Flex Seal vs Plasti Dip – What’s Better?
Jeff "King of the Castle"
Home repairs can often be a real headache.
They take time, plenty of effort, and often a considerable amount of money.
However, for minor repairs, such as fixing various leaks or sealing cracks, there’s a solution that can make these jobs a lot easier.
Rubber coating sealants are a handy and easy way to do all this and much more stuff around the house.
For example, furniture repairs, car detailing, or simply coating your tools to enhance grip and make them look nicer.
The market of rubber sealants, especially those in spray form, is dominated by two brands.
Flex Seal and Plasti Dip are by far the two most popular products in the industry, and for a good reason, as they’ve both proven to be very effective for various purposes.
If you’re having trouble deciding which one to use, read on for the in-depth Flex Seal vs Plasti Dip comparison.
Table of Contents
Flex Seal Information
Flex Seal is a rubberized leak sealer primarily used to seal any cracks and holes to prevent air and moisture leakage.
It’s a highly versatile product, meaning it can be used on almost any surface.
It will stick on concrete, metal, tiles, wood, aluminum, glass, drywall, rubber, and almost any other material.
The rare exceptions are some types of plastic, foam, vinyl, and rubber.
Once applied, Flex Seal dries in about an hour to create the flexible, rubberized, waterproof coating.
The full curing process takes longer and it may last 24-48 hours depending on the coating thickness, temperature, humidity, and the material you’ve applied Flex Seal to.
Once applied, the coating may last even for a couple of years without cracking or peeling, again depending on the conditions it’s exposed to.
However, For some repairs, such as sealing roof leaks, it’s best to only use it as a temporary solution.
Flex Seal Uses
As I already said, Flex Seal can be used for a variety of different purposes.
Some of the most common ones are listed below.
- Roofs – to seal the leaks, but also to protect the rest of the roof from water or sunlight damage.
- Gutters – to fix leaks and fill out holes in joints, corners, and gutter seams. Plus, Flex Seal can help repair end caps and mend cracks, so the gutter remains functional. When it comes to reliable and long-lasting gutter repair in Kansas City, Flex Seal is the top choice for homeowners and DIY enthusiasts alike. When it comes to reliable and long-lasting gutter repair in Kansas City, Flex Seal is the top choice for homeowners and DIY enthusiasts alike.
- Windowsills – as it perfectly sticks to glass, Flex Seal is often used to seal windows and for a waterproof, but flexible barrier. This also makes the house more energy-efficient, as it helps keep the heat or cold at bay throughout the year.
- Foundation cracks – Flex Seal forms a strong rubberized coating that is much thicker than paint and when used to seal the crack in the foundation can help prevent moisture from entering your home.
Plasti Dip Information
Despite its name, Plasti Dip has nothing to do with plastic but is also air-dried rubberized coating in form of the spray.
It’s commonly used for coating protection of the different home, auto, and craft items, as well as for sealing various leaks and cracks.
Plasti Dip is durable, has excellent adhesive properties, is fairly resistant to weather elements, and remains stretchy and flexible over time.
It can easily bond to diverse surfaces, even without previous priming or sanding.
Once sprayed onto the surface, Plasti Dip dries very quickly and after only a few minutes forms a solid rubber compound.
If you’re applying multiple coats, it’s best to wait around 30 minutes between them. The coating is fully cured after around 4-6 hours.
When applied correctly, Plasti Dip can be peeled off easily, leaving no trace on the surface.
Plasti Dip Uses
Similar to Flexi Seal, Plasti Dip has a wide range of potential applications. Here are some of them”
- Home and garden – Plasti Dip has many uses in and around the house. It can be used to seal leaks on the roof and in the gutters, waterproof the wooden window planters, coating of metal garden furniture, tools, and pots, and many other purposes
- Automotive – car enthusiasts use Plasti Dip to paint their vehicles, protect and spice up rims, or for minor repairs.
- Marine – Plasti Dip is also used to seal handmade canoes, coat electric motors to protect them from salt water, or protect carbon kayak paddle edges
Flex Seal vs Plasti Dip – What’s The Difference?
Even though they serve a similar purpose and have the same basic concept, Flex Seal and Plasti Dip still have some notable differences.
You’ll notice the first one as soon as you spray the contents of the can onto the surface.
The Flex Seal looks and feels like rubber and appears as a sort of gunky substance as soon as it’s out of the can.
Plasti Dip seems more like paint straight away, but gains the rubbery feel as it dries up. However, Flex Seal remains a bit more solid and firm as far as the consistency is concerned.
Another major distinction is how much time it takes for each product to dry.
Plasti Dip dries much faster and can be painted on after only 30 minutes. On the other hand, it takes around an hour for Flex Seal to dry.
Flex Seal is also slower to fully cure. it needs 24-48 hours, compared to only 4-6 hours for Plasti Dip.
Flex Seal vs Plasti Dip – Which One To Choose?
Which one of these two products will you choose, depends on what you plan to use them for.
As mentioned above, Plasti Dip dries faster, so if you’re in a hurry, that’s the one you should go with.
As Flex Seal is more solid and more durable, it’s better for sealing leaks and filling various holes and cracks around the house.
On the other hand, due to its flexibility and because it can easily be peeled off, Plasti Dip is more effective as an aesthetic coating and can be used for various arts and crafts projects as well as for car coating.
Plus, it’s available in a wider range of colors.
Conclusion
Both Flex Seal and Plasti Dip are awesome products that are great to always have around the house.
They will make your life much easier and allow you to quickly and easily perform many minor repairs in your home.
Also, they’re very useful for improving the aesthetic appeal of various household items, cars, or craft projects.
Flex Seal and Plasti Dip both come in the form of spray and are extremely simple to use. You only have to clean the surface, spray the sealant over it, and wait for it to dry.
Which one is better for you will mainly depend on your personal preference and the particular project ahead of you.
