Q. What advantage does Up & EZ! provide the homeowner?
A. It makes our products easier to apply, including as a roll-on system and is easier to compress, provides a harder surface and remains repairable.
Q. What is the shelf life of Up & EZ! ?
A. 18 months in its original packaging.
Q. Do I need special protective clothing while mixing?
A. We always recommend protective glasses and at a minimum a NOISH approved N95 disposable respirator when mixing American Clay plasters.
Q. Can I apply the basecoat of Loma with Up & EZ! over new, taped and bedded drywall?
A. The wall should be primed with a zero VOC transitional or multipurpose primer or use a mixture of 2 gallons of water to 1 package of Up & EZ!. This can be applied either by rolling the mixture onto the wall surface, or you can create a mixture of 2 gallons water to 1 package of Up & EZ!. Mix well. Strain this mixture into a spray bottle and spray walls completely. Or, using a 3/8” roller, roll onto the wall. Allow to dry (1-2 hours). Then apply plaster.
Q. Will the taped, new drywall ghost through the American Clay plaster?
A. When the surface is properly prepared and the Loma basecoat is applied at the thickness indicated in the video and in the written instructions, we have not seen ghosting using this binder.
Q. Do I need to prime my walls with American Clay Sanded Primer Elite?
A. No. You only need to apply Sanded Primer Elite on the outside corners.
Q. Can it be applied over wallpaper?
A. No. We recommend that all wallpaper and glue be removed prior to application of any American Clay plasters. The wall should then be primed with a zero VOC transitional or multipurpose primer.
Q. Why should I use Up & EZ! instead of Mud Glue?
A. Up & EZ! provides the easiest, hardest surface application of American Clay to date.
Q. Are there any disadvantages to using Up & EZ! versus the Traditional System (primer plus two coats of clay without binder)?
A. No disadvantages to either system. The no-VOC, Up & EZ! binder gives you the advantage of additional ease of application -- no primer required over the entire wall surface (only on outside corners), added hardness and increased ease during compression. Some people prefer not to use acrylic but we have found that it has no odor and contains nothing toxic.
Q. Why would I use Mud Glue?
A. There is no real benefit to using Mud Glue over Up & EZ! in the traditional application. Mud Glue provides a 100% natural material as a binder but must be used within a few days or it begins to smell. Individuals who don't want acrylic should still use Mud Glue.
Q. Does this replace Add Mix?
A. Add-Mix is still available for use in Dos Manos Professional and Dos Manos Classic systems.
Q. Can American Clay Loma with Up & EZ! be dried and reused for repairs?
A. Yes. It can only be used for repairs.
Q. Can American Clay Loma with Up & EZ! be dried, rehydrated and used as a base coat?
A. Not unless an additional Up & EZ! binder package is added to the rehydrated mix.
Q. What is the retail cost per square foot of the roll-on application of Loma with Up & EZ! binder for 100 square feet of finished wall?
A. One bag of Loma, one bag of Up & EZ!, one average American Clay Color Pigment pack, plus 1 quart of Sanded Primer Elite is $0.94-$1.34 per square foot.
Q. Do I need to work quickly to achieve the surface I want before it dries?
A. No. Unlike other acrylic, gypsum or lime specialty finishes, walls coated with American Clay plaster with Up & EZ! can be wetted and reworked up to a month after application. This allows you to refine the surface or even change your mind as you work about the surface texture you desire! (Note: going from rough texture to a very smooth texture may be more easily achieved by doing an additional coat of Loma mixed with Up & EZ! binder)
Q. Is Up & EZ! only to be used with Loma?
A. Yes. Only use Up & EZ! for roll-on applications. It can, however, be used with any of our other plasters: Enjarre—as a one-coat plaster, and with finish coats of Marittimo or Porcelina but it will be troweled on instead of rolled. Loma is always the base coat in our two coat systems so you could roll on the base coat and trowel on the top coats of Marittimo or Porcelina.
Q. Can I use Up & EZ! on my ceilings?
A. Yes, and you can actually do just one coat of Loma with Up & EZ! on your ceilings.
Q. Does Up & EZ! allow for the moisture mitigation which balances humidity in an indoor space?
A. Yes. We are still gathering data in our test units, but it appears that it is the same.
Q. Is it as easy to clean up as your regular American Clay products?
A. It is actually easier. There is less dusting during the drying and compression stage. It is easiest if you allow the material to dry and then wipe it clean with a damp cloth or sponge and than sweep or vacuum any dried material from the floor.
Q. Does Up & EZ! change the color of the plaster?
A. There is no discernible change in color from the Traditional System application. This is great news for the applicator.
Q. Should Up & EZ! be used in the base coat and the top coat?
A. Yes. For roll-on applications, use in both coats. However, if you want to roll on the first coat and trowel on the second coat you can may avoid using it in the second coat. Using Up & EZ! in the finish coat makes compression easier and adds additional hardness to the final coat. It's hard to imagine why anyone would not want to roll on the second coat as well using Up & EZ!
Q. Does Up & EZ have an odor?
A. No, and it won’t spoil if kept wet.
Q. How long will Up & EZ! retain its binding ability once it is mixed and kept moist?
A. Our tests indicate about a month.
Q. How is Up & EZ! packaged?
A.It comes in premeasured packages. One package of Up & EZ! is added to one bag any of our plasters. For DIY applications, we recommend using Up & EZ! with Loma only.
Q. Can Lime Putty for Lime Gauging be used with Up & EZ binder?
A. No. Do not use Lime Putty for Lime Gauging with Up & EZ! binder. It will not be effective.
Q. Can Lime Putty for Lime Washing be used over a top coat with Up & EZ! in the plaster?
A. Yes, follow the Lime Washing directions which are described on our website.
Q. Does Up & EZ! work as a hardener? How well?
A. It increases the hardness of American Clay plaster finishes. It's slightly harder than American Clay with Add MIX while increasing ease of application and repairability!
Q. How can I apply this over an existing American Clay Traditional plaster wall?
A. If the wall has been sealed previously apply it directly over the surface. If it has not been sealed, either seal it with American Clay Penetrating Sealer, or you can create a mixture of 2 gallons water to 1 package of Up & EZ!. Mix well. Strain this mixture into a spray bottle and spray walls completely. Or, using a 3/8” roller, roll onto the wall. Allow to dry (1-2 hours). Then apply plaster.
Q. Can it be applied over an existing unsealed American Clay plaster wall?
A. No. See answer above.
Q. Can American Clay with Up & EZ! binder be applied over a base of American Clay with Mud Glue?
A. No. An existing wall installed with Mud Glue must be sealed.
