Ws Water Silicate – Construction Guide
1. Pre-application preparation
1Substrate inspection and preparation
Check substrate surface cleanliness, roughness, temperature and humidity conditions. Steel blast-cleaned to Sa2.5 grade (ISO 8501-1), surface roughness Rz 40-75μm. Complete primer application within 4h after treatment. Substrate temperature ≥ dew point +3°C, relative humidity ≤85%.
2Coating preparation
Accurately weigh the main agent and curing agent according to the ratio for one-component or two-component (as per product label). Stir with an electric stirrer at low speed (300-500rpm) for 3-5 minutes until uniform. Add 0-10% dedicated thinner as needed to adjust application viscosity. Use after an induction period of 15-30 minutes (23°C).
3Environmental condition check
Application temperature: 5-40°C (substrate temperature ≥ dew point +3°C). Relative humidity: ≤85%. The application area should be well ventilated. For outdoor application, avoid rain, snow, strong wind, and direct sunlight.
2. Application process
| Application method | Parameters | Applicable scenarios |
|---|---|---|
| Airless spray | Nozzle 0.38-0.53mm, pressure 15-25MPa | Large steel structures, storage tanks, vessels |
| Conventional air spray | Nozzle 1.5-2.0mm, pressure 0.3-0.5MPa | Small/medium workpieces and equipment housings |
| Brush / roller application | — | Small-area repairs, stripe coating of welds, edge reinforcement |
Recommended dry film thickness (DFT):30-60μm/coat. Multiple coats may be required to achieve specified film thickness. Minimum recoat interval must be met between coats (see TDS Drying Time table).
III. Application precautions
1. If maximum recoat interval is exceeded, sweep blast the surface (low pressure 0.2-0.3MPa, non-metallic abrasive) to create mechanical anchoring profile.
2. Welds, free edges, bolt holes, etc. should be stripe coated first to ensure coating thickness at these weak points meets specifications.
3. Continuously stir the coating during application to prevent pigment settling (especially for products containing heavy pigments such as zinc powder/mica iron oxide/glass flakes).
4. Two-component coatings must not be used after exceeding the pot life (4-8 hours @23°C)—cross-linking reaction has occurred, and continued use will result in loss of adhesion and coating chalking.
5. Low temperature (<5°C)Application时Curing Agent反应活性显著Reduces，需Uselow-temperature curing剂或采取加热措施。
6. Avoid contact with water during coating curing after application (epoxy resin is not water-resistant; amine curing agents react with water to produce amine blush/white spots).
IV. Safety and environment
1. Applicator must wear protective equipment: gas mask (A2P2 filter cartridge), goggles, nitrile gloves, anti-static workwear.
2. Open flames, welding, cutting, and other operations that generate sparks/high temperatures are prohibited in the construction area. Use explosion-proof electrical equipment.
3. Dispose of waste paint and containers in accordance with Category HW12 of the National Hazardous Waste List.
4. Residual paint must not be poured into sewers or soil. Collect and hand over to a qualified hazardous waste disposal unit for treatment.
V. Quality inspection
| Inspection items | Method | Acceptance criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Surface preparation | ISO 8503 Surface Roughness Comparator | Sa2.5, Rz 40-75μm |
| Dry Film Thickness (DFT) | ISO 2808 Electromagnetic Induction Method | 80% of test points ≥ specified value, no test points<80%规定值 |
| Adhesion | ISO 4624 Pull-off test / ISO 2409 Cross-cut test | ≥≥3-5 MPa |
| Pinholes/holidays (discontinuities) | High-voltage holiday (spark) testing | No pinholes/holidays (coating discontinuities) |
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