Description
Guard Hardener® WO – Hardening and Consolidating 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.
These 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.
Guard Hardener® WO : One Product with two Critical Functions:
1. Crystallising, Consolidating and Hardening Treatment
Guard Hardener® WO consolidates inorganic, porous, friable materials. It is ideal for restoring old monuments, fountains, fascades, statues or any stone or masonry that is showing signs of physical erosion.
Porous materials are susceptable to deterioration from a number of naturally occuring 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 aggresive cleaning and/or graffiti removal chemicals
If left unchecked, degredation 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).
2. 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 remineralising effects are permanent and will continue to provide ongoing protection once the repellency effects disapate. At this time we highly recommend a new application of product to protect the materials for another 10 years.
