Metal pastes and methods make it possible to produce extremely compact layers between contact surfaces of structural components, which layers are sufficiently elastic to permanently withstand mechanical and thermal stress variations. This is achieved by the porosity of a corresponding contact area being controlled. For this purpose, a metal paste is provided which contains 70-90% by weight of a metal powder, 1-20% by weight of an endothermically decomposable metal compound and 5-20% by weight of a solvent having a boiling point or range above 220° C., the metal paste being compactable exothermically to form a metal contact.