Surface Preparation
Paint only clean, dry surfaces. Remove all grease, oil, wax, or other foreign material by solvent or detergent washing. (SSPC-SPI)
Fiberglass: Soda Blast, Sand with 60-80 grit sandpaper, or equivalent. Once desired profile is achieved, wipe down with rags saturated with Sea Hawk Thinner 2031 to remove all the sanding dust. This procedure should be followed by at least 2-3 coats of Tuff Stuff for general purpose applications or use at least three coats for osmotic blistering prevention. For repair of osmotic gelcoat blistering please contact your local Sea Hawk representative for procedures and paint system specification.
Steel Vessels: Sea Hawk Tuff Stuff Epoxy Primer is normally used as part of paint systems for both above and below the waterline on hull systems on bare metal surfaces. Tuff Stuff Epoxy must be applied over properly cleaned metal or fiberglass surfaces, free of all surface contamination. Some areas may need to be cleaned in accordance with SSPC-SP-1 Solvent Cleaning to ensure all oils, grease and other contaminants are removed. Please refer to additional data below. See Technical Bulletin STL45
Additional Data For Painting Metal Hulls: Prior to application to any metal surface, we recommend the area first be grit blasted to SSPC-SP-10 ‘near white metal to a blast profile of no less than 1.5 mil, then cleaned free of dust and blast media and painted in accordance with the paint system specifications. Follow the paint system specifications for dry film thickness and over coating times. If the system requires more than two coat of Tuff Stuff Epoxy, make sure the second coat is applied within the over coating times listed above. Additionally, regardless of the topcoat to be applied over the Tuff Stuff Epoxy make sure the over coating windows are followed. See Technical Bulletin AL1284
Recommended Paint Systems for Metal Surfaces Not Blasted: In many cases, some boatyards or shipyards cannot blast the metal surface and must clean by power tool such as power grinders we strongly recommend the metal surface be primed with one or two coats of Sea Hawk Strontium Chromate Epoxy before the Tuff Stuff Epoxy High Build is applied. If this system is used make sure the grinding dust is removed by blown air, brooms, brushes or similar. Do not use rags with or without thinner should be used as this may leave fabric fibers on the cleaned surface which when over coated can produce moisture ‘wicking to the substrate and cause blistering or delamination problems.
Blasted Surfaces: For steel surfaces use angular grit for blasting. Do not use metal ‘shot' as this does not leave a proper surface for painting. For aluminum, do not use any metal blast media. There are specific blast media available like select minerals, sand or other non-metallic media provide an acceptable profile is provided.
Note: Blasted steel and aluminum must be painted as soon as possible after blasting to avoid any rust ‘bloom' or oxidation from high humidity. Should the surface ‘turn' before the first coat of Sea Hawk Tuff Stuff or Strontium Chromate Epoxy primers can be applied, we strongly recommend the surface be ‘grit swept' in accordance with SSPC-SP-7 Brush Off Blast to remove the ‘rust bloom' or aluminum oxide and then continue with the application of the paint system.
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