Awlgrip Application Guide Edition 22 Reference

Safety, Documentation & Planning

Before opening any Awlgrip product, read the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Technical Data Sheet (TDS) for that specific product. Edition 22 is written for professional applicators, not as a do-it-yourself walkthrough, so treat the safety sections as mandatory reading rather than optional background.

Required Documentation

• Current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every product in the system you're applying
• Current Technical Data Sheet (TDS) for exact mix ratios, induction times, and recoat windows
• Product label instructions and any regional variant notes (packaging and product codes can differ by region)

Personal Protective Equipment

Edition 22 calls for solvent-resistant safety eyewear with splash guards, solvent-impermeable gloves, clothing, and boots, and a properly fitted supplied-air or chemical-cartridge respirator during mixing, spraying, sanding, and grinding — especially with isocyanate-containing converters. Provide continuous fresh-air ventilation and keep bystanders out of the spraying, sanding, and grinding area.

Environmental Conditions

Edition 22 sets an ambient application window of 55–105°F (13–41°C), with the surface at least 5°F (3°C) above the dew point at all times. Standard reference conditions used throughout the guide for cure and recoat timing are 77°F / 25°C at 50% relative humidity — cooler or more humid conditions extend every window below.

Moisture Complications

Moisture contacting an Awlgrip topcoat or wood finish before it completes its first cure stage can cause loss of gloss, flat spots, a rough or grainy surface, blistering, or waterspotting. At standard conditions, avoid applying topcoat if the temperature could drop below the dew point within 6–8 hours of application.

Cure Cycles (Awlgrip Urethane Topcoats)

Surface Preparation Fundamentals

Edition 22 identifies up to 12 pre-paint process steps — cleaning, degreasing, sanding, dust removal, solvent wipe-down, and drying — before any primer goes on. Not every step applies to every job, but skipping steps is the most common root cause of coating failure.

The Two-Cloth Solvent Cleaning Method

This is Edition 22's standard wipe-down technique, used repeatedly throughout the guide:

Four Types of Sanding

• Scratch sanding — creates an adhesion profile on a smooth surface
• Smooth sanding — removes orange peel or fine texture (not fairing)
• Block / board sanding — used for fairing a surface flat
• Grinding (P24–P36–P60) — removes material: old coatings, corrosion, or heavily oxidized gelcoat

Substrate-Specific Preparation

Edition 22 gives a distinct preparation path for each substrate and condition. The summaries below cover the substrates most relevant to FGF customers; consult the full guide or your Technical Service Representative for less common scenarios.

Fiberglass & Gelcoat

Edition 22 treats gelcoat in three conditions — new/sound, fair (down-glossed, hazed, no cracks), and moderate-to-poor (crazed and cracked) — and bare laminate separately.

Typical system (fairing required): Hullgard Extra substrate primer → Awlfair LW / FL / Surfacing Filler → Ultra Build, High Build, or Epoxy Surfacing Primer → 545 Epoxy Primer → Awlgrip HDT, Awlcraft 3000/2000, Awlcraft SE basecoat + clearcoat, or Awlgrip Topcoat.

Aluminum

Edition 22 separates non-anodized aluminum (which may be faired) from anodized aluminum (which must never be filled or faired).

• Blast with aluminum oxide (not copper slag) or grind with P36–P60 disc to bright, clean, silver aluminum — completely free of grey oxidation
• Power wire brushing is not permitted (wires are often steel and can leave corrosion-causing residue)
• Fairing requires a 50–75 micron (2–3 mil) blast or grind profile
• Anodized parts: sand P80–P120; architectural-grade anodizing: sand P40–P80
• Prime within 8 hours of preparation

Typical direct substrate primers: Wash Primer CF, Max Cor CF, or Hullgard Extra (no fairing); Max Cor CF + Hullgard Extra (fairing required). Never apply topcoat directly to bare aluminum.

Steel

Applies to hot- and cold-rolled steel and stainless steel.

• Grit blast to white metal per SSPC-SP10 (SA2.5), or grind with a 36-grit disc, to a 50–75 micron (2–3 mil) profile
• Remove weld spatter and round sharp edges/seams to a minimum 2mm radius
• Stainless steel (no fairing): grind P80–P120 to a coarse matte surface
• Prime within 8 hours; hydroblasting alone is not an acceptable prep method where filling and fairing will be used

Typical direct substrate primers: Hullgard Extra, or Max Cor CF + Hullgard Extra.

Previously Painted Surfaces

Edition 22 defines three scenarios: color-change-only on an excellent-condition system, primer/topcoat renewal on a fair-to-poor system, and OEM powder-coated parts (which must not be filled or faired).

Wood / Timber

Wood substrates require moisture control before any coating goes on — Edition 22 calls for moisture content below 14% and warns against ever painting wet or green timber.

• Weathered/greyed timber: remove at least 300 microns (12 mils) of UV-damaged surface fiber before final sanding
• Final sanding no finer than P120 grit (unless the product TDS specifies otherwise), sanding with the grain
• Vacuum with a brush attachment along, across, then along the grain again; repeat until a white rag stays clean
• Solid-color paint systems: Hullgard Extra, High Build, Awlquik, or 545 Epoxy Primer as substrate primer, following the same fairing/priming logic as fiberglass and metal

Fillers & Fairing Compounds

Fairing compounds level low spots, scratches, and surface distortion before primer and topcoat go on. Edition 22 lists several trowelable and sprayable epoxy fillers; all require sanding before overcoating and are suitable over an approved Awlgrip epoxy primer.

Primers & Undercoats

The right primer depends on substrate, condition, and whether fairing is required. 545 Epoxy Primer is Edition 22's dual-purpose sealer, used to seal both undercoats and surfacing primers before topcoat on nearly every substrate. High-build and surfacing primers (Ultra Build, High Build, Epoxy Surfacing Primer) sit between the substrate primer and 545 when extra fill or leveling is needed.

545 Epoxy Primer at a Glance

Which Primer Goes Where?

Awlgrip Topcoat Systems

Awlgrip Topcoat, Awlcraft 2000, Awlcraft 3000, Awlgrip HDT, and Awlcraft SE are five distinct polyurethane/acrylic-urethane finish options in Edition 22, each with different reparability, gloss retention, and application characteristics. Awlcraft SE is a basecoat and always requires a separate clearcoat.

Awlgrip Topcoat vs. Awlcraft — Which Should You Use?

Mixing, Converters & Reducers

Awlgrip Topcoat, Awlcraft 2000, and Awlcraft 3000 spray at 2:1 (color) or 1:1 (Awlgrip Topcoat only) with a topcoat converter, and reducer selection depends on the ambient/cure temperature at the time of application — not personal preference. Awlgrip Topcoat also has a separate brush/roller converter for non-spray application.

Topcoat Converters

Topcoat Reducers — Selected by Temperature

Brush, Roll & Spray Application

Air spray is Edition 22's preferred method for Awlgrip topcoats, but Awlgrip Topcoat can also be brushed and rolled using the Awlcat #3 (OH3002) converter. Spray gun tip sizes, air caps, and fluid pressures are equipment-brand-specific (DeVilbiss, SATA, Iwata) — verify the exact setup for your gun against Edition 22's spray gun set-up tables or your equipment manufacturer rather than assuming a single tip size fits every rig.

Ten Keys to a Successful Spray Application (Edition 22)

1. Use good-quality, well-maintained equipment, including correct air hoses
2. Standardize equipment across every sprayer on the job (same gun, aircap, tip, nozzle)
3. Keep guns, hoses, and air clean — check air cleanliness by running it through a tack rag for 10–15 minutes
4. Check environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, airflow) before starting
5. Choose the correct reducer for the conditions and thin to the recommended viscosity
6. Set up gun atomization using the “3-step fan check”: verify pattern, adjust fluid flow, adjust air pressure
7. Synchronize settings across every sprayer on the job
8. Record settings for future reference
9. Spray a test panel before the job and before each coat
10. Work well within the mixed product's pot life

Brush & Roll

Use brushes and rollers rated for urethanes and epoxies — household types will soften or dissolve from lack of solvent resistance. Avoid fluffy/lambswool rollers on freshly abraded metal, since fibers can snag on the sharp profile.

Recoat Windows & Sanding

Sanding grit and recoat timing both depend on which layer you're preparing to overcoat — substrate primers, fairing fillers, undercoat primers, and topcoats each call for a different grit and window.

Common Defects & Troubleshooting

Most Awlgrip defects trace back to contamination, incorrect reducer choice, equipment setup, film thickness, or environmental conditions during application. Edition 22 rarely assigns a single cause to any defect — use these as starting points for diagnosis, not a definitive checklist.

Maintenance & Care

Awlgrip topcoats need regular fresh-water rinsing and mild soap washing, not wax. Edition 22 is explicit that machine buffing/polishing is only appropriate on coatings Awlgrip designates as buffable (Awlgrip HDT, Awlcraft 3000, Awlcraft 2000) — not on the original Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H Line) or Awlcraft CS.

Product-Code Quick Reference

A condensed index of the product codes covered on this page. Codes and regional availability can change between Edition 22 printings — always cross-check against the current TDS before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions