Remember – The hotter the surface and weather – the faster the Tuff Base mixture sets up & thickens
* Start early or work late when surface is not hot and have white tarp to cover areas to keep out of the sun.
1 – It’s a good idea to start with seam taping, drip flashings and up walls – feather the Base out where you stop.
(This allows you to move quicker over the large areas and not worry about slower detail work)
2 – Prior to a job store 5 gal Tuff base pails in a cool place – keep in a cool place once they are on the job as well.
3 – At the start of job full Tuff Base pails should be stirred as thicker polymers can settle – put on lids and keep cool.
4 – In hot weather a block of ice in mixing water gives you more time working with base. Add water and mix 3 mins.
Pour and trowel immediately – mixing person can scrape out left over base in pail and set upside down in next area.
5 – Add 1 part water to 4 parts base (not more than 1-4) Tuff Base rejects excess and it also speeds up the set-up time.
When excess water is not absorbed into Tuff Base bubbles may even occur in hot or warm weather.
(For damp/moist plywood, cut back a bit on water – use a 1 to 5 mix which tricks the base into wanting more water)
6 – When spreading Base use 3/8” V-notch Trowel angling down as much as you can moving through the mixture quickly.
As you run out of Base feather outside edges – use flat trowel edge again to push new mix over old (don’t touch old)
7 – Coverage = 30 sq ft from each mixed gal of base – Start with 1 gal angling 3/8” V-trowel down so you cover 30 sq ft.
*Do not add water to next mixture until applicator has finished spreading previous batch – water is the catalyst!
8 – Avoid mixing more than 2 gals of Base at a time, especially in HOT weather – set up can start within 10 mins.
If you work fast enough using a V-notch 3/8” squeegee or in colder weather you could mix half pails at a time.
9 – Have at least 3 pails, 1 for water 2 for mixing base into. Start with the first pail adding cold water and mix for 3 mins.
For fast measuring put a stick in empty pail with notches cut up to 5 1/2” (=2 gals base) and to 7” (=2 quarts water).
10 – If you encounter a few trowel marks toward the end of a mix gently smooth them with the flat edge of your trowel.
Don’t play with the base while troweling as it will smooth or self level on its own. (playing works against you)