top of page
Teknos exterior Joinery Maintenance Guide 2015
This page gives some basic guidelines on maintaining and redecorating factory finished windows, doors and exterior joinery. The information relates to water based paints, which dry quickly and with little smell. Applying them requires a different brushing technique from traditional oil paint.
General Care
Teknos factory applied coatings systems will give many years of life between re painting cycles, and simple steps such as wiping down the joinery finish to remove dirt and insects will help extend the decorative finish. This can be done at the same time as cleaning the glass. Good household maintenance also helps to extend repainting intervals. At least once a year:
Check hinges and handles and treat with a light oil if necessary
Clean weather seals and ventilators to remove dust or grime
In autumn, clear guttering and down pipes, and repair any leaks
Each spring, inspect the joinery and spot repair any minor areas of coating damage, shakes or open joints.
Repair products
The list below shows the typical maintenance products used to maintain factory finished joinery. These can be purchased direct from our service centres in Banbury, Livingston and Belfast. Payment is accepted by credit or debit card and orders placed before noon will normally be despatched the same day and delivered by courier within three working days. Typically 1 litre of primer or topcoat will cover a surface area of 8 - 10 square metres.
All the recommended Teknos products are water based, with VOC levels significantly below current and proposed legislative levels. Teknos does not use heavy metal additives in any of its products.
First and subsequent redecoration
All areas to be re coated should be lightly abraded with a fine grade abrasive paper, washed down with a mild detergent solution and rinsed with clean water to remove dust, insects and other contaminants, which can form a base for algae and fungi growth. Using a good quality, long haired, synthetic brush, designed for use with acrylic paints, apply one or two coats of quatop 2600 opaque or translucent topcoat in the appropriate shade, colour and gloss level. Allow to dry for four hours between coats.
Problem Areas
If regular maintenance is delayed or some other damage has occurred, additional steps may be necessary to reinstate the finish to its initial condition. The notes below cover the most common problems, and further help is available from our Customer Service teams. Where minor flaking affects small areas of the topcoat surface but the timber substrate is not exposed: Abrade the damaged area with a fine grade abrasive paper to remove all unsound coating and feather out to leave a smooth surface. Clean down and wash the abraded area to remove dust, and allow to thoroughly dry. Apply a coat of Aquatop 2600 opaque or translucent topcoat in the appropriate shade, colour and gloss level to the damaged area. Allow to dry for four hours and then apply a second coat If the damaged area is widespread, lightly abrade the complete frame; repair the damaged area as described above; apply the second coat to the complete frame. Where moisture has penetrated joints, end grain, mitres or natural movement of the timber has opened shakes, treat as follows: Abrade the damaged area with a fine grade abrasive paper to remove all unsound coating and feather out to leave a smooth surface. Clean down and wash the abraded area to remove dust, and allow to thoroughly dry.
Prime with Aqua Primer 2900 base coat stain in the original colour for translucent systems or Anti Stain Aqua 2901 for opaque systems.
Seal any open joints with Teknoseal 4001 joint sealer applied by mastic gun. Wipe with a damp cloth or spatula to give a smooth joint and allow to dry to a clear finish. Seal any exposed end grain with Teknoseal 4000 end grain sealer and allow to thoroughly dry. Apply a coat of Aquatop 2600 opaque or translucent topcoat in the appropriate shade, colour and gloss level. Allow to dry for four hours and then apply a second coat.
Resin Exudation
Resin occurs naturally in timber, in pockets within the wood or associated with knots. Some timber species are naturally more resinous than others , but the presence of resin is normally not detectable when joinery is manufactured. Resin exudation often occurs on southern elevations and on darker coloured joinery where the sun’s heat liquifies and mobilises the resin drawing it to the surface. Where resin has exuded through the coating: Although it may be unsightly, it is better not to remove fresh sticky resin. In practice, this can be very difficult, and its presence indicates that the exudation is still continuing. Remedial work is often best left until the first maintenance period, by which time the resin has normally fully crystallised. The best remedial treatment is to allow it to weather until it dries and oxidises, forming a white crystalline powder. The dried resin can then be removed with a stiff nylon or natural bristle brush, and any remaining residues washed off with a cloth. Water based coatings often allow the passage of resin to the surface without damaging the coating. If the finish is not damaged, by over-vigorous scrubbing during crystal removal, re-coating is often unnecessary, but otherwise an overall application of a finish coat restores the general appearance of the timber and maintains its protection.
Applying water based paints
The short drying time and reduced flow of water based paints requires a different technique to achieve a good finish. Following a few simple hints will produce excellent results. The quality of the brush is very important; a long haired synthetic brush will give the best results. Avoid short haired or worn
brushes which may leave lines in the dry film. Thoroughly wet the brush with water before starting, ensuring the base of the bristles (the heel of the brush) is fully wetted. The viscosity of the paint will affect the ease of application.
Whilst the product can be applied directly from the tin, additional thinning with between 5 and 10% of water will improve the flow and levelling properties of the product, particularly in warmer weather.
