Pallmann Pall-X 98 Gold: What, Where and How!
The Pallmann Pall- X 98 Gold is a water-based two component wood floor lacquer, for heavy wear wood flooring. In this blog, we explore what goes into the product, the careful steps that are taken by the manufacturers to make the product, and the process to take when using these finishes and equipment.
When to use Pall-X 98
Let’s start with what it is and where it can be used. Over the years Pallmann has worked tirelessly to perfect and develop its floor finishes. Pallmann 98 gold was created for the commercial market for use in hard-wearing areas like schools, offices, and industrial locations, given its body of being high resistance to mechanical and chemical wear. It’s a two-component lacquer that consists of component A, the base, and component B the catalyst, an isocyanate hardener that needs to be mixed to a ratio of 10:1. You might now be asking yourself what makes this finish different from the other water-based lacquers we stock? Pallmann Pall-x 94 and Pall-x 96 are single component products that are aimed at more domestic and lighter commercial whereas Pall-X 98 gold is more focused on heavy commercial. Although we find that the best contractors use it as a great selling aid to offer 98 gold to domestic clients and assure them that the finish you are using is a commercial-grade product. This is where its predominant market is.
How to apply
Now that has given you an understanding of what it is, and the technicalities that go into the finish let’s talk about applying this. Of course, this needs to be applied to a freshly sanding floor finished to the appropriate grit depending on the floor and following the correct sanding procedures.
Before the lacquer can be applied a primer is needed. It works great in conjunction with the Pall-x 325 primer as the base coat then with 2-layer coats of the Pall-x 98, although in some circumstances a different primer may be advisable or preferred. Pall X325 can be applied using the same Pallmann water based roller sleeve as Pallmann Pall X98. It is always best to use the scuttle buckets and Scuttle Liners instead of just pouring it on the floor and pushing it around with a dry roller. With the bags and trays, you can make sure your roller can be properly dunked and has enough product on to be applied.
Aftercare
When the floor is finished and you and your customer are happy, it’s then about giving the right advice and guidance on aftercare, to ensure all the hard work isn’t destroyed. Drying time is a key point to make clear. With Pall-X 98 light foot traffic is allowed after 24 hours. This is because the floor has not yet been fully cured. the lacquer takes around 7 days to be cured to its full potential strength. If you can imagine the lacquer is on the floor like layers. The top of the coat will dry quicker as it is exposed to airflow and room temperature. Where this will take longer for the internal layers to come to their final strength. This is working in the most minuscule way as a layer of lacquer is 80 - 100 microns thick. Around the same thickness as a human hair. Cleaning advice should be given to be done regularly with Pallmann neutral clean, products like the clean and go kits are great to offer after a floor has been lacquered for regular maintenance cleaning of the floor, and your high-end clients will really appreciate this.
Modern finishes require more skill than ever before to apply, mainly due to the challenges the manufacturers face in dealing with ever tighter environmental restrictions. If you are unsure on how to apply any finish, always contact the manufacturer or distribution partner or alternatively take a look at our training course by clicking the following link: