up for the pump to
properly apply structural glazing adhesives.
Skin-Over Time / Elastomeric Test

For one-part sealants, a skin-over and elastomeric
test should be performed once per day and on
every new lot of sealant used. The purpose of the
test is to check sealant working time and to ensure
the sealant cures fully. Any variation (excessively
long times) in the skin-over time may indicate an
out-of-shelf-life sealant. This test is performed as
follows:
When starting the pump, the curing agent line

should be opened and material pumped through
the line until the sealant exiting the dispensing
gun ceases to be white or streaked. Instead, it
should be a consistent black colour, indicating
correct mixing of the base and curing agent
components.
1. Spread a 2 mm thick layer of sealant on a sheet

of polyethylene.
Before shutting down the pump, the static mixer

and hoses should be purged with base material
or flushed using a suitable solvent or machine
cleaning agent. The amount of wasted material
resulting from the start-up and shut-down of the
pump varies with the type of pumping equipment
used. As the volume of the hose after the static
mixer location decreases, so will the amount of
wasted material resulting from start-ups and shutdowns. Regular maintenance of the mixing nozzle
2. Every few minutes, touch the sealant film

lightly with your finger.
3. When the sealant does not adhere to your
finger, the sealant is said to have skinned over.
Note the time required to reach this point. If a
skin has not formed within 2 hours, do not use
this material and contact your DOW
CORNING Construction Office.
by use of Dow Corning 3522 cleaning solvent will

improve over-all system operations, and may be
used as an alternative cleaning method for the
mixer unit each time the equipment is shut down.
mixing quality. If the sealant smear is a consistent

black colour, the sealant is properly mixed and
ready for use.
If grey or white streaks continue, equipment
maintenance may be needed. This problem can
often be corrected by cleaning or changing the
mixer system, dispensing hose, dispensing gun,
system ball check valves controlling the mixing
ratio. Consult the equipment manufacturer for
maintenance requirements. Under no
circumstances should streaked material be used
for production.
Quality Control Testing

Quality control testing to be performed includes
the butterfly test, mixing ratio measurement, and
the snap-time test. A description of each follows.
Results of these tests must be recorded in a
logbook similar to the example in the
documentation section.
Butterfly Test (see drawing)

Previously, the following procedure was the only
recommended method for visual inspection of the
mixing quality:
Glass or Butterfly Test

The glass or butterfly test must be performed
every time the pump is started up, including startups that occur after extended breaks. The purpose
of this test is to check for an adequate mix of base
and curing agent components. The test is
performed as follows:
1. Fold an A4 piece of stiff white paper in half.

2. Apply a bead of Dow Corning 993 to the crease
or fold in the paper.
3. Press the paper together, smearing the sealant
bead to a thin film.
4. Pull the paper apart and visually inspect the
sealant smear formed.
Glass Test (see drawing)

The preferred method is to place a bead of mixed
Dow Corning 993 on a piece of glass,
approximately 10 cm x 10 cm, and place
another piece of glass on top of the
silicone, pressing the two glass pieces
together. The resulting sample forms a sandwich
- permitting a clear visual inspection of the mixed
sealant.
5. Inspect the mixed sealant using the same

criteria mentioned above.
If streaks are present, then more material must

be pumped through the lines to improve the
insufficient mixing
properly mixed
1. Apply sealant to
creased white paper
2. Press together
3. Well-mixed sealant
4. Poorly mixed sealant

with white streaks
Snap Time
5. The snap time will vary depending on the ratio

of base to catalyst as indicated in Figure 2.
Atmospheric conditions affect the snap time
slightly. A snap time varying more than 15
minutes from what is expected may indicate
an equipment or sealant problem. Such
problems include plugged hoses, bad check
valves, catalyst overly exposed to atmospheric
moisture, or out-of-shelf-life sealant. Consult
DOW CORNING and the pump manufacturer
before continuing to use this material.
Once proper mixing of the two-component

sealant is achieved (as confirmed by the glass or
butterfly test), a snap time test should be
performed. This test must be performed each
time the equipment has been shut down and
restarted. The snap time test relates the base-tocatalyst mix ratio to the cure rate of the sealant
and provides an indication of working time
(one-half the length of the snap time) and deep
section cure time. The snap time is performed as
follows :
Mixing Ratio Measurement
1. Fill a small container with mixed Dow

Corning 993
Each time the equipment is started, or each time

a new kit of sealant is put on the machine, a
physical measurement of the mixture ratio of the
two components should be recorded prior to
performing any other tests.
2. Place a stick or spatula into the sealant.

