COLOUR / TOPCOAT · THE COLOUR
NT FLEET LINE 2K COLOUR
Germa-Tech NT Fleet Series is a specially formulated high solid, advanced 2 component (2k) polyurethane coating. With a high gloss high gloss hold out and excellent coverage, the system…
SCAN FOR THE FULL RANGE,
APPLICATION GUIDES & VIDEOS
germatech.com.au
TDS v2.3 · ISSUE 02.09.2026
SUPERSEDES 08.2024
REVIEW DUE 07.2028
SOLID COLOURS (MS hardener) 2 : 1 : 10-30% reducer; SOLID COLOURS (HS…
see the detail below
BY VOLUME
16-18 s (DIN 4, 20 °C) · 1.3-1.5 mm · 2.0-3.0 bar
2.5 coats (1 light tack coat + 2 solid coats)
40-60 µm total
MAXIMUM 60 µm
At 20 °C, 5-10 minutes between coats*
*ADJUST FOR THE DAY'S TEMPERATURE
20-30 minutes*
SKIP THIS AND YOU GET SOLVENT POP
30 minutes / 60 minutes
60 °C METAL TEMPERATURE
10 Hours / 16 - 24 hours
23 °C
01SUITABLE SUBSTRATES
- Sanded existing painted surfaces
- Epoxy Primed or suitable primed surfaces (1k or 2k primed)
- Direct to metal subject to sanded surfaces (HS hardener only)
- Sanded Iron/steel, steel, stainless steel (blasted) cast iron. Abrasive shot blasting is recommended or dry sanding P80 - P180, (adhesion test recommended if applying without primer)
- Plastics. Apply Germatech Plastic Primer (adhesion test recommended)
- Fibreglass & gel coated fibreglass. Lightly sand and apply Germatech Epoxy Primer
- Aluminium & Galvanized. Primed only, because of the wide number of aluminium types we recommend to use Germatech Epoxy Primers. For proper preparation of the aluminium substrate sanding recommendations: P80 - P180 and Germatech Prepsol degreaser
- Existing painted surfaces P320 working to a finish of P500-P600 dry or P800 wet (metallic and pearl colours: P800)
02SURFACE PREPARATION
After primer remove wax and other contaminants with use of Germatech Prepsol and Prepsol Wipes. If applying wet on wet over Germatech Epoxy Primer - non sanding window is 24 hours. If not applying wet on wet dry sanding P320-P500.
03MIXING — MATCH THE SPEED TO THE WEATHER
SOLID COLOURS (USING MS HARDENER) - 2:1 + 10-30%
< 18 °C
18 - 24 °C
25 - 30 °C
> 30 °C
HARDENER
REDUCER
SOLID COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) & DIRECT TO METAL - 3:1 + 10-30%
< 18 °C
18 - 24 °C
25 - 30 °C
> 30 °C
HARDENER
REDUCER
METALLIC COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) - 4:1 + 10-30%
< 18 °C
18 - 24 °C
25 - 30 °C
> 30 °C
HARDENER
REDUCER
COLD & DAMP · BELOW 15 °CDo not air dry — bake. Solvent will not leave the film at these temperatures and you get die-back, soft film and blush. Fast hardener, fast reducer.
HOT · ABOVE 30 °CSlow hardener and slow reducer. Flash-off shortens — dry spray, poor flow and mottling in metallics are what a standard system gives you through a hot afternoon.
HUMID · ABOVE 80% RHBlushing risk. Add Retarder Solvent or move to the slow reducer, and do not shorten the flash. Moisture pulled into the film as it chills is what turns it milky.
