Applying Dura Tex (Tips and Tricks)

DuraTex will adhere to all wood surfaces and will also adhere to painted surfaces provided the surfaces are sanded smooth and all gloss is removed from the substrate. Surfaces that are sanded should be wiped to remove all sanding residue and should be clean and dry prior to application.

Mask off any hardware that may be already installed on the cabinet. It's best to remove hardware and reinstall it after the application of DuraTex.

No primer is needed on bare wood or on well sanded latex paint as DuraTex is self-priming and has great adhesion.

If spraying the DuraTex with a hopper gun, be sure to spray in an area with a drop cloth or plastic film on the surrounding walls and floor. Overspray will stick real well to whatever it hits so be sure the area is protected. A spray booth is not required as there are no dangerous fumes of solvents released, but overspray can make a mess!

The Protective Coat: The first coat of DuraTex is the protective coat. This coat completely seals the surface against moisture so it is critical that this coat is uniform with no voids, light areas, pinholes or other imperfections. You can apply this first coat in a number of different ways including: textured foam roller (we have one that works well), a paint brush (be careful to brush out smoothly and avoid brush marks), a typical paint roller with 1/4" or 3/8" nap, HVLP pressure pot sprayer, a hopper gun or any other means by which a relatively smooth or "orange peel" surface can be accomplished. This first coat must be applied quite a bit heavier than typical latex paint. The first coat should be approximately 10 wet mils which would result with an application rate of 130 square feet per gallon (26 square feet per quart, or about 1 ounce per 1 square foot). If applying by roller, remember that a lot of material will be needed to fully wet out the roller so more will appear to be consumed when you consider the roller holds a lot.

Once the first coat of DuraTex has been applied and has dried to the touch, carefully inspect to insure that the coating is uniform and that it completely covers the substrate. You can sand any grain raise to smooth the surface if desired. If any imperfections are found, reapply the DuraTexto the affected area and allow it to thoroughly dry before proceeding.

IF THE SPEAKER CABINETS ARE TO BE USED IN AN OUTDOOR SETTING, apply a second full protective coat of DuraTex to increase the protection level required for exterior service. Once this protective coat is applied satisfactorily and dry, you can apply the texture coat. No sanding is required between coats as DuraTex has incredible adhesion.

The Texture Coat: Creating a texture with DuraTex is simple. You can accomplish this with our textured roller, a sea sponge faux finishing roller, HVLP pressure pot sprayer or a hopper gun. This texture coat will be applied differently than the protective coat and it will be important for you to test the application method to be sure it will create the desired texture. Test this out on a piece of flat cardboard before you apply the DuraTex to your cabinet.

The texture roller creates a nice even texture unless you apply the product too heavily in which case it will create a very aggressive texture. A medium coat rather than a heavy coat will give a better result, and you might find that rolling the texture out in a thinner layer will produce the texture design you like. Experiment to find an application technique that creates the texture you desire. Adding a small amount of water to the finish coat or base coat will result in a smoother surface texture.

The HVLP pressure pot should only be used by large volume cabinet producers. It is a very intricate system with a lot of very critical components that require a lot of maintenance and care in order to produce the best finish. Generally speaking, the pressure pot to spray the DuraTex requires a 1/2" fluid line of not more than 10', a fluid pressure of around 30 psi and an air breakup pressure of 20 - 35 psi. Also, if you are using the HVLP pressure pot system, you MUST have a large needle, air cap and seat. We suggest the 1.7mm orifice or larger for your gun assembly.

A hopper gun, like that used in drywall finishing is a great way to apply the texture coat. By adjusting the air flow to a low level and pulling the trigger to release the DuraTex, it spatters on the surface in small to large drops and you can add or reduce the air flow to create the size texture drops that you desire.

Practice with a piece of flat cardboard and note the trigger pull, the air flow and the orifice size you used in accomplishing the texture so that you can reproduce the texture look you desire. This application method is effective and easy to accomplish a professional look. When applying the protective coat with the hopper gun, increase the airflow and reduce the trigger pull so that you are lightly spraying on the DuraTex in an even manner.

If you find that after the application of the texture coat, the texture is not quite what you wanted, you can apply the DuraTex right over it to create the texture you want. Practice, practice and practice again so you are familiar with the technique required to product the texture look you desire.

Once the DuraTex is dry, you can assemble the hardware and complete the cabinet

CURING: DuraTex will air dry and the drying time will depend on the amount of relative humidity in the area. On real dry days with low relative humidity, the product will dry within an hour. On hot muggy, rainy days with high relative humidity, it may take 2 or 3 hours to dry fully.

Once the DuraTex is dry, it begins to cure. You will notice that the freshly dried DuraTex may feel a little soft and you can indent it with your thumbnail. Don't worry. DuraTex will cure to a hard finish within a few days and it gets its maximum toughness after about 7 days. You can speed up this curing process by the addition of heat such as in a drying oven by raising the temperature to 140 degrees and drying the cabinet for about 30 minutes. That makes handling, stacking and packaging easier for rapid shipping.

CLEAN UP: DuraTex is a waterbased material and cleans up easily with water while the DuraTex is still wet. If you want to remove dried material, use Xylene, Toluene or other strong solvent or paint stripper. Flush out your roller nap immediately after using and it can be used many times again. Flush out the hopper gun, disassemble the air cap and make sure the inside of the hopper is clean, and then allow to dry. If some of the product has dried in the hopper gun, soak in solvents to loosen the product and flush thoroughly.

IMPORTANT TIP FOR STORAGE: If you finish the job and have a partial can of DuraTex left over, just sprinkle a little water on the top of the remaining DuraTex in the pail (a spritz bottle works good for this) then seal the can again. Make sure there is no wet or dried coating along the top edge of the pail or on the inside of the lid so it will seal well. That way, the dead air space in the bucket will have a little moisture to raise the humidity level and prevent skinning of the DuraTex. Whenever you�re ready to use the product again, stir the little bit of remaining water into the coating and you�re ready to go.

If you mistakenly put too much water on top of the DuraTex, you can pour the water off and then stir the contents of the pail and reincorporate the slight amount of remaining water. Too much water stirred into the coating will reduce viscosity and you may not get the texture finish you desire. A bit of water will not hurt the product; it will just lower the viscosity slightly.

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