Note the time.
3. After 5 minutes, pull on the stick. As the sealant
becomes more cured, pull on the stick every
two minutes.
Most variable ratio pumping equipment provide

a set of valves that can be opened. Hold a
disposable cup underneath each valve outlet, open
the valves for a set time (10 seconds, with a
minimum of 3 strokes of both the base and catalyst
pumps). The collected samples of each material
can now be weighed to determine the dispensing
ratio by weight. The acceptable range for the
weight ratio of base-to-catalyst for Dow Corning
993 is 9:1 to 11:1.
4. If the sealant does not tear within itself

(cohesively) when the stick is pulled out (sealant
is still semi-liquid and stringy), the sealant has
not snapped. The time at which the partiallycured sealant tears cohesively when the stick is
pulled out is termed the snap time. Note the
snap time on the log sheet.
Figure 2. Snap Time vs. Temperature

Mixing ratio 9:1 to 11:1

Joint Preparation and Sealant Application
Substrate Cleaning Procedure
This application procedure is a general guide for

applying Dow Corning silicone construction
sealants. If you follow these procedures closely,
you will help ensure optimum sealant
performance. Whether the application be for
weathersealants or structural glazing, these basic
steps should be followed. Since Dow Corning
silicone construction sealants are applied in many
different environments and situations, this
procedure is not meant to be a complete quality
assurance program. It is a starting point, and
Dow Corning is willing to assist you in putting
together a quality assurance programme for
specific applications. Please contact your
Dow Corning Construction Office for details.
This section provides information on cleaning

solvents and general cleaning procedures for
porous and non-porous substrates. The key to
good sealant adhesion is a clean surface. You
should always check with the supplier of the
substrate to ensure that the cleaning procedures
and solvents are compatible with each substrate.
Organic Solvent Usage
Not every kind of contaminant are effectively
removed by every solvents, and some substrates
can be seriously damaged by certain solvents. The
solvents recommended by name in this section
are given based on our experience with these
products. In many cases, alternative products
could adequately clean the substrate without
leaving a residual film or contamination. Contact
your local Dow Corning Construction Office for
recommendations regarding alternative cleaners.
Please follow the solvent manufacturers safe handling
recommendations and all local or governmental
regulations regarding solvent usage.
The basic steps for correct joint preparation and

sealant application are:
1. Clean Joint surfaces must be clean, dry, dust
free and frost free.
2. Prime - If required, primer is applied to the
clean surface(s).
Non-Porous Substrates
3. Place - The glass or panel to be glazed is set in

place according to standard practices.
Depending on the specific design, a spacer will
be installed during glazing or a backing
material will be packed into the joint.
Non-porous surfaces must be cleaned with a

solvent before the sealant is applied. Currently,
Dow Corning R40 Cleaner is recommended for
both structural and weatherseal applications on
non-porous surfaces. Also, an IPA-water solution
(maximum 50% water) is acceptable (See page 2).
Use the two-cloth cleaning method explained
later. Contact your Dow Corning Technical
Representative for the use of possible alternative
cleaners.
4. Apply - Adhesive/sealant is applied by filling

the joint cavity completely, being careful to not
leave air pockets.
5. Tool - Tooling techniques are used to strike the
sealant and making certain the sealant has the
proper configuration and fully contacts the
joint walls.
6. Check - Adhesion testing is performed after the
sealant cures.
The following sections are intended to provide
more detailed information in each of these areas.
Porous Substrates (Weatherseal Surfaces)
Masking
Building materials such as concrete, granite,

limestone and other stones or cementitious
materials that absorb liquid are considered porous
substrates. Most commonly, sealants are used on
porous substrates in nonstructural (weatherseal)
applications. The bulk of this section addresses
the surface preparation requirements for
weatherseals. The basic concepts, however, remain
the same regardless of the intended sealant
application.
It is important to note that silicone primers and

sealants cannot be removed with organic solvents.
If aesthetics are important, then it is imperative
that uncured silicone primers and sealants are not
allowed to contact non-abradable surfaces where
the silicone is not intended. These surfaces should
be masked or extreme care taken to prevent
silicone from contacting the surface during sealant
and priming application.
Two Cloth Cleaning Method
Dusting alone may be sufficient cleaning for new

porous substrates. Depending on the condition
of the surface, porous substrates may require
abrasion cleaning, solvent cleaning, or both.
Laitance and surface dirt must be removed
completely. Concrete mould release agents, water
repellents, and other types of surface treatments,
protective coatings, and old sealant all affect
sealant adhesion. Removal of these treatments,
coatings, or sealants by abrasion cleaning may be
required in order to obtain acceptable adhesion.
Clean, soft, absorbent, lint-free cloths (or

