Q&A PAGE 1
- 1: When do I apply Primer and when do I apply Sealer?
- A: As a rule of thumb, if the cement tile has any retained colour left after high pressure washing, apply Primer. If there is no colour left on the tile, apply Sealer. Note: When the tile surface is very rough we recommend applying High Build Sealer to smooth out the surface.
- 2: What can happen if I don't apply Primer/Sealer before applying the colour coat?
- A: Tiles retaining colour can powder. Primer penetrates into the tile carrying any free powder with it. Without Primer, the free powder on the surface will cause the colour coating to lose adhesion and delaminate. If no colour is left on the tile and no Sealer is used, the first colour coat will absorb into the tile and act like a pigmented version of sealer. The problem is that if two colour coats are applied the total film build will be too low for maximum durability and the gloss will be reduced.
- 3: How many coats should I apply to a cement tile to get maximum durability and gloss?
- A: In general we recommend a three coat system, consisting of one coat of Primer or Sealer and two coats of colour, giving a total dry film thickness of approximately 0.2mm. This may vary slightly depending on the condition of the tile. A guide to achieving this on cement tiles when airless spraying is as follows:
Product Pack Size Coverage (Sq Metre) Maxi Prime 20lt 110 Primer 20lt 110 Sealer 20lt 80 High Build Sealer 20lt 70 Tileguard Colour 20lt 90 Ultra 20lt 100 - 4: Can I apply one thick coat of colour instead of two coats to save time?
- A: Applying a thick coat of colour can lead to serious film formation problems and ultimately early coating failure. It is far better to apply thin coats to achieve complete film formation and therefore maximum durability and gloss.
- 5: How long should I leave between coats?
- A: The coating should have a dry solid surface before recoating. There are many factors such as temperature, humidity, condition of tile surface, etc which affect the dry rate of the coating. A guide is to let the coating dry for about 2 hours. This should give the coating suitable time to dry through enough before the next coat is applied.
- 6: What is the best temperature to apply coatings?
- A: We recommend between 14°C and 32°C ambient temperature. It is in fact the temperature of the tile which impacts on the coating film formation. Below 14°C the tile temperature may be too low for complete film formation and this can result in poor durability and gloss. Above 32°C the tile may become so hot it will "cook" the coating. This will again result in poor durability and gloss. Note: Do not apply coating if there is any chance of rain within 3-4 hours as the coating may wash off.
For further information on any of our products, please contact
Brian Bridges - Technical Manager. brian_bridges@regentpaintsvic.com.au
