1. What surfaces can your products be applied to?

Nansulate® has excellent adhesion to a wide variety of surfaces. Below is a guide for which products can be used over which surfaces:

Nansulate® HomeProtect Clear Coat - for interior or exterior residential and commercial buildings. Can be applied over both non-metal (sheetrock, drywall, pre-painted walls, wood, brick, etc.) and metal (copper pipes, hot water heaters, ductwork, steel, aluminum, etc.) surfaces.

Nansulate® HomeProtect White Interior - for interior residential and commercial buildings. Can be applied over both non-metal (sheetrock, drywall, pre-painted walls, wood, etc.) and metal (copper pipes, hot water heaters, ductwork, steel, aluminum, etc.) surfaces.

Nansulate® High Heat - for metal surfaces, such as steel, copper, aluminum. Used on a variety of applications for insulation and corrosion resistance on surfaces up to 400F (204C).

Nansulate® Translucent PTfor metal surfaces, such as steel, copper, aluminum. Used on a variety of applications for mold resistant insulation and corrosion resistance on surfaces up to 257F (125C).

Nansulate® Translucent GP - for non-metal surfaces, such as wood, cement, plastic, etc.. Used for a variety of applications for mold resistance insulation on surfaces up to 257F (125C). GP is NSF registered for incidental food contact.

2. How long is dry time between coats? How long is full dry after application? What is cure time?

You can apply secondary coats of Nansulate® after waiting approx. 1 hour. Full dry after application is 24-48 hours. Full cure time is 30-60 days (depending on humidity). Once full cure is completed, Nansulate® reaches its full thermal insulation capacity.

3. How thick should I apply your products?

Each coat of Nansulate® (all products) should be applied at between 3-5 wet mils in thickness. If you apply too thick, you may experience cracking and peeling upon drying. You can generally find an inexpensive wet mil thickness gauge at your local paint store.

4. Can I apply Nansulate® to a hot metal surface?

Yes, with proper technique, you can apply Nansulate® to surfaces up to 225F. Please see our High Heat specific application instructions to review this technique.

5. At what temperatures can I apply Nansulate®?

You cannot apply Nansulate® below freezing nor can it go below freezing before full cure time is finished. Application temperatures for Nansulate® are 40F-212F (4C-100C).

6. Can I apply Nansulate® over a painted surface?

There are many different types of paint products with a varying degree of adhesion capabilities. Nansulate® can only adhere as well as the surface to which it is applied, so pre-existing paint should not be flaking or peeling at all. In some cases, Nansulate® will apply well over a pre-painted surface. In some cases, abrading the painted surface will benefit adhesion. Our recommendation is you test the adhesion of Nansulate® to your particular surface paint on a small scale prior to doing a large application.

7. Can I apply Nansulate® over a rusted surface?

Prior to applying Nansulate®, loose rust should be brushed off and the surface treated with a rust treatment product.

8. What square foot coverage rate may I expect?

Nansulate® Translucent PT/GP/High Heat & HomeProtect: 150-175 square feet per gallon (13.92-16.26 square meters per 3.79 litres), which includes the recommended three coats of coverage. The variance in the coverage rate is dependent on the surface texture of the substrate.

Nansulate LDX, lead encapsulation coating: 225 square feet per gallon (20.0 square meters per 3.79 litres), which includes the recommended two coats of coverage.The variance in the coverage rate is dependent on the surface texture of the substrate.

Nansulate® Top Coat/NanoPrime: 525 square feet per gallon (48.77 square meters per litres) with the recommended 1 coat.

See how many gallons you need for a 3-coat coverage with our Square Footage Calculators

9. What equipment is needed for application?

Nansulate® is a do it yourself, easy to apply product. You can apply with an airless sprayer, HVLP (high volume low pressure) sprayer, brush or roller. Please download our application instructions which will give you specific application information.

10. How do I know what paint roller to use with Nansulate?

The surface, rather than product is the factor to consider when choosing the right paint roller for your application. Below is some helpful information from a home improvement site about paint rollers:

Select the Right Roller Cover. The most important factor in selecting a paint roller cover is the surface that is going to be painted.

SMOOTH - short nap (1/8" to 1/4") cover. Longer nap can leave a pronounced "orange peel" effect. Use on smooth plaster, sheet rock, wallboard, smooth wood, Masonite and Celotex.

SLIGHTLY ROUGH - medium nap (3/8" to 1/2"); longer fibers push the paint into rough surfaces without causing "orange peel." Use on sand finish plaster, texture plaster, acoustical tile, poured concrete, rough wood and shakes.

ROUGH - long nap (3/4" to 1-1/4"); longer fibers push paint into the deep valleys of rough surfaces. Use on concrete block, stucco, brick, Spanish plaster, cinder block, corrugated metal and asphalt or wood shingles. The rule for using almost all roller covers - "The smoother the surface, the shorter the nap; the rougher the surface, the longer the nap."

11. What is the maximum number of coats I can apply?

There would not be a physical restriction on the number of coats, but in practice 24 coats would probably be the most one would want to apply.

12. Can Nansulate® be tinted?

We do not recommend tinting Nansulate® Translucent or HomeProtect ClearCoat; However, you can paint over Nansulate® with a colored paint. HomeProtect Interior and Nansulate® Top Coat can be tinted to pastel colors with universal paint pigment.