For best results follow three simple steps:
- Load the coating generously onto the surface and disperse the paint briskly
- Even out the coating with light diagonal cross strokes, do not overbrush, the coating will flow and level naturally
- Finish the application with light brush strokes in the direction of the grain
With practice an even coat can be applied quickly. An even coating film is important for durability, but also for appearance, particularly in the case of translucent wood stain. Apply and finish each section systematically. So on a door or window paint one component at a time e.g. top rail followed by
the style and then the bottom rail When applying darker opaque colours over previously applied lighter shades use a base coat of the final colour or one coat of Anti Stain aqua 2901 Grey to aid opacity. Do not attempt to paint when the temperature is below 5 degrees Celsius, or if the relative humidity exceeds 80%: the curing and performance of the coating may be impaired.
If there is any doubt about the substrate or underlying paint film, apply the appropriate Teknos products to a small, inconspicuous area, allow to dry for 24 hours and then inspect for appearance and adhesion to substrate. Wash out brushes with a mild detergent solution such as washing up liquid then rinse with clean water.
Teknos UK and Ireland
Teknos is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of industrial wood coatings. We provide technical support and delivery services throughout the UK and Ireland from 3 service centres, located at Swerford, near Banbury, Livingston and Belfast. For further information, please contact your local service centre.
Teknos (UK) Limited
Unit E1, Heath Farm
Banbury Road
Swerford
Oxfordshire OX7 4BN
Tel. +44 (0) 1608 683494
Fax: +44 (0) 1608 683487
Email: sales@teknos.co.uk
Web: www.teknos.co.uk
Teknos Ireland Limited
Unit 1
Fortwilliam Industrial Estate
Dargan Crescent
Belfast BT3 9JP
Tel. +44 (0) 2890 960670
Fax: +44 (0) 2890 960674
Email: sales.ni@teknos.co.uk
Web: www.teknos.co.uk
Teknos Scotland Limited
Nettlehill Road
Houston Industrial Estate
Livingston
EH54 5DL
Tel. +44 (0) 1506 436222
Fax: +44 (0) 1506 448826
Email: sales.scotland@teknos.co.uk
Web: www.teknos.co.uk
Timber cladding
Service life and maintenance guide
Exposure conditions vary significantly in the British Isles. South facing elevations, coastal sites, and sunny exposed locations will all reduce, to some extent, coating life to first maintenance. This note gives a guide to typical maintenance cycles on cladding, factory finished with Teknos exterior systems. The lifetimes quoted are intended to give a reasonable guide in average UK conditions. As a general rule, Teknos recommend more frequent preventative, rather than reactive, maintenance. This helps maintain decorative appearance while reducing the time and cost of individual maintenance cycles.
Design factors affecting service life and maintenance cycles
Good profile design is critical to long term cladding performance. In particular, sharp edges should be eliminated and all features designed to ensure fast,
efficient water drain off. All end grain must be fully coated with a minimum of one, and ideally two, coats of Teknoseal 4000 end grain sealer.
The choice of timber species has a significant influence on paint system durability. Species with good dimensional stability, resistance to cupping, and to surface checking will extend service life and require less frequent maintenance.
Appropriate fixing methods are essential if the specified cladding service life is to be achieved and maintenance intervals extended. Face fixings, which provide weak spots for moisture ingress, should be avoided and adequate ventilation available behind the boards to prevent moisture build up.
Some timbers naturally exude resin from knots, causing tannin stains in the topcoat or liquid resin bleed, which seeps through the coating leaving a sticky residue on the surface. These problems are normally seen after installation and though aesthetically unappealing do not necessarily detract from coating performance.
Coating breakdown is usually initiated by mechanical breakdown caused either by failure at the timber surface or dimensional changes in the board as moisture levels vary. Flexible (low modulus) water based acrylic coatings, such as Aquatop 2600, provide greater resistance to this type of failure than oil based paints.
Sunlight (UV) degrades the lignin in the timber surface, initiating breakdown, and shortening maintenance cycles. Coating pigmentation inhibits UV degradation in much the same way that sun creams protect exposed skin. If the pigmentation is low, as in light translucent shades, the protection factor is less than more heavily pigmented coatings such as whites and opaque colours. This is reflected in the maintenance frequency. Care is also required with very dark colours, such as blacks, which have high heat absorption in direct sunlight. At high temperatures, resin bleed and surface checking can cause problems, with some timber species requiring more frequent maintenance.
Coated surfaces and adjacent rainwater goods should be regularly maintained and washed down to remove surface pollution (NB. Do not use pressure washers). Some “chalking” of the paint film will occur over time due to the natural erosion of the microporous paint film. This is quite normal and does not detract from the system performance.
About Teknos
Teknos is a leading supplier of joinery coatings. Its technical leadership in joinery protection is founded on sustained levels of R&D expenditure and a strong concern for the environment.
Teknos UK and GBI
Teknos has three service centres, located at Swerford, near Banbury, Livingston and Magherafelt, and provides expertise and delivery services throughout the British Isles. For further Information and assistance, please contact your local centre.
Teknos UK Limited
(Head Office)
Unit E1, Heath Farm
Banbury Road, Swerford
Oxfordshire OX7 4BN
Tel. +44 (0) 1608 683 494
Teknos UK Limited
(Scotland)
Nettlehill Road
Houstoun Industrial Estate
Livingston EH54 5DL
Tel. +44 (0) 1506 436 222
Teknos Ireland Limited
52 Ballymoughan Road
Magherafelt BT45 6HN
Tel. +44 (0) 2879 301 472
bottom of page