industrial paper) must be used. This cleaning
method consists of a solvent wipe followed by a
dry wipe.
1. Thoroughly clean all surfaces of loose debris.
2. Pour a small quantity of the cleaning solvent
into a working container ( do not use the
solvent directly from the original container, as
this may contaminate the cleaning agent).
A plastic (solvent resistant) squeeze bottle works
best for organic cleaning solvents.
Abrasion cleaning involves grinding, saw cutting,

sand or water blasting, or a combination of these
methods. Remaining dust and loose particles
should be removed by dusting the surface with a
stiff brush, vacuuming, or blowing the joints with
oil-free and water-free compressed air. If the
abraded surface is clean and dry, the sealant can
be applied. If the surface is dirty, it must be solvent
cleaned with the two-cloth method explained
later. Some porous surfaces will trap solvents after
cleaning or priming. This solvent must be allowed
to evaporate before sealant is applied.
3. Wipe with sufficient force to remove surface

contaminants. Check the cloth to see if it has
picked up contaminants. Rotate the cloth to a
clean areas and rewipe until no additional dirt
is picked up.
4. Immediately wipe the cleaned area with a
separate clean, dry cloth (paper).
Organic solvent should be removed with a dry
cloth before the solvent evaporates to make the
cleaning more effective.
10
Primer Application Procedure

Table 2 -
Dow Corning 1200 OS Primer should be applied

as follows:
1. Joint surfaces should be clean and dry. If not
already done, apply masking tape to the
surfaces next to the joint to keep excess primer
and sealant off areas where they are not
intended.
Characteristics of Dow Corning

1200 OS Primer
Dow Corning
1200 OS Primer
2. Pour some primer into a small, clean container

and be sure to replace and tighten the cap on
the primer can. To prevent deterioration of the
primer, do not pour more than a 10-minute
supply into the container.
Appearance
Clear liquid
Shelf Life (from date of manufacture)
18 months
Storage Temperature
Discard Indication
3. Pour a small amount of the primer from the

working container onto a clean, dry, lint-free
cloth ( or industrial paper) and gently wipe a
thin film onto the surface. Only enough primer
to wet the surface is required.
25 C
Product turns
milky white
Setting Procedure
Caution: Overpriming can cause adhesion loss

between the sealant and the primer. If too much
primer has been applied, a powdery white film
will form on the surface. Should this occur, or if
puddles are evident on the surface, remove the
excess primer with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth
(industrial paper) before applying the sealant.
Glazing, in general, can have very specific

procedural requirements depending on the
application. The following three points offer
general rules to follow in structural glazing
applications:
1. Care must be taken to ensure that joint surfaces
that have been cleaned are not contaminated.
4. Allow the primer to dry until all the solvent

evaporates. This typically takes 15 to 30
minutes, depending on the temperature and
humidity.
2. In some site glazing applications, the silicone

physically cannot be applied the same day the
substrates are assembled. In this case, the joint
preparation (cleaning and priming) must be
accomplished immediately prior to applying
the silicone.
5. Inspect the surface for dryness and for the

appearance of powder deposits.
6. The surface is now ready for the application of
the backer rod and the sealant. Sealant must
be applied the same day the surfaces are
primed. Any areas primed but not sealed within
6 hours of primer application must be
recleaned and reprimed before applying
sealant.
3. When glazing on the building site, temporary

fasteners or clips must be used to retain the
structurally glazed panel until the silicone has
fully cured. These temporary fasteners should
not introduce any stress into the silicone as it
cures.
11
Sealant Application Procedure
Site Glazing
It is critical that the sealant fills the entire joint or

cavity and firmly contacts all surfaces to which it
is intended to adhere. If the joint is improperly
filled, good adhesion will not be achieved and
sealant performance will be impaired. Sealant
should be applied as follows:
Temporary support of adjoining materials must

be used during the cure of the structural silicone
sealant. This is to prevent any stress on the sealant
prior to full development of sealant adhesion and
strength. Dow Corning 895 typically requires 21
days cure depending on joint size, temperature,
and relative humidity.
1. The substrates should be thoroughly cleaned

and masking tape should be used to keep
excess sealant from contacting adjacent areas.
Factory Glazing - One-Component Silicone

If Dow Corning 895 is used, complete cure of the
silicone must be achieved before the units are
moved or stressed in any way. This will require up
to 21 days. The exact time can be determined by
fabricating several small samples that replicate the
joint design on the units. These samples can be
tested to determine the degree of cure starting 7
days after application. For practical reasons, the
maximum sealant bite for one component
silicones is 15 mm. If the production schedule
requires the units to be moved before complete
sealant cure, temporary fasteners will be required.
2. Apply the sealant in a continuous operation

using an application gun or pump.
A positive pressure, adequate to fill the entire
joint, should be used. This can be accomplished
by either pushing or pulling the sealant
bead ahead of the application nozzle.
Care must be taken to ensure complete fill of the joint
cavity.
This is critical since the effectiveness of the
silicone in structural applications is largely
dependent on the sealant bite (contact area).
Factory Glazing - Two-Component Silicone
3. Tool the sealant with light pressure before a

skin begins to form (typically 5 to 15 minutes).
Tooling forces the sealant against the back-up
material and the joint surfaces.
Dow Corning 993 cures in deep section within

