Automotive Adhesives & Sealants

Automotive Adhesives & Sealants for Body Repair

Automotive sealants and adhesive sealants are used to seal welded seams, panel overlaps and other body joints during vehicle repair.

A correctly selected product forms a flexible seal that can help prevent water, dirt and contaminants from entering panel joints and can form part of the vehicle's corrosion-protection system.

The range includes polyurethane, STP and other professional body-sealing systems supplied in cartridges, sausage packs, brushable and sprayable formats.

Automotive Seam Sealers

Seam sealer is used to restore sealing around welded and overlapping body panels after repair.

Different products can reproduce brushed, extruded or sprayed OEM-style seam patterns depending on the original construction and application equipment.

Cartridge Adhesive Sealants

Cartridge adhesive sealants are commonly supplied in approximately 300–310 ml packs and applied using a suitable caulking gun.

Many products cure to form a flexible seal and selected formulations can also provide bonding properties. Substrate compatibility and structural performance are product-specific.

Polyurethane Adhesive Sealants

Polyurethane adhesive sealants are widely used in automotive body repair. Many are moisture-curing one-component systems that form a durable, flexible material after curing.

They can be suitable for sealing welded seams, panel joints and other body connections, depending on the individual product specification.

STP & Hybrid Sealants

STP or silane-modified polymer sealants use a different chemistry from conventional polyurethane systems.

Some can be sprayed, brushed or shaped to reproduce specific OEM seam textures. Always use the technical data for the individual product when selecting the system.

Sprayable Seam Sealer

Sprayable seam sealers are useful where a broad or textured factory-style sealing pattern must be reproduced.

Final texture can depend on the application gun, air pressure, nozzle, spray distance and material viscosity.

Brushable Seam Sealer

Brushable seam sealers are suited to repairs where an OEM-style brushed finish is required around seams and panel joints.

Application technique influences the final texture, while coat thickness and drying times must follow the product instructions.

Can Automotive Seam Sealer Be Overpainted?

Many automotive seam sealers can be overpainted, but this is not universal.

Recoat timing, compatible paint systems and required surface preparation vary by product. Always follow the technical data sheet.

Surface Preparation

1. Remove loose old sealant and contamination.
2. Clean and degrease the substrate.
3. Remove corrosion where present.
4. Prime or prepare exposed metal according to the repair system.
5. Allow the surface to dry correctly before sealing.

Not every sealant can be applied to the same substrates or at the same stage of the refinishing process.

Adhesive Sealant or Seam Sealer Tape?

Paste-type sealers can be shaped during application and are suitable for many different seam widths and profiles.

Seam sealer tape is a preformed product designed to reproduce certain consistent factory-style sealing profiles quickly.

Body Sealant vs Windscreen Adhesive

General automotive seam sealants are not automatically suitable for bonded vehicle glazing.

Windscreens and other bonded automotive glass require a dedicated, approved windscreen adhesive system together with the specified primers or activators where required.

Safe Use

Always follow the product label, technical data sheet and safety data sheet. Use the specified ventilation and personal protective equipment for the individual chemical system.

Frequently Asked Questions About Automotive Adhesives & Sealants