| SYSTEM | PRODUCT | TEMPERATURE | HARDENER | REDUCER |
|---|
| SOLID COLOURS (USING MS HARDENER) - 2:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | < 18 °C | MS Fast hardener | Premium Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING MS HARDENER) - 2:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | 18 - 24 °C | MS Standard hardener | Premium Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING MS HARDENER) - 2:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | 25 - 30 °C | MS Standard hardener | Premium Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING MS HARDENER) - 2:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | > 30 °C | MS Slow hardener | Premium Slow Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) & DIRECT TO METAL - 3:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | < 18 °C | HS Fast hardener | Premium Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) & DIRECT TO METAL - 3:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | 18 - 24 °C | HS Standard hardener | Premium Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) & DIRECT TO METAL - 3:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | 25 - 30 °C | HS Standard hardener | Premium Reducer |
| SOLID COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) & DIRECT TO METAL - 3:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (SOLID) | > 30 °C | HS Slow hardener | Premium Slow Reducer |
| METALLIC COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) - 4:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (METALLIC) | < 18 °C | HS Fast hardener | Premium Reducer |
| METALLIC COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) - 4:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (METALLIC) | 18 - 24 °C | HS Standard hardener | Premium Reducer |
| METALLIC COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) - 4:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (METALLIC) | 25 - 30 °C | HS Standard hardener | Premium Reducer |
| METALLIC COLOURS (USING HS HARDENER) - 4:1 + 10-30% | NT 2K FLEET (METALLIC) | > 30 °C | HS Slow hardener | Premium Slow Reducer |
| Ratio by volume | SOLID COLOURS (MS hardener) 2 : 1 : 10-30% reducer; SOLID COLOURS (HS hardener) & DIRECT TO METAL 3 : 1 : 10-30% reducer; METALLIC COLOURS (HS hardener) 4 : 1 : 10-30% reducer |
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| Spray viscosity | 16-18 s (DIN4 at 20 °C) |
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| Pot life | 2 hours at 20 °C |
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| Notes | Only use Germatech hardeners and reducers. Mixing ratios and temperature tables are identical in the 07.2024 and 08.2024 sheets. |
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BEFORE YOU START — THE SYSTEM IS THE PROCESSGerma-Tech abrasives and ancillary products are graded and tested for compatibility with this product and the process on this sheet — that control is what makes any problem on the job assessable and fixable. Once a non-Germa-Tech product has been used at any step, what actually touched the panel can no longer be verified, and issues that arise cannot be fairly assessed — by us or by anyone. Use the system through the whole process, and if something on this sheet does not fit the job,
talk to us before you spray. Refer to the
GERMA-TECH APPLICATION STANDARD.
04APPLICATION
| GUN TYPE | VISCOSITY | FLOW | PRESSURE |
|---|
| — | 16-18 s (DIN 4, 20 °C) | 1.3-1.5 mm | 2.0-3.0 bar |
| — | 16-18 s (DIN 4, 20 °C) | 1.5-1.7 mm | 3.0-4.0 bar |
| Diaphragm pump | 16-18 s (DIN 4, 20 °C) | 1.0-1.3 mm | 3.0-4.0 bar |
| Coats | 2.5 coats (1 light tack coat + 2 solid coats) |
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| Flash-off between coats | At 20 °C, 5-10 minutes between coats |
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| Flash-off before bake | 20-30 minutes |
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| Dry film build | 40-60 µm total |
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| Maximum film build | 60 µm of this product |
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| Maximum total system build | 300 µm total film on the panel, all layers |
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05DRYING & CURING
| TEMPERATURE | DUST FREE | POLISH / FULL | NOTE |
|---|
| Below 15 °C | — | — | Recommend Full Bake |
| 23 °C | 10 Hours | 16 - 24 hours | — |
| 60 °C | 30 minutes | 60 minutes | — |
BAKE TEMPERATURE IS METAL TEMPERATUREBake time starts when the panel reaches temperature, not when the door shuts. A cold panel in a 60 °C booth takes roughly ten minutes to get there — add that to the schedule or the film is under-cured. Always ensure bake times commence from when the oven reaches temperature of 60 °C and not before.
06COATING THICKNESS — WHERE THIS SITS IN THE STACK
THIS PRODUCT ▶
40-60 µm total
Sealer / wet-on-wet
25-35 µm
2K primer surfacer
50-80 µm
Body filler
shaped back — not film
SUBSTRATE
bare steel / prepared panel
FULL BUILD
195-305 µm — over the panel budget; specified on its own terms
Read it like the panel: substrate at the bottom, clear on top. Faded rows are the rest of the system at its normal build. See the Coating Thickness Guide.
MAXIMUM 60 µm of this product — THE RED LINE ON THIS PRODUCT'S ROWPast that the film cannot get its solvent out: solvent pop, die-back, a soft film that never fully hardens, and cracking later. Modern polyurethane is a low-build system: less is better. Three thin coats do not fix what two correct coats did — they add microns and take the film past the limit. The red line on the FULL BUILD row is the 300 µm whole-panel ceiling — every layer added together.
