HOW TO PREPARE SURFACE FOR LIFE SPECIALTY COATINGS FM SYSTEM?
Inspection
Plywood decks must be at least 5/8” CDX grade with finish side up. The deck should be tongue and groove and properly blocked and nailed (glued & screwed is best) to meet local building codes. Plywood shall have a maximum span of 16”. Slope must be a minimum of 1/4” per linear foot for plywood and concrete decks. If applying over an existing system, all failing areas should be removed. Top coat should be sanded. If applying over an existing urethane system, use 25 series water base epoxy primer first.
Deck Preparation
Be sure the surface is clean, dry and free of grease, paint, oil, dust or curing agents. Concrete should be cured a minimum of 28 days prior to installation and should have a rough profile.
Seams and Cracks
Concrete- Cracks should be routed out 1/4” x 1/4”, seams should be cleaned out and both should be dry and free of debris. Life Deck Seam Tape (self adhering) should be laid out over all cracks, seams, and metal flashings. Apply Life Deck 7200 into the tape with a trowel or putty knife to smooth and then broadcast with #30 silica sand to improve the surface profile for subsequent coating adhesion. Allow to dry before the next coat.
Plywood- Joints, cracks or seams should be cleaned out, dry and free of debris. Life Deck Seam Tape (self adhering) should be laid out over all cracks, seams, plywood joints and at flashing. Embed Life Deck Seam Tape to the plywood joints and seams with RainBuster™ 500 or equivalent.
Crickets and Sloping
Sloping should always be done in concrete subsurface. It is the responsibility of the building owner and not the deck coating applicator. If sloping is requested, it should be noted on the work order. The applicator and the manufacturer should not be held responsible for the outcome of this remedial measure to help correct the preexisting slope condition. Crickets (reverse slope to divert water to drain) may be installed and sloping may be done using the Life Deck LD-10 sloping and patching cement. Maximum thickness should be feathered up to 4 inches. When building up over concrete, a rough profile is needed to assure bond of the material (see deck preparation).
Flashing
Flash at the junction of the wall and deck using 4”x 4” flashing. Flash the fascia with 2”x 4” flashing with a drip edge. Use a minimum of 26 gauge bonderized sheet-metal. If using galvanized metal, or copper, flashing, prepare the metal by cleaning off the residue oils with a solvent. Overlap all seams at least 4”. Caulk between overlapped flashing as well as the seam with RainBuster™ 500 or a Life Deck approved urethane sealant.
Concrete. Adhere all flashing to a concrete deck using RainBuster™500 or a Life Deck approved urethane sealant, applying three beaded rows. It may be necessary to place a heavy object, such as a brick, on the flashing to hold it flat. Once the flashing is adhered to the substrate, apply Life Deck approved urethane sealant to all seams and spread it 3-4 inches smooth from the seam creating a seamless application across all seams where the flashing meets the substrate.
Plywood. Nail all flashing every 4”, staggered. Smooth uneven surfaces with FM 1577 Texture, or RainBuster™ 500 or a Life Deck approved Urethane Caulking.
HOW TO INSTALL LIFE SPECIALTY COATINGS FM SYSTEM?
Primer
Clean all surfaces and roughen all glossy surfaces by sanding. Remove all peeling, loose or blistered material by scraping and wire brushing. Clean all surfaces thoroughly with a T.S.P. Solution and then rinse thoroughly with water. The surface must be primed using Life Deck 1575 Primer at a coverage rate of 250 square feet per gallon. Drying time is 30 minutes, recoat 2 hours.
Base Coat
- Fray all outside edges of the fiberglass to insure penetration of the base coat resin.
- Position fiberglass over the entire area to be covered butting the seams together.
- Pour the FM base coat resin on top of the fiberglass, completely saturating it using pressure from a 3/4” nap roller. Coverage is at 45 square feet per gallon.
- After saturating fiberglass, immediately roll entire area with an aluminum fiberglass roller to eliminate air bubbles and wrinkles.
- After surface is dry, cut out any bubbles and apply Life Deck 1577 to smooth out any imperfections. Sand or scrape patches to smooth.
Texture Coat
- Texture may be rolled with a carpet texture roller 80-90 sq ft per gallon.
- Texture can be troweled smooth, to achieve the desired finish.
- Make sure to “cut in” all edges with a paint brush ahead of rolling or troweling.
- An excellent texture can be achieved using a loop roller by applying the texture at 60 sq ft per gallon with a 3/4” nap roller and then using a loop roller to finish. Roll first in one direction, then immediately roll again in the opposite direction. This technique will completely hide the fiberglass.
- Caution: when applying at rate of 80 sq ft per gallon, temperature must be at least 70 degrees and humidity lower than 30% for 6 hours.
Top Coat
Mix containers of the same color and same product (10 Series or 28 Series heat reflective) together to insure a consistent color. Product may be thinned by adding 1 pint of water per gallon to avoid streaks, especially in hot weather. Roll two coats of Life Deck Top Coat using a 1/2”-3/4” nap roller at a rate of 250 square feet per gallon per coat, allowing appropriate cure time between coats (2 hours @ 800F, 4 hours @ 700F. Shaded areas require longer cure times between coats or use). Spread the Top Coat in two directions to achieve a uniform finish. Coverage will vary according to texture. Allow 4 to 6 hours drying time (at 70 degrees) before permitting light pedestrian traffic. For best results, allow to cure 24 hours before direct traffic is permitted. Allow an additional 24 hours before heavy objects are placed on the surface.
Stair Nosing Application
Life Deck FM System may be installed on stairs where needed. Use a nosing and hardware that will not rust or corrode. Attach with a construction adhesive. Seal completely under the nosing and make sure to allow for drainage at ends of nosing.
HOW TO CUSTOMIZE LIFE SPECIALTY COATINGS FM SYSTEM?
Optional Materials
Primer
- For hard to adhere to surfaces such as urethane waterproofing systems, solvent based top coats, or unknown finishes that have been previously applied, it is recommended that the Life Deck 25 Series water base epoxy be used as a primer.
- In a clean and dry bucket, thoroughly mix two parts A with one part B of 25 Series epoxy together by volume. Combine using an agitator, jiffy mixer or stir stick. Mix for at least 2 minutes or until completely combined. Allow product to induct (sweat-in) for 10-15 minutes before using. Only prepare the amount you can use in 4 hours or less. The top coat is ready to be applied by brush, roller, or squeegee. If using a squeegee, be sure to back roll for uniform coverage. Coverage should be approximately 300 sq. ft. per gallon. While product is still wet, broadcast #30 silica sand onto the wet coating at a coverage rate of approximately 70%. Allow to dry for 4 hours before applying the fiberlath step.
Additional Top Coats
4001 Clear water based urethane/acrylic sealer. Adds extra durability and protection to final color coat. Also available in satin finish, 4002.
Note Please refer to individual product technical sheets for more detailed product information on all products within this specification.
MAINTENANCE + HEALTH ADVISORIES FOR LIFE SPECIALTY COATINGS FM SYSTEM?
Clean Up
Uncured material can be removed with water. Cured material can only be removed mechanically.
Maintenance
Most stains clean up with TSP and water. Use only a bristle scrub brush and a pressure washer with 3000 psi. Rinse thoroughly. When high pressure washing, keep the nozzle tip 6” off the deck surface and keep moving. Prolonged exposure to a high pressure stream could damaged the FM System. The FM deck should be resealed with Life Deck 10 Series Top Coat every 2 to 4 years depending upon ultraviolet exposure from the sun and traffic.
Health, Protection and Safety
Refer to individual product container labels, individual product technical data sheets, and SDS for health, protection, and safety precautions.
