Thinning Hammerite Smooth Metal Paint With Owatrol ??

[WhiteVanJack]

Hi,

Would anyone know if Hammerite Smooth Metal paint can be thinned with Owatrol to improve the flow and keep a wet edge and still give a decent finish?

The Hammerite can says apply without thinning but I just cannot keep a wet edge and stop it from dragging when applying like that.

Every time I use this stuff I say never again but here I am cursing after spending 4 hours purgatory painting a 30ft soil pipe with this black glue. I need to give it a 2nd coat and before I do I hope to find a solution to the wet edge/dragging issue.

Any help most appreciated.


Rgds
Jack

 

[misterhelpful]

Not sure about Owatrol, but I have thinned it slightly with Hammerite thinners which allowed it to go on easier without clogging up the brush.

It didn't last much more than 2 years before it needed doing again though, so I guess that's the reason why they tell us not to thin it!

 

[JohnD]

Hammerite is not really such a good paint as the makers want you to think.

On rusty steel the rust continues to grow under the paint film, and it is difficult to apply, recoat or strip.

IMO a regular metal-preservative primer and ordinary undercoat/topcoat system is more reliable, easier and cheaper.

IIRC the Hammerite thinners is Trichlorethylene and incompatible with almost everything else. If you really want to apply it fast over a big area you can use a roller.

 

[WhiteVanJack]

JohnD,

Thanks for the feedback.

The soil pipe was originally galvanised and rusty so I removed the rust and gave it 2 coats of special metal primer then made the mistake of applying the Hammerite. On reflection, I should have used some other top coat on the special metal primer instead of the Hammerite.

I have a smaller ground level drain air inlet pipe to finish with a top coat that has also had the rust removed and 2 coats of special metal primer. I think I will give it a top coat with some Sadolin Superdec Exterior Black Satin that I have left over and see how it compares with the Hammerite pipe. The Sadolin gave a nice finish to some wooden cladding I used it on and is easy to apply.


Rgds
Jack

 

[jondecs]

Hmm the superdec is waterbased, not tried it myself on metal.

I don't use Hammerite anymore, expensive thinners etc. We used to carry a container of thinners that we dipped the brush in when clogging/ stringing happend. But after evaluating fencing/ metalware etc we came to same conclusin as johnD. Normal gloss/ undercoat or a machinery paint like blackfriars, or rustoleum combi colour. all thinnable with white spirit and wont go dull in 12 months.

Galvanised; I use zinsser 123 water based. exellent on galvanised..
Good luck

 

[WhiteVanJack]

Hmm the superdec is waterbased, not tried it myself on metal.

My thinking was that the 2 coats of special metal primer on the galvanised pipe would act as a reasonable barrier and allow the water based Sadolin Superdec to dry out OK without any penetrating risk?

If there is a risk that the water based Sadolin Superdec with not be suitable then I will try out the Zinsser 123, subject to it coating OK on top of special metal primer.


Rgds
Jack

 

[jondecs]

Sorry crossed wires here.. Zin 123 is a primer sealer not finishing coat. I should have wrote; ''I use zin 123 as a primer for galvanised''.
well it was late