Glass Coat Liquid Gloss is an advanced two component epoxy resin that provides a professional, high gloss surface in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional varnish. One application is equivalent to 50 coats of traditional varnish. Once cured, Glass Coat Liquid Gloss forms a super hard surface that is heat resistant and scratch resistant.

We recommend cleaning alcohol or an acetone cleaning solvent to clean up spills, runs, drips and equipment. Wash hands in warm, soapy water, wear gloves to protect hands.

Glass Coat Liquid Gloss adheres to most non porous surfaces; one surface that it does not adhere to is plastic, so plastic moulds can be used when embedding objects in Glass Coat Liquid Gloss.

Glass Coat Liquid Gloss can be applied directly on woods, canvas most metals and concrete.

PROBABLE CAUSE

There has been some oiliness or other contamination on the surface of the project prior to the pouring. The compound refuses to bond to any oil-contaminated surface. Even your fingerprints touching the surface before pouring the gloss can affect the quality of the drying. This problem is most likely to occur when pouring Glass Coat on to natural, untreated timbers.

WHAT TO DO

Surfaces should always be sealed before pouring the compound. For raw timbers, including MDF, you should apply a coat (or several if the surface is particularly porous or open-grained)) of an acrylic sealer. We recommend Glass Coat Resin Sealer.

After you have sealed the surface, be careful not to touch it with your fingers. If you do so, either seal again, or clean the surface with a kitchen spray to remove any body oils.

PROBABLE CAUSE

Some ceramic surfaces are highly glazed. Glass Coat Liquid Gloss has difficulty bonding to these surfaces and this will be noticeable around the perimeter of the tile.

WHAT TO DO

Using a sealer such as described above may help in future projects of this kind. Try using a ceramic tile with a less highly glazed surface.

PROBABLE CAUSE

Glass Coat Liquid Gloss is an adhesive and like most adhesives, it contracts a little as it dries (or cures). This contraction can sometimes be noticed at the extremities of your work.

WHAT TO DO

Use more Glass Coat Liquid Gloss in future when pouring. Allow the gloss to “overflow” the surface slightly, being sure that you have masked off the edges of your project so that the overflow will not spoil the edge or under-side of your project.

PROBABLE CAUSE

After prolonged exposure to strong daylight, the hardener may take on a yellow hue. It is always best to store your products in a cool, dark cupboard, away from direct sunlight.

WHAT TO DO

It is recommended that the products be used within the first twelve months of purchase. The yellow hue makes no difference to the performance of the product after its use, but may affect its appearance on the surface of your project.

The surface can be sanded. However, you need to be aware of the dangers here. It is important to sand in a well-ventilated area. You should avoid the inhalation of fumes and dust. Wear adequate breathing apparatus at all times. Wear safety glasses. It is best to sand your project out of doors.

My project looks great, but when I put a hot coffee cup on the surface, it left a ring that is difficult to remove. How can this be explained?

PROBABLE CAUSE

Full curing of the compound has not yet occurred.

WHAT TO DO

It will take two to three weeks for the surface to fully cure after which it will be heat resistant and hard enough to withstand coffee cups, hot dinner plates and other hot materials.

Never put your placemats or trivets in the dishwasher or in a microwave oven, dishwasher or in a microwave oven or immerse completed projects in water.

PROBABLE CAUSE

Air bubbles tend to be an inevitable part of the process caused partly through the mixing of the two parts and partly through the process of drawing air from the surfaces being treated.

WHAT TO DO

Air bubbles can be treated in three ways:

They can be ignored altogether, causing no damage to the project. The bubbles will remain.

You can blow very lightly through a drinking straw pointed at specific air bubbles. Be very careful to change the straw regularly to avoid the possibility of moisture from your breath spoiling the surface. The straw method is best suited to very small projects only.

For larger projects a much better result can be achieved by sweeping over the surface with a butane flame. Keep the flame moving quickly not too close to the surface otherwise it may scorch.

Never use a hairdryer to assist the drying process or to remove air bubbles.

PROBABLE CAUSE

This is always the result when the proportions of Part A & Part B are incorrect.