07RECOAT & REWORK
| Recoat — this product over itself | RECOAT WINDOW — 1 hour at 20 °C panel temperature from application, IF THE JOB IS NOT BAKED. Baking closes the window: after any bake cycle there is NO recoat window — abrade before recoating. Flash-off is the MINIMUM time between coats; the 1-hour window is the MAXIMUM, and it moves with panel temperature — hotter closes sooner. |
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| Over the previous coat | Sanded 2K primer → colour: apply the next coat within 24 HOURS of SANDING the primer. Past 24 hours from sanding, sand again before coating. Contamination-limited — the calendar governs, not the temperature. Epoxy → next coat: within the 2-hour unbaked window, or within 24 HOURS of SANDING; past that, sand again. GP-EP1 may be top-coated with direct gloss WET ON WET after 30 minutes minimum at 25 °C — no basecoat systems or single-pack topcoats unless fully cured. Wet-on-wet sealer → topcoat: THE FLASH-OFF TIME IS THE WINDOW — apply the next coat when the film is matt, 10-15 minutes at 25 °C. A sealer left past flash is a surfacer: sand before coating. |
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| The next coat over this | 2K colour → clear: sand first, ALWAYS — lightly sand the colour before applying clear regardless of elapsed time, and do not sand and recoat finished surfaces without baking. |
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| Polishing / de-nibbing | Polyurethane coatings may take up to 12 weeks to fully cure. Polishing and denibbing requires sufficient dry time, do not sand and recoat finished surfaces without baking. Sand imperfections with P1500 working to P3000 then polish. |
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HOW EACH COAT BONDS — WHY EVERY WINDOW ON THIS SHEET CLOSESThe whole repair is designed as
one system applied within one overall time frame: the primer is dried and sanded, but from colour onward it is a concurrent, same-day process — and every window on this sheet exists to keep you inside it. Within its window the next coat fuses chemically with the film beneath; past it, the film has cured and adhesion must be made mechanically — abrade, degrease, recoat. Heat closes windows sooner: cure runs on temperature, not the clock. Straying from the timed system — jobs interrupted, held over, stretched — is where the problems start. Full explanation in the
GERMA-TECH APPLICATION STANDARD.
If in doubt, abrade. IF YOU MISS THE RECOAT WINDOWOnce the film has cured past its recoat window, do not put another coat straight over it — the new coat sits on the surface and lets go at the interface. Abrade the whole area first (P800 wet or a grey abrasive pad), degrease, tack off, then recoat.
08DENIB & POLISH GUIDE — STEPS, GRITS & ABRASIVES
| Step | Grit | What you are doing | Germa-Tech abrasives — examples by part number |
|---|
| 1 · Cure first | — | Polishable in a day, fully cured in up to 12 weeks — the film under the skin is still soft. Give the job its full bake before de-nibbing, and after ANY sanding give the panel a light bake before polishing or recoating — sanding opens a part-cured film, and working it unbaked is the classic fry-up. | — |
| 2 · Denib | P1500 spot | Isolate the nib and work the nib only — not the panel around it. | TUNGSTEN DENIB BLOCK (PB041) · ORBIT 75 mm P1500 spot disc (GN751500) |
| 3 · Refine | P1500 → P2000 | Take the denib scratch out and flat any texture. Wet by hand or dry on fine film discs. Never jump a stage. | GTEC wet & dry 1500 (A208-10) · 2000 (A209-10) · ORBIT film 150 mm P1500 (MF6-P1500-100N) · P2000 (MF6-P2000-100N) |
| 4 · Finish sand | 3000 → 5000 | Napping discs take the P2000 scratch to polish-ready — this stage halves compounding time and is what kills swirl on dark colours. | NAPPING 75 mm 3000 (A408DM1-3000) · 5000 (A408DM1-5000) · 150 mm 3000 (A408DM2-3000) · 5000 (A408DM2-5000) |
| 5 · Compound | cutting compound | Cutting compound on a cutting pad. Low speed, light pressure, keep the head moving — heat is the enemy of a young film. | Cutting pads: 6" (A903-2) · 3" (A904-2) · 75 mm yellow (A905-1) |
| 6 · Polish | finishing polish | Finishing polish on a soft foam pad, then a clean microfibre. Edges and swages by hand. | Foam pads: 6" (A903) · green soft (A905-3) · black final (A905-4 / A906-4) |
WHY 3000 AND 5000 EXISTCompound is an abrasive too — it just has no number on the box. Going from P2000 straight to compound forces the compound to do sanding work: more heat, more time on the panel, and the fine scratch that comes back as swirl once the film hardens. The 3000/5000 napping stage finishes the sanding with GRADED abrasive, so the compound only has to gloss. On blacks and dark colours it is the difference between polished and hologrammed.