3 hours and generally achieves full adhesion
within 24 hours. The silicone must not be stressed
until full adhesion has developed. It is preferable
to allow horizontally glazed units to remain on
storage tables for the full 24 hours.
4. Remove any masking tape before the sealant

surface cures (within about 15 minutes after
sealant application).
Verification of sealant cure is done by producing

peel adhesion samples, or by testing sealant
strength and failure mode using H-pieces (both
described in the testing section).
Sealant Cure Requirements

In all silicone structural glazing applications, the
silicone must be fully cured and adhered before
the adhesive is stressed.
12
Replacement and Remedial Glazing
7. Clean the new glass or panel and set in place.

Install temporary fasteners. Mask the joint.
Glass breakage may occur during many phases of

construction or long after a building is completed.
How a system will be reglazed is an important
design consideration. The specifics will vary from
project to project. Following are some general
guidelines regarding the silicone that should
remain common to most projects.
8. Fill the joint with a bead of fresh sealant. Refer

to the sealant application procedures section
of this manual.
9. After the sealant has fully cured, check for
adhesion and remove the temporary fasteners.
Replacement of Glazing Due to System Failure
Replacement Glazing Due to Individual Unit

Breakage
If the scope of reglazing involves a major remedial

operation, please consult with your DOW
CORNING Construction Office as early in the
planning process as possible. Remedial glazing
utilizing silicone structural adhesives most
typically occurs when a conventionally glazed
building has experienced leakage problems and
the entire facade is refaced. In any major remedial
situation, it is very important to assess the problem
with the system and carefully record dates and
locations of specific failures.
The following procedure assumes that a Dow

Corning structural adhesive was originally used on
the project and that the original
recommendations are available to the contractor
performing the repairs. If this information is not
available, contact your DOW CORNING
Construction Office.
1. Perform a field adhesion test to confirm the
adhesion of the existing silicone to the
substrates. If excellent adhesion is not
observed, contact your DOW CORNING
Construction Office before proceeding.
2. Deglaze the area. Depending on the joint
design, this may require specially designed
tools or piano wire to cut behind the silicone.
3. Cut away the silicone, leaving a thin film
(approximately 1-2 mm) of adhesive on the
frame.
4. Clean the residual sealant with solvent using
the two-cloth cleaning technique described on
page 10. If fresh sealant is to be applied
immediately after cutting the cured sealant,
then cleaning of the residual cured sealant may
not be necessary.
5. Fresh sealant will adhere to cured sealant
without primer. Primer will not, however, harm
the adhesion of fresh sealant to cured sealant.
6. The silicone may absorb some solvent. Allow
this solvent to evaporate so the existing, cured
sealant is completely dry before applying
additional sealant.
13

Adhesion Testing
Peel Adhesion Test Diagram
Adhesion Tests
Peel Adhesion Testing
This is a simple screening test that can be done
on a flat test surface, as shown in the diagram to
the right.
Peel back with an

angle of 180
1. Clean and prime the surface following the

project-specific recommendations.
Bond breaker
2. Place a piece of polyethylene sheet or bond

breaker tape across the flat test surface.
3. Apply a bead of sealant and tool it to form a
strip approximately 20 cm long, 1.25 cm wide
and 6 mm thick. At least 4 cm of the sealant
should be applied over the polyethylene sheet
or bond breaker tape.
25 mm
4. It is recommended to place a strip of wire mesh

between two layers of sealant, and to
thoroughly imbed the mesh into the sealant, if
a stronger pull tab is desired.
Structural seal bead

12.5 x 6 mm
Glass / aluminium profile

200 mm
Bond breaker
25 mm
NOT
ALLOWED
5. After complete cure (7 to 14 days for one

component silicone, 24 to 48 hours for 2
component silicone) you should verify the
adhesion as follows :
a) grasp the 4 cm piece of sealant (not
adhered due to polyethylene sheet)
and pull back at 180 degree angle.
b) the sealant passes the test if it demonstrates
cohesive failure (i.e. silicone remains on the
surface of the test piece).
c) if the silicone totally releases from the test
piece or from the wire mesh, review
your sample preparation methods. If
everything else appears normal, contact
your DOW CORNING Construction Office
for advice.
14
H-piece Adhesion Testing
The shape of the test pieces can be provided by

