Architects and engineers may
spend hours designing sealant
joints for curtain walls or highways.
Residential buildings will
never receive that kind of attention,
but there are several points
to keep in mind if you want your
air sealing work to have a chance
of lasting as long as the building.
Joint Design
A sealant must stick to the substrate
(adhesion) and hold itself
together (cohesion). This requires a
minimum amount of sealant.
Usually a joint needs to be at least
1/4 inch wide and 1/8 inch deep.
Some sealants, however, will work
in smaller joints. Check with the
manufacturer for the ideal size of
the joint for the particular sealant
you are using.
Joints can also be too big. If
there's too