WHAT TO DO

You must blend together EXACTLY EQUAL PROPORTIONS of each of Part A & Part B.

To ensure that you do this, observe the levels remaining in each clear bottle BEFORE and AFTER pouring as your best guide.

After pouring what you think are the correct amounts into your container, allow both bottles to come to rest on your workbench.

After a half a minute or so, you can easily compare levels.

PROBABLE CAUSE

The cause of this is always insufficient blending of Part A & Part B.

WHAT TO DO

You can improve the surface by mixing a fresh batch of Glass Coat and re-pouring over the surface. The new pour will set hard over the previous pour.

In future projects, be sure to mix the two parts together thoroughly. A BROAD, FLAT STIRRER such as a paddle pop stick is perfect for the task. NEVER USE A ROUND STIRRER such as a chopstick or a length of dowel. Don’t be deceived by the fact that the two parts of the compound are CLEAR LIQUIDS. They need to be blended together just as thoroughly as you would blend two paint colours together in order to make one single colour.

You will notice after mixing the two parts together for a few minutes that the compound will ‘release’ and become very fluid.

PROBABLE CAUSE

In clearing air bubbles with a drinking straw, moisture from your breath has contaminated the surface.

WHAT TO DO

Allow the surface to dry completely.

Clean the surface with a detergent (kitchen sprays are ideal) and then RE-POUR a new batch of the Glass Coat over the whole surface.

The result may not be as perfect as it may have been had the problem not existed in the first place, but should be satisfactory after the subsequent pour.

It is far preferable to remove air bubbles with a butane torch swept lightly across the surface.

Glass Coat Liquid Gloss is not UV stable, like most external coating applications; it will be affected by direct sunlight eventually causing it to yellow.

Whilst there is no expiry date for use, it is recommended that Glass Coat Liquid Gloss be used within six months of purchase.

The perfect temperature to apply Glass Coat Liquid Gloss is 23deg c. If this is not possible, you can place the containers in Luke warm water; this will allow the Glass Coat Liquid Gloss to flow more easily. Try to avoid using on very hot or humid days.

When applying Glass Coat Liquid Gloss to natural timbers, we recommend that you seal the surface first. Unless it is sealed, air, oil and other contaminants trapped in the raw timber may find their way to the surface after you have applied the Glass Coat Liquid Gloss.

We recommend using Cabot’s Stain & Varnish (water based).

We recommend mixing quantities of no greater than 125ml each of part A and Part B in any single mix. If the project requires larger quantities of gloss, then mix two or more batches at the same time of preparation.

Glass Coat Liquid Gloss is touch dry dry in 24 hours but it will continue to cure over several weeks. If you intend to use the surface in a kitchen area, remember it will take at least three weeks before you can put anything hot onto the surface.

Glass coat drying time cannot be accelerated nor slowed down. Its curing part is the chemical reaction that takes place when two parts come together.

Coverage will depend on the surface, but as a general rule 500ml of product (250ml of each part) will cover a flat surface of approx 71 x 71cm.

It is usual for air bubbles to be generated whilst mixing part A and part B together. To remove the bubbles sweep over the surface with a butane flame. Keep the flame moving quickly not to close to the surface otherwise it may scorch.

Glass coat cannot be thinned.

Glass coat is not designed to be sprayed. It can be painted on with good results, but its main application is a pouring medium, achieving a deep gloss equivalent to 50 coats of Traditional varnish in one pour.

The previous surface will receive the Glass Coat perfectly. But make sure it’s very clean. If you have touch it with fingernails, then wipe over the surface with a cloth dampened with methylated spirits.

Glass Coat can be coloured or tinted. Add pigment directly to the Glass coat at the time of mixing. Pure pigment provides the best results and is available from leading art suppliers. You can also experiment with a few drops of ink or acrylic paint. You can create wonderful effects by swirling different substances through the gloss it’s up to your imagination.

Glass Coat can be used to fill imperfections in the surface of raw wood. When using for purpose, it is recommended that the Glass coat be literally applied to over fill the cavity. After curing it can be sanded back.