How Do I...? - Cameleon Paints | Industrial Coatings | Protective Coatings | Toll Manufacturing | Textured Coatings

 

How Do I ...?

This is a new section designed to aid in solving some of the more common dilemmas faced by today's home handy-men. Click on the links to view the recommended advice to solve each problem. 

 

• Preparing and sealing concrete pavers against oils and grease

• Prepare concrete floors for painting

• Work out how much paint I need

• Why has my swimming pool paint gone white and patchy?

 

Prepare and Seal Concrete Pavers.  

[Print Instruction Sheet]

 

Step 1: Preparation Ensure that the pavers are clean, dry and free from dust, oil or grease stains. Any staining on the pavers must be removed prior to sealing; otherwise the stain will be “locked” into the substrate. Ideally concrete pavers should be sealed as soon as they have been laid, prior to any exposure to contaminants. 

Step 2: Sealing Apply 1 full even coat of Masonry Stainshield WB to seal the pavers. DO NOT thin, as this will lead to excessive soakage into the substrate. Apply sufficient Masonry Stainshield WB to provide a “wet” film that disappears within 5 minutes - as a guide apply at the rate of 7 - 10 m² / litre.Exact coverage will be dependant on the absorbency of the paver. DO NOT overbuild; avoid ponding in low areas as this will affect the final appearance of the paver. 

Step 3: Final Coating Allow to dry overnight, and then apply a single full coat of Masonry Stainshield SB at the rate of 8 - 10 m² / litre. This is extremely important when there is a likelihood of contamination with grease, oils, or where the pavers are subjected to motor vehicle traffic. Step 4: Maintenance / Cleaning Always clean contamination from the pavers immediately, before the stain has a chance to set. The best method of cleaning oil / grease stains from sealed pavers is by: 

 

a.      Absorbing the oil / grease with plaster of paris; brushing with a stiff broom if required.

b.      Sweep, the hose down the affected area to remove all trace of the plaster.

c.      Allow to dry then apply a heavy duty detergent and scrub to remove the stain.

d.      High pressure water clean the detergent from the paver.

e.      Repeat steps c. through d. if required.

f.       A further application of Masonry Stainshield SB may be required if aggressive abrasion is required to remove the stain.

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare Concrete Floors for Painting.

[Print Instruction Sheet]

 

 

Step 1. Sweeping

 

Remove all dirt, dust etc from the floor via sweeping or vacuuming. Particular attention must be given to all corners, edges etc. Any build up must be removed using a putty knife or scraper.

 

Step 2. Alkaline Scrub

 

The entire floor including all corners must be scrubbed using appropriate brushes, floor equipment and a heavy duty alkaline detergent. All grease, oil and tire marks must be removed. All slurry must be removed using clean mops and wet pick up vacuum cleaners.

 

Step 3. Rinsing (Alkaline)

 

The entire floor including all corners must be thoroughly rinsed to remove all alkaline residue. Repeat this process twice. The first use cold water, the second rinse use hot water. All slurry must be removed using clean mops and wet pick up vacuum cleaners.

 

Step 4. Scrubbing (Acid Etch)

 

A solution of 1 part concentrated HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) to 5 parts of water must be made and applied to the floor, scrubbing as required. This solution must be allowed to stand in liquid state for 10 minutes prior to scrubbing. Particular attention to all corners, edges etc. is required. All slurry must be removed using clean mops and wet pick up vacuum cleaners.

 

Step 5. Rinsing (Acid)

 

The entire floor including all corners must be thoroughly rinsed to remove all acidic residue. Repeat this process twice. The first use cold water, the second rinse use hot water. All slurry must be removed using clean mops and wet pick up vacuum cleaners.

 

*Note: The above steps must be planned so as not to walk on the clean floor during the final rinsing in Step 5.

 

Step 6. Drying

 

Sufficient time must be allowed for complete drying, and if required, heated blowers should be placed throughout the area to assist the drying process. This will to a large extent depend upon external weather conditions during the cleaning process.

 

Step 7. Inspection

 

The entire floor should be inspected for cleanliness and the presence of moisture prior to coating.

 

 

 

 

 

Work out how much paint I need?

 

 Gathering required information To calculate the amount of paint required to coat a given surface, you will need to gather the following information: 

1. The surface area of the area to be painted
2. The coverage rate of the paint being used
3. The desired number of coats to be applied
4. The application method

 Step 1: Calculating the surface area to be painted In this example we will be undercoating a previously un-painted internal wall with Cameleon Acritec Acrylic Undercoat. The wall is 3 metres high with a total length of 10 metres. It has one doorway that measures 2 meters in height and is 0.75 metres wide. To summarise: Wall:         3m (height) x 10m (length)   = 30 m²Doorway: 2m (height) x 0.75m (width) = 1.5 m² Therefore the total wall surface area is: 30m² - 1.5m² = 28.5m²

 

Step 2: Determining the coverage rate of the paint The coverage rate of the paint is found on the front page of the Cameleon Paints Product Data Sheets, under Specification Data. See the following example (highlighted): 

In this example (Acritec) the theoretical coverage rate is between 12 - 14m² per litre. A range is normally given to allow for differences in surface porosity.

For our purposes we will be applying 2 coats, the first acting as a seal coat; therefore we will use an average of 13m² per litre.

 

 

Step 3: Determining the number of coats required.

This is very much dependant on the type of surface to be coated. Generally, previously unpainted surfaces require multiple coats - the first acting as a sealer. Previously painted surfaces will generally not have the same issues with absorption into the substrate, thus the higher spreading rate can be used (in this instance 14m² per litre)

In our example, the wall has not been previously painted so the first coat coverage would be closer to 12m² per litre, and we would require a minimum of 2 coats.

 

Step 4: Application Method

This is often overlooked, especially when application is by brush or roller. Application by these methods results in very little wastage, however, application by conventional spray can result in wastage of up to 5%.

In our example we are going to be applying the undercoat by brush and roller, thus we do not need to allow for wastage. In instances where application is by conventional spray, it is wise to allow an additional 5% by volume of the total theoretical volume required.

 

Step 5: Calculation

To summarise, we have now determined the following:

1. Area to be painted is 28.5m2

2. Estimated coverage is 13m2 / litre

3. Required number of coats is 2

Therefore the calculation is as follows:

[(area to be painted) / (coverage rate)] x (number of coats)

[28.5 / 13] x 2 = 4.4 litres

So to undercoat this wall would require a 4 and 1 litre tin to give a total of 5 litres.

 

Why has my swimming pool paint gone white and patchy?

 

 A very common problem experienced with both vinyl liners and painted swimming pools here in Perth is a white deposit forming on the liner / paint surface. It generally first appears in winter - when swimming pools are not being used as frequently, and the chemical balance has often been neglected.

 

The reason this problem occurs is the poor quality of Perth's ground water. Our water contains very high levels of dissolved minerals such as calcium and silica, and if care is not taken in maintaining the correct chemical balance in the pool water, these minerals precipitate and form "salts" that deposit on the pool surface. Cold weather exacerbates the problem, and it can occur very quickly.

 

Fortunately there is a solution to this common problem, but extreme care must be taken when undertaking this procedure, as it involves temporarily dropping the pool water pH to very acidic levels. You must not under any circumstances allow anyone into the pool whilst correcting the problem. See the following instruction sheet for a detailed explanation of the corrective process.