Can you paint over Flex Seal?
Well, the answer simply depends on the Flex Seal type that you have chosen for sealing purposes. There are wider ranges of Flex Seal products available in the market. Each of them is different in type and has a different formula.
Flex Seals are in constant demand because of their efficiency in patching up leaks. These are suitable for covering concrete cracks or make pieces glued together. Therefore, consequently, the users come up with the question as well if they can paint over flex seal.
Well, the company Flex Seal Family of Products offers many collections of flex seals to their customers including Flex Seal Glue, Flex Tape, Liquid Flex Seal, Flex Seal Shot, and many. Some of these products allow paint over them and some do not. You will know detail when you read the guideline below.
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Which Flex Seal Products Allow Paint Over Them?
As we mentioned before, flex seal is a great choice for patching leakages. Its rubberized, durable, and thick coating formula is applied as a liquid and seeps into leaks or crack. Then it dries resulting in a flexible and watertight coating.
It also holds water back efficiently. The company has to manufacture a variety of Flex Seals to come up with the solution to different specific problems. So, the products have different bonds and formulas that are not always suitable for working with paint. But some flex seal products are suitable for painting over them as their formula allows.
Flex Seal products that are suitable for painting over:
- Flex Seal Spray
- Flex Seal Glue
- Flex Tape
The Spray from Flex Seal is ideal for any paints and urethanes that are commercially available. Also, Flex Seal Glue is an excellent adhesive. Apart from its adhesiveness, this product is used around doors and windows for being a great sealer as well.
However, make sure you use Flex Seal Spray before painting over the Flex Tape. Otherwise, you won’t get the desired color or finish.
Flex Seal products that are not suitable for painting over:
- Flex Seal Shot
- Liquid Flex Seal
However, in the case of Liquid Flex Seal, you can add as many coats as you want. Just make sure each coat dries properly before you apply another coat. Now to color your surface or wall, you can add your desired color with Flex Clear Seal and apply it before applying Flex Seal Liquid.
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Can You Paint Over Flex Seal Liquid?
Among all other products from Flex Seal Product Family, the Liquid Flex Seal is considered the best. It comes with the most powerful formula.
Thus, people are bound to pick this one over other Flex Seal Products. But as we mentioned Flex Seal Liquid is not suitable for working with paint, you have to come up with some creative ideas.
Now, if you want your wall to have a seamless finish and color that matches the rest of the wall, then you can follow the steps below.
Step 1: Go with painting the area first
Without applying the Flex Seal in the first place, paint the wall first where you want to get the job done. Painting over will be much easier if you apply the combination of paint and two-in-one primer. Also, make sure to grab the oil-based primer and paint that are high in quality. It will help to process the further steps.
Step 2: Fill the holes
This step is optional. If you find any hole on the surface of your wall you can fill it with a filler. It will make the surface even. Nonetheless, as we said, this prepping part is completely optional. Without filling the holes, you can apply the paint.
Step 3: Dry the paint
Let the paint on the wall dry for 24 hours and more. Make sure the paint dries properly. Otherwise, the surface won’t be ready to have Flex Seal on it. Again, if your project includes the roof, then let the paint dry for at least two days straight.
Step 4: Pick a Flex Seal clear
Now at this point, many go for a colored Flex Seal. But that will not be wise. Instead, choose a Clear Flex Seal. The Liquid Flex Seal comes with a see-through formula. After applying this Flex Seal, you can see the wall paint through the coat.
Step 5: Dry the Flex Seal coat you just applied
After applying the Flex Seal Liquid coat, dry it properly. Then feel the seamlessness and smoothness of the patch you just made. However, its drying depends on its coating thickness, humidity, and temperature. But it dries from within two hours to one day.
What Happens if You Paint Over Flex Seal Liquid?
The fact is that the manufacturers of the Flex Seal Liquid do not recommend painting over it. It simply won’t take the paint even after adding high-quality primer. Also, it will look gunk up as the paint wipes of gradually. It creates a funky appearance of the project.
Moreover, since the product is silicone, you cannot just paint over it. It is a harsh thing to deal with. So, if you ever try painting over it, you will need to re-do its caulking as well.
It will create a film of silicone that cannot be painted over. Sealant of other types will not create any bond with it. So, painting directly over Flex Seal Liquid will be a bad idea.
Which Product to Choose if You Have to Paint over Flex Seal?
Well, not all Flex Seal products are suitable for painting. It depends on the paint and its chemical as well. If the wrong type of paint is chosen for a sealant, there are chances that the sealant will call a halt from working. It can also peel off over time or dissolve causing a leak that you had previously.
Now, in case, if you have to paint over Flex Seal, you better go for a paint-friendly sealant. And till now, there is not any better paint-friendly sealant available in the market than the Flex Seal Spray. It is ideal to be primed and then painted over easily.
We know that Flex Seal comes with a variety of color options for Flex Seal Spray. The color includes black, white, clear, blue, red, brown, almond, terra cotta, silver, green, and all. So, basically, if you use the spray matching the color of the rest of the project, you won’t have to paint over it again.
You can spray it on different surfaces including concrete, wood, metal, tile, fabric, glass, and all. Moreover, you can apply the Flex Seal Spray over Flex Tape. Many do this and the result is amazing (painting will be stable). Instead working with it will satisfy you a lot.
This product of the company is very durable. Even in the winter season, the spray doesn’t peel. Also, in the summer heat, it remains the same without sagging.
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How to Apply Colored Flex Seal Spray?
Spraying the Flex Seal Spray is the easiest thing on earth.
Step – 1
First, carefully choose a spray according to your required color. Before you start to spray, shake the can thoroughly for up to one minute. This way the inside formula gets well shook and ready to be applied.
Tips
The spray bottle is equipped with a variable pressure nozzle. This nozzle allows both light coating and thicker coating. So, according to your job, you can make a thin or thick coat. For the largest and deepest cracks, you have to make multiple coats for sure.
Step – 2
Nonetheless, let every coat dry before you spray another coat. Make sure you have sprayed the product well to the problematic area. Wait till the final coat dries. You can easily understand, the coat has dried or not.
Tips
If you feel a soft or tacky texture, then it is not dry yet. There is another way to understand if the area is sealed properly or not. Just hold a light on it and see. If the light passes through the coat, then certainly it is not dry and sealed yet. So, to seal properly, add more Flex Seal Spray and create another coat.
Step – 3
Remember, only the complete dry coats can confirm the best adhesion. It will be long-lasting and precise. When you are done, clear the spray by turning the nozzle of the can upside down. Then press for some quick spray. This will ensure smooth spray without even clogging the next time when you will use it.
Important Tips to Paint over Flex Seal Spray
- Make sure your working environment doesn’t include any sparks or heat since Flex Seal Spray is flammable in the fire.
- Keep the product away from open flames.
- The working environment should be well-ventilated.
- Make sure to maintain safety.
What Are the Best Paints to Work with Flex Seal?
Well, both the Flex Seal spray and glue require the same type of paints to work with. You can pick any virtually mainstream paint that is available in the market. You can go for urethanes, acrylic, acrylic latex, or any major types of paints for this purpose.
These paints work well with these Flex Seal products. Still, if you are not sure about the paint selection, you can ask for help from professionals.
