Care & Maintenance

Thank you for choosing a FormEffects precast architectural wall panels. Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) is a natural material composed of sand, cement, AR fibers, and water. Much like any natural material such as wood or stone, concrete is a porous material. We have sealed your concrete with a two-part water based penetrating sealer that will provide active protection against staining. To ensure the lasting beauty of your concrete surfaces we recommend reviewing and practicing the following care and maintenance instructions.

Clean your FormEffects product using mild soap (such as dish soap) and warm water with a microfiber towel. Do not use heavy abrasive, bleach-based, or ammoniated cleansers. Use of such cleansers will wear down the sealer, cause discoloration, and will result in less stain resistance. We do not recommend use of most natural cleansers (which are often citrus based) as the cleaning agent, which are typically highly acidic and can damage natural materials. For additional strength, the use of a neutral cleaner, such as Simple Green, diluted with warm water would be recommended.

To clean your exterior concrete product on a daily or weekly basis, simply hose down the product using a typical variable water gun hose attachment. If there is large amount of loose dirt or debris on the exterior, use a leaf blower to clean off the exterior beforehand. To remove more stubborn dirt marks, after the concrete product has been hosed down, use a wide soft bristle brush such as a marine/boat brush to scrub down the exterior and then rinse after. A neutral cleaner such as Simple Green can be used in as well in regular cleaning of the product. A leaf blower can be used to dissipate water that may be remaining inside the voids or texture of the concrete panel.

To clean your exterior product on a seasonal basis, use a neutral, non-muriatic acid concrete shampoo cleaner. Wet the exterior surface down with water and apply the cleaner as per the manufacturers dilution requirements. Use a wide soft bristle brush to scrub the exterior with the cleaner. Afterwards, use a pressure washer to rinse down the exterior. Be cautious of the distance of the nozzle from the surface and the width of the stream. A jet stream should not be used to prevent any etching of the surface. Additionally, at no point through the cleaning process should the cleaner be allowed to dry on the surface, therefore it is recommended do this cleaning on a cool, cloudy day.

In the event the sealer is damaged or stripped from the concrete surface, your FormEffects product will need to be refinished in order to provide the proper level of protection against staining. For maximum resistance against UV effects and staining, it is recommended that exterior panel installations be sealed every year. Interior panel installations, depending on location and wear exposure, are more suited to go several years before needing sealer re-application. Many sealers are available to consumers though FormEffects would recommend Trinic H-12 Matte for interior installed panels and Prosoco Sure Klean WeatherSeal for exterior installed panels.  All sealers should be tested in an inconspicuous location prior to applying to the full installation and shall be applied per the manufacturer’s instructions.