wooden blocks which have been treated with a
soap solution to avoid adhesion of the silicone,
or by use of a spacing tape, with removing the
protective plastic liner. Be sure that the spacers
are not airtight if a one-component sealant is used,
as this will prevent curing of the sealant.
In order to verify the sealant adhesion and curing

during each day of production, a set of H-pieces
needs to be produced, and then tested at the
production facility. Dimensions for standard size
test pieces are shown on this page. The two
surfaces to which the silicone sealant are bonded
should be representative of the materials being
used during the days production.
For each half-day of production, 3 test pieces

should be made. These test pieces should be
stored in the same conditions as the production
units. The actual test equipment to evaluate the
test pieces is neither expensive nor complex.
A static load is added to the opposite end of a
simple Roman Scale (see Figure on page 17) to
evaluate both the strength and the adhesion of
the cured samples. More details regarding the test
procedures and requirements in your area can be
made available by your local DOW CORNING
Construction Technical Representative.
Diagram of H-piece dimensions
Quality Control Guidelines

In the absence of local standards regarding the
Quality Control testing for structural glazing
applications, DOW CORNING recommends
testing the first H-piece:
1.
after 24 hours cure for Dow Corning 993
2.
after 7 days cure for Dow Corning 895
to verify the minimum strength of 0.7 MPa and

100% cohesive failure in order to permit transfer
of the structurally glazed panels from the
production facility.
Please consult your local building authority to
determine if different quality control procedures
are required.
15

Quality control log sheet for production of insulating glass units and structural glazing units with
Dow Corning products.
For every day of production, DOW CORNING advises the customer to fill in the table below in the
logbook :
Company:
Project name:
date:
morning
afternoon
packaging change
Lot number of the silicone

(for 2 comp.: of base and
catalyst)
Dow Corning 3-3522 lot nr. (1)
temperature (C)
relative humidity (%)
base: catalyst ratio (1) (4)
glass plate test (1) (3)

or butterfly test (1) (3)
snaptime (1)
or tackfree time (1A)
metal (2)
type:
lot number
x
x
x
x
cleaning solvent name

lot number
x
x
x
x
primer name (if any)

lot number
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
glass
(x)
type:
(x)
cleaning solvent name

lot number
x
x
x
x
primer name (if any)

lot number
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
adhesion testing on
H-pieces (5) (6)
sample n1: after ... days
type of rupture
tensile stress (MPa)
x
x
x
x
x
x

type of rupture
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)

type of rupture
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
reference numbers scaled

frames or IG-units
( ) Numbers in brackets are explained on the following page.
Visual check of the frames and/or Insulating glass units:

Observations and remarks :
Name and signature of production supervisor :
16

(1)
Only for two-component silicone
(1A)
Only for one component silicone
(2)
For insulating units there is no metal support but a second glass plate
(3)
The purpose of these tests are to check the homogeneity of the mixture. See test descriptions text of this guidebook.
(4)
All 2-component mixing equipment comes equipped with 2 sampling tubes where small quantities of base and
catalyst can be taken for verification of the correct mixing ratio..
(5)
The H-pieces are test-pieces of silicone (12*12*50 mm) between 2 supports. See reference drawing in text of
the guidebook.
The shape of the test-pieces can be provided by wooden blocks which have been treated with a soap solution to avoid
adhesion of the silicone or by means of Norton tape from which the adhesive tape has not been removed. Be sure that in the
case of one-component sealants, the spacers are not air- and vapour tight otherwise they will prevent the curing of the
silicone.
For every half day of production, 3 test-pieces have to be made. The test pieces have to be stored in the same conditions as
the produced units. After 24 hours e.g. the first test-piece can be tested according to the procedure described below.
For testing the test pieces to rupture a sophisticated machine is not required. The roman scale as represented below will
allow the silicone applicator to test sealant adhesion and mechanical properties with a low cost equipment.
The strength applied to the silicone joint is equal to the weight W on the roman scale plate times the ratio b/a.
Before the produced units can be transported to the site or in the case of structural bonding on site with DC 895 the time to
wait before the temporary mechanical fixings can be removed, the H-piece test sample needs to have a cohesive (this means
rupture in the mass of silicone and not at the adhesion interface) tensile stress at rupture of minimum
0.7 MPa. This corresponds to a strength of 12 * 50 * 0.7 = 420 N to be applied to the test piece. This strength corresponds
to a load of 42 kg.
If the roman scale is designed for having a ratio b/a of 10, a weight W of 4.2 kg is necessary on the scale to generate the
required stress in the silicone. This strength will be submitted to the joint for max. 10 seconds and no adhesive or cohesive
rupture may be observed.
If this is the case, continue to rupture by adding half a kilo at a time on the scale. The strength must be recorded in the
logbook and also the type of rupture. The rupture needs to be 100 % cohesive in all the cases.
If these two conditions are not fulfilled, the units have not cured sufficiently to transport them to the site. Wait e.g. anoth er
24 hours and test the second test piece in the same way ....etc.. Be ware that the time necessary to cure will strongly depend
on the temperature and for one-component silicones also on the relative humidity of the air.
(6) In case of impossibility to make H-pieces and to have a roman scale and there are no limits to the delivery time and/or
storage room, one can replace the 3 H-pieces per half a day of production and/or packaging change by 3 peel tests per
different substrate. After cleaning the substrate (and priming if necessary), a bead of silicone of approximately 10 mm
wide and 3 mm thick is applied. Afterwards a metal wire is pressed in the bead after which a second bead of silicone is
applied. After curing an incision is made with a cutter at the adhesion surface right in between the silicone and the metal,
of about 10 mm deep. By tearing with hand the type of tear should be checked. If the tear continues at the adhesion
surface an adhesive type of rupture is obtained which is not good. If the tear continues in the bulk of the silicone a cohesive
failure is obtained. At all times a 100% cohesive failure should be obtained!
This test does not allow the determination of the speed of curing because of the lack of recording a force at rupture.
Therefore when glueing in the factory one needs to keep the sealed units 7 days in the factory for a two component and 3
weeks for the one component if only performing a peel test and not a test on H-pieces. In the same way, by glueing on site,
one has to wait 21 days before removing the temporary mechanical fixings.
17

