Butyl tape - odd question!

[Thomcat316]

Hello all!

I am replacing a hinge on my teardrop - changing a plastic living hinge to an aluminum piano hinge. Everything's going pretty well, except....

The butyl tape isn't squishing and oozing as much as I thought it would.

https://imgur.com/a/4T5ehwU shows two views of the issue.

The one showing the end of the strip is pretty much OK. The one focused in the middle shows a large gap at the front, and doesn't show a slightly smaller gap at the back.

I intentionally overloaded the butyl tape - made a sandwich on either side of the EPDM sealing overlay - to make sure this is waterproof. I made the assumption that the extra would find its way out from under the stainless top strip, and that I'd trim it off, but instead it's keeping the top strip from settling. Screwing the top strip down harder is simply bending it.

Would heat help at all? Working temp in the shop is ca. 77° F.

[thrifty bill]

Tapered shape is keeping it from squeezing more. What is it connected to on the inside? I would have used a flat shape instead of that angled piece. Also, screws are not centered, they are along one edge only which could lead to deflection (inadequate squeeze on the other side).

[Thomcat316]

Looks like heat is the answer.

https://imgur.com/rrO7V9v shows much better squeezeout along the back, and a little bit along the front.

I'm just going to keep slowly screwing this down more until the rains make me roll the trailer back into the shop. Will repeat as necessary.

Thanks for the help - I'm just not accustomed to "caulk" that doesn't eventually flow, and I was treating the tape as a caulk, because I've had it flow before, out from under more appropriately designed flanges.

[gordon2]

Give it 24 hours then re-tighten the screws in a pattern. Repeat if necessary.

[Thomcat316]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Give it 24 hours then re-tighten the screws in a pattern. Repeat if necessary.

Thank you - it looks like the butyl is flowing a bit after getting out in the South Florida sun for a while. I'll repeat this a few times, and it should close up OK. it's definitely going to be waterproof!

[k corbin]

You can always heat it up before you apply it. It will be nice, soft and extra sticky.


By the way Butyl rubber does come in the form of caulk. They use it for sealing gutters, it is in the hardware store caulking aisle. That would also work for applying beneath a hinge.