Prolam Care

Coating requirements for Prolam products that are exposed or in-ground.

All Prolam products must be coated correctly. This is essential to ensure ongoing performance (durability) as well as maintaining the appearance, where appearance is important.
Compliance with all Prolam requirements, including coating requirements, is a condition of our warranty.

Instructions

These instructions apply where the product is exposed as defined in Figure 4.3(b) of NZS 3604:2011 below.

Mandatory requirements

For Prolam products that will be exposed to moisture:
All exposed surfaces must be fully coated within 14 days of installation.

All exposed surfaces, cut ends and joints must be sealed with a good quality stain or alkyd primer. Allow to dry as per manufacturer/supplier instructions.

Painting

Apply a single enamel undercoat and then apply two full topcoats compatible with the undercoat.
Painting is to be carried out in accordance with best practice:
1 x undercoat and 2 x topcoats to achieve a total DFT (dry film thickness) of 80 microns (comprised of undercoat DFT 30 microns, topcoat DFT 25 microns/coat).
Prowood recommends only light-coloured paints, but where a dark colour is selected it must have a light reflectance value (LRV) of greater than 45 %.
Recoating requirements are in accordance with the manufacturer/supplier instructions.

Staining

Apply three coats of premium oil-based stain to all exposed surfaces including cut ends and joints.
Prowood recommends only light coloured stains.
Prowood recommends CD50X or Dryden’s Penetrating Wood Oil.
Recoating requirements are in accordance with the manufacturer/supplier instructions.

Prolam posts that are to be installed in-ground

It is recommended the in-ground portion of the Prolam post should also be coated before installation to ensure posts do not absorb moisture prior to the concrete curing.

Optional Requirements

For Prolam products where maintenance of the appearance applies:
Fill and sand any damage e.g., depressions, temporary fixing holes or unintended transport damage.
Holes or large imperfections can be filled with a timber plug using an exterior glue.
Sand the product until the surface is smooth and completely free from dirt and dust.

Fig 4.3(a & b) NZS 3604:2011

Coating Options

Coating Prolam with the correct products is essential to ensure ongoing performance (durability) as well as maintaining the visual appearance, where appearance is important. It is important to use an oil based primer for a painted finish and an oil based stain for stain finish.

Primers

	Dulux Primer Dulux 1Step® Oil-Based Primer, Sealer & Undercoat is a fast-drying prepcoat suitable for the complete preparation of interior and exterior surfaces.
	Resene Wood primer Resene Wood Primer is based on an oil-modified alkyd resin blended with pigments to give ease of application and good penetration

Paints

	Dulux Weathershield Dulux Weathershield® has been specially designed to provide a tough, hard-wearing finish that provides protection from all weather conditions.
	Dulux Timbacryl Dulux Timbacryl® provides a high opacity, long-lasting, Low Sheen, 100% acrylic finish for exterior timber and is ideal for fences and pergolas.
	Resene Lumbersider Resene Lumbersider is a waterborne low sheen paint based on a tough waterborne resin to ensure maximum durability in all exposed conditions. Imparts a natural low sheen look that is fully washable. Ideal for use on a wide range of exterior projects. Also popular as a fence paint finish.
	Resene Sonyx Resene Sonyx 101 is a member of a new generation family of waterborne coatings optimised for superior toughness, durability and adhesion, combined with superb flowing good looks.

Stains

	Drydens Dryden WoodOil is a water-repellent, non-filming, timber protector. It’s a true migrating oil, that migrates deep into the timber. Dryden WoodOil’s water repelling properties prevent the absorption of water deep into the timber, helping to reduce excessive warping, cupping, and splitting of timber, thus extending the life span of those timbers.
	Cutek Xtreme CUTEK® celebrates timber in every form, regardless of age, species or condition. CUTEK® timber oils powerfully protect timber in our harsh New Zealand environment.
	WoodX Wood-X are ‘viscous mineral-based’ oils designed to penetrate into absorbent, chemical and preservative free exterior timber products such as Western Red Cedar weatherboards, fascia’s, boards, beams and mouldings.

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