What is a good clear sealant?

Hi Westend,

Just curious, were you using the good quality 100%, exterior grade, clear silicone calk? I would agree lower grade semi-silicones do not provide good performance (or ones not designate for exterior use), but the calk I buy from Lowes is 100% silicone, exterior grade and I think has a 5+ yr warranty if I remeber correctly? I'd have to check. Not to say I'd trust it that long, I still reccomends checking all calk joints several times per year regardless of what you are using. The calk I use has good resiliance to weather. I have no complaints with it.

I use a variety of sealants in my work life, including the best GE 100% silicone money can buy. I've used it for years and know the properties. I don't use it for sealing anything exposed to exterior weather. Today, there are a variety of sealants that outperform silicone and will not degrade from UV. The urethane caulks are good sealers for everyday mundane tasks like siding joints and household use. I use acrylics when painting because of fast dry time and good paint bonding. Geocel, parent company of Proflex RV makes different sealers for mobile applications. Their tripolymer sealants have the characteristics that we want in an RV sealer, good bond, high elongation rate, and durability. You definitely should not take my word as gospel, experiment for yourself. Take pieces of aluminum and put beads of different caulks onto them. Put it out in your backyard for a couple of years and go back to see what has occurred.