Visit the DURA+ Demo Event at Travis Perkins Loanhead

Posted on June 23, 2021March 29, 2023 by Howard McCreadie

Where & When?

Head over to Travis Perkins in Loanhead next Wednesday 30^th June for free samples, free refreshments and free expert advice.

What is Dura+?

Dura+ all-in-one adhesive and sealant can be used on a huge range of tasks from fixing leaks to instant sealing even in the toughest conditions. A food safe, solvent free, flexible, and waterproof product, you will find that Dura+ allows you to replace a veritable galaxy of mastic, silicone sealants, caulks, and adhesives with just the one product.

Possibly you have already heard of a ‘wonder product’ for the construction, maintenance, and facilities management trade talked up to the skies, only to be disappointed once the money has left your account?

Not with DURA+!

Please do come along to see this for yourself, meet our down-to-earth guys and chat over your challenges and – very importantly – take a free sample tube away to try for yourself.

Dura+ is available in several colours for all your construction and repairs needs.

Venue: Travis Perkins – Pentland Industrial Est, Loanhead, EH20 9QH

Need Samples or More Information?

Shortage of OSB in UK – Alternate Window Boarding Solutions

Posted on June 10, 2021June 10, 2021 by MAXAM INFO

Is There a Shortage of OSB for Window Boarding in the UK?

OSB (oriented strand board) is arguably the most common material used to board up and make safe broken glass windows. There is however a huge shortage of timber products in the UK at this time including OSB. The Timber Trade Federation reports that OSB imports fell by up to 50% due to the ongoing global pandemic. This then begs the question, ‘Can I use an alternative to OSB to board my broken windows?’. Maxam’s answer is a resounding, ‘YES!’.

What is OSB?

OSB is an acronym for Oriented Strand Board. OSB is constructed from ‘strands’ or longer chips of wood that are mixed with adhesives and waxes, aligned in perpendicular alternating layers, and pressed into panels. (see image above for an example of what OSB looks like)

What are the Alternatives to OSB for Making Safe Broken Windows?

There are many alternatives such as:

Plywood
Steel sheets
Plexiglass or Perspex
Composite boards
Glass repair film

The alternatives are many, but there is one solution that stands out: Glass Repair Film.

The Ultimate Alternative to OSB

Maxam 175 used to repair virgin train window

Maxam 175 Glass Repair Film solves a multitude of challenges with the traditional OSB boarding method of making safe a broken window.

Some of the drawbacks or challenges of OSB Boarding are:

Unsightly – if your window is street facing, having a raw OSB board over your window will look unpleasant.
Non-Translucent – once you have boarded your broken window with OSB, if that is the only window in the room, no natural light can enter the room.
Destructive – in order to secure the boarding, the board has to be screwed in to the window frame or surrounding wall.

Maxam 175 offers solutions to all these issues and more:

Translucent Film – this takes care of point 1 and 2 above. As is translucent, it is basically invisible making it instantly more visually suitable and allows light to enter as if it were glass.
Adhesive Backing – As this is a film, you simple apply it to the broken window without any penetration of the frame or surrounding walls.
Can be applied to moving objects – As it is a film and has flexible properties, Maxam 175 can be applied to vehicles, trains or construction site vehicles. Read the case study on Virgin Trains to see how Maxam 175 was their ultimate solution.
Cost savings – one board of OSB costs about £25 on average and can be used to cover one window. Include the time, the fact it takes 2 persons to board a window and that cost quickly increases to more than £50. With a 3M roll of Maxam 175 handy for less than £50, you can fix multiple windows, one person to carry out the work and only use exactly what you need.

Maxam is Here to Help!

the team at Maxam have been providing innovative products to clients in social housing maintenance, public transport, education facility managers, hospitals, facilities managers and builders merchants for over 25 years.

With our experience and a desire to answer and solve your questions and challenges, we would be glad to hear from you. You can contact us via email at sales@maxam.co.uk call us toll-free on 0800 0922 923 or via our contact page.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Visit the DURA+ Demo Event at Travis Perkins Haddington

Posted on June 4, 2021June 10, 2021 by MAXAM INFO

Where & When?

Head over to Travis Perkins in Haddington next Wednesday 9^th June for free samples, free refreshments and free expert advice.

What is Dura+?

Not with DURA+!

Please do come along to see this for yourself, meet our down-to-earth guys and chat over your challenges and – very importantly – take a free sample tube away to try for yourself.

Dura+ is available in several colours for all your construction and repairs needs.

Venue: Travis Perkins Haddington – 2A Hospital Rd, Haddington EH41 3BH

Need Samples or More Information?

What Materials Can Hybrid Adhesives Bond?

Posted on May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 by MAXAM INFO

Is Hybrid Adhesive the New MVP of Sealants and Adhesives?

One of the best things about hybrid adhesives is that because they stick well to so many surfaces, an adhesive bond is possible between otherwise incompatible substrates that previously would have required mechanical fixings.

Dura+ hybrid adhesive is one of the most advanced and versatile fixing products in the construction industry, combining all the best qualities of silicone sealants and grab adhesives and outperforming both of them.

What can Dura+ Hybrid Adhesive Sealant Stick/Bond?

With a cartridge of Dura+ in their toolkit, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, fitters and decorators can quickly and permanently bond surfaces together, fix stuff in place, fill gaps and make a waterproof seal. All with one product.

As Dura+ is solvent-free, it is also compatible with substrates that would be softened by grab adhesives, which contain solvents.

Providing the contact surfaces are stable and free of dust or grease, Dura+ will bond most surfaces – even when wet – including:

Wood – unplaned timber; planed square edge (PSE) timber
Metal – stainless steel, aluminium, copper, lead, etc.
Plastics – hard PVC, polycarbonates, polyurethane, polystyrene, fibreglass (GRP), ABS and Perspex
Porcelain, ceramics and glass – sanitaryware, wall and floor tiles, glazing, shower screens, mirrors, etc.
Stone, brick and concrete
Cured plaster and mortar
Surface coatings – paint, varnish, powder-coating
All roofing materials including bitumen paper

What Will Hybrid Adhesive NOT Stick/Bond To?

You might ask, what doesn’t Dura+ stick to? Like all hybrid adhesives, it won’t stick to cured silicone sealant, so this must be removed and the area washed down with isopropyl alcohol (IPA), rubbing spirit or similar alcohol before reapplying Dura+. It also won’t bond with surfaces that have a high wax or oil content – lookout for this particularly in products used to preserve exterior timber such as fencing and garden furniture.

If you have an unusual application and are unsure if Dura+ will work, you can ask our experts on 0800 0922 923 for professional advice – we’re just a phone call away!

White Silicone Supply Issues in UK – Alternative Option to Consider

Posted on May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 by MAXAM INFO

The Global Silicone Sealant Supply Challenge

With global construction markets booming despite the COVID-19 pandemic, raw material shortages are starting to negatively influence product supply, including silicone sealants.

In March 2021, a well-known construction sector market research group in Europe, Construction Market Experts, published a blog mentioning that the pandemic has caused global shortages of Siloxanes, which is a key base component in the manufacturing of silicones.

This month, May 2021, we have got market feedback from major construction retailers and builders’ merchants that there is an ongoing and worsening shortage of silicones, and in particular, white silicone in The UK.

A Solution to the Silicone Supply Shortage

Maxam have for years been providing solutions to challenges in the construction market and this continues to be the case with the newest addition to our range of products.

Dura+ Hybrid Polymer Sealant has been launched in early 2021 as Maxam’s answer to overpriced hybrid sealants on the market and as a solution that will reduce the reliance on silicones by providing a superior product.

Not only does Dura+ far exceed the properties and performance of silicone, but it can also be used as caulking as it is paintable and will not crack after setting.

Why carry around 4 tubes instead of one? Many construction workers use 4 different tubes of sealant or adhesive. A tube of caulk, a tube of adhesive (Gripfill or similar), a tube of silicone and a tube of glue (Unibond No More Nails or similar).

With Dura+, the advantages and savings are massive for everyday users of adhesives and sealant. Not only from the convenience of having your tool belt lightened from 4 tubes to 1, but also from a cost perspective.

Cost Comparison Between DURA+, Silicone and Conventional Products

DURA+ - The Obvious Alternative to Silicone

As is evidenced here, one tube of Hybrid Dura+ Adhesive Sealant replacing all 4 separate tubes would save more than £3 per tube or 23.29%. When extrapolated to commercial use quantities, this becomes a major saving.

The other point to be considered is that many times, due to only a small quantity needed of one particular type or colour of caulk, glue or silicone, a high amount of wastage occurs.