DO NOT BREAK THROUGHA soft film cuts faster than a cured one. De-nib with the smallest tool that does the job, check your progress constantly, and stay off edges and swage lines — breaking through the clear into the basecoat turns a nib into a repaint.
THESE STEPS ARE A WARRANTY CONDITIONFollowing the steps and grits above — with
Germa-Tech abrasives — is a condition of product warranty, not a suggestion. P-grades are only comparable within a controlled range: a recent claim traced to an ungraded brand’s “P320” that cut like a true P240, leaving scratch in the primer that showed through the finished clear. The part numbers above are graded and tested for compatibility with this product and this process — which is what makes a fault assessable: once non-Germa-Tech product has been used, what touched the panel can no longer be verified, and issues arising cannot be fairly assessed. Refer to the
GERMA-TECH APPLICATION STANDARD.
09PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
| Coverage | about 4.6-5.5 m²/L in practice (8.4 m²/L theoretical at 50 µm) Estimate, not a measurement. Indicative coverage at 50 µm dry film thickness, assuming 100% transfer efficiency. Real-world coverage is lower — spray guns lose material as overspray. Allow 55-65% of the theoretical figure. |
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| Density | approx. 1.26 (relative density, water = 1) — estimated from the Safety Data Sheet; not separately measured |
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| Equipment cleaning | Clean guns and equipment immediately after use with gun wash or a solvent cleaner. Never let mixed 2K product start to cure in the gun — once it kicks, no solvent will save it. |
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10STORAGE, SHELF LIFE & PACKS
| Storage life (unopened) | Up to 36 months unopened — SUBJECT TO correct storage: a cool, dry place below 20 °C, out of direct sun. Heat is the biggest killer of paint in the tin: stock stored or transported in hot vehicles, tin sheds, shipping containers or direct sunlight loses life fast whatever the date on the tin, and that is where most premature failures start. Storage life is an optimal guide, not a promise that survives a hot shed. |
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| Once the seal is broken | Once the seal is broken the clock starts, and how you store it sets the pace. This product: 14 DAYS once the seal is broken, then discard.
All hardeners: 14 days once opened — then discard. Hardener is sealed without air; the moment air enters it starts to deteriorate. A part-used tin resealed tight lasts the 14 days; a loose lid does not. |
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| Storage | Store indoors in a cool, dry place below 20 °C, out of direct sunlight, with the lid sealed tight after every use. Never store or transport in heat — not in a tin shed, a shipping container, a hot van or a sunlit rack. |
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| Pack sizes | 1U4L |
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11PRODUCT CODES
| CODE | WHAT IT IS | PACK SIZE |
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| No product code is printed on the source sheet — this product needs a code assigned before the sheet is published. |
12WHERE IT SITS IN THE SYSTEM
BARESUBSTRATE
›
EPOXYPRIMER
›
FILLER
›
2K PRIMERSURFACER
›
SEALERWET-ON-WET
›
COLOUR
›
CLEAR
The highlighted step is where this product sits in the repair. Ancillaries support every step.
