Tenax Crystal Knife Grade Mastic

[rabbeg]

I have a roughly 2' x 5' piece of granite that is installed in a wooden frame.  The gaps between the wood and the stone vary from slightly less than the thickness of a dime to the that of a quarter.  I would like to fill this gap with a clear material (truly clear like glass ... not clear as in Superior Water Clear Knife Grade polyester which I think looks more like "clear" silicon caulk).  The surface will have kitchen duty and needs to be reasonably water and stain resistant.

Will the Tenax Crystal product be a good choice for my application?  If not, what do you suggest?

Thanks.

[Mark D.]

If you mix it correctly it will but if you mix it with too much hardener it will be milky colored.
I have had the same experience with the Instant Install. It also dries somewhere between water clear and clear white.

I will make some inquiries on Monday and see if I can come up with something for you.

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[rabbeg]

Mark,
Any luck getting any other ideas on this question?
Thanks.

[Stone Dude]

if its going to have kitchen duty you should use clear silicone. any type of epoxy stands the chance of chipping away, leaving an area for moisture and bacteria. i know clear silicone may not be what youre after, but its the right thing to use.

[Mark D.]

First of all epoxy won't chip away as it dries harder and stronger than the granite. Silicone is an easy fix but it will collect dust and tend to look worse for wear over time.

The Crystal knife grade will not be glass clear due to its components which make it a knife grade consistency. The knife grade will dry and look clear like ice looks.

The liquid Crystal will dry water clear (glass clear) if mixed correctly. Being a flowing low viscosity product if the gaps are vertical and go through the materials you need to block that up to keep the glue in place. Create a dam with plastic tape or silicone at the bottom of the gap and then fill to flush with the liquid Crystal. It too will cure harder than granite and you will not chip it either.

Here is the link:
http://www.defusco.com/Glues:-Epoxy,-Polyester,-etc.-Tenax-Crystal-Mastic/c82_321/p2301/TENAX-CRYSTAL-FLOWING-MASTIC---1-LITER/product_info.html

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[Stone Dude]

the reason why i suggested silicon is because of the wooden frame, it will most likely flex and wont affect the silicon. if it flexes, from moving it or for any reason the epoxy stands a pretty good chance of cracking or seperating from the wood. if its fixed to the wall or something it probably would be fine, but an earthquake would easily pop it loose. for something as small as hes describing i honestly wouldnt even worry about it, use whatever you want.

[Mark D.]

I guess I should have mentioned that Crystal is an acrylic mastic, not an epoxy. It dries hard and bonds permanently like epoxy but it dries fast like polyester resin. It is excellent for both indoor and outdoor applications.

That being said, Cameron is correct in that if your wooden frame flexes to much it will break away from the glue. It just won't break the glue.

Glad to be of service,
Mark