Month: May 2022

Spraying vs roller vs brush application

The Giromax range has been developed to be user friendly and multipurpose. Although our products can be applied in different ways, there are preferred methods to apply our coatings.
The following guide is for best decorative practice:

• Brush application – the best approach for a thorough application is to start by stripe coating the area with a brush. This is our preferred way to apply a coating.
• Roller application – applying paint using a roller can lead to air entrapment and bubbles within the paint film, which reduces the efficacy of the coating. We would recommend a brush application before a roller application.
• Spray application – this method is preferable to roller application, but only after a brush application, as these two techniques combined provide full paint coverage.

Preparation for treating cut edge corrosion

Before the application of a coating to treat cut edge corrosion, the correct preparation needs to be carried out. First, remove any non-adhering rust staining, swarf, dust and debris, then clean back the corrosion to the Swedish Standard ST3, so you are left with a bright metallic surface. Ensure the surface is not polished and that the edge of any remaining coating is firmly adhered and well feathered. The area must also be free from any oil, grease, ice or frost. Finally wiping down with Giromax® Panel Wipe will ensure surfaces are free of dirt, mould, oil and grease.

Two step application process

Step 1

The Giromax® Basecoat epoxy primer forms part of the Giromax® Edgecoat system. Part A of the Basecoat must be mixed wholly with Part B (do not part mix). Apply the Basecoat in a continuous uniform line, preferably by brush to achieve the correct film thickness. Ensure the firm edge is overlapped by ideally up to 50mm (minimum 10mm) and full coverage of all exposed metal including the sheet edge has been achieved.

Wait until this coating is touch dry before proceeding onto the next step. Never use thinners with the Basecoat and do not use when the pot life has been exceeded.

Step 2

Where necessary; on sheet overlaps, including flashing laps and panel-to-rooflight laps;
gun apply Giromax® Sealant to the joint in a continuous line. Next, tool the sealant in an upwards direction with one coat of Giromax® Edgecoat. Apply by brush ‘wet on wet’ to achieve a smooth fillet to encapsulate and obscure the leading edge of the top sheet.

The next step is to apply Giromax Edgecoat to create a protective layer over the Basecoat. On overlaps, apply the Edgecoat to either side of the joint in a continuous uniform band at least 75mm wide. Make sure you overlap the Basecoat layer by 10mm to achieve a minimum dry film thickness (DFT) of at least 265 microns (μm).

For sheet end gutter overhang, eaves and flashing edges apply in a continuous uniform band at least 75mm wide. Make sure you overlap the Basecoat layer by 10mm to achieve a minimum dry film thickness (DFT) of at least 265 microns (μm).

Ensure the application has contact with the sheet underside to achieve full encapsulation of the sheet cut edge.

Always stir Giromax® products thoroughly before use. If required, only use a Giromax branded thinner. Application should start at a point furthest from the roof access to avoid disturbing new lap seals. If the cut edge corrosion is beyond its primary fixing, do not proceed and speak to our team for further guidance.

Giromax® Edgecoat is a moisture tolerant, BBA certified formula, which has been designed to treat both the top and reverse sides of the cut edge. This revolutionary cut edge corrosion treatment provides protection for up to 15 years.

If you need additional guidance on Giromax® Edgecoat application or advice about any of our products, please speak to the Giromax team or call 01455 558969 today.

Avoiding damage from damp conditions and UV light

Thanks to the vagaries of the British weather, which has the potential to cause significant damage over time, it’s usually the roof of a building that bears the brunt. Damp conditions are a particular problem, as well as the fact temperatures typically stay below 10 degrees for a significant proportion of the year.

Roof systems are subject to lower temperatures than at ground level, including greater windchill. Therefore, asides from being moisture tolerant, roof coatings must be able to cope with all UK weather conditions. They need to have early resilience to heavy rainstorms and overnight freezing temperatures.

Coatings must also be able to withstand aggressive UV attacks, and these don’t only occur in dry, sunny weather. After a summer rain shower, a moist roof surface can be subject to some significant heating when the sun starts shining, creating an extremely aggressive environment. Our technical team go to great lengths to design our coatings to be as resilient as possible to cope with ever-changing weather conditions.

Flexibility and waterproof membranes

We build in a high degree of flexibility into our products, ensuring they can deal with all aspects of our British weather. Our attention to detail during the design process ensures our coatings are equipped with technology that protects colours from fading. We also make sure products have a waterproof membrane to help prevent surface degradation.

Coatings need to be flexible and robust enough to cope with someone walking on them, for example, carrying out a roof inspection of an air conditioning unit. Even something as innocuous as a dropped spanner has the potential to create serious damage.

Our in-depth process for testing coating products

Testing for resilience to UV damage is usually run on a continuous test cycle of 2,000 – 3,000 hours. But we don’t think that’s long enough, so we test for 15,000 hours – and then we keep on going! During the development phase, we undertake 18 months of testing, even when after 5,000 hours we can see that a product is very durable. We have a QUV accelerated weather testing cabinet, which is officially approved by ASTM International.

Our QUV cabinet exposes coated panels to cycles of moisture and UV light at elevated temperatures. This clever piece of kit can take just a few days or weeks to replicate the damage caused by several months or years of exposure to the elements. Fluorescent lamps are specially designed to produce UVA, UVB and UVC rays. Water spray and condensing humidity simulate dew and rain, replicating a whole range of weather conditions.

We undertake QUV testing for every coating colour we produce. Not all coloured coatings work in quite the same way, with some colours more prone to fading, while others may become less durable over time.

ASTM compliant testing processes

We use recommended ASTM procedures to check for a number of qualities in our coatings, including application, adhesion, surface abrasion, humidity and UV testing. When it comes to our testing protocols, we believe in double checking the results of our QUV cabinet findings. We think it’s particularly important to get outside to conduct many of our tests, even to the extent of hanging panels outdoors, whether on top of a container or on a panel rack. This lets us test actual weathering, both for signs of UV degradation and for performance.

When we remove panels from the QUV cabinet for closer inspection, this can often mean standing outside in stormy weather. We physically test coated panels because we want to see the effects, such as pooling water on gutter coatings when it freezes. This meticulous approach ensures our products are robust and effective for years to come.

Our roof coating products have been designed to withstand stormy weather conditions, and many environmental factors which could affect products have ironically improved these days. The weather is warmer, there’s no longer acid rain, and fewer factories are pumping out nasty chemicals into the air. Meanwhile, we continue to test and develop the weather-resistant membranes within our products to keep bad weather out.

When it comes to roof coating products, we are market leaders. Our technical expertise enables us to continually test, develop and improve our products. We can also provide application guidance to you and your clients. If you need advice about any of our products, please speak to the Giromax team or call 01455 558969 today.