Does it work?! Contact 6 puts Flex Seal to the test
MUKWONAGO — You've probably seen a lot of commercials for products and wondered, 'Does that really work?' The commercial for a product called Flex Seal caught the eye of FOX6's Contact 6 reporter Katrina Cravy. She and a familiar face put it to the test.
Out in the garden, expert Melinda Myers knows her stuff. But she also knows mistakes can happen and things can break.
Myers joined Cravy to test Flex Seal.
"I've seen the commercial and I kind of chuckled and then just went, 'yeah right,'" Myers laughed.
If you've seen the commercials, you know what she means.
Flex Seal commercial
In one commercial for the product, the liquid sealant helps transform an old truck into a submarine. It also shows Flex Seal sealing more common items like a terra cotta pot.
The commercials make it look simple.
Cravy and Myers chose to test Flex Seal on a colander and cracked terra cotta pot, which are both shown in the commercial. In addition, they decided to test it on a pool inner tube with a hole in it.
Katrina Cravy and Melinda preparing to test Flex Seal.
Cravy and Myers read the directions carefully, which tell you to use even sweeping motions when applying the product. The directions also say to apply several even coats until all cracks and holes have been filled. Once applied, you must wait 24 hours. If another coat is needed, apply it then.
The directions took Cravy off-guard because the commercials make it appear like it's a quick process. One even says, "Just a quick shot and Flex Seal Clear fills the cracks and holes."
Cravy and Myers carefully applied the product to the pot, colander and inner tube.
They let them dry and returned a week later to look at the results.
The colander had a major leak.
Colander coated with Flex Seal has a leak.
It needed several more coats. Remember, it fully cures in 24 hours -- so one coat each day.
The good news?
The inner tube held air. But despite having a week to dry, Cravy and Myer noticed the product was sticky and gooey.
The inner tube sealed with Flex Seal holds air, but has a gooey texture.
"I'm not sure I'd want my grand kids leaning up against this or me either," Myers said.
Finally, Cravy and Myers checked out the cracked terra cotta pot. It was not water tight.
The cracked pot coated with Flex Seal didn't seal water tight.
Cravy admits it may be operator error because they did not apply enough layers.
She looked up online reviews and found Consumer Reports got mixed results too.
The reviews on Amazon are also split.
"I don't think this is going to be a part of my garden tool box," Myers admitted.
For a little over $10 a can plus your time, it's up to you whether it's worth it for your project. It could be worth it if you want to repair something expensive like a toilet or sink.
Flex Seal Director of Product and Supply, Brian Parliment, tells Contact 6 the product has been on the market since 2011 and, to his knowledge, there has not been any complaints about the difference between how easy it looks on the commercial and the real time it takes to use the product properly.
Parliment went on to say, "If applied properly and given the proper time to dry, the product works very well. It's best to do multiple coats instead of one thick coat."
If you're interest in seeing a complete instructional video on how to use Flex Seal, click HERE.