Everbrite Maintenance for Powdercoated metals
Everbrite Maintenance for Powdercoated Metals & Anodised Metals, Painted Surfaces
When is Everbrite maintenance for Powdercoated metals required ?
Everbrite maintenance for powdercoated metals, painted surfaces and anodised joinery is required between 3 to 5 years for sunny aspects, and 7+ years for more sheltered areas. For angled window sills and door/slider sills subject to foot traffic usually between 2 and 4 years.
As with all paints and coatings the time between treatments is dependent upon:
- the quality of the metal
- the initial powder coating/paint thickness
- the surface preparation
- the number and thickness of Everbrite coats previously applied
- the environmental conditions (coastal and sunny aspects)
- whether the surface has been kept clean with frequent washing; particularly in coastal zones and near busy traffic thoroughfares.
How can you tell when a recoat is needed?
Everbrite is a maintainable DIY polymer coating and it is best to recoat at the first sign of ‘bleaching’. Bleaching is rising oxidation under the coating. By treating the surface with a maintenance coat(s) more antioxidants are added and the bleaching disappears, with the finish being brought back to look like new again. As long as the original coating is still intact clean and dry the surface and apply another coat over the previous coat(s). Because the coating anneals to itself and becomes one the extra antioxidants in the maintenance coat provides more years of protection.
If there is premature ‘bleaching’ this could be because there were not enough coats applied initially for the conditions. e.g. angled window sill areas facing all day sun and roof skylights. It is important to apply adequate coats on surfaces subject to all day sun. See photos below.
How easy is Everbrite Maintenance for powdercoated metals?
The coating can be maintained indefinitely. The pre-coated metal needs to be thoroughly cleaned using a mild oil-free soap and water (or use our EZPrep concentrate mixed 1:100 with water) and then rinsed well with clean water to remove dirt and grime.
NOTE 1: If the coated metal has been subject to insect and garden sprays or other house wash chemicals, polishes and silicone based products extra cleaning is required. Failure to thoroughly clean the precoated metal may result in uneven patches when recoated. i.e. some areas will look glossier than other areas.
NOTE 2: A maintenance coat should be applied at the first sign of rising oxidation. If maintenance is delayed for too long extra preparation may be required. Use plenty of water and a grey preparation pad (available from Everbrite) or 500 grit wet and dry sandpaper to lightly sand and clean. Observe when cleaning while the metal is wet. If it looks good when it is wet then a recoat can be applied without any further cleaning/light sanding.
NOTE 3: When the coating is applied correctly and maintained when required the coating should not need to be removed. In some instances when maintenance has been neglected for some time; particularly on surfaces subject to all day sun some of the coating may need to be removed before recoating. Use only Xylene or a Xylene substitute to remove the coating. Find out here how to remove the coating.
Maintenance Procedures
If your powdercoated metal has been coated with Everbrite in the past and it has started to re-oxidize under the coating, it is time to treat the metal with a maintenance coat. Two recoats are recommended.
- Apply the coating in one direction only. It is best to complete one length at a time in smooth light strokes in one direction.
- You can apply a second coat after the first coat has dried (60 minutes) or ideally after a few days once the coating has cured as it is easier to apply.
- Apply the coating as per main instruction guide applying the coating in one direction only.
Maintenance procedures to take in this order
Step 1: Procedure when the existing coating is in tact and the finish looks good when you wet it with water
First, test to see how it looks when it is clean and wet. If the colour and lustre return, then the surface just needs to be washed and dried and Everbrite applied to renew the finish.
Step 2: Procedure If the coating has flaked in areas or when uneven patchiness, oxidation or white streaks are still observed when the surface is clean and wet with water
If you can still see patchiness of oxidation or white streaks when the surface is clean and wet with water this means that the metal may not have been cleaned well enough before the first coating; or it has been some time since the oxidation first reappeared under the coating and a maintenance coat was not applied in time to treat with more anti-oxidants.
The coating can sometimes flake if it is too thinly applied or has been left far too long between maintenance coats. Our fine grade 000 Grey Prep pads can be used to work off any loose coating. Take caution not to scrub through to the underlying paint or powdercoating.
Observe again while the surface is clean and wet to see how it looks after cleaning, scrubbing or light sanding. If it looks good when it is wet, make sure the entire surface is cleaned, rinsed and dried and re-apply the Everbrite coating. Two recoats recommended.
Step 3: Procedure If you can still see the oxidation after trying Step 2.
There is no requirement to reclean the area with EZPrep Cleaner/Neutraliser as long as the surface is clean and dry.
How to remove the old coating with Xylene
Xylene Solvent is strong so it is important to protect your eyes and skin.
- Protective Eyewear Wear appropriate eye goggles. Wrap around eyewear/spectacles should be worn as a minimum.
- Only use solvent resistant NITRILE gloves. DO NOT WEAR rubber/latex gloves as rubber/latex reacts to the coating and the Xylene and become sticky and probably transfer onto the coated surface.
- If required place a sheet of cardboard or canvas drop sheet on the ground, floor for protection.
Use a lint free rag (an old white or faded T Shirt is ideal)
- Depending upon the size of the area to be worked on either soak the lint free rag partially or fully immerse in Xylene.
- Apply the Xylene lightly to the area where the coating needs to be removed.
- Apply more Xylene until the coating starts to soften and wipe off.
- Keep using Xylene on a clean part of the rag until the coating has been removed.
- Used rags should be laid out to dry, then discarded.
- Do NOT burn your rags – as Xylene is flammable!
- Do NOT place used wet rags in a closed bag – as they could combust and cause fires.
IMPORTANT – Let the Xylene dwell on the coated surface so it will melt the coating and then wipe off. Do NOT use a rubbing motion with a Xylene soaked cloth as this will not work very well.
Reapplication of coating
- There should be no requirement to reclean the area with EZPrep Cleaner/Neutraliser.
- There should be no requirement to solvent wipe bare metals and anodised aluminium – as long as the first recoat is immediately after the coating has been removed.
Apply the coating in one direction only. It is best to complete one length at a time in smooth light strokes in one direction.
You can apply second and subsequent coats after the first coat has dried (60 to 120 minutes) or after the coating has fully cured.
BEFORE
Bleaching or cloudiness (Rising re-oxidation)
Rising oxidation is seen under the coating after 3 summers. This roof skylight (and for lower sill areas of windows and doors that are exposed to all day sun) require maintenance recoats more often than vertical surfaces, and on areas protected from all day sun.
AFTER
Bleaching /Cloudiness is easily rectified
This is rectified with a simple recoat(s) straight over the top of the cleaned pre-coated surface. At the first sight of bleaching a maintenance coat can be applied without any build up of the coating as it anneals to itself and becomes one. The antioxidants in the fresh coat knocks back the oxidation.
