About Zinsser Gardz
Key Features
- Repairs torn paper on damaged drywall, eliminates bubbles
- Seals old wallpaper adhesive
- Water-based, low odour, dries clear
- Dries fast to a hard, moisture-proof film
- Binds down chalky surfaces
- Can be applied to high-pH surfaces
- Cleans up with soap and water
Recommended Uses
Damaged Drywall – Gardz prevents bubbles that form when damaged drywall is skim coated with spackling or joint compound. Gardz penetrates and seals damaged facing paper, restoring it to a sound surface for repairs, suitable for painting or wallcovering. New Drywall / Joint Compound and Spackling - New gypsum drywall, joint compound and spackling are very porous and can make finish coatings appear splotchy and uneven. Gardz penetrates and uniformly seals, creating a moisture resistant film that protects drywall from blistering, tearing and other damage when redecorating in the future.
Plaster – Freshly applied plaster is extremely porous but also extremely alkaline with a pH of 12.0 or more in many cases. Allow new plaster to cure at least 24 hours before applying Gardz. Before priming old, bare plaster with Gardz be sure to determine that the surface is clean, dry and in sound condition, taking care to repair any cracks or holes with spackling paste or joint compound before sealing the surface.
Calcimine - Calcimine is a very old form of plaster that is extremely chalky and water-sensitive. Gardz penetrates calcimine more effectively than oil-base coatings and has a much lower odor. Because it resists moisture, Gardz revents water-based topcoat paint or texture finishes from softening up calcimine layers underneath.
Wallpaper Adhesive Residue - Water-based coatings or texture finishes will reactivate old wallpaper adhesive, resulting in cracking and peeling. Gardzis formulated to completely seal in residual adhesive and prevent it from ruining water-based topcoats and texture finishes.
Texture and Popcorn Finishes - Use Gardz to seal textured walls and popcorn ceilings before applying waterbase primer or paint. Gardz penetrates soft or crumbly texture material and hardens it, creating a durable, water resistant barrier that prevents primer or paint from softening texture material underneath.
Old Wallpaper – Most of the wallpaper installed before the 1960’s was true paper, with no vinyl coating. To determine if the wallcovering is a true paper wipe a wet sponge across the surface – if the water is readily absorbed it means there is no vinyl coating. This type of wallcovering can be effectively sealed with Gardz. First, peel away any loose or frayed edges– whatever remains should be firmly adhered to the wall. Apply Gardz as you would to any other wall surface.
Pre-Wallcovering Primer – Gardz penetrates, seals, sizes and protects drywall facing paper and skim coat, providing a properly sealed surface for new wallcovering. At redecorating time, Gardz protects the surface of the drywall when the old wallcovering is stripped off. Builder’s Flat Paint – Gardz penetrates chalky, builder’s flat paint and binds it to the wall, providing water-resistant protection from paint, wallcovering and texture finishes.
Application Data
Surface Preparation – Surfaces must be clean, dry, sound and free of contamination. Remove loose or peeling paint by sanding or scraping.
WARNING! If you scrape, sand or remove old paint, you may release lead dust. Special precautions should be taken during the surface preparation of pre 1960’s paint surfaces over wood and metal as they may contain harmful lead. When dry-sanding avoid dust inhalation by wearing a suitable protective face mask.
For best results remove loose wallcovering and residual wallcovering adhesive using DIF Wallpaper Stripper. Seal stains with a Zinsser stain killing primersealer. Cut away loose or torn drywall facing paper with a razor or sand back with 80-grit paper until a sound area is reached. If drywall is gouged, remove loose pieces of gypsum core. Skim coated or spackled areas should be sanded smooth using 100 grit sandpaper. Drying Time –Dries to touch in 30 minutes. Porous surfaces that have been sealed with Gardz are ready for finish coating or wallpapering after 3 hours. Top coating / Wallpapering– When dry, Gardz may be top coated with any standard architectural water-based or solvent-based primer or topcoat paint. Gardz is compatible with all types of joint compounds and spackling pastes and any texture or popcorn finish may be applied over it. Although wallpaper may be installed directly over any surface that has been coated with Gardz, some types of wallpaper and translucent wallcoverings may require an additional coat of an opaque primer.
Cleanup
Clean up spills and drips with a wet, soapy cloth or rag. Wash application tools in warm, soapy water immediately after use. If product has dried on application tool, soak it overnight in a solution of ammoniated household detergent and water. Follow manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning spray equipment.
Storage and Disposal
In hot weather keep the container lid closed when not using to prevent excessive evaporation and subsequent thickening of the product, as this will affect its ability to penetrate porous surfaces. Note that Gardz is not freezethaw stable. KEEP PRODUCT FROM FREEZING. In freezing or below-freezing weather Gardz should not be left in unheated vehicles or buildings. Dispose of unused or unwanted product in accordance with local laws regulating water-based coatings.
Typical Physical Properties
Solids by weight: 26%
Solids by volume: 22%
Density: 1kg / litre
Viscosity range: 160 – 400 cps
Max. VOC < 30g / litre
Flashpoint; (Seta flash) 93°C
Dry time to recoat: 3 hours @ 21°C
Dry film perm rating: 26 perms
Alkaline resistance: ≤12.5 pH
Shelf Life: 2 years in unopened containers
Storage/Handling: 4° – 32°C
NOT FREEZE-THAW STABLE
Precautions
Consult product Safety Data Sheet.
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
Application Requirements
Stir well before using. Do not thin. Using a brush, medium nap roller or sprayer, apply Gardz liberally to the entire surface to ensure good penetration. Do not over-apply or coating will sag. Gardz appears milky blue-white during application but dries-water clear; properly sealed surfaces should have a uniform sheen when viewed at an angle. Reapply to areas that have been missed or not sufficiently coated.
Colour / Tinting
Gardz has a milky-blue colour (that helps to determine where it has been applied) but dries water clear. It is formulated for use directly from the container; tinting is not recommended.
Application Methods
Brush – For best results use a quality nylon/polyester or other, similar, synthetic blend bristle brush with flagged tips. Do not overload the brush or the product will drip and run on vertical and overhead applications.
Roller – Use a roller with a 3 / 8” or less synthetic nap or use the Zinsser WallWiz Roller. Apply Gardz to walls from the bottom up to prevent product from running down the wall. If this happens, back-roll or brush out the runs to even out the film. When applying to ceilings do not press hard or the product will drip out of the roller. For ceiling applications where a roller would be too messy or disruptive (popcorn ceilings, for example) Gardz may be applied using a power sprayer or garden sprayer (see below).
Sprayer – Gardz may be applied using HVLP or airless sprayer systems. Use a .011 to .013 tip and 800 to 1200 psi for airless application. Maintain a distance of at least 45 to 60cm between the spray tip and the surface. If surface is too fragile for power sprayer application, Gardz may be applied with a garden sprayer. For best results, use a sprayer with a clean 10 litre plastic tank. Pour Gardz into the tank and pressurize according to manufacturer’s directions. Adjust the nozzle setting to dispense the product in a fine, consistent, fan pattern, keeping the sprayer tip at least 30 to 45cm from the surface. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for clean up and storage and protect adjacent areas from over-spray.
Application Conditions – Apply when temperature is above 10°C and below 32°C. Warmer temperatures will accelerate and colder temperatures will prolong the dry time of this product. Do not apply if humidity is greater than 85%. Close container after each use.
Coverage
Approximately 9 - 11m2/ litre upon porosity of the surface and method of application. Textured or skim coated surfaces will be very absorbent and may require a second coat.
