The Difference between Rust Converters and Rust Encapsulators

The Difference between Rust Converters and Rust Encapsulators

At some point in time we all have to deal with rust. Some DIY projects are easier than others, but it’s hard to find a project  involving any type of metalwork where there is no rust present. Whether it be a garden bench or an old car, there will be some corrosion to deal with.

A number of products are available for dealing with different rust issues. Two of the best known product types are Rust Converters and the Rust Encapsulators.
These products are both very different in their uses and application, but they both have the same purpose: to stop rust from ruining your project.
In an ideal world we would all have our rusty metal components acid dipped and sand blasted back to the bare metal. But in reality very few of us actually have the ability or means to get this carried out. The best we can do is use chemical products that are readily available on the web, or local store, to treat and protect from further corrosion.

Rust Converters are  typically applied to  rust that you can’t remove. They work well on heavily rusted surfaces, where the rust is a bit more that a light discolouration.  Rust Converters need  rust to work – see it as  a 2 part system with the rust acting as the activator. When applied over rust it reacts with it, converting it into a hard black coating.

Rust Encapsulators can be applied over lightly rusted metal, or over clean bare metal. They seal it from moisture and corrosion. Plus, any rust under it is encapsulated and prevented from spreading.


So there is a three stage process to treating and preventing further rust

• Rust Converter to convert the rust into a paintable surface

• Rust Encapsulator to surround and seal any rust that is left and keep it from coming back

• Prime and paint for long lasting rust proof and cosmetic purposes.

To view our full range of Rust Removal and Treatment Products click HERE

Repairing Galvanised Steel with FerPrime Grey

Repairing Corroded Galvanised Steel with FerPrime Grey

Although galvanized coatings are highly abrasion resistant - damage may occur once the galvanized steel leaves the galvanizer’s facility due to extremely rough handling, installation techniques, or in-service conditions. 

Sometimes, small areas of the galvanized item may be uncoated due to contaminants on the steel.

There are three accepted repair methods for Galvanised Steel

• Applying zinc-rich paint
• Coating with zinc solder
• Spraying with molten zinc (metalizing)
  

Here we are looking at “applying a zinc-rich paint”.

This method is often quite erroneously called “cold galvanizing,” and is appropriate for touch up and repair. As with the application of any paint, procedures are important and should be carried out prior to painting

• remove loose scale, rust, oxides, dust etc
  
• remove organic soils such as oil, cutting fluids, grease etc
  
• remove any zinc high spots
  

Once the surface has been prepared, Ferprime Grey can be applied

Ferprime Grey is applied directly to the untreated or rusty steel, which is then converted to a grey, zinc rich, resinous layer that resists further corrosion and protects the underlying surfaces.

Ferprime Grey is brushed onto the surface and if correctly applied will give a coating thickness of around 20 to 30 microns. Ferprime is a water based product and drying times will vary according to local temperature and humidity. Normally surfaces are touch dry ready to re-coat in around 10 minutes to 2 hours. Note that Ferprime is a reactive primer, and time must be allowed for the product to convert any rust to a grey organic complex.

If the Ferprime is not to be painted over, it is advisable to apply a second coat after the initial coating has touch dried. This will give a final coating thickness of around 60 microns, which should be adequate for most conditions.


Ferprime can be thinned down with water if required to enable use in spray equipment. The amount of water to be added will depend on the type of spray equipment being used.


FerPrime Grey can be purchased HERE

How to use a Rust Converter

 

Converting rust is an easy and safe alternative to removing rust from an infected surface. Created with the combination of a metal surface and oxygen in the air, rust takes on the copper colour which many people deign as one of the household pests. The conversion of rust is an easy task and can be achieved with a water based rust converter in a short space of time. Here's some steps to take to get the best results when working with a rust converter.

Choose a warm day. As the solution is water based the drying time for the rust converter can vary depending on several factors including the temperature in the room and any humidity in the air. Although generally the drying time is around 20 minutes at room temperature this time could be reflective dependent on the weather. Opting to carry out the task on a warm day will reduce the drying time for the rust converter.

Preparing the surface. Before applying your rust converter on to the designated surface it is advisable to clean up the surface first. Using a stiff bristled brush or sandpaper scrape away any large pieces of rust to create a smoother surface. This will enable the converter to stick to a more stable surface and create a more streamlined effect on your surface once it has completed its work.

Applying the solution. Application of a rust converter is straight forward by using a brush, like applying paint to a wall. The solution is non toxic so it can be used on practically any surface which has been affected by rust. Which also includes vehicles and gardening equipment. For larger surfaces a roller could be used for greater coverage. When using the solution it does not need to be thinned as it should be used as you receive it.

Aftercare. Although the rust is converted and cannot react with the oxygen in the air the rest of the surface is not immune to the effects and possibilities of rust. Though it is not compulsory, it's a good idea to use 2 coats of oil based or epoxy paint to cover the surface and prevent any further rust from developing on the surface. You can use an oil based primer to complete the look but it is not required over the converted rust.

 Buy RUST CONVERTERS Here

What is a Rust Converter

 

As one of the household nuisances, rust can create problems for pieces of furniture, decorations and tools. Although there are many products on the market available to effectively remove rust there is another option to efficiently deal with rust when it comes to everyday tasks like decorating. Rust converting is a safe alternative to the removal of rust. Instead of removing the rust entirely, you convert it into a more agreeable substance.

The general idea of a rust converter is to create a coating to prevent any further corrosion of the surface and also to enhance the safety of dealing with the situation. In regards to the coating, this forms a barrier over the rusted area and prevents any oxygen reaching the iron to cause more damage. As oxygen is a key element in creating rust, by stopping it from reaching the iron surface it cannot create rust. It is the combination of the iron and the oxygen in the air that creates the substance, so the barrier created with the rust converter prevents any chemical reaction between the two taking place.

Mixed together to form a water based solution the chemical elements of tannic acid and 2-butoxyethanol combine to create a primer and converter. The created solution reacts with the iron oxide, rust, and converts it into another substance called iron tannate. The new substance formed by the use of the rust converter is black in colour and forms as a perfect primer for epoxy based paint.

Although the removal of rust can be conducted safely with the right non toxic products, converting the rust is an even safer option when working at home and around your family. When removing rust there is the event of washing off the remnants after the solution has done its work. Though the cleaning solution is safe the leftovers of the rust may not be. Despite the fact it has left the surface it had developed on it still poses a threat to a young family until it is safely disposed of away from the home.

So not only does converting the rust save you money on some primer for your epoxy paint it also adds a new level of safety of looking after your family.

Buy RUST CONVERTERS Here

All of these Products are manufactured in the United Kingdom with the highest quality raw materials available today maintaining strict quality control standards. Environmental Awareness is a key issue in our manufacturing process, and as such, our products contain no lead, no zinc, no chromates, no heavy metals, no VOC's, are biodegradable and made from naturally derived, sustainable material sources.

Lazy Dog ANTI RUST range from FUZE PRODUCTS

For Further Information:

 

e:info@fuze-products.co.uk 

t:01543 227449

A range of products designed to effectively deal with 

corrosion on iron and steel surfaces.

• RustGo – is a safer, environmentally friendly, fast and effective way of removing rust from all types of iron and steel surfaces. This technology is pH neutral thus doesn't contaminate the surface with acids which:
  • are difficult to remove
  • make application of subsequent coatings more difficult and less certain
  • promote further rusting of the metal surface unless additional steps are taken to neutralise the acid.

• FerPrimeGrey – is a corrosion inhibiting primer for all steel and iron surfaces – it is grey in colour and can be re-coated by painting or powder coating etc. It contains its own leading edge pre treatment technology to prevent further corrosion creep, and to improve overall coating performance

• FerPrime Black – is a rust converter and iron and steel primer. It can be applied directly to the rust which is then converted to a black, resinous layer that resists further corrosion, protecting the underlying surfaces. It can also be applied directly to a non rusted iron surface, to produce a black adherent resin film which resists corrosion. It can then be overcoated with a wide range of paint types.

What is a coating and what does it need to do ?

A Coating is a barrier used to separate two highly reactive materials such as iron and the oxygen in air. This coating must be impermeable and continuous for it to be effective. The coating should also be capable of preventing undercoating corrosion creep, which will rapidly lead to coating failure. If the coating is not capable of this, then the underlying surface must be chemically pre treated prior to coating.

FerPrime Black and grey  both contain advanced technology to prevent under coating corrosion and creep. This is coupled with a coating that is

• extremely adherent
• UV resistant
• scratch and impact resistant

Giving these products unprecedented performance characteristics.

Which Coating is the right one ?

Steel remains the principal construction material for cars, appliances, and industrial machinery. Because of steel's vulnerability to attack by atmospheric oxidation, some coating is necessary to provide various degrees of protection.

Typical coatings range from hot‐dipped and electroplated coatings such as zinc and aluminium to tough polymers and flame‐sprayed ceramics. In almost every case to get optimum coating performance the metal has to be pre treated prior to coating to prevent under coating corrosion creep. This occurs primarily when the coating integrity is breached eg through scratches, abrasions, impact damage, weathering of the coating leading to increased coating permeability to oxygen and water.

These products have their own undercoating corrosion creep prevention system built in, and so the surface does not require any pre treatment. These products also convert any existing surface corrosion ie rust, to a chemically inert and corrosion resistant film, which combines with the product coating itself to form a thick, impenetrable barrier to further corrosion.

This new range of products provides the perfect replacement for the old zinc‐rich, environmentally unsound corrosion control products.

Environmental and Safety Benefits

These Products are:

• environmentally friendly and use sustainable, natural materials where possible.
• UV Resistant, chip resistant, scratch resistant & chemical resistant.
• Lead, aluminium, zinc, and chrome free and are free of any other heavy metals
• a one step, multiple coat process.
• water based, safer, environmentally friendly and use sustainable technology. They do not contain solvents so are much safer to use indoors and in confined spaces.
• Free from oxy isocyanates, toxic or aromatic solvents or any other toxic or harmful materials.

And

• No artificial heat source nor additional activator or component are required for curing.

  Performance Profile

• These coatings offer outstanding elastomeric and abrasion resistance performance. They withstand scratching and UV light, are highly moisture resistant offering excellent adhesion to steel and other surfaces. Crucially they contain advanced technology to prevent undercoating corrosion creep if the coating is breached in any way. This makes coating damage simple and cheap to repair.
• UV resistant
• scratch and impact resistant

All of these Products are manufactured in the United Kingdom with the highest quality raw materials available today maintaining strict quality control standards. Environmental Awareness is a key issue in our manufacturing process, and as such, our products contain no lead, no zinc, no chromates, no heavy metals, no VOC's, are biodegradable and made from naturally derived, sustainable material sources.