Repainting: Why an Adhesion Test Can Save You Time & Money

Contego, like other intumescent coatings, is latex based.  While Contego can be applied over an existing finish, you need to know what it is.  If alkyd, or if you just don’t know, do an adhesion test.  If the existing finish is good, apply a bonding primer before applying Contego.  If you’re unsure, it’s better (and a lot less expensive) to apply a bonding primer and not need it than skipping that step and wishing you hadn’t.

Here’s an article from “Durability + Design” on the subject that we found particularly useful:

Best Practices: No, you Can’t Just Paint Over That