MULTI-PRIMER

Application Instructions - Timber

Multi-Primer is very easy to use. It is a two-part epoxy resin liquid that is mixed with a ratio of 1:1. It has a long working pot-life, is easy to mix and use, and retains its penetrating and moisture dissolving abilities throughout most of the curing time.

Application Methods
Multi-Primer can be applied by rolling, brushing, pouring, injection, immersion or spraying. When applying Multi-Primer, be sure to wear protective clothing such as rubber gloves, eye goggles and an organic vapour filtering respiration mask, especially if treating timbers indoors or at a vertical angle or overhead.

• Brushing: Only use cheap (throw-away) natural bristle brushes with Multi-Primer as foam brushes will melt.
• Injecting: A high quality medical or solvent syringe is required, or it can be carefully pored from a solid plastic pouring container. If poured slowly Multi-Primer will not splash or gurgle.
• Rolling: When applying to a vertical surface the roller should be held horizontally, and only rolled upwards.
• Immersion: Use a sturdy, waterproof container of solid plastic or, ideally, metal. The warm weather formula is best for immersion applications.
• Spraying: Only use high quality insecticide spray bottles/equipment that are rated to carry organic solvents. Spraying should be done at close range, on a course and slower setting. Because some of the solvent component of Multi-Primer will disperse during spraying it is (a) essential that personal protective equipment is worn, (b) the timber being treated is as dry as possible, and (c) likely that several applications will be required. Spraying is not recommended.

Preparing Multi-Primer
Multi-Primer is a two-part Epoxy resin. When preparing Multi-Primer for use Senseal recommends that you:

• Mix only a smaller quantity than you think you will need to begin with;
• Carefully measure out equal parts of container A and B into a clean sturdy plastic or metal container. Mix the resin thoroughly by stirring with a clean, disposable implement (that is not a light plastic, foam brush or painted); and,
• Between coatings of Multi-Primer, within the pot-life, the remaining working pot should be covered to slow the curing process. Once mixed, Multi-Primer will automatically begin to cure and must be used within the pot-life times indicated.

Applying Multi-Primer

1. Remove any old paint, allow the wood to dry, and lightly sand the treatment surface area.
2. Remove any loose, crumbly completely deteriorated wood. If the wood is completely deteriorated, with no structural integrity, it is better to replace the timber than treat it with Multi-Primer. For access to highly rot damaged areas within otherwise good wood, drill a hole that intersects the rotten section. If rotten areas are still wet, use a hair dryer to aid evaporation of excessive water, or an air compressor in the drill hole if the area is within the timber.
3. Saturate the wood with Multi-Primer until it will no longer soak in (it will pool on the surface, or dribble out of the other side of the timber). Be sure to apply enough Multi-Primer so that it no longer soaks through any drill holes or into rotten sections. Complete immersion of the timber in Multi-Primer is the ideal application method. Allow the treated timber to cure according to the curing timetable, in a dry, aerated location.
4. After the solvents have evaporated (from 1 to 5 days), apply Fill-It™ to restore the timbers original profile. For specific instructions on using Fill-It read Senseal's Fill-It application information sheet. To increase the strength of the timber, like many in the marine industry like to do, a generous covering with Senseal's Laminate-It can be used once the Multi-Primer has cured, and (once cured) before the Fill-It is applied. Again, for specific instructions on applying Laminate-It, see Senseal's dedicated application information sheet.
5. The next day, Fill-It can be sanded to shape, and another coating of Multi-Primer applied to allow the deep gluing of paint or varnish to the timber. You do not need to sand Multi-Primer before applying another coat. Your topcoat, however, must be applied once Multi-Primer is only half cured to ensure it is 'deep glued' to the surface. If you do not use this method, and Multi-Primer has fully cured, you should lightly sand it before applying your top coat to ensure a 'physical key' provides a strong bond.
6. That's it! Your timber is now Multi-Primed for good!

Multi-Primer as Surface Coating & For Good Wood
Applying Multi-Primer to good wood before painting or varnishing is far superior to any other surface primer available for paint, varnish, stain and polyurethane finishes. When Multi-Primer is half-cured apply your paint or varnish. This allows the paint or varnish to cure into the Multi-Primer, ‘deep-gluing’ it to the timber, further protecting it from deterioration and achieving a greater lifespan for your finish. If applying over stains, Multi-Primer will not redistribute them and will only enrich the presentation finish. If in doubt, try the stain and Multi-Primer coating on a separate piece of the same timber to assess the result.