Dear Customer,
The Dow Corning checklist is designed to provide our Structural Glazing Engineers a full understanding of the
details of your project. It is an essential part of Dow Corning Structural Glazing procedures. The accurate
completion of the following 4 pages ensures a correct joint calculation of joint dimensions and sealant specification
for your Structural Glazing Project.
Time table for Dow Cornings structural glazing approval procedures
Time from receipt of checklist, drawings and samples.
1. Review drawings and system design
1 week
A technical letter of recommendations will be sent

including approval/disapproval of the design and
possible modifications.
2. Substrate tests
4 weeks
adhesion testing
compatibility testing
The test results will be communicated by letter,
confirming material suitability or identifying
potential problems.
3. Bonding and production documents
your time
This should be completed by your company during

the production process and mailed to DOW CORNING.
This is essential for obtaining the warranty.
4. Production and job site visits and audits
as required
5. DOW CORNING limited warranty issued
at project completion
(on request)
18
Dow Corning Structural Silicone Glazing
Project Checklist
Dear Customer:
The DOW CORNING Structural Glazing Checklist is designed to provide our Technical Service Engineers with a full
understanding of the details of your project. Completion of ALL SECTIONS of this 4-page Checklist initiates our technical
support of the project, producing a documentation review, adhesion and compatibility testing, and final warranty.
A. Project Identification
A.1.
Project name/city/country ________________________________________________________________________
A.2.
Glazing area, m2 ________________________________________________________________________________
A.3.
Key Technical Contact ______________________________ Tel. _______________________________________

of firm submitting checklist _________________________ FAX ______________________________________
B. Project Partners
B.1.
Facade Construction Firm / Contact Person _________________________________________________________
B.2.
I.G./Panel Manufacturer / Contact Person __________________________________________________________
B.3.
S.G. Bonding Company / Contact Person __________________________________________________________
B.4.
Consulting office / Control body __________________________________________________________________
B.5.
General contractor ______________________________________________________________________________
C. Structural Glazing System Type and References

(circle correct answers)
C.1.
2-sided or 4-sided system
C.2.
For 2-sided system, are the horizontal or vertical joints structurally glazed?
Are the non-structurally glazed sides unfastened or mechanically fastened?
Are the two structurally glazed sides shorter, longer, or equal in length to the non-glazed sides?
C.3.
Is the deadload (weight) of the structurally glazed system supported or unsupported?

