Application Data

1. Surface Preparation

The Multicolour coating system, consisting of flat finish Basecoat and Multicolour Topcoat should be applied to surfaces that have been prepared, and primed/sealed with products appropriate for the type of substrate to be coated, all as per normal sound painting practice.  Requirements of the surface, prior to the application of Basecoat are:

• uniformly sealed,
• dry in depth,
• sound and dust-free without excessive porosity,
• a flat, gloss-free surface.

2. Quantities Required

Basecoat : 8 to 12 square metres per litre, depending on porosity.

Multicolour : 2.5 to 3.5 square metres per litre, depending on the boldness of the fleck pattern.

3. Basecoat Application

For broadwall applications, Acrylic Basecoat is supplied tinted ready for use.  Stir prior to use.  Apply by roller or spray to achieve a uniform colour.  Allow a minimum drying time of two hours prior to the application of Multicolour.

4. Masking Off

As the application of Multicolour is by low pressure spray, ensure that surrounding areas, to a width of 500mm, are masked from overspray.

5. Spraying Equipment

Any low pressure spraygun, fitted with a medium to large size internal mix nozzle, and supplied by pressure pot with a 10-12 cfm compressor, will be suitable for spraying larger areas.  Some HVLP spray equipment has also been very successfully used, and smaller HVLP sprayguns are useful for touch-up work. AIRLESS SPAY EQUIPMENT IS NOT SUITABLE.

6. Spraying

Prior to use, Multicolour should be hand stirred with a clean, flat paddle to ensure a consistent mix.  Do not machine stir, and avoid scraping the internal sides of the container.  Before commencing work, ensure the spraying equipment is reproducing the required pattern satisfactorily by spraying a small test area.  Request a sample card for the pattern to be sprayed for comparison.  Pressure in the pressure pot, at the spraygun as well as rate of material flow can affect the spray pattern.  Follow standard ventilation and personal protective requirements for spraying during application.  The product has a synthetic rubber resin base, which has a nominal quantity of low odour White Spirit solvent, as well as in excess of 50% of the product contents being a water solution.  If necessary, see a Multicolour Material Safety Data Sheet for further information.

The normal spraying technique is the "cross-lap" method,  to eliminate the chance of "banding".  Keep the spraygun at right angles to the surface while spraying. When using cupguns, keep upright at all times.

Completed surfaces should be examined after 30 minutes after spraying to detect uneven coverage of "flat" spots which indicate inadequate coverage.  One sprayed coating will normally provide adequate coverage. Take care when spraying into corners, as overspraying is a common fault.  At all times during spraying, ensure that the standard or approved sample is being matched within normal manufacturing tolerances.

7. AFTER APPLICATION

Stripping of masking can proceed once surfaces are touch dry, normally after 4 to 6 hours with good ventilation.  Surfaces are fully dry overnight, and cured after 7 days.  Do not abrade/clean surfaces during this period.  Solvent based, or abrasive cleaners should never be used for cleaning.

8. Clear Coatings

Where surfaces will be subjected to excessive traffic or hand/body contact, a clear overcoating is desirable.  The Multicolour coating should be allowed to dry thoroughly before application of the clear.  This is particularly important of non-porous surfaces such as metal, plastic and fibreglass, where the drying phase takes longer due to the solvents only being able to escape through the top surface of the coating.  Take care also where areas have been sprayed with an excessively thick coating as blocking of solvents can occur.

For best adhesion to the Multicolour, and superior abrasion resistance, a spray-applied (only) solvent based acrylic clear coating is recommended.  Where the clear coating cannot be spray applied, an alternative water-based acrylic clear coating can be supplied, which does not have quite the wear resistance features of the solvent based coating, but for most purposes, will do an acceptable job.  This clear can be brush or roller applied if required.  When in doubt regarding adhesion or colour, test a small area to satisfy your requirements.

9. Touch Up

Clean surfaces prior to considering touch up, as most areas apparently requiring touch up are normally cleanable with a spray/wipe type cleaner or a soapy solution. Do not use solvent based cleaners. When necessary, additional Multicolour topcoat can be sprayed directly onto clean  surfaces to cover surface marks.  Provided the original application was fully sprayed, this method of repair is very effective.

Where the substrate has been mechanically damaged, fill, sand back as required.  Spot-apply basecoat, allow to dry, and spray Multicolour on the patched area, feathering carefully into surrounding areas.