13STANDARD NOTES — THE SAME ON EVERY SHEET IN THIS SET
- Below 15 °C, air drying at ambient temperature is not recommended — allow a full bake at 60 °C metal temperature. SN1 · ALL BAKEABLE SPRAYED PRODUCTS
- Mix to the stated ratio and use the mix within its pot life. Only use Germa-Tech hardener and reducer — never interchange with another brand. SN2 · ALL MIXED 2K
- At low humidity, a flash-off of 2-3 minutes between coats helps achieve a smooth film. SN3 · ALL SOLVENT-SPRAYED
- Above 30 °C ambient, add Retarder Solvent or move to the slow reducer to avoid blushing — refer to the Retarder Solvent TDS. SN4 · ALL SOLVENT-SPRAYED
- In the overspray area between new and existing finish, apply Thinner SRA directly to achieve an invisible transition. SN5 · CLEARS & COLOUR
- Fisheyes during application: add 0.5-1% Anti Silicon to the remaining paint and respray the affected area. SN6 · ALL SOLVENT-SPRAYED
- Total coating thickness on the panel — every layer together — must not exceed 300 µm. Refer to the Germa-Tech Coating Thickness Guide. SN7 · ALL FILM-BUILDING
- Germa-Tech polyurethane takes up to 12 weeks to fully cure. When reworking or sanding imperfections, take care not to break through the clear into the exposed basecoat — reapplication directly onto sublayers can cause product reactions. Sand imperfections with P1500 working to P3000, then polish. SN8 · ALL POLYURETHANE (ISOCYANATE)
- Do not dry in direct sunlight — panel temperatures in direct sun can exceed 70 °C. Allow 24 hours or a full bake. SN9 · ALL BAKEABLE SPRAYED PRODUCTS
- Germa-Tech products are designed to work as a system — fillers, primers, basecoat, clears, hardeners, reducers, abrasives and ancillaries — each graded and tested for compatibility with the products and processes on this sheet. Performance is only assured within the system, and a fault is only assessable within it: once non-Germa-Tech product has been used in the process, what touched the panel can no longer be verified. SN10 · ALL PRODUCTS
- *Flash-off times are measured at the stated temperature and MUST be adjusted for the day: colder than stated = LONGER flash, warmer = shorter. In winter, shops painting below 23 °C routinely under-flash — solvent is still in the film when the next coat lands. Below 15 °C, extended flash and air dry are not enough: bake the job. SN13 · ALL PRODUCTS WITH A FLASH-OFF
- 2.5 COATS means: start with a LIGHT TACK COAT, let it flash, then apply 2 solid coats — and STOP. Less is best. The tack coat sets adhesion and control; the two solid coats do the work. Extra coats add solvent load and film build, not quality. The tack coat and the 24-hour from-sanding rule are GT HOUSE RULES — taught and enforced here, deliberately tighter than published industry practice. The teaching behind this — Application Standard, section 03. SN14 · ALL 2.5-COAT PRODUCTS
- FINISH FOR COLOUR — THE STANDARD GRADE. The last sanding pass before colour is P500-P600 dry (or P800 wet). METALLIC AND PEARL COLOURS REQUIRE P800, dry or wet — coarser scratches telegraph through the flake and show in the finish. Any coarser grits on this sheet are shaping or stripping stages, not the finish. SN16 · FINISH FOR COLOUR
Standard inclusions are controlled: each note applies to every product in its named set, enforced at build. They cannot drift onto some sheets and off others.
14PRODUCT-SPECIFIC NOTES
- Mix the clear coat according to the proportion indicated by the manufacturer. Use the mixture within the POT LIFE stated on this sheet. Only use Germatech hardeners and reducers.
- Maximum coating thickness after application, cannot exceed 300 um (micron), application of product in excess of 300 um can result in adverse outcomes and may require sanding back of product, refer Germatech Coating Thickness Guide.
- Germatech Polyurethane products are specifically designed to work with the Germatech product suite ie fillers, primers, basecoat, hardeners and reducer
WARNINGS CARRIED FORWARD FROM THE PREVIOUS SHEETIf applying directly to metal, ensure substrate is sanded and Prepsol washed, use only Germatech Prepsol and Prepsol wipes. Recommend cross hatch adhesion test on sample of substrate prior to application.
A flash of is required between each coat, flash off time should be adjusted +/- depending on air temperature. Fast and Slow hardeners and reducers can be used in extreme cold or extreme heat.
A flash time of 20-30 min is required before commencing the bake.
Maximum coating thickness after application, cannot exceed 300 um (micron), application of product in excess of 300 um can result in adverse outcomes and may require sanding back of product, refer Germatech Coating Thickness Guide.
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE — WHY EVERY TIME ON THIS SHEET MOVESEvery time on this sheet — flash-off, drying, pot life, the recoat window — is quoted at 20-23 °C, and every one of them moves with temperature, because the two things that set them, solvent evaporation and chemical cure, are both driven by heat. As a working rule cure rate roughly doubles for every 10 °C rise: at 30 °C the times run at about half; at 15 °C they stretch to nearly half speed. Judge by panel temperature, not air temperature — a panel in sun or fresh out of the booth is far hotter than the shed.
HOT WEATHER (above 30 °C): everything shortens. Flash-off comes down, pot life comes down, and the recoat window closes early. Move to the SLOW hardener and slow or extra-slow reducer so the film has time to flow and release solvent — spraying standard speeds in heat is the fast road to dry spray and solvent boil.
COLD WEATHER (below 20 °C): everything stretches. Flash-off gets LONGER — the most common winter mistake is coating over a film that looks flashed but has not released its solvent, which traps it under the next coat and comes back as fry-up, dieback or runs. Move to the FAST hardener, and extend every flash. Below 15 °C standard 2K cure effectively stalls — bake the job, or wait for heat. Cold does not extend the recoat window in proportion either: contamination, moisture and flash rust run on the clock regardless of temperature.
15GOOD TO KNOW — WHAT WE GET CALLED ABOUT
- Direct to metal is HS hardener only, sanded and Prepsol washed - run a cross-hatch adhesion test first.
- Wet-on-wet over Germa-Tech Epoxy is a 24 hour window; after that dry sand P320-P500.
- Flash 10-20 minutes before the bake starts.
- Aluminium and galvanised must be primed - use Germa-Tech Epoxy Primer.
- 300 µm total film ceiling, and don't dry it in direct sunlight.
16TROUBLESHOOTING
| DEFECT | WHAT YOU SEE | WHY IT HAPPENED | FIX |
|---|
Delamination and peeling | a coat lets go of the one under it - the film peels, flakes or lifts off cleanly in sheets, often starting at an edge or a stone chip | the surface underneath was not keyed or was not clean - missed degrease, wrong or no undercoat, sanding grit too fine or missed altogether, recoat window blown, or basecoat left too long before clear | remove all the loose film back to a sound layer, feather the edge, re-prime and rebuild the system properly |
Rust breakthrough | rust staining or blistering pushing up through the finish, usually along a repair edge, a weld, a stone chip or a panel bottom | bare or rusted metal coated without proper treatment, filler or surfacer put straight on bare steel and left, oxidation forming between prep and priming, or a coating not cured hard enough to seal | cut the corrosion out back to sound clean metal, epoxy prime, then rebuild the system |
Runs and sags | the wet film slides down the panel and leaves a drip, tear or curtain, worst on vertical panels and around edges | too much material in one coat, gun too close or moved too slowly, air pressure too low, flash between coats skipped, reducer or hardener too slow, or a cold panel | if it is still wet, do not touch it - let it cure fully, block the run flat with P1500 working to P3000, then polish; heavy runs get sanded flat and resprayed |
Orange peel | an even, bumpy, dimpled surface like the skin of an orange - the film has not levelled out | material too thick or under-reduced for the conditions, air pressure too low, fan too wide, gun held too far off, reducer or hardener too fast for the day, or shop temperature too high | while still wet, an extra full wet coat with a proper flash will flow it out; once cured, de-nib P1500 through P3000 and polish, or sand and respray if it is heavy |
Dry spray | a rough, dusty, low-gloss patch - usually on the far side of a long panel or around the edge of a blend | the atomised paint dries before it lands - gun too far off, air pressure too high, reducer too fast, or the shop running hot; on big panels the mist dries in flight | on 2K solids and clear, lay Thinner SRA over the overspray area straight after the coat to melt it in; once cured, sand the dry area back and refinish |
Solvent pop | small open craters or burst blisters through the film, usually only obvious after the bake or once the panel has cooled | solvent trapped under a skinned-over film - flash time cut short, coats laid on too heavy, too many coats, or the panel put into the bake before the final flash was done | let the film cure right out, then sand the popped area back to a sound film and refinish; if it has gone through to the undercoat, sand back to the undercoat, re-prime and refinish |
Blushing | a milky, hazy or white cast through the film, worst in hot or humid weather and on fast-drying work | solvent flashing off so fast it chills the film and pulls moisture out of the air into it - hot shop, high humidity, or a reducer or hardener that is too fast for the day | while wet, a coat with retarder in it will often pull it back; once cured, sand the affected film back and refinish with the correct reducer speed |
AUSTRALIAN CONDITIONSAbove 30 °C ambient, move to the slow hardener and slow reducer and expect flash-off to shorten — dry spray and blushing are what a standard system gives you through a hot afternoon. Below 15 °C, air drying is not recommended: bake. In coastal and high-UV areas do not shortcut the epoxy step on bare metal.
17HEALTH & SAFETY
ISOCYANATE — AIR-SUPPLIED RESPIRATOR REQUIREDThe hardener for this product contains isocyanate. Spray only in a booth complying with AS/NZS 4114:2020, using
air-supplied respiratory protection — a cartridge respirator is not adequate protection against isocyanate mist. Workers exposed to isocyanates require health monitoring under the model WHS Regulations (Schedule 14) and equivalent state legislation. Refer to the Safe Work Australia
Model Code of Practice: Spray painting and powder coating.
Read the Safety Data Sheet before use. REVISION HISTORY
| VERSION | DATE | CHANGE |
|---|
| v2.3 | 02.09.2026 | Reissued on the current Germa-Tech technical data sheet format. New in this issue: a quick-reference card, the hardener and reducer selection gauge, the coating thickness stack, the recoat-window recovery procedure, and a product-specific troubleshooting table. Bake schedules are now stated as metal temperature. |
18CARE OF THE COATING
CARE OF THE COATING — CONDITIONS OF THE WARRANTYFirst 12 weeks: hand wash only, pH-neutral automotive wash, soft mitt; no machine or brush washes, no wax, polish or cutting, no car covers; never leave fuel, brake fluid or water spotting to sit. No ceramic, glass/quartz coating or paint protection film for 12 months — sealing a maturing film traps solvent. Contaminants: bird and bat droppings, sap, insect residue, fuel and fallout etch the film — remove as soon as seen; etching left on is damage, not a defect. Cleaning: pH-neutral shampoo and fresh-water rinse; never dishwashing detergent, household cleaners, abrasive pads or strong solvents on the cured paint film; pressure washers fan tip, 30 cm minimum, never at edges or chips. Wash-down: passenger vehicles at least fortnightly (weekly in coastal, industrial or high-fallout exposure); fleet units weekly, more in heavy work, with a monthly walk-around and a wash-down register; any vehicle immediately after salt, fertiliser, chemicals, concrete dust, fuel or fallout; architectural and stationary work every 3 months (monthly coastal/industrial) with a maintenance register. Wax and polymer sealants may go on from 12 weeks, once cured. Breaches: inspect and touch up promptly — corrosion from any chip, scratch or breach, repaired or not, is never a coating defect.
DIRECT-GLOSS 2K — PROTECTION IS PART OF THE MAINTENANCE. Under a clear coat the pigment never sees the weather; in a direct-gloss 2K the pigment, resin and gloss are one film at the surface, so UV attacks the colour itself and oxidation shows as chalking. From 12 weeks apply a non-abrasive polymer sealant or carnauba wax and keep it renewed — at least every 3 months; monthly in coastal, industrial, mining, agricultural or high-UV exposure; as often as weekly in the hardest service (road salt, fertiliser, chemical fallout, vehicles that live outdoors). No cutting compound in the first 12 months except to correct a defect. Chalking, gloss loss or fading without maintained protection is wear, not a coating defect.
19WARRANTY & FURTHER INFORMATION
TALK TO US — WE MEAN ITWe are always happy to talk to customers who contact us directly. If anything on this sheet does not fit the job in front of you — an unusual substrate, a tight timeline, a cold morning, a window you have missed — call before you spray, not after.
support@amproaustralia.com · germatech.com.au This sheet is read together with the GERMA-TECH APPLICATION STANDARD (terms, conditions of application and warranty) and the Coating Thickness Guide — both hosted with the data sheets and at germatech.com.au. Warranty is conditional on correct use of the product as described on this sheet, including the sanding steps and grits in its sanding guide, within the Germa-Tech system. The information in this data sheet is given in good faith and is based on laboratory and field testing. Ampro Australia has no control over the conditions under which this product is used, so the end user must satisfy themselves that the product is suitable for the intended application and conditions. All times are quoted at 20 °C and 50% relative humidity unless stated otherwise. This sheet supersedes all previous issues.
