Luminous Foundation Base Coat

1. What is the purpose of the foundation base coat?

The foundation base coat is a white, matt undercoat applied before the luminous paint. Its main role is to reflect light back into the luminous layer, thereby boosting brightness and uniformity of the glow. Without it, the luminous paint might appear dull, uneven, or require extra coats.

2. On which surfaces can I use it, and how should the surface be prepared?

• It is suitable for wood, masonry, metal, plaster, and previously painted compatible surfaces.
  
• Before applying, ensure the surface is clean, dry, sound, and free from dust, grease, loose paint or contaminants.
  
• New wood should be sanded to give a “key.” Existing painted surfaces should be lightly abraded and cleaned.
  
• On porous surfaces, sometimes two coats of base may be required to get full opacity.
  
• For metals, apply a suitable metal primer (e.g. Coo-Var All Metals Primer) before using the foundation base.
  

3. What are the drying times, overcoat interval, and coverage?

• Touch-dry: ~ 30 minutes (at ~20 °C)
  
• Hard dry: ~ 2 hours
  
• Overcoat / recoat interval (to apply luminous paint): ~ 6 hours
  
• Coverage: about 13 m² per litre (depending on substrate and film thickness)
  
• Minimum application temperature: do not apply when temperature is ≤ 7 °C, as curing may be compromised.
  

4. Will one coat of the base coat suffice, or are multiple coats sometimes needed?

In many cases one coat is sufficient because of its high opacity and “one-coat coverage” promise. However, on highly porous, very dark, or uneven substrates, a second coat may be required to ensure a consistent white base and full coverage before applying the luminous paint.