More Than Just a Sealer

Guard Hardener® WO is more than just a sealer. Not only does it produce exceptional water and oil repellency like other products in the ProtectGuard® range. It also hardens and consolidates materials providing increased protection against chemical attack and physical abrasion.

This combination of attributes makes it an ideal treatment for all porous materials that are exposed to harsh conditions. It is perfect for protecting paving around swimming pools, restoring and protecting old stone monuments and for fixing materials that already have visible signs of erosion. 

Crystallising, Consolidating and Hardening Treatment 

Guard Hardener® WO consolidates inorganic, porous, friable materials. It is ideal for restoring old monuments, fountains, facades, statues or any stone or masonry that is showing signs of physical erosion.

Porous materials are susceptible to deterioration from a number of naturally occurring processes:

• Freeze/thaw cycles,
• Etching and attack from acid rain,
• Damage due to salts (crystallisation, hydration and hygroscopy),
• Microcracking from thermal expansion and contraction of the material,
• Modification of the structure of limestone carbonate under the action of CO2-containing water,
• Colonisation of pore structures by organic organisms (algae, moss, lichen etc.),
• Damage from aggressive cleaning and/or graffiti removal chemicals

If left unchecked, degradation will not only continue, but will quickly accelerate. This is because every crack, crevice, and defect creates an opening where these processes can begin to attack deeper and deeper into the substrate.

Guard Hardener® WO penetrates deep into the substrate, replaces lost minerals and rebuilds the mineral crystalline structures destroyed by these processes. This restores the mechanical properties of the material, so that structurally the material is as good as new (or even better).

A Water and Oil Repellent Sealer

Guard Hardener® WO also has exceptional water and oil repellent properties. These provide lasting protection for all porous materials against penetration by water, oil and stains of all kinds. By actively repelling liquids and stains Guard Hardener® WO is able to eliminate many of the contaminants that cause degradation of porous materials. This not only prevents staining to keep them looking good. It also protects them.

Guard Hardener® WO slows the aging of substrates, makes maintenance a breeze and keeps out the main causes of deterioration such as pollution, grease, soiling, water intrusion, moss, algae etc

Guard Hardener® WO will actively repel contaminants for 10 years. The re-mineralising effects are permanent and will continue to provide ongoing protection once the repellency effects dissipate. At this time we highly recommend a new application of product to protect the materials for another 10 years.

Preparation

• • Apply the product to a surface that is clean, dust-free, grease-free and above all dry.
  • Mechanical cleaning with a brush or pressure cleaner and/or chemical cleaning may be required to properly clean the surface prior to application.
  • To remove grease stains and traces of pollution use Guard Cleaner® Eco or Guard Wash®. For efflorescence, laitance or grout film use Guard Remover® Eco Efflorescence & Cement. To remove Moss and lichens use Guard® Anti-M 24.
  • Rinse carefully until the surface is free of any trace of cleaners.
  • For new concrete allow substrate to stabilise for at least 28 days prior to treatment.

Application

• • Use the product in its pure form: do not dilute it.
  • Shake the packaging well before use and perform a preliminary test to check that the product has correctly penetrated and the appearance after drying.
  • The material must be impregnated up to saturation in two coats with at least 10 minutes between coats.
  • Protected drying: 24 hours.
  • Optimum efficiency reached after 7 days.
  • The treated surface must not be covered with any other types of coating.

Uses

• • Porous materials: natural or reconstituted stone, concrete, terracotta, bricks, etc.
  • Floors, facades, roofs and walls.
  • New or old
  • Internal or external
  • Recommended for pool surround areas, and any materials exposed to salt water or high erosion environments
  • Not recommended for very low porosity materials, unless they are already salt damaged. Use ProtectGuard® MG instead.

Indicative Coverage

• • 0.5-10m2/Litre
  • Coverage will vary depending on the porosity of the surface.

Tools Required

• • Apply using a low pressure sprayer (with Viton seals),  a roller or a brush.
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