Tech Tip – Surface Preparation

Proper surface preparation is essential for the success of any protective coating scheme. The importance of removing oil, grease, old coatings and surface contaminants (such as mill scale and rust on steel, laitance on concrete and zinc salts on galvanized surfaces) cannot be over emphasized. The performance of any paint coating is directly dependent upon the correct and thorough preparation of the surface prior to coating. The most expensive and technologically advanced coating system will fail if the surface preparation is incorrect or incomplete.

Steel

Some of the various methods of surface preparation of steel are briefly described below. For more explicit details and recommendations please refer to full specifications, such as;

1. International Standard ISO 8504:1992(E). Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products – Surface preparation methods.
2. Steel Structures Painting Council (SSPC), Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Full range of surface preparation standards.
3. International Standards ISO 8501-1:1988(E) and ISO 8501-2:1994. Preparation of steel substrate before application of paints and related products – Visual assessment of surface cleanliness.
4. Swedish Standard SIS 05 59 00 (1967) – Pictorial Surface Preparation Standards for Painting Steel Surfaces.
5. Shipbuilding Research Association of Japan – Standard for the preparation of steel surface prior to painting (“JSRA” Standard).
6. International Protective Coatings Hydro blasting Standards.
7. International Protective Coatings Slurry Blasting Standards.
8. International Protective Coatings Abrasive Sweep Blasting Standards.