MS Anti-Mold Glue: A Guide to Choosing the Right Sealant
Most people choose materials based on design plans when renovating their homes, viewing the process as an art form. As a senior consultant with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, I believe that renovation requires support from many product details, and sealant, as a boundary guardian protecting furniture for long-term use, is often overlooked.
With modern life demanding higher standards of cleanliness and hygiene, the need for durable mold prevention in furniture is increasing daily, and anti-mold sealant technology is constantly innovating. Let me teach you how to choose a top-tier anti-mold glue that combines artistry and technology.
The Evolution of MS Polymer
In the 1970s, the sealant industry underwent a revolutionary change. The Kaneka Chemicals team in Japan developed MS polymer. Subsequently, Japan and Europe adopted MS resin formulations, and their MS sealants entered the market with positive feedback.
As you can see from the chart below, MS sealant combines the advantages of silicone and polyurethane sealants. It has strong adhesion, good anti-mold properties, can be painted and colored, and is very environmentally friendly. It can cover almost all indoor decoration scenarios: kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, washbasins, etc. Its only weakness is insufficient weather resistance, making it unsuitable for outdoor decoration.
| Sealant Type | Adhesiveness | Weather Resistance | Environmental Friendliness | Coating Properties | Anti-mold Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Sealant | ★★★ | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| PU Sealant | ★★ | ★ | ★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Silicone Sealant | ★★ | ★★★ | ★★ | ★ | ★ |
MS Sealant’s Anti-mold Technology
Sometimes, people come to me with cheap anti-mold sealants asking: “This sealant is cheap and anti-mold, what do you think?” Even if the seller makes it sound amazing, I don’t recommend doing it this way. Cheap is never cost-effective; it comes at the cost of quality, becoming a ticking time bomb. But if you insist on trying it, I suggest you learn how to properly DIY replace the sealant, provided you understand that frequent sealant replacement can cause varying degrees of damage to your furniture.
1. Adding Anti-mold Agents
Common anti-mold sealants on the market use anti-mold agents. This anti-mold technology works by adding antifungal formulas to destroy mold cell membranes, blocking mold growth and achieving an anti-mold effect. The dosage of anti-mold agent directly affects the cost and anti-mold performance of the sealant. However, excessive addition of anti-mold agent can negatively impact the sealant’s adhesive properties, especially bond strength. Generally, adding a high-quality anti-mold agent in a standard ratio maximizes the sealant’s anti-mold performance.
Even the best anti-mold agents cannot provide permanent protection. Anti-mold agents continuously migrate from the sealant’s interior to the surface and gradually evaporate over time and due to environmental factors. Therefore, they only offer protection for a limited period. Cheap anti-mold agents have very limited protection, typically only a few months, while high-quality long-lasting anti-mold agents can provide protection for several years. Once the anti-mold agent wears off, mold will continue to grow.
Tip: Maintaining good indoor ventilation and regular cleaning in daily life can extend the anti-mold effect of the sealant.
Adding anti-mold agents to sealants is a mature anti-mold technology and is considered one of the most cost-effective types of anti-mold sealants. Don’t be tempted by cheap options, as long-lasting anti-mold agents are not inexpensive. My tips for choosing sealant: Check the product label for “anti-mold sealant,” and prioritize “Grade 0 anti-mold sealant.” Cheap anti-mold agents often have a pungent odor that’s easily detectable. Also, check if the testing standards comply with ASTM G21 and ISO 846.
2. Adding NCO (Kaneka Patented Technology)
Kaneka’s patented technology precisely controls the main chain and end groups of the MS polymer. Through a special polymerization design, NCO groups (isocyanates) are introduced into the MS resin, increasing crosslinking density and reducing water absorption. This results in a drier surface after curing, making it difficult for mold to survive due to lack of moisture and nutrients, thus achieving a sustained anti-mold effect.
Compared to traditional anti-mold sealants, NCO-modified MS sealant has a much longer-lasting anti-mold effect because it doesn’t rely on anti-mold agents; the residual NCO groups within the resin continuously inhibit mold growth. This technology and process are relatively expensive. If your budget allows (the price is typically 2-3 times that of long-lasting anti-mold sealants), it’s highly recommended for traditional interior decoration, providing continuous mold prevention in kitchens, bathrooms, and washbasins.
3. Permanent Anti-Mold Glue
Chinese researchers have reduced the molecular weight of MS resin to an extremely low level, increasing the cross-linking density to denser the colloidal structure and inhibit mold colonies, while improving the smoothness of the surface to achieve a permanent anti-mold effect. This is another technological innovation of MS sealant.
After curing, this MS sealant feels smooth and glossy like ceramic tile, with a Shore D hardness of 50-80, reaching the hardness of rigid plastics. The smooth surface makes it impossible for mold to attach. However, too much of a good thing can be bad. Due to its lack of toughness, the sealant is prone to breakage under pressure and stretching, making it unsuitable for expansion joints and structural bonding scenarios with large thermal deformation. Removal later will also be difficult.
Its glazed surface is bright white and beautiful, safe and environmentally friendly. The smooth glaze is very easy to clean in daily use, providing continuous mold prevention in traditional decoration scenarios such as washbasins, kitchens, and toilets. Compared to its advantages, its disadvantages are negligible. The price is usually about 30% lower than Kaneka (Zhongyuan) technology, making it an ideal anti-mold sealant.
How to Choose an Anti-Mold Sealant
Every anti-mold sealant represents a technological competition. Do you still think you can buy permanent anti-mold sealant for a dollar?
- For Practicality: I recommend traditional anti-mold sealants. Adding long-lasting anti-mold agents is the fastest and most cost-effective solution. Choose a high-quality Grade 0 anti-mold sealant.
- For High Budgets & Durability: The price and technology of Kaneka system MS resin anti-mold sealants are prohibitive, but if you have a sufficient budget, require long-lasting anti-mold protection, and have certain requirements for expansion joint displacement, this is the way to go.
- For Maximum Cleanliness: If you want a permanent anti-mold sealant with a clean, smooth glaze, then China’s high-hardness MS sealant is the first choice.
My view is not to choose the most expensive, but to choose the right one. Use the appropriate sealant solution to solve the renovation problem and let art and technology work together!
