Product maintenance
Overview
CT Metals offers a complete range of expert services pertaining to custom architectural metalwork for residential and commercial clients. Operations and Maintenance schedule can be provided upon request. Unless otherwise stated or specified by our Supplier and / or specified in Data Sheets following the manufacturing process, a standard procedures should be followed to operate and maintain the finished product.
Untreated metals
Any products that are untreated are at risk of corrosion and degradation due to natural processes depending on many factors suach as type of metal and the environment they are in. For example, any alloys such as Alluminum, Stainless Steel, Brass etc will not oxidise or degrade at the same rate as standard Carbon Iron. CT Metals Ltd is CE EN 1090-1:2009+A1:2011 EXC 2 Accreditted company and regulated by CfA (NB 2551). All Data Sheets and Milling Certificates of every material used by our company is available upon request and kept on record in line with the BS EN1090 CE.
Corrosion protection
Paints are liquid or powdery substances that are applied in thin coats on a substrate using a paint application method. The paint dries into a solid coating which bonds to the substrate.The painting of metal substrates with protective paint systems is called corrosion protection painting.The purpose of corrosion protection painting is to protect the metal substrate against atmospheric corrosivity, i.e. rust, and to give the surface the designed appearance and texture.Corrosion protection painting is a process where quality cannot be fully assessed merely based on the ac-ceptance inspection of the finished coating. Therefore, it is imperative that the process of corrosion protection painting is planned carefully. It is equally important to manage and monitor all parameters affecting the coating outcome during the painting process.
CT Metals uses a Supply Chain for all Corrosion Protection such as Hot Dip Galvanising, Hot Zinc Spraying, Wet Spraying, Powder Coating or Intumescent Paint. We do hower carry out prime coating with High Build Zinc Primer – Red or Grey on all Structural Steel.
Maintenance
Introduction
Maintaining the good looks of your coated products is just like caring for your car – and is a smart way to protect your investment. Over time with exposure to the elements, all coatings may show signs of weathering such as loss of gloss, chalking and slight colour change. A simple regular clean will minimise the effects of weathering and will remove dirt, grime and other build-up detrimental to all coatings.
For any particular region or territory, there may be local regulations or local requirements to be met in order to achieve conformance to certain published quality labels or standards. It is the users’ responsibility to be aware of such standards.
Records of all cleaning schedules and frequencies shall be kept and maintained and made available to AkzoNobel if requested. Failure to comply with the recommended cleaning schedule will nullify any warranties.
Cleaning coated surfaces
Cleaning should start at the time the products are installed, ensuring that construction materials such as concrete, plaster and paint splashes are removed before they have a chance to dry. Failure to remove these materials at this early stage will require the use of aggressive cleaning materials and techniques with potential damage to the coated surface.
Method
The best method of cleaning of Interpon, RAL Standard PPE products or Wet Sprayed products is by regular washing of the coating using a solution of warm water and non-abrasive, pH neutral detergent solution. Surfaces should be thoroughly rinsed after cleaning to remove all residues. All surfaces should be cleaned using a soft cloth or sponge or nothing harsher than a soft natural bristle brush. Cleaning of powder coated sections can be conveniently carried out at the same time as window cleaning.
If the project is subject to any hazardous unusual environmental factors, or is close to salt water, an estuary or marine environments then the manufacturer must be consulted on an individual project basis.
Cleaning products
Before cleaning, attention must, without exception be paid to the cleaning agent’s datasheet.
Usual maintenance can be done using water with mild detergent (pH 5 to 8).
If the atmospheric pollution has resulted in heavy soiling of the coating, some stains or marks may require stronger domestic products. In such cases, they should always be diluted, and small inconspicuous test areas cleaned first.
In no circumstance should any abrasive cleaner or polish, or any cleaner containing ketones, esters be used.
All information contained within this page is, to the best of our knowledge, true and accurate at the time of publication. This document is not contractually binding and we do not accept any responsibility or liability if the information contained in this document proves to be incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete.
