Product Reviews & Recommendations

Bed-It Tape represents the gold standard for bedding deck hardware on boats. This butyl rubber tape never fully hardens, maintaining a permanent seal that accommodates hull flexing and thermal expansion. Unlike liquid sealants, butyl tape allows for clean removal when hardware needs service, making it the preferred choice of professional riggers and boatyards worldwide.

Best Applications: Cleats, stanchions, winches, windlass bases, radar mounts, arch hardware, any deck fitting you may need to remove for maintenance.

Professional Opinion: After testing dozens of bedding compounds over 20+ years, Bed-It Tape consistently outperforms alternatives. It's particularly valuable in areas with extreme temperature swings where rigid sealants crack.

3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200

3M 5200 is a permanent polyurethane adhesive sealant with exceptional bonding strength. It's engineered for structural applications where you never want the bond to break. However, its permanence is both its greatest strength and biggest liability - improper use creates removal nightmares.

Appropriate Uses: Hull-to-deck joints, structural bonding, permanent thru-hull installation, bonding rub rails, attaching permanent external hardware.

Inappropriate Uses: Portlights or windows, hardware you may need to remove, any application where future service is anticipated.

Professional Recommendation: For most deck hardware, use 3M 4200 instead - it provides 80% of the bonding strength with much easier removal. Reserve 5200 for truly permanent structural applications.

Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant

Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant is the undisputed industry standard for RV roof maintenance. Specifically formulated for EPDM and TPO rubber roofs, it flows smoothly to create a watertight seal around vents, fixtures, and seams. Its self-leveling property ensures proper coverage even on slightly uneven surfaces.

Application Tips: Apply when ambient temperature is 50-100°F, ensure surface is clean and dry, use generous amount - sealant is cheaper than water damage, smooth with wet finger for professional finish, allow 24-48 hours cure time before rain exposure.

Maintenance Schedule: Inspect all roof sealant every 3 months, reapply where cracking or pulling away is visible, complete roof resealing recommended annually in harsh climates, expect 2-3 year lifespan before needing reapplication.

Sikaflex 291 Marine Sealant

Sikaflex 291 is a premium one-component polyurethane sealant widely used in European boat building and increasingly popular in North America. It offers excellent adhesion to most marine substrates including fiberglass, wood, and metals, with superior flexibility and UV resistance.

Best Applications: Portlight installation, window bedding, teak deck seams, organic material bonding (teak to fiberglass), above-waterline hardware, anywhere removal may be needed eventually.