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from the days of fller-laden caulks that were prone to rapid drying and cracking. Today's products incorporate polymers of their own that increase both fexibility and bonding, and can also enable some caulks to be used in exterior settings. "Nowadays, we're moving away from the terminology of caulk," he says. "Te technol- ogy has changed so much that we really need to change the terminology." Stypczynski sees some diference in the rela- tive movement capabilities of sealants vs. caulk, noting that ASTM International specifes seal- ants should have movement capability greater than 12.5 percent. "Typically, with caulks, it's well under that amount — anywhere from 5 percent up to 10 percent," he says. Among newer caulk oferings to hit the market is DAP's Kwik Seal Ultra, which Cozzone says incorporates hydrophobic properties to repel water, dirt and soap scum. Because water simply beads up and rolls of, it limits the risk of mold and mildew buildup. "It's virtually the last calking you'll use in the kitchen and bathroom," he says. "And, it's latex, so it can be cleaned up with soap and water — and you can use your tub in three hours." Whether the term is "caulk" or "sealant," any interior-applied product also faces stricter scrutiny as to emission of odor and VOCs, especially formaldehyde. "Tat seems to be the biggest issue lately, Stypczynski says, not- ing Liquid Nails now has a range of products that have achieved "Gold" certifcation from the Greenguard Environmental Institute. He adds that opting for such products could be especially important when clients are seeking certifcation under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program. CREATING A QUIETER BOND A single-minded focus on bond strength has sometimes led adhesives to be treated as something of a commodity product, accord- ing to OSI's Majka. However, as with sealants and caulk, these products have seen formula improvements lately, including a greater role for polyurethane, that are boosting products' ability to bond to new types of surfaces. "Nowadays we have diferent sorts of panelized foor and wall systems," so ad- hesive makers are addressing the properties required to bond with engineered wood, at a premium price over the more tradition- al products, so contractors can still see new advantages in these more afordable sealants. "Improvements in latex formulations are enabling manufacturers to do what they ha- ven't before," says Mark Stypczynski, man- ager of technical specifcations for adhesives and sealants at PPG Architectural Coatings, parent company of the Liquid Nails brand. "Tey're extremely heavy-duty products, with application available down to 20 F." CAULK STRETCHING BEYOND OLD DEFINITIONS Tese advances have also extended into caulks, which is leading to an increasingly blurred line dividing these products from sealants. Majka notes we've come a long way the varying expansion and contraction rates of an original wood or aluminum window, versus the vinyl window that might replace it and the PVC boards that might be used for replacement trim. "Tat just becomes com- plex and difcult to understand to an installer — so you have the versatility built into the formulation." OSI certainly isn't alone in the SMP mar- ket. For example, DAP's advanced-polymer DAP 3.0 Window, Door, Trim & Siding High Performance Sealant can be applied across sim- ilarly broad temperature and materialsranges. Mike Cozzone, a construction sales specialist with the company, emphasizes how valuable such versatility can be for remodelers, though many building professionals aren't yet aware of the advantages these new products ofer. "Contractors, in general, are comfortable using what they know works," he says, add- ing he spends much of his time out on active jobsites introducing new products. "Te con- tractors out in the feld rarely get to know these new products because they're working all the time. Tey don't really understand that we've come light-years ahead in technology." While the growth in SMP-based products might be the biggest news in sealants, it's cer- tainly not the only advance manufacturers are promoting. Latex, silicone and combination products also are still moving forward. Tis is especially helpful because SMP oferings come DAP's Kwik Seal Ultra incorporates hydrophobic properties to repel water, dirt and soap scum. Because water simply beads up and rolls off the product, it limits the risk of mold and mildew buildup. Circle 11 on inquiry card Improvements in latex formulations are enabling manufacturers to do what they haven't before. Mark Stypczynski, PPG Architectural Coatings 76 April 2016 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com PRODUCT TRENDS: Sealants, Caulks & Adhesives