Waterblog

Proper surface preparation readies a surface for good coating adhesion and prevents premature coating failure.  When preparing steel and concrete surfaces, certain critical issues must be addressed and standards followed to achieve maximum benefit from today’s high performance, anti-corrosion coatings. Join Bruce Snyder for the Sherwin-Williams webinar Making the First Step Count – Surface Preparation Standard. [...]

All surfaces receiving an application of thin film, medium film, laminate or mortar systems must be structurally sound, clean and dry.  Proper surface preparation is an extremely important factor in the immediate and long-term successful performance of applied coating and lining systems. The contractor responsible for the installation of a coating or lining system shall [...]

Many times coating projects can be held up due to confusion in defining terms that are used during the process coating of concrete. This is an attempt to clear up some of the potential confusion. Acid etching: application of acid (typically muriatic acid) to clean or alter the concrete surface. Best used when there is [...]

Repair of a concrete substrate is something that is required of almost every project, new construction or rehabilitation. Use of the structure should dictate to what extent the repair is made. Surface imperfections that should be addressed will include: Bugholes Honeycombs Tie Wire Holes Spalling Rebar Corrosion Pop-Outs Abrasion or Erosion Cracking The top three [...]

Concrete surface preparation is dynamic to say the least. You will need to consider several factors when selecting the method of surface preparation and the required end result. These factors could include multiple steps to achieve a satisfactory surface for proper coating performance. The first consideration should be as to the age, previous use, and [...]

Concrete appears at first glance to be one of the easier substrates to prepare and coat. The surface in most cases is rough and porous, and should accept coatings with no problems. However, under the surface lies a sleeping beast that can create problems most people never consider. This series of five posts will describe [...]

Coatings adhere to a substrate by chemical or mechanical means. In order to check that this has been accomplished, adhesion tests can be conducted. Adhesion testing is also performed in failure analysis or when a customer is looking to “overcoat” a structure instead of completely removing a coating system.  Both of the test methods mentioned [...]

Hot Dip Galvanizing is the process of “dipping” a steel structure in a molten vat of zinc.  This zinc will then metallurgically bond to the steel, protecting the steel substrate from corroding.   The process consists of dipping the steel in a caustic bath to remove the organic contamination, followed by dipping the steel in an [...]

The reason we prepare a surface prior to painting is not well understood.  We do it because we think we’re supposed to do it …  but why? According to The Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)  Surface Preparation Commentary (SSPC-COM), we prepare a surface “to remove surface contaminants that can induce premature coating failure” and “to provide [...]

In the previous surface preparation post, I discussed steel making and the necessity for abrasive blasting to remove mill scale.  But abrasive blasting, especially for maintenance work,  cannot always be achieved because a facility owner may have restrictions on dust and particulate generