Restore, Protect and Keep Metal Looking Its Best.png

How to Restore & Protect Painted Metal

Suggested Project Use: Metal surfaces including Garage Doors, Doors, Window Frames, Siding, Buildings, Curtain Walls, Storefronts, Sheds, Roofs, Trailers, Patio, Furniture, Mailboxes, Signs, and more. Hard plastics like car mirrors, switch plates, plastic trays, and plastic furniture.

Everbrite’s UV Blockers help protect against color fading. CrobialCoat is recommended for high-touch surfaces where antimicrobial protection is desired.

*Read entire directions thoroughly before beginning.*

4 Basic Steps

1. Remove Chalk/Oxidation

2. Clean with EZ Prep, Rinse & Dry

3. Solvent Wipe

(Anodized ONLY)

4. Apply Coating

*If freshly painted, the paint must be completely cured prior to coating.

PREPARATION

Thorough preparation is very important. If you try to take shortcuts on preparation, you will likely not achieve the intended results. The metal must be scrupulously clean and completely dry before applying the coating. Cleaning removes dirt and grime plus chalky oxidation, wax or grease that may be on the surface, so the coating can adhere properly.

1. REMOVE CHALK AND OXIDATION

If chalk or oxidation is present, clean the surface with Prep Pad and plain water. Wipe off residue with a wet microfiber or other cloth. Rinse out the pad or cloth often with plain water. Clean evenly. Heavily oxidized surfaces will require more cleaning.

2. CLEAN WITH EZ PREP, RINSE & DRY

 Wet the surface with water. (DO NOT apply EZ Prep solution on a dry surface.)
 In a bucket, mix 1-2 oz. of EZ Prep Cleaning Concentrate per gallon of water to

create a soap solution. Submerge soft brush, sponge, or clean microfiber towel into soap solution and wash surface,

cleaning all areas evenly. Wash in sections if necessary. (DO NOT allow any soap mixture to dry on the surface.)
 Rinse with fresh water until the water sheets off of the metal. If the water beads up, the surface is not clean. Rewash

the surface. Rinse thoroughly until there are no bubbles or beading and the water sheets off.
 Allow to dry or for smaller items, hand dry with soft clean lint free cloth.
 Look for any uneven areas or remaining chalk. If any chalk residue remains, wipe with a clean, damp microfiber cloth

and plain water.
 How the surface looks when clean and wet is how it will look coated. Be sure the item appears the way you want it to

look before you apply the coating. If the color is uneven when wet, it will be uneven when coated. The coating is not

easily removed from painted metal. Do not apply coating until the surface looks like you want it while it is wet.
 Make sure there is no cleaner or other contaminants left on the surface and the surface is completely dry before

application of the coating. On smaller projects, you can use a hairdryer or heated fan to help this process along.

3. SOLVENT WIPE (Anodized Aluminum ONLY)

STOP - DO NOT Solvent Wipe a painted, powder coated, or hard plastic surface; skip to Application step.
Solvent wipe the anodized aluminum with denatured alcohol to remove any traces of residue. This step needs to be done immediately before coating. Do NOT dilute or rinse the solvent. This step will ensure a completely clean and dry surface. Skipping this step on anodized aluminum may result in poor adhesion of the coating. (Solvent not included in kits – available at hardware stores)

PREPARING THE COATING

Satin finishes and CrobialCoat require shaking before each use to distribute additional properties throughout the coating. Let sit a minute or two before use allowing bubbles to dissipate. Failure to mix well before you start and frequently throughout the application period may result in a streaky and uneven finish with Satin products and improper distribution of antimicrobial properties in CrobialCoat.

(There is NO requirement to shake or mix the clear finish.)

Do NOT thin the coatings.

4. APPLICATION OF COATING

Pour the coating into clean, dry, metal or glass pan.
Submerge applicator completely into the coating. Gently squeeze out just the

excess. Applicator should be saturated but not dripping. This is important as

dry areas in the applicator can cause streaks.
Apply the coating to the surface letting the applicator glide across the surface.

Do not press hard. Applicator should glide smoothly. When it starts showing resistance, dip the applicator again. If you get drips, simply smooth them out before the coating starts to dry. Observe the coating while applying: if the coating separates or does not look completely smooth, STOP and re-clean the surface.
Let the coating dry completely. It will self-level as it dries. If you see an area you missed, let it dry and then coat over the missed area. Wait at least one hour between coats or until the previous coat is completely dry.
Apply a second coat; two coats are recommended for lasting protection. Everbrite coatings are self-annealing; meaning the second coat will become part of the first coat. *3 Coats are recommended for fiberglass.

DRY & CURE TIME: The coating will be dry in an hour (several coats may take longer). Dry coating is still delicate until cured. Heat and air circulation help speed curing. Under normal circumstances & with good ventilation, coating is generally cured after 4-5 days. Wait until cured before prolonged contact with other surfaces or packaging. Allow a minimum of two weeks cure time before letting water sit/pool on the coated surface, immersing in water or filling sinks/fountains, etc. In most cases, dew or rain does not hurt the coating once it is dry for 3-4 hours.

You can shorten cure time by gently heating the coating AFTER it is dry to the touch. Dry, coated items placed in a low temperature oven (140°F -180°F) for 1 hour will be cured when cooled. Larger items can be placed direct sunlight to speed curing.

AFTER CARE: Do NOT use solvent or citrus based cleaners or abrasives to clean coated metal. Do not use cleaners with petroleum distillates. Suggested cleaners: Mild soap and water or similar mild cleaners.

MAINTENANCE & LONGEVITY: Once coated, the coating is easy to maintain. As long as the original coating is still intact, wash the surface with a mild dish soap and water, dry well, and recoat. It is best to recoat before any tarnish or oxidation is seen or at the first sight of slight color change. The longevity of the coating is dependent on proper application of the coating, its environment, and general use and abuse. See Maintenance Instructions on our website.

SHELF LIFE OF COATING: Coating has an indefinite shelf life when stored in the closed, original container. Keep any extra coating for touch ups. We recommend cleaning the threads of the container before reattaching the lid to avoid sticking.

COATING REMOVAL: Coating can be removed from Anodized Aluminum with a solvent like Xylene or a Xylene substitute. Care needs to be taken when removing coating from painted metal; contact customer service (916) 852-0200.

PREPARATION TIPS:

PERSONAL PROTECTION

Wear nitrile or chemical resistant gloves and eye protection.

ALTERNATIVES TO PREP PADS

In place of our gray synthetic steel wool Prep Pads, any fine, 000 or 0000, synthetic steel wool pad or Teflon® safe kitchen sponge can be used. Do not use regular steel wool as it can leave particles that will rust.

ALTERNATIVES TO EZ PREP AS A CLEANER

A mild dish soap like Original Dawn® (with no lotion) and water can be used.
*For new, small, hard plastics ONLY, use 90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol to prep surface.

PROJECTS WITH PANELS, RIBS, SQUARES

Clean and wash one panel, rib, or square at a time. Clean each evenly. Do not clean in circles.

IF MOLD IS PRESENT

Before removing the chalk/oxidation. wet the surface with water. Apply a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water.

TEST FIRST

Test cleaning method in a small area first to ensure this process works for your application.

APPLICATION TIPS:

CAUTION - RUBBER & SOFT PLASTICS:

Our coating will melt rubber and soft plastics. Use nitrile gloves or chemical resistant gloves as rubber gloves will become sticky. Use glass or metal when pouring coating into another container. Use a natural bristled brush for a brush application (no synthetics). For garage doors: Tape off both sides of any rubber gaskets or weather stripping around the garage door to avoid sticking.

For window frames and pool cages:

Tape off any non-metal screens.

PROTECT ANY ASPHALT OR CONCRETE

Asphalt needs to be protected; solvent in the coating will harm the asphalt if spilled. It’s a good idea to put a tarp down to protect the concrete from being coated. It won’t harm concrete; it will cause it to look shiny.

PERSONAL PROTECTION:

Allow for adequate ventilation. Wear eye protection and nitrile or chemical resistant gloves. If spraying, a NIOSH respirator is recommended.

TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY MATTER:

Coating is best applied in temperatures from 55-85 degrees and without humidity. (40- 100 degrees outside temperature is a workable range.) The temperature of the metal is more important than the air temperature. Do not apply the coating if the metal is too hot. The metal is too hot if you cannot place the back of your hand on it for 10-15 seconds. If it is too cold, warm the metal with a heat gun, hair dryer, or work in the sun or shade appropriately. Do not apply if the temperature is within 10 degrees of the dew point. You can access dew point information for your area on weather.com.

APPLICATION METHODS:

Application method is a matter of personal preference and somewhat project dependent. For application, use a clear-coat applicator: applicator pad, sponge brush, natural-bristled paintbrush, dense microfiber roller, clean dry lint-free white cloth, aerosol can, HVLP or Airless paint sprayer with a fine-finish tip. When spraying larger areas like siding, a 50/50 overlap is recommended. Aerosols are not recommended for large, flat surfaces. If using a cloth, fold it into a pad.

APPLICATOR CARE & CLEANING:

Rollers, sponge brushes, and applicator pads are discarded after use, but they will last for a short while if wrapped well in aluminum foil to stop brushes/tools from becoming hard between coats or during breaks. Brushes and spray tips can be cleaned Xylene or a Xylene substitute.

TEST FIRST: For larger projects, it is recommended to test application of the coating in a small inconspicuous area before coating your entire project.

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