June, 2002
THE SQUEEGEE
Perhaps the most underrated piece of equipment in the surfacing profession
is the squeegee. Granted, such items as the mixer, choice of sand, time
of day, application skills, etc., all have some bearing on the quality
of the finished surface. Even the skilled applicator will experience substandard
results if a poorly maintained squeegee is used to apply the surface coatings.
A good squeegee is to a tennis court applicator what a good paint brush
is to the house painter.
The applicator must first select a squeegee that fits his particular style
and is comfortable to manipulate. Some squeegees have very little angle
between blade and the handle. This style requires the applicator to carry
his hands high and forces him to walk very close to the windrow. Other
squeegees have excessive angle between blade and the handle, and therefore,
are more suited for pushing than pulling.
The applicator should also consider the weight of the squeegee. A heavy
squeegee can cause fatigue if numerous coats are being applied in one
day. A very light squeegee has a tendency to float or be lifted by the
windrow and very well may result in excessive ridges or "fat"
spots. Whether to choose a wooden handle or a metal handle is also an
important consideration. In addition, the applicator has the choice of
a squeegee head that is either 24", 30" or 36" wide. The
wide squeegee permits a substantial overlap on passes and eliminates or
at least reduces the amount of small pinholes from forming in the coating
when the surface is quite warm.
A good squeegee blade is paramount to quality work. The rubber blade should
be flexible so that it will bend with the contour of the surface and will
not bridge small depressions to leave "fat" spots that will
mud crack and shine upon drying.
Plexipave recommends the rubber blade used for color coating be in the
50 durometer range and about 3" wide. As the blade wears and/or the
applicator permits dry films to accumulate on the blade, it will lose
considerable flexibility and affect the quality of performance.
When through using, the applicator should immediately wash the squeegee
to prevent unnecessary build-up of the coatings. A wire brush is a handy
tool to help remove the coatings as the blade is being washed.
In summary, be very selective about the size, weight, and style of the
squeegee. Select a soft, flexible blade for all applications of acrylic
coatings. Frequent blade replacement is worth the cost.