Dura-Bond Information

Delta Coatings' Dura-Bond Epoxy Coatings

are formulated to provide a hard, porcelain type finish for pool surfaces. Dura-Bond insures a brilliant long lasting appearance with a life-expectancy of fifteen to twenty years.

Click here for a printable vesion of the user's guide.

Maintenance Advantage

Dura-Bond provides a hard finish that is stain resistant. Black Algae can not cling to the surface making pool cleaning easier with less chemical usage. Plaster popouts are no longer a concern.

Inventory Friendly

Non-skid additives can be utilized only as needed for shallow area applications. Tinting is available on special orders.

Application Ease

Apply with a roller or spray. Second coat may be applied after 24 hours, depending on weather conditions.
 
 

Coating a swimming pool with Dura-Bond is a three step process: 
 

1. For pools previously painted with either an epoxy or rubber base paint, it is first necessary to pressure wash the surface at a minimum pressure of 3500 psi. A thorough pressure wash should remove all loose or peeling material from the pool's surface. 

2. Irregular surface areas should be sanded to blend them into the surrounding area. 

3. If any bare spots are uncovered during steps 1 and 2 above, they should be acid-etched with a solution of at least 1 part acid to 3 parts water. When mixing this solution, always add the acid to the water, never add the water to the acid. Be sure to use a clean plastic bucket and never use a galvanized or other metal container. When working with acid always use the proper safety equipment including rubber gloves, slip-resistant boots and safety goggles. A respirator is necessary unless adequate ventilation can be provided. Avoid contact of the acid solution with the skin and eyes. In the event of accidental skin or eye contact, flush the exposed area with water and, especially for eye contact, seek prompt medical attention. 

4. For plaster pools, the entire surface must be acid-etched as in step 3 before proceeding. Brush the acid solution on the plaster until the surface feels gritty and rough. If after the first acid wash, the surface is still smooth, repeat until you have a rough surface. 

5. Following acid-etching, the pool should be completely rinsed with water and any remaining acid solution should be disposed of and/or neutralized according to local regulations or environmental requirements. 

6. Next, the pool's surface must be thoroughly cleaned. Scrub the walls and floor with either a solution of water and tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) or a common household cleanser such as Ajax. Rinse the surfaces completely with water removing all traces of the cleaning agent. 

7. For previously painted or older well-etched plaster pools no primer coat is required; proceed to part B, Preparing Dura-Bond For Use. For relatively new or very smooth plaster a primer coat is recommended to better penetrate the plaster. This primer coat consists of a mixture of 1 part Dura-Bond A, 1 part Dura-Bond B, and 1 part denatured alcohol. Thoroughly mix both Dura-Bond parts A and B separately prior to mixing them with denatured alcohol in a plastic bucket. The resulting mixture will be quite thin and can be easily rolled or brushed over the entire plaster surface. Working time with this mixture will be about 45 minutes. The primer coat will need only a short time to penetrate into the plaster and set up. In most cases the first coat of Dura-Bond can be applied later the same day. 

8. To prep a fiberglass pool, sand the surface by hand or use a vibrator sander, always going in a straight up and down direction. After sanding, wash pool with tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) or Ajax to clean surface and remove all oils. Rinse well. No primer is needed. 

9. For new or unpainted metal pools, wash with vinegar. This will remove any oils that may be in or on the metal. No primer is needed. If the pool was previously painted, sand and remove all loose paint, then wash as above. 

B) Preparing Dura-Bond for Use:

Dura-Bond is a two part epoxy coating utilizing a one to one mix; one part A to one part B. 

1. Dura-Bond part A and Dura-Bond part B must each be thoroughly mixed in their own factory one gallon cans prior to use. Use separate wooden mixing sticks for this purpose, labeled "A" and "B" so that they are not interchanged. If a power mixer is used, it should be only used on a slow setting. As with wooden sticks, use separate paddles for part A and for part B. It is important that no A and B are mixed together at this point. 

2. While not required, for optimum results and to achieve the most consistent finish, Dura-Bond should be "batched". This step can be especially important on the final coat. Determine how much Dura-Bond will be required for each coat. Expect an average coverage of about 300 Ft./gal; less coverage for the first coat and greater coverage for the second. Remember that coverage can vary significantly depending on surface conditions; be sure there is enough Dura-Bond on hand to do the entire job. Mix all of the Dura-Bond part A you will need for the coat in a large plastic bucket. Do the same with Part B, being careful not to combine any A and B at this point. If tinting is desired, now is the time to add the tint. See separate tinting guidelines for more information. 

