When a construction project wraps up and is handed over to the client, the building’s sealants are already being tested. Every sunrise brings thermal expansion. Every evening brings contraction. Rain, dust, humidity, UV radiation, all of it is working on the joints from day one. The sealant in those joints will either hold or fail. And in the UAE’s climate, average products fail faster than most people expect.
Sika has been producing construction sealants for decades. The general-purpose sealant range, which includes highly resistant compounds for heavy-duty and chemical environments, as well as elastic sealants for facades, curtain walling, precast structures, and civil engineering, is one of the most comprehensive in the region. Each product in the range is engineered for a specific set of demands, and each is backed by verified technical data, not marketing language.
At WHGT, we supply the Sika sealant range as part of our construction chemicals portfolio, and we work with project teams across the UAE and Gulf region to make sure the right product gets specified for the right application. This article covers the key products in Sika’s general-purpose sealant range, what each one does, and where it belongs.
Sikaflex Construction+: The Benchmark for Facade and Structural Joints
For most exterior and interior joint sealing applications on buildings in the GCC, Sikaflex Construction+ is the product that sets the standard.
It is a 1-component, moisture-curing, elastic polyurethane sealant, which means it cures by reacting with atmospheric humidity, is easy to apply from a single cartridge or foil pack, and does not require mixing. That single-component convenience matters on busy construction sites where application consistency and speed are both important.
The technical performance behind it is what makes it the product of choice for serious projects. Sikaflex Construction+ achieves a movement capability of ±35% according to ASTM C 719 and ±25% according to ISO 9047. This means it can accommodate significant joint movement without tearing, delaminating, or losing seal integrity. That movement tolerance is critical in the Gulf region, where the thermal differential between summer and winter, and between day and night, puts facade and structural joints through a continuous cycle of expansion and contraction.
The sealant has an elastic recovery of approximately 90% (ISO 7389), meaning it returns to near its original shape after deformation. This resilience is what separates elastic sealants from plastic ones, and it is what a facade joint requires to maintain its seal through thousands of thermal cycles over a building’s lifespan. The service temperature range runs from −40°C to +70°C, which more than covers everything the UAE climate can deliver.
In terms of substrate compatibility, Sikaflex Construction+ adheres to a wide range of materials without primers in standard applications, including aluminium, anodised aluminium, stainless steel, galvanised steel, powder-coated metals, glazed tiles, PVC, concrete, aerated concrete, brick, and cement-based renders. For critical high-performance applications, multi-storey buildings, highly stressed joints, or water immersion conditions, Sika recommends pre-treatment with Sika® Aktivator-205 for non-porous substrates and Sika® Primer-3 N for porous ones.
Sikaflex®-2c SL: Premium Performance for Trafficable and Chemical-Exposed Joints
For horizontal joints that face traffic loading, chemical exposure, or submerged conditions, the single-component approach of Sikaflex® Construction+ is not the right tool. This is where Sikaflex®-2c SL steps in.
Sikaflex®-2c SL is a 2-component, premium-grade, polyurethane-based, elastomeric sealant in a self-levelling consistency. The two-component system gives it a chemical cure, which means it does not rely on atmospheric moisture to harden and can be used in deep, non-moving joints where moisture access would be limited. It delivers true self-levelling properties, making it ideal for horizontal applications where the sealant needs to flow and settle into the joint without tooling.
The movement capability of Sikaflex®-2c SL reaches ±50%, the highest in the general-purpose range. That level of elasticity, combined with its tough, durable Shore A hardness of 40 ±5 (ASTM D-2240) and tensile strength of 175 psi (ASTM D 412), makes it appropriate for joints that see both movement and mechanical stress simultaneously.
It meets ASTM C-920, Type M, Grade P, Class 25, covering uses in traffic, non-traffic, metal, glass, aluminium, and others, as well as Federal Specification TT-S-00227E, Type 1, Class A. It is also jet fuel resistant, which makes it relevant for airport aprons, fuelling facilities, and aerospace infrastructure. Chemical resistance to water, diluted acids, diluted alkalines, and residential sewage makes it the correct choice for wastewater infrastructure, petrochemical containment bunds, canal and reservoir joints, and industrial floor joints.
It adheres to most construction substrates without priming in standard applications and is available in 35 architectural colours via Sika’s Color-pak system, with pre-pigmented Limestone Gray available without a Color-pak. The product is paintable with water-, oil-, and rubber-base paints, which gives architects and finish contractors flexibility on visible joint lines.
Application time is 4 hours, with tack-free time of 6-8 hours and full cure in 3 days. It can be applied at temperatures from 40°F to 100°F (4°C to 38°C).
Sikadur®-51: Rigid Joint Sealing for Heavy Traffic and Industrial Floors
Where the requirement shifts from elastic movement accommodation to rigid, impact-resistant joint protection under heavy traffic, including forklift operations, industrial vehicles, and high-load flooring, Sikadur®-51 is the correct specification.
Sikadur®-51 is a 2-component, 100% solids, self-levelling epoxy adhesive and sealant. Unlike the polyurethane products, it is designed for joints without movement, like control joints, construction joints, and cracks in concrete floors, where structural edge protection and load transfer are the primary requirements, not flexibility.
Its key characteristics make it suitable for exactly those environments. It maintains permanent flexibility without hardening over time, preventing the edge deterioration that occurs when rigid sealants crack under impact.
Choosing the Right Product for Your Application
The products above cover the full range of general construction joint sealing requirements:
For facade joints, curtain walling, precast elements, cladding, infill panels, and connection joints on buildings and civil structures, interior and exterior, porous and non-porous substrates, Sikaflex® Construction+ is the right specification. It is the versatile, certified, single-component solution for the majority of building envelope and structural joint applications in the region.
For horizontal trafficable joints, chemical containment areas, fuel-resistant applications, submerged joints, and civil engineering structures, including canal joints, reservoir joints, and wastewater infrastructure, Sikaflex®-2c SL delivers the movement capability, chemical resistance, and mechanical durability required.
For industrial floor joints, control joints and construction joints under heavy traffic, including forklifts and industrial vehicles, Sikadur®-51 provides the rigid, impact-resistant, ACI-compliant solution built for those conditions.
Why WHGT Is the Right Partner for Your Sika Sealant Needs
As an official distributor of Sika in the UAE and across the Gulf region, WHGT gives clients direct access to the full Sika general-purpose sealant range along with the technical knowledge to back it up.
Sika is present in over 100 countries and has been developing construction chemicals for over a century. Its GCC-specific products, including Sikaflex® Construction+, reflect a genuine understanding of what the region’s climate, regulations, and project requirements demand. These are not globally generic products adapted for local use; they are engineered and certified for the conditions here.
What WHGT adds to that is practical support on the ground. Our team helps contractors, consultants, and project managers select the correct sealant for each joint type, ensure that surface preparation and primer requirements are met, and access the technical data sheets and certification documentation needed for project compliance submissions.
A sealant failure on a completed building is expensive to remediate, disruptive to occupants, and avoidable with the right specification from the start. We are here to make sure the specification is right.
Get in touch with our team at WHGT to discuss your project requirements and find out which Sika sealant solution is correct for your application.