13. Does Nansulate come in colors?

Nansulate is available in a Clear, matte finish (this has the higher insulating ability) or a white, semi-gloss finish, which can be tinted with any water-based friendly paint pigment.

14. Can I use Nansulate on windows to control heat transfer?

Nansulate can be used on glass to help insulate, but we do not recommend it on window glass, because it will cause the appearance to be slightly cloudy after application.

15. How clear is Nansulate?

Nansulate is fairly transparent on all surfaces except for glass, which it will give a cloudy look. Below are photos of Nansulate HomeProtect Clear Coat coating ½ a tissue box. You can click to see larger pictures in normal light and bright light. You can also see photos of applications on non-metal surfaces and metal surfaces by clicking the links.

How Clear Is It?

(Below are two photos of a tissue box, with the right side coated with 3 coats of our HomeProtect Clear Coat. Click small images for larger versions.)

16. Can I use Nansulate with other types of thermal insulation?

Yes, Nansulate can be used in conjunction with other types of thermal insulation like fiberglass or foam. Nansulate should be applied to a rigid surface and be allowed to fully cure, before using foam or similar up against it. In applications where another insulation is used with ours, Nansulate's properties as a mold resistant insulation can actually help to lengthen the effectiveness of other insulation.

17. Can Nansulate be applied directly to other insulations or thermal insulation systems?

Nansulate cannot be applied to loose fill or flexible insulation. It needs to be applied to a rigid surface. It can be applied to rigid board type insulation systems or similar.

18. Does this product work like insulation foam? Do I need an expensive machine to apply this product or do I just applied with a paint brush?

Nansulate applies like a paint and dries to a thin film finish. It does not expand like a foam does. No special equipment is needed - it can be applied with a brush, roller or paint sprayer.

19. Can Nansulate be used on a floor?

Nansulate is not meant to be used as a final floor covering, and will not stand up to regular foot traffic. It can be used underneath another final floor covering, such as carpet, or tile. Make sure to allow Nansulate to fully cure before applying other floor coverings over the top for best results.

20. Can you wallpaper over Nansulate?

For wallpapering over Nansulate: This has been done successfully by homeowners, however we always suggest to first allow Nansulate to fully cure (30-60 days) and then to test your wallpaper for adhesion to a small section first. Different types of wallpapers use different types of adhesives, so testing is highly recommended prior to a full application.

21. Can the product be painted over a stucco surface? Stucco has a tendency of showing tiny cracks at times.

Although Stucco is traditionally a difficult surface to overcoat, Nansulate has been used successfully painted over a stucco surface. Square foot coverage rates (150-175 sq.ft. per gallon, with 3 coats) may be reduced when painting a deeply textured or porous surface.

22. Should I use Nansulate's home insulation products on walls between rooms or just for walls on the periphery of the house?

Recommended application would be on the inside of walls to the exterior and on the attic or ceiling - to create a thermal barrier on the "shell" of the home. You should not need to coat walls between rooms, because generally people keep interior rooms similar temperatures.

23. Can Nansulate be used on clothing, tents or other fabrics?

Nansulate is not flexible enough for use on fabrics.

24. Will Nansulate work on an aluminum skinned trailer?

Yes, you can use Nansulate on your aluminum skinned trailer to help insulate and as rust corrosion protection measure. You can find a testimonial from a similar application on our specialty testimonials page.

25. Should I apply Nansulate on the inside or outside of my walls?

Nansulate will provide similar home insulation benefit whether applied to the exterior or interior of a wall. The main difference, is that interior applications will last approx. 10+ years, and for exterior applications which are subject to the elements, it will last approx. 5-10 years.

26. When is a primer needed?

For most applications, there is no primer needed. Nansulate can be applied directly to the clean, dry surface. The surface should be free of dirt, grease, dust, flaking rust, etc.. If the surface has rusted areas, then the rust should be removed with wire brushing, and the area treated with a rust neutralizing product before application of Nansulate. Nansulate should not be diluted, so no thinner is needed. A primer may be desired for an uneven surface, or a porous surface.

27. Would using in a bathroom that steams up a lot due to showers be ok?

If used in a high humidity environment, such as a bathroom, the coating would take longer to cure properly. (see application instructions for definition of cure time). Also, the surface must be dry before, during and for at least 72 hours after application to ensure good adhesion.

28. Do your products adhere well to cell cast acrylic?

Nansulate has excellent adhesion properties and will even adhere to glass, so we do not anticipate any problems with adhesion to cell cast acrylic sheet, as long as there is no oily residue on the surface.

To ensure good adhesion to very smooth or difficult to adhere to surfaces, we recommend applying the first coat very thinly, approx. 2-3 wet mils instead of the normal 3-5 wet mils. Then allow it to dry completely for approx. 8 hours. You may then apply another thin coat, in order to keep the same insulating ability, then the other 2 recommended coats at the normal 3-5 wet mil thickness, with approx. an hour dry time between each.

29. Can Nansulate be used in an aluminum boat where pitting is occurring in the bilge area. It is not underwater but water can be present at times, would this product be suitable to apply in this situation?

Nansulate can help protect against, mold prevention and thermal insulation for boat hulls, engine compartments, and other above water-line areas. The water present in the bilge area during use would determine whether it would be suitable for this application.

Nansulate can stand up to splashing, but it will not maintain its properties in a prolonged submerged environment.