If supported, is the support for internal, external, or both panes of glass?
C.4.
Are the glass panes square, rectangular, or other shape?
C.5.
Are all units vertical or are there sloping elements? Angle (degrees) from horizontal: ___________________
C.6.
List any official/national or technical approval of this system: ________________________________________
page 1 of 4
Please draw other shape:
Project Checklist
D. Joint Dimensioning
D.1.
Structural Silicone between glass/frame is 1-component (DC 895), 2-component (DC993) or others ___________
between glass/glass is 2-component (DC3362) or 1-component (DC3793)
D.2.
Maximum wind pressure for geography of project (obtained from architect or authorities):
________ Pa or kN/m2
D.3.
Snow load or other forces acting on sloped or horizontal glazing elements:
________ kN/m2
E. Vision Glass
E.1.
Width _______m, height _______m, thickness ______mm of the single glass with the largest short-side
dimension panel for this project
E.2.
Width _______m, height _______m of the insulation glass with the largest short-side dimensionpanel
for this project
E.3.
Thickness _______mm of outer glass, spacer distance ______mm, thickness ________mm of inner glass panel
E.4.
Insulation glass panel with the smallest surface area: Width _______m, heigth _______m
E.5.
Proposed structural joint dimensions: _______mm bite, _______mm thickness
E.6.
The insulating glass contains gas ?
E.7.
Proposed insulating glass joint dimension: _______ mm depth
E.8.
Type of insulating glass: stepped or non stepped?
E.9.
If stepped: is structural seal ON side 2 or 4?
Yes
No
(circle correct answer)
F. Spandrel Glass
F.1.
Width _______m, height _______m, thickness ______mm of the single glass panel with the largest shortside dimension for this project
F.2.
Width _______m, height _______m of the insulation glass panel with the largest short-side dimension for
this project
F.3.
Thickness _______mm of outer glass, spacer distance ______mm, thickness ________mm of inner glass panel
F.4.
Insulation glass panel with the smallest surface area: Width _______m, heigth _______m
F.5.
Proposed structural joint dimensions: _______mm bite, _______mm thickness
F.6.
The insulating glass contains gas ?
F.7.
Proposed insulating glass joint dimension: _______ mm depth
F.8.
Type of insulating glass: stepped or non stepped?
F.9.
If stepped: is structural seal ON side 2 or 4?
Yes
No

page 2 of 4
Project Checklist
G. List of Samples for Laboratory Testing
Please provide samples representative of the lot to be used on the project
G.1.
Aluminium or Steel Profiles:

(per profile lot number)
6 pieces, 15 cm long 1
G.2.
Coated, Enamelled, or
previously untested glass:
3 pieces, 20 cm x 15 cm
(only at our request normally)
G.3.
Support Materials (gaskets,

backer rod, tapes in contact
with the silicone sealant)
1 piece, 10 - 20 cm long
(of each material)
G.4.
Accessories (setting blocks,

spacers, etc, in close proximity
to the silicone sealant)
3 pieces each
1: Exception: projects made in France or elsewhere in Europe under the control of an official French company
(Veritas, Socotec, etc) must submit 18 extra profiles that are 7.5 cm in length.
H. List of Drawings to be sent

H.1.
Vertical & horizontal cross-section of the structural seals of vision and spandrel units.
H.2.
Elevation drawing of the facade.
Please send all samples to:

Dow Corning s.a.
Parc Industriel, Zone C
B-7180 Seneffe
BELGIUM
to the attention of Michele Swartele
tel:
fax:
page 3 of 4
0032/64 888 000

0032/64 888 950
Project Checklist
Description of Test Samples
Please complete the following list for each shipment of samples:
PROJECT NAME / CITY / COUNTRY _______________________________________________________________
Sealants to be tested for this project: (circle answer)

DC895
DC993
DC3793
DC3362
DC797
DC897
For substrates requiring adhesion testing, please indicate on the samples the suface to be tested.
Profile:
_____
Anodised Aluminium
(company performing anodisation:
Colour _____________
)
_____
Polyester-coated Aluminium
Colour _____________
_____
Stainless Steel
Colour _____________
lot or batch numbers:
___________________
Vision Glass:
Manufacturer:
________________________________________________
Product Brand Name:
________________________________________________
Coating Brand Name:
________________________________________________
Coating(s) on Glass Face #:
1
(outside)
4
(inside)
Coating type (circle answer):
enamelled
PU coating
PU film
others (to specify)
Yes
No
Coating is stripped on the bonding area ? (circle answer)
Manufacturer:
________________________________________________
Product Brand Name:
________________________________________________
Spandrel Coating Brand Name:
________________________________________________
Coating(s) on Glass Face #:
1
(outside)
4
(inside)
Coating type (circle answer):
enamelled
PU coating
PU film
others (to specify)
Yes
No
Coating is stripped on the bonding area (circle answer):
Accessory Materials: Please list the Manufacturer, Brand Name, and type of material to be used:
1. Spacer _____________________________________ / _______________________ / __________________________
2. Backer rod _________________________________ / _______________________ / __________________________
3. Preformed rubber or plastic
profiles or gaskets ___________________________ / _______________________ / __________________________
4. Setting blocks ______________________________ / _______________________ / __________________________
5. Other material ______________________________ / _______________________ / __________________________
Dow Corning is a registered trademark of DOW CORNING Corporation.
Printed in Belgium
page 4 of 4
Ref.: 62-0978B-01
Spandrel Glass:
Construction Sales Offices

