Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR
Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR Epoxy Putty is a mix-and-apply-by-hand putty that is that is certified flame resistant (E84, Class A) and is used to create display elements that are semi-rigid and extremely tough. It is also used for industrial bonding applications. Habitat™ Flex FR is solvent free and contains no VOC’s. Working time is 90 minutes and handling time is 24 hours at room temperature (73°F/23°C). Cured epoxy has some flexibility with excellent impact resistance and abrasion resistance.
Habitat™ Flex FR forms a permanent bond to a variety of surfaces including foam, steel and stainless steel, wood, PVC, ABS plastic, concrete and more. It withstands freeze/thaw cycles for exterior applications. When using as an adhesive do not use folding powder. It is easy to paint with acrylic paints or stains. Use to make perfectly detailed tree branches, planks and other themed elements for zoos and amusement parks. Because finished elements are semirigid, reptiles and birds can comfortably grip them without affecting the material.
Use with or without Habitat™ Folding Powder™ – mix equal parts A+B and apply Habitat™ Flex FR. For thickening, add Folding Powder™ into epoxy putty. Folding Powder™ reduces stickiness and makes the epoxy more handleable. Once putty is applied, it can be stamped with a silicone rubber stamp to create repeating patterns with intricate detail over a large surface area. Surface can be smoothed with alcohol or water. New Habitat™ Flex FR will bond to cured Habitat™ Flex FR without delamination.
Features
- Habitat™ Flex FR will bond to a variety of surfaces including foam, steel and stainless steel, wood, PVC, ABS plastic, concrete and more.
- It is easy to paint with acrylic paints or stains.
- Use to make perfectly detailed tree branches, planks and other themed elements for zoos and amusement parks.
- Because finished elements are semi-rigid, reptiles and birds can comfortably grip them without affecting the material.
› Click here for more Free Form™ Habitat™ epoxy sculpting putty products.
Instructions
Safety – Use in a well-ventilated area (“room size” ventilation). Generally, if you use any epoxy system on a regular basis, wearing a NIOSH approved respirator is advised. Wear safety glasses, long sleeves and rubber gloves to minimize skin contact. Wear nitrile or vinyl gloves only.
Rate Of Coverage - Assuming a thickness of 0.25 in. (6.3 mm), 1 lb. (454 g) of Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR will cover approximately 71.6 in2 (462 cm2). The following table indicates coverage rate per size of Habitat™ Flex FR packaging.
| Habitat™ Flex FR Unit Size | Coverage Rate |
| 1-Gallon (20 lb./9.08 kg.) | 10 ft2 (0.92 m2) |
| 5-Gallon (100 lb./45.36 kg.) | 50 ft2 (4.6 m2) |
| Drum (1100 lb./498.96 kg.) | 525 ft2 (50.6 m2) |
How Much Folding Powder™ Do I Need? - Amount of powder recommended per unit of Habitat™ Flex is as follows:
| Habitat™ Flex FR Unit Size | Folding Powder™ Recommended |
| 1-Gallon (20 lb./9.08 kg.) | 1.5 lb. (680 g) |
| 5-Gallon (100 lb./45.36 kg.) | 8 lb. (3.6 kg) |
| Drum (1100 lb./498.96 kg.) | 80 lb. (25 kg) |
Preparation – Materials should be stored and used at room temperature (73°F/23°C). This product has a limited shelf life and should be used as soon as possible. Mixing should be done in a well-ventilated area. Wear safety glasses, long sleeves and rubber gloves to minimize contamination risk. Before mixing materials, apply Folding Powder™ to work surface in a 1/4” (6.3 mm) layer. Powder gloves with Folding Powder™ to eliminate sticking. Because no two applications are quite the same, a small test application to determine suitability for your project is recommended if performance of this material is in question.
Applying A Release Agent – This product is adhesive and will bond to many surfaces. Where adhesion is not desired, a thorough application of Ease Release™ 200 release agent (available from Smooth-On) is recommended.
Measuring - Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR comes as two parts. Dispense equal amounts of Part A and Part B. These products have a limited shelf life and should be used as soon as possible.
Mixing - This product is mixed by hand. You must wear vinyl or nitrile gloves when mixing. Without Folding Powder - measure equal amounts of A and B and stir with a flat edge, stiff paddle until all color streaks disappear (uniform color). With Folding Powder - You must wear gloves when mixing this material, wearing vinyl gloves reduces inhibition risk. First, thoroughly coat gloves with folding powder to prevent sticking. Knead parts A+B together while folding powder into mixture. The amount of powder to add depends on desired working consistency. The more powder you add, the thicker the mixture becomes. Fold mixture into itself repeatedly until desired consistency is attained (3-5 minutes or a minimum of 20 folds). For more on correct mixing technique, you can view our video; smooth-on.com/habitatmixing
Curing - Habitat™ Flex FR can be handled after 24 hours at room temperature. Full physical properties are reached in 7 days. In most cases, material will have a slight “tack” for up to 48 hours.
Painting – Cured Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR can be primed and then painted with acrylic enamel paints. Let paint fully dry before putting part into service.
Removing Uncured Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR - Remove as much uncured material from the surface as possible. Clean any residue with soap and water. Optional - Use E-POX-EE KLEENER™ available from Smooth-On.
Related Categories: Epoxy Putties, Flame Rated Materials
Related Series: Free Form™ Habitat™ Series – Mix-by-Hand Epoxy Sculpting Putties, Flame Rated Materials – Protecting Public Spaces
How-To Articles
How To Secure a Granite Countertop Using Free Form™ Habitat™ Flex FR Epoxy Putty
We show how you can permanently secure a granite countertop using Free Form™ Habitat™ FLEX FR epoxy putty.
How to Mix Free Form™ Habitat™ and Folding Powder
This video how-to demonstration shows how to properly combine Folding Powder into Free Form™ Habitat™ Epoxy.
How To Create an Artificial Tree Limb for Theming Applications
This video shows how Habitat® Flex FR is used to make a realistic tree branch for theming or zoo applications.