SOF® Rod is a soft bi-cellular polyethylene foam backer rod used in building envelope and concrete construction. It is comprised of both open and closed cells that will not out-gas when skin is ruptured and prevents sealant bubbling and failure.

DESCRIPTION
FORM: Round Foam Rod.
TYPE: B - Per ASTM C 1330. Cylindrical, flexible sealant backings composed predominantly of bi-cellular material. Also reference ASTM C 717 for use as gasket or sealing material.
TYPE: 3 -Per ASTM D 5249. Round rods of various diameters for use with non-sag and self leveling cold-applied joint sealants.
TEMPERATURE LIMITS: -45 ̊F to +160 ̊F.

PERFORMANCE

SOF Rod has an outer skin, resilient interior cells and acts as a barrier to the flow of sealant. It Features
limits the amount and depth of sealant applied into a joint and provides a form to assist cold-applied sealants in developing the proper shape factor to prolong the sealant service life. SOF Rod acts as a bond breaker to allow joint movement without undue stress to the sealant. It is used in applications such as expansion and contraction joints, window glazing, curtain wall construction partitions, parking decks, bridge construction, modular home gasketing, and log home chinking.
SOF Rod is comprised of an inert material, and therefore, it is physically and chemically compatible with virtually all known cold-applied sealants, including self-leveling types.

INSTALLATION
Prior to installing SOF Rod, the joints should be cleaned per the sealant manufacturer’s recommendations. Thoroughly remove any concrete form-release agents, curing compound reside, laitance or any foreign materials. To ensure a good sealant bond, joints must be clean and dry when the new sealant is installed. Air compressors used for this purpose must be equipped with traps for removal of oil and moisture. Install SOF Rod with a blunt tool at the depth recommended by the sealant manufacturer.
Care should be taken not to over-compress or stretch SOF Rod during installation. Proper size selection is important as it controls the depth of the sealant bead. It must be oversized (25-50%) to fit tightly into the joint and function as a bond-breaker to prevent back-side adhesion of the sealant. SOF Rod is not meant to be used with hot-pour sealants. Sealant compatibility should be confirmed by the sealant manufacturer. Compatibility characteristics of sealants in contact with sealant backings can be determined by ASTM C 1087 test method.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Property                                                                Value                                              ASTM Test Methods
Density lb/ft3 (kg/m3), avg.                           1.8-2.5 (28-40)                                               D 1622

Outgassing (No. of bubbles)                                 <1                                                              C 1253.                                      

Compression Recovery, %, min.                          >95                                                             D 5249  

Compression Deflection psi (kPa)                    1.2 (8.0)                                                         D 5249

Tensile Strength psi (kPa).                               43.4 (299).                                                     D 3575

Water Absorption (g/cc)                                     < .03                                                   C 1016 Procedure B