Consider these six handy tips when you’re applying Polycure coatings during the colder winter months.
- Warm the coating by putting the can in warm water before use. Cold coatings become thick making them much more difficult to apply. Place the tin in warm water. This will help loosen the coating within the tin making it easier to shake/stir and apply the coating. If you can’t keep the product at room temperature, warming the products will make the application easier and allow you to get the job done.
- Ensure the mixing ratio is followed. Mix Part A and Part B at the correct ratio. If you are not sure refer to the technical data sheet or contact your Polycure rep. Don’t just guess and assume you will get it right!
- Mix the coating thoroughly. Refer to step one. Just shaking the may not disperse the coating properly – you must also stir. As a general rule stir for a minimum of two minutes to ensure proper dispersion.
- Warm the surface area and environment. If the room is too cold, turn on some heating to warm up the room or bring in a gas or electric heater. When applied to a warmer surface, the coating will flow and level better and result in a smooth finish.
- Carefully prepare the surface before reapplication. Before applying the second coat, ensure all sanding residue is removed prior to applying the next coat and ensure the surface area and coating is warm as per step one and four above.
- Conceal doorways and entrances. Many people don’t realise that drafts can wreak havoc during the curing process. Wet floors can be affected by drafts that blow through doorways and entrances. To combat this put draft door stops and/or tape around the doors and entrances to minimise wind exposure.
And, finally, it’s not all doom and gloom during the winter months. Yes, you will need to follow a couple more steps to get the coating right, but at Polycure we have you covered with our accelerators to speed up the dry time during the colder months. Take a look at our accelerators below to help you get in and get the job done.
NATUROIL 1499 Accelerator – Speeds up the dry time of NATUROIL coatings. Add to NATUROIL 3100, 3115, 3120 to reduce drying times.
DURAPOL 5995 Accelerator – Speeds up the dry time of DURAPOL coatings.