Multi-Primer On Fibreglass, Cement And Other Materials
Multi-Primer seals, binds and protects many other materials with equally good results including: metal, fibreglass, ferrocement, stone, concrete, porous tiles, grout and mortar.

• General Instructions – The main difference with applying Multi-Primer to materials other than timber is that it won't soak in as much, and will act more like a top-coat primer – which it is! This means you will use less, but still achieve fantastic protective and sealant results. It is always advisable to check the results of application on a test piece of the material before commencing the full job.
• Fibreglass – Multi-Primer can be used on fibreglass to fill gaps, repair blistering and cracks, and seal joints with wood, steel and rubber. For more detailed instructions on fibre glass repairs, particularly osmosis blistering, contact Senseal.
• Cement – Multi-Primer can be used to repair crumbling cement or protect newer cement from the deteriorating effects of water and temperature changes. Multi-Primer will act as a dependable moisture barrier on surfaces affected by rising damp or other water exposure. When pouring new cement, you'll find our Damp Concrete Primer – which perfectly adapts Multi-Primer's benefits to cement – the ideal coating for increasing top-coat paint life spans and permanently protect the cement from degradation by water, high or low temperatures, and environmental pollutants.
• Steel – Multi-Primer can be used as a rust preventing and paint bonding primer on steel and other metals, dramatically increasing your topcoat's life span and protective abilities. For corrosion repairs and protection in extreme conditions (like with metal hulled boats) Senseal's Phoscoat and Chromate Epoxy Primer are purposefully designed to save the day – and future maintenance costs!

Pot Life & Curing Times
A general guide for the pot life and curing times of the Warm and Cold Weather Multi-Primer formulas are shown below. Cure times below reflect a higher amount of impregnation of Multi-Primer, for slightly rotten timber.

Multi-Primer Pot Life & Curing Times

Several factors affect the curing times for Multi-Primer, and require an 'on-the-job' judgment:

• The more Multi-Primer soaks into a timber, the longer it will take to cure right through;
• The varying day and night time temperatures should be taken into account;
• It is important to keep rain and dew away from Multi-Primed timber while curing. High humidity means a longer curing time;
• Remove coatings from timber near the Multi-Primed areas to increase its evaporation routes;
• A well ventilated area is recommended, as fresh drier air will shorten the curing time; and,
• The drier the timber the faster the cure. It is not recommended to treat timber with more than an average moisture content of 20%. Damp wood is okay, but if you press the wood and water comes out, it's too wet for reliable curing.

You can tell if Multi-Primer has been in the working pot too long when its consistency starts to change from a light liquid to a more viscous state. An easy way to determine if Multi-Primer has cured fully is to (a) touch the treated areas near once deteriorated sections, if they are not hard like good timber Multi-Primer is still curing, and (b) once the strong smell of solvents near the treated timber has dissipated, Multi-Primer is sufficiently cured to apply Fill-It and topcoats or extra surface coatings (warning: do not breathe in Multi-Primer vapour or fumes in any substantial amount or health problems could arise).

Shelf Life
If Multi-Primer is stored unopened, above freezing, and is sealed correctly it should virtually last forever! Once opened however, if sealed correctly during uses, it will easily last a year.

Coverage
The coverage per litre of Multi-Primer varies greatly depending on the timber type, finish and condition. The more porous the timber, the more it is deteriorated (and generally older) and the more end grains that are exposed for treatment, the more Multi-Primer will soak in, and the less coverage you will get per litre. On new, clean, sanded hardwood 2 litres of Multi-Primer averages 10-50 square meters of coverage. For more porous new wood like cedar, however, the coverage can come down to 5 square meters per 2 litres. For deeply rotted timbers, the coverage can come down to 1 square meter per two litres or less.

The golden rule in coverage with Multi-Primer is to keep applying it until the timber will no longer soak it in. Once treated, you can know for sure that your timber is protected from rot and deterioration, permanently!

Senseal is here to help!
Senseal is dedicated to providing the highest quality sealants and rot treatments possible while backing that up with expert advice. If you have any questions about the application of Multi-Primer, for tasks large or small, in private or industrial applications, call Senseal. We're committed to making sure you get the best result possible with Multi-Primer. If we can't help you immediately, we'll find out the answer from the "genius inventor" himself!