Aquadecks

Surface preparation

Surfaces must be thoroughly clean, dry and free of dirt, grease, grime, mildew and previous coatings.
Treat mildew with a 50/50 bleach/water solution. Scrub solution on to surface and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes; rinse thoroughly.
After stripping and cleaning, allow the wood to dry 2-3 good drying days or until it has reached a moisture content of 18% or less before applying the finish.
Aquadecks can only be applied to bare wood surfaces or a weathered wood surface that was previously finished with Aquadecks.
ALL other finishes MUST be completely and thoroughly removed.
If necessary sand surface after stripping and cleaning (80 grit paper).

For application onto new wood surfaces

New wood surfaces have a hard shiny surface called mill glaze that prevents maximum penetration and bonding of any finish; this should be removed prior to application in order to ensure maximum performance of the finish.
Treat the surface with Aquanett and then neutralise with Net-Trol. Alternatively, mechanically or manually abrade surface with 80 grit paper.
Clean off all loose wood particles.
Test wood for absorbency by sprinkling water on the surface. If water is absorbed rapidly, the surface is ready for finishing.

For application onto untreated weathered woods

Untreated wood surfaces that have weathered longer than 6 months should be thoroughly cleaned with undiluted Net-Trol to ensure that all loose wood fibres, dirt and other surface contaminants are removed.

For application onto previously treated surfaces (oiled)

All oils or sealers must be completely and thoroughly removed with Aquanett and the stripped surface neutralised with Net-Trol before applying Aquadecks.

For application onto previously treated surfaces (paint, stain, varnish, waterproofers etc)

All previous coatings must be completely and thoroughly removed with Dilunett and the stripped surface neutralised with Net-trol before applying Aquadecks.

Note: Hardwoods including exotic hardwoods and woods rich in tannins i.e. Cedar, Douglas Fir, Teak, Ipe etc may darken
with Aquanett and Dilunett but neutralising with Net-Trol immediately after rinsing will lighten and restore the woods colour.

Application

Apply 2 even applications of Aquadecks ‘wet on wet’.
Apply a 1st liberal application of Aquadecks and allow to penetrate into the wood.
Apply 2nd application as soon as the wet look of the 1st application has disappeared (normally 15- 20 minutes) and allow to penetrate into the wood.
For very porous surfaces a 3rd application may be needed.
Brush out any puddles within 20 minutes of applying the last application to avoid aquadecks drying as shiny spots on the surface.
Do not allow Aquadecks to become Touch Dry or Dry between applications.
Aquadeck’s place is in the wood not on the surface. Do not create a film on the surface, as this will affect the coatings performance.

Maintenance

General directions

Maintenance is due when the treated wood takes on a weathered grey look or has severely faded.
Clean surface including severely faded or weathered areas that have turned grey with undiluted Net-Trol before applying a maintenance application of Aquadecks.
Surfaces with harsh exposures to the sun, weather or foot traffic will show wear more quickly than other areas.
In these cases, clean affected areas with undiluted Net-Trol and re-apply Aquadecks as directed under “Application” instructions above, blending into areas which still have good colour.
For very porous or badly weathered surfaces a 2nd application may be required; this should be applied as directed under “Application” instructions above.
Areas retaining good colour do not need re-treating.

Decks and other horizontal surfaces

Most decks and horizontal surfaces do not need re-treating every year.
A single application of Aquadeks every second year will be sufficient to refresh the natural beauty of the deck/horizontal surface and maintain protection. Cleaning with Net-Trol once a year between treatments to remove dirt and contamination will renew the appearance of the wood.
For general re-treating follow directions under “Surface Preparation” and “Application”.

Cladding and other vertical surfaces

Cladding and vertical surfaces do not require annual maintenance.
When Aquadecks shows signs of wear and weathering (turning grey) then a maintenance application is required.
Clean surface with undiluted Net-Trol and re-treat with a single application of Aquadecks according to “Application” instructions above, to replace material that has weathered out.

Clean Up

Due to Aquadecks being a water-based product, you only need soap and water to clean up.

Please note: Woods high in tannins e.g., Cedar, Ipe, Oak, Teak will darken when treated with Aquanett, Prepdeck or
Dilunett. Neutralising with Net-Trol immediately after rinsing will lighten and restore the woods colour.

It is imperative that a contact time test is done when using Aquanett, Prepdeck or Dilunett on Oak, Chestnut and other high tannin content woods to avoid blackening the wood – Refer to the relevant TDS.

Things to Remember

• Use as is, do not thin.
• Mix thoroughly before and periodically during application.
• For colour uniformity, mix all product together that is to be applied to anyone area or section.
• Cover everything you do not wish to coat, including plants and shrubs.
• Apply between 10°C and 30°C.
• Do not apply if cold and/or wet weather is expected within 12 hours.
• Always work the entire length of a deck board or horizontal siding to a logical break, such as a window or door frame or end of a deck board.
• Vertical siding should be coated from top to bottom.
• Never stop application in the middle of the board or wall.
• Never apply in direct sunlight or to hot surfaces.
• Do not allow to dry between coats – apply Aquadecks ‘wet on wet’.
• After spray application, always back-brush or back-roll to improve penetration and uniformity of coverage