With Dura+ the ‘type’ variable is removed only leaving colour as the variable which could reduce your wastage and overall costs by a large amount across multiple projects.

With 5 popular and versatile colours to choose from, Dura+ is the obvious choice to reduce your costs and your environmental impact via reduction of wastage. Dura+ is available in White, Clear, Black, Brown, and Grey.

Our Conclusion

So, we don’t think that the rumours, or reality, of a white silicone shortage (or any silicone shortage) should be a concern. It is rather an opportunity to challenge the status quo of adhesive and sealant usage and find opportunities for cost savings, environmental impact reduction, and freeing up of stock storage space.

If you are interested in these savings, a Maxam team member would be more than happy to discuss your requirements and get you set up with a supply of Dura+.

Please contact us on the form below, via email at sales@maxam.co.uk or give us a call on 0800 0922 923.

Need Help Choosing the Correct Adhesive Sealant? We are Waiting To Help!

Silicone Adhesive Sealants and Alternatives

Posted on April 26, 2021May 25, 2021 by MAXAM INFO

The evolution of silicone adhesive sealants over time

When English chemist F.S Kipping introduced the word silicone in 1940, the
synthetic product appeared to be of no commercial use, and the world
continued with natural rubbers, resins and wax. But from simple commercial
beginnings in the 50’s to widespread use in the 80’s, silicone has become a
very valuable and versatile adhesive or sealant, and numerous versions have
been developed. You can now easily obtain a silicone sealant or adhesive
adapted to stick, seal or cement for virtually any application.

Hybrid Sealant Adhesives - the next generation

After the abundance of silicone adhesive sealants and polyurethane glues and sealants, Hybrid Sealant Adhesives emerged, combining the positive performance attributes of many types, to produce a high-strength, durable sealant and adhesive. These new products have a number of advantages, and generally do not contain silicone, solvents or isocyanates, scoring well on the environmental front. This lack of solvent also means they do not shrink or crack through curing, making them very valuable for caulking and gap-filling, as they retain their stretch or elasticity. A major weakness with regular silicone sealants is that they usually require a dry surface to bond to – in real life this can be difficult to achieve. The next generation, sometimes called Hybrid Polymer Sealant Adhesive, can even cure under water.

Which Sealant Adhesive do I need?

The answer to this will of course depend on your task, but unless you do exactly the same task all the time, or are only expecting to do one task, a product that performs excellently in as many situations as possible makes an obvious choice. Well known names such as CT1 or Dura+ offer very good bonding strength, at the same time as excellent indoor or outdoor durability and flexibility. The qualities for adhesives you would look for are high initial grab strength and temperature stability. For sealants, it would be ability to seal in damp conditions, long-term flexibility, resistance to shrinking, cracking and discolouration and mould or mildew protection. Of course you often need a waterproof product, and if used outdoors it should have UV resistance.

Are silicone sealant alternatives expensive?

A basic tube of economy sealant or adhesive may only cost £2 to £4 each. Combined (Hybrid) alternatives would probably start around £9 to £10 for small quantities, which would appear to be expensive at first glance. However, for a proper comparison, you need to consider two other factors. Firstly, will you need several tubes of sealant and adhesive to cover each different situation you work with? Secondly, with a variety of different tubes open or on the shelf, you are more likely to find they have dried out or past their best by the time you need them. Silicone sealants in particular are time-sensitive and you must carefully check the date on the tube. Of course, if you factor in the time or cost of re-doing a job because the sealant or adhesive did not suit the particular situation, your supposed cost saving with a cheap silicone disappears.

Still Confused? Need Help Choosing the Correct Adhesive Sealant?

Yes, it can be confusing and you may have many questions that are not answered here. But, that’s ok, we are only a phone call away or can be contacted via email to answer these remaining questions.

At Maxam, we have built a reputation for personalised, friendly service that puts the customer first. We have been manufacturing high quality and innovative products for the construction and property repair trades since 1971. We would be glad to answer any questions or concerns about your sealant or adhesive needs.

If you would like to discuss your sealant or adhesive needs or find out more about our full range of products, call our friendly, knowledgeable team on 0800 0922 923, send an email to sales@maxam.co.uk or send us an enquiry. Or if you’d rather, browse our complete product range and call us when you’re ready to talk – we’re here to help!