UNITED KINGDOM, EIRE,
NORDIC COUNTRIES,
BENELUX, SOUTH AFRICA &
MIDDLE EAST
DOW CORNING Ltd.
Meriden Business Park
Copse Drive
Allesley, Coventry
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: INT + 44 (0)1 676 52 80 00
Fax: INT + 44 (0)1 676 52 80 01
POLAND
DOW CORNING Polska Sp. zo.o.
ul. Migdalowa 4
PL-02-796 Warszawa
POLAND
Tel: INT + 48 (0)22 645 14 45
Fax: INT + 48 (0)22 645 14 40
FRANCE & NORTH AFRICA

DOW CORNING France S.A.
Le Britannia
boulevard Eugne Deruelle 20
69432 Lyon Cedex 3
FRANCE
Tel: INT + 33 (0)4 72 84 13 60
Fax: INT + 33 (0)4 72 84 13 79
ITALY & EASTERN
MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES
DOW CORNING S.p.A.
Via Lombardia, 31/33
20098 - Sesto Ulteriano
Milano - ITALY
Tel: INT + 39 02 98 8321
Fax: INT + 39 02 98 80710
AUSTRIA, GERMANY,
SWITZERLAND & EASTERN
EUROPE
DOW CORNING GmbH
Rheingaustr. 34
65201 Wiesbaden
GERMANY
Tel: INT + 49 (0)611 - 237 906
Fax: INT + 49 (0)611 - 237 603
SPAIN & PORTUGAL
DOW CORNING Ibrica S.A.
Avda Diagonal 613 - 5
08028 Barcelona
SPAIN
Tel: INT + 34 (0)93 - 405 12 15
Fax: INT + 34 (0)93 - 405 38 94
www.dowcorning.com
Dow Corning. We help you invent the future.
The information contained herein is offered in good faith based on Dow Cornings research and is believed to be accurate. However, because conditions and
methods of use of our products are beyond our control, this information shall not be used in substitution for customers tests to ensure that Dow Cornings
products are fully satisfactory for your specific applications. Dow Cornings sole warranty is that the product will meet its current sales specifications. Your
exclusive remedy for breach of such warranty is limited to refund of purchase price or replacement of any product shown to be other than as warranted. DOW
CORNING SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR
MERCHANTABILITY. UNLESS DOW CORNING PROVIDES YOU WITH A SPECIFIC, DULY SIGNED ENDORSEMENT OF FITNESS FOR USE, DOW
CORNING DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. SUGGESTIONS OF USE SHALL NOT BE TAKEN AS
INDUCEMENTS TO INFRINGE ANY PATENT.
2001 Dow Corning Corporation

Dow Corning is a registered trademark of
Dow Corning Corporation
ELG.: 62-0979C-01

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An Adhesive/Sealant Quality

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide

Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide

Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

Joint Preparation and Sealant

Dow Corning Silicone Sealants for

Substrate Cleaning Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Dow Corning Primers and Cleaners . . . . . . . . 2

Primer Application Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Dow Corning Insulated Glazing

Sealant Application Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Sealant Cure Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Replacement and Remedial Glazing . . . . . . . 13

Construction Project Checklist . . . . . . . 19

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide

Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

Silicone structural glazing is a method utilizing a

The sealant cures appropriately and is within

Joint Preparation and Sealant

The substrates should be prepared in

Not all silicone sealants are suitable for use in this

The sealant joints must be filled completely

The sealant should be physically checked to

Specific quality control procedures must be used

Quality control procedures should be recorded in

Once a structural joint has been designed, the

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide

Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

Dow Corning Structural Glazing

of non-structural building sealant product line:

The following products are the adhesives currently

897 Natural Stone and

Dow Corning Primers and Cleaners

2. Dow Corning 895 Structural Glazing Silicone

DOW CORNING Insulated Glazing

The following primers are available from DOW

The following products are currently offered by

1. Dow Corning 1200 OS Primer

1. Dow Corning 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant

2. Dow Corning P Primer for porous substrates.

The following cleaners are available from

DOW CORNING Silicone Sealants for

Non-structural applications refer to any

3. It is also possible to use an IPA (isopropyl

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide

Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

Selection of the correct sealant in construction

Guidelines for silicone structural glazing details

1. The number of sealants available,

1. The structural bite (Hmc) must be a minimum

DOW CORNING professionals are available to

2. The joint thickness (e) must be a minimum

The following services are offered by DOW

Structural Bite (m) =

(1) Note : Other proprietary systems may have

* Any review, recommendation, or statement, made on

to call to the attention of the engineer, architect, formulator,

An Adhesive/Sealant Quality Assurance Guide

Silicone Structural Glazing Manual

When using this equation, always round up to the

8. The structural sealant joint must be able to

6. To accommodate dead load for standard cases :