Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator – Transforming Moisture into Strength for 2-Part Urethanes
Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator isn’t just about protecting your coatings from moisture—it’s about turning that moisture into an advantage. This advanced formula leverages moisture to actually reinforce the urethane matrix, enhancing the overall durability and performance of your coatings.
10 Key Benefits of Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator
- Prevents Blushing: Hydro-Shark helps prevent blushing by removing moisture from the surface before and during coating application, ensuring a clear, smooth finish.
- Improves Adhesion: Enhances coating adhesion by eliminating moisture, providing a stronger bond between the coating and substrate.
- Reduces Pinholes: Minimizes pinholes by removing moisture before it can become trapped beneath the surface, ensuring a defect-free finish.
- Prevents Unwanted Chemical Reactions: Hydro-Shark eliminates moisture that could react with coatings, preventing defects like fisheyes, wrinkling, or cracking.
- Enhances Gloss: Ensures a moisture-free surface, allowing coatings to cure evenly for a consistent, high-gloss finish.
- Extends Coating Lifespan: Helps coatings last longer by preventing peeling, blistering, or delamination over time.
- Minimizes VOC Emissions: Reduces VOC emissions by controlling moisture levels during the application of low VOC coatings.
- Speeds Up Dry Time: Speeds up the drying process by eliminating moisture, allowing for faster turnaround on refinishing jobs.
- Prevents Delamination: Creates a moisture-free surface, reducing the risk of delamination, especially in humid environments.
- Versatile Across Multiple Surfaces: Effective on various surfaces like porcelain, ceramic tile, fiberglass, metal, and composites, making it a versatile tool for professionals.
The Science Behind Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator
Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator operates on a unique principle: rather than simply neutralizing moisture, it utilizes it to strengthen the urethane polymer matrix. Here's how it works:
- Reinforced Polymer Structure: As Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator reacts with moisture, it hydrolyzes to form byproducts that integrate into the urethane matrix. These byproducts help to reinforce the structure of the coating, leading to a more robust and durable finish.
- Enhanced Durability: By converting potential defects into structural enhancements, Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator improves the coating’s resistance to abrasion, chemicals, and environmental wear.
- Improved Adhesion and Cohesion: The interaction between Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator and moisture strengthens both the adhesive and cohesive properties of the coating. This ensures a stronger bond to the substrate and prevents delamination and peeling over time.
Key Benefits of Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator
Reinforcement Comparison: With and Without Hydro-Shark
Without Hydro-Shark
Moisture weakens the coating structure, leading to pinholes, bubbles, and poor adhesion.
Increased risk of coating failure over time, including blushing, delamination, and peeling.
With Hydro-Shark
Moisture is transformed into structural reinforcement, strengthening the urethane matrix.
Enhanced durability, adhesion, and a longer-lasting, defect-free finish.
| Negative Effects Without Hydro-Shark | Positive Effects with Hydro-Shark |
|---|---|
| Bubbles and Pinholes | Eliminates bubbles, pinholes, and other moisture-related defects |
| Downglossing and Hazing | Prevents downglossing, enhancing the high-gloss, professional finish |
| Gassing and Unreacted Fillers | Prevents gassing, ensuring all components react fully and no unreacted fillers weaken the coating |
| Weak Durability | Strengthens the urethane matrix, enhancing chemical and abrasion resistance |
Top 10 Moisture-Related Problems and Hydro-Shark Solutions
| Problem | How Hydro-Shark Solves It |
|---|---|
| 1. Intercoat Adhesion Failure | Neutralizes moisture, ensuring proper adhesion between water-based paints and solvent-based urethanes. |
| 2. Pinholes and Bubbles | Prevents pinholes and bubbles by reacting with moisture, ensuring a smooth, defect-free finish. |
| 3. Downglossing | Maintains high-gloss finishes, even in humid conditions, by stabilizing the urethane coating. |
| 4. Delamination | Prevents delamination caused by moisture, ensuring strong adhesion between coating layers. |
| 5. Extended Curing Time | Speeds up curing by controlling moisture, even in high-humidity environments. |
| 6. Gassing and Unreacted Fillers | Ensures full reaction of urethane components, preventing gassing and filler-related defects. |
| 7. Moisture in Caulk Lines | Blocks moisture from caulk lines and grout, preventing localized peeling or bubbling. |
| 8. Weak Chemical and Abrasion Resistance | Strengthens the urethane matrix, improving chemical and abrasion resistance. |
| 9. Poor Adhesion on Water-Based Paints | Neutralizes moisture in water-based paints, ensuring proper adhesion of solvent-based clear coats. |
| 10. Visible Finish Defects | Eliminates moisture-induced defects, resulting in a flawless, professional-quality finish. |
Additional Benefits of Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator
- Prevents Flash Rusting: Stops flash rusting on metal substrates in humid environments, ensuring a clean substrate for proper adhesion.
- Reduces VOC Content: Minimizes the need for additional additives, helping to lower the overall VOC content of coating systems.
- Consistent Performance in Variable Humidity: Ensures coatings perform consistently, regardless of humidity fluctuations, ideal for bathrooms and kitchens.
- Prevents Blistering: Blocks moisture from causing blisters under the surface of the coating, resulting in a smooth finish.
- Compatible with Multiple Coating Systems: Can be used across water-based, solvent-based, and 2-part urethanes, making it versatile for refinishers.
- Minimizes Rework: Reduces costly rework by preventing defects such as pinholes, downglossing, and delamination.
- Enhanced UV Resistance: Strengthens coatings against UV light, reducing fading and discoloration over time.
- Improved Flexibility: Reinforces urethane without making it brittle, enhancing flexibility and preventing cracking due to temperature changes.
- Cost-Effective Solution: Simplifies the refinishing process by reducing the need for additional primers or fillers, lowering material costs.
- Safe for Sensitive Surfaces: Formulated for safe use on sensitive surfaces like tile, grout, and caulk lines, preventing moisture-induced damage.
Water-Soluble Reducers and Their Impact
In the bathtub, tile, and countertop refinishing industry, the choice of reducer is critical, especially when working in humid environments or with moisture-sensitive substrates. Some commonly used reducers are water-soluble, which can exacerbate moisture-related issues if not properly managed.
Common Water-Soluble Reducers in Refinishing:
- Acetone:
- Properties: Acetone is a fast-evaporating solvent that is highly water-soluble. It’s commonly used in refinishing for thinning coatings and cleaning surfaces.
- Impact: Acetone can absorb moisture during application, leading to bubbles, pinholes, and downglossing in the final finish, particularly in high-humidity conditions.
- MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone):
- Properties: MEK is a fast-evaporating solvent, slightly less water-soluble than acetone but still poses moisture risks in humid environments.
- Impact: MEK can absorb moisture during application, potentially causing gassing and poor adhesion if moisture isn’t properly controlled.
- Ethanol:
- Properties: Ethanol is another water-soluble solvent, often used in combination with other reducers. While not as common in high-performance coatings, it still contributes to moisture absorption.
- Impact: Ethanol can lead to moisture-related defects like curing issues when absorbed during application.
- Lacquer Thinner:
- Properties: Lacquer thinner is a common solvent, composed of fast-evaporating blends, which are often water-soluble.
- Impact: Lacquer thinner can absorb moisture, leading to defects like bubbles, pinholes, and hazing in the finish, especially in humid environments.
- Blends of Reducers:
- Properties: Many manufacturers create custom blends of water-soluble reducers, such as acetone, MEK, and alcohols, to adjust drying times and flow.
- Impact: Blended reducers, depending on their formulation, can also absorb moisture during application, contributing to downglossing and adhesion issues.
Managing Water-Soluble Reducers with Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator
- Neutralizes Moisture: Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator reacts with moisture, including that introduced by water-soluble reducers, preventing defects like bubbles, pinholes, and downglossing.
- Improves Coating Integrity: By controlling moisture, Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator ensures that urethane reactions proceed without interference, resulting in a stronger, more durable finish.
How to Use Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Evaluate Moisture Content: Evaluate your humidity or need Hydro Shark for the Particular Job. Clear Coating over not fully dried Multispec will require 20 % more. |
| 2 | Determine Dosage: Add 15 to 20 drops to a full 32 ounce of Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator per 32 Ounces or 1 Quart to your catalyzed Urethane. |
| 3 | Incorporate into the System: Mix thoroughly with the urethane system for 3 minutes. |
| 4 | Storage: Store in a cool, dry place with the container tightly sealed. |
Why Choose Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator?
Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator transforms moisture from a threat into a tool for superior coating performance. Just as a shark turns the ocean’s challenges into advantages, Hydro-Shark thrives in moisture-rich environments, reinforcing and improving the coatings it protects.
With Hydro-Shark Moisture Eliminator, your coatings are not just protected—they’re perfected. Choose Shark Grip Coatings for superior performance, durability, and long-lasting finishes.