Surface Specifications
The Flexstone / Tufflex base will adhere to almost any surface including wood, concrete, metal, old vinyl, tile and fiberglass. Flexstone / Tufflex DOES NOT, however, adhere to smooth plastics and IS NOT compatible with asphalt / tar-based coatings. If in doubt, test the product on a small area or contact us.
New Plywood
Good one-sided plywood is not required to achieve a smooth clean finish. Unlike other urethanes, Flexstone / Tufflex goes on thick enough to hide knot-holes and other imperfections in the surface. New plywood does not require any priming, just ensure that the surface is clean and dry to the touch. If the surface is a bit damp you can cut back a little on the amount of water you add to the base (say a 5-1 mix).
Old Plywood
Ensure that the surface is clean and dry to the touch. If the surface is contaminated (dirty, has residual glue or is badly weathered), use a urethane-based primer. Alcohol-based primers react poorly with the urethane base. Unlike other urethanes, Tufflex goes on thick enough to hide most imperfections in the surface.
Concrete
Sweep and/or Vacuum concrete to ensure that there is no fine dust to interfere with the adhesion process and make sure the surface is dry. If the concrete surface is new it should have 28 days to cure. For smooth concrete make sure you use the appropriate urethane primer. On parkades or heavy traffic areas you should grind or shot blast the surface. When concrete is old and rough you may be able to get away without a primer if it is clean. When in doubt prime or do a test patch.
Metal
Rough up metal with sand paper to ensure a strong adhesion with the Base coat. You can also acid etch the surface and prime the metal for large areas