C) Application of Dura-Bond:

Dura-Bond parts A and B should be mixed together in equal quantities five minutes prior to use. Once mixed, working time will be approximately 30 to 45 minutes, depending on temperature. Higher temperatures shorten the working time and lower temperatures lengthen it. Do not apply Dura-Bond at temperatures below 50^o F. For temperatures above 90^o F, place the A & B mixture on ice to lengthen the working time. Never mix more Dura-Bond A & B together than can be applied in 30 to 45 minutes. Dura-Bond is an extremely bright finish; be sure to have good quality sunglasses available to avoid the possibility of "snow blindness". 

1) Using a clean plastic bucket, carefully mix equal parts of Dura-Bond part A and part B. Using a fresh wooden stick labeled "mix", thoroughly combine A and B. If a power mixer is used be careful to use a fresh paddle and a slow mixing speed. Remember not to mix more Dura-Bond than can be applied in 30 to 45 minutes. 

2) Apply Dura-Bond to the pool's previously prepared surface with a lamb's wool roller. For best results use a roller with a phenolic core and a nap of no more than 3/8". Begin coating the walls in the deep end, then the deep end floor, and work up to the shallow end. Cover the surface completely but avoid rolling on too thick of a coat. Best results are obtained with thin coats rather than thick ones. Thick coats can cause blistering and bubbling. First roll up and down, then cross ways. 

3) Allow the first coat of Dura-Bond to dry overnight. 

4) Repeat the procedure in sections B and C above to apply the second coat of Dura-Bond. 

5) Since Dura-Bond cures to a smooth, ceramic-like finish it is important to apply non-skid material to areas where people will be walking, such as steps, loveseats, and other shallow areas. Immediately following the application of the final coat to these areas, and while the Dura-Bond is still tacky, sparingly broadcast a nonskid material over any area where a nonskid surface is desired. Marble dust or white sand usually works well for this purpose. Allow the final coat of Dura-Bond to cure for 48 hours prior to filling the swimming pool with water. 

GUIDELINES FOR TINTING DURA-BOND

Dura-Bond is a two part epoxy coating for swimming pools that provides a hard porcelain type finish with a fifteen year life expectancy. Dura-Bond is available in white and can be tinted on the job site if a finish of another color is desired. It is important to realize that all colors will fade over time. This is especially true of blue and of darker colors. While tinting Dura-Bond will not reduce its life expectancy, expect the color to fade over time. If this is of concern, a white finish is recommended. 

Tinting on the job site is not a difficult procedure and allows virtually any custom shade of color to be created. These guidelines are general suggestions for obtaining a desired color but should not be considered as instructions to achieve any specific color. It is up to the person mixing the color to determine the proper proportions necessary to make any given color. Delta Coatings can not be held responsible in any way for mixing colors in the field. 

STEP 1: It is critically important to determine the amount of Dura-Bond that will be required for each coat. If in doubt, be sure to overestimate since it is generally impossible to exactly match a previously mixed color. 

STEP 2: Prepare separate batches of Dura-Bond part A and part B referring to Guidelines For Proper Use Of Dura-Bond, section B. 

STEP 3: Carefully add the desired amount of tint to both batches of Dura-Bond white, part A and part B. One ounce of tint per gallon of white will normally result in a light color. Two ounces of tint per gallon of white will normally result in a medium color. Adding more than two ounces per gallon of white will produce a slightly darker color than medium, but will never achieve a dark color. Generally, there is no advantage to adding more than four ounces of tint per gallon of white. 

If a deeper color is required, it is necessary to start with clear Dura-Bond. First mix separate batches of Dura-Bond clear part A and B, adding 4 to 6 ounces of tint per gallon to each. This will result in a very dark color; expect the mixture to look almost black at this point. Next add equal amounts of Dura-Bond white A to the A batch, and Dura-Bond white B to the B batch. Add the white slowly, thoroughly mixing in a little at a time, until the desired color is achieved. 

Example: 
             Light Blue   = 1 oz blue tint/gal of white Dura-Bond
             Medium Blue = 2 oz blue tint/gal of white Dura-Bond 
             Dark Blue = 4-6 oz blue tint/gal of clear Dura-Bond 
                           + white Dura-Bond as desired

Remember that color interpretation is highly subjective. The above is only a general example and is not intended to allow duplication of any specific color. It is solely the responsibility of the person mixing the product to achieve the desired color. 

STEP 4: Mix and apply tinted batches of Dura-Bond Part A and Dura-Bond part B referring to Guidelines For Proper Use of Dura-Bond, Section C.