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Follow these general application guidelines & procedures when using all KBS Restoration Products in addition to their standard application instructions. As always, please heed all warning and caution notices.
The most important part of this repair process is PREPARATION. The more thorough a preparation job you do, the more impressive the end results will be.
Begin by removing all fixtures and fittings that will enable you to access all areas of the trunk / floorpan and then vacuum it out well to remove all loose dust & debris.
The next step is to remove all existing coatings and/or underseal-type products. It is not always possible to remove everything, but it is important to remove as much as possible. The best tools for this job will depend on the type of existing surface coating, but a gallon of paint stripper, a scraper, some 100 grit sandpaper, clean rags, and a lot of elbow grease would be in order. Also, some underseal type products can also be removed with a hot air gun.
After their removal, the surface should look like rust and scuffed up metal. There may be remaining bits of paint here & there that can’t be removed and this is fine. Most importantly, the whole surface to be coated should be abraded with course sandpaper whether it is paint, metal or rust. To remove as much rust as you can, try scraping, sanding or wire brushing by hand. It is not recommended to use a power wire brush as this will polish the surface and embed contamination into the rust which can be very difficult to remove later. (Note: If power wire brushing is necessary, abrade the surface afterwards with course sandpaper and then thoroughly wash with AquaKlean not once, but TWICE!)
At this time it is important to do any necessary repairs or welding before proceeding with surface cleaning.
When you are ready to clean, dilute a mixture of AquaKlean per instruction label for heavy duty cleaning. Apply liberally to all surfaces and let soak for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing with a stiff bristle brush. Rinse thoroughly. In areas that are heavily contaminated, especially with engine oil, rinse thoroughly and repeat. If the body of the car is completely stripped out, simply use a hose to rinse. If, however, you are just working on a floorpan, rinse using a bucket of fresh water & CLEAN rags. (Rags need to be clean otherwise all your hard work will be for nothing!) Also, don’t be too concerned about water coming in contact with bare metal because AquaKlean is enhanced with an oxygen block inhibitor which will help prevent the incidence of flash rust between cleaning & painting.
After allowing the surface to dry, proceed with a liberal application of RustBlast by either spraying or brushing. Continually keep all surfaces wet for a minimum of 30 minutes before thoroughly rinsing, but for heavily rusted areas keep surfaces wet for a minimum of one hour or more. DO NOT ALLOW RUSTBLAST TO DRY prior to rinsing. (Note: You do not have to remove every bit of rust before applying RustSeal, but just as much as is practically possible.)
Your Trunk / Floorpan is ready for sealing after the surface is allowed to THOROUGHLY dry. You may need the help of a heat gun or blow dryer on seams & welds and in conditions of high humidity. (Note: Unlike other metal preps, metal treated with the revolutionary KBS system can be left up to 30 days before painting.)
Now is the time to inspect the trunk / floorpan for pinholes or areas weakened by rust. Measure & pre-cut a piece(s) of the BackBone Mesh to fit the area(s) making sure the mesh extends at least 2-3 inches (50-75mm) beyond it. Apply a thin coat 2mils (50um) of RustSeal to the entire prepared surface including the large holes & pinholes on both sides of the metal. When this first coat of RustSeal is dry to the touch, apply a second thin coat 2mils (50um) of RustSeal only to the areas you will be using the BackBone Mesh. When this second coat of RustSeal is still wet to tacky, embed the BackBone Mesh directly into it and mold it into the shape of the trunk / floorpan. If the trunk / floorpan is odd shaped and requires a lot of pressing & molding, however, wait until the coating is “tacky” before applying BackBone. Remember to always wear gloves and not to apply too much paint as it will make the BackBone application more difficult.
When BackBone & Rustseal has dried (approx. 3-4 hrs. later), apply another thin coating 2mils (50um) of RustSeal over the entire trunk / floorpan including the areas reinforced with the BackBone Mesh. Within 6 hours of this last coating curing, mix NuMetal Epoxy Putty as directed & apply to repaired areas for smoothing or other parts that need filling. When working with NuMetal, have a bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers into for smoothing out the putty. This will help eliminate or reduce the need for future sanding. NuMetal epoxy putty will cure in approx. 6-8 hours at 75F (24C). You may give the area a light sanding after curing, but be careful NOT to sand through the coating! Afterwards, wipe down the sanding dust from the surface with a clean cloth, and apply a final coat of RustSeal. This final coat must be applied to the repaired areas, but may also be applied over the entire project area if you choose. It will take up to 7 days for the KBS Coating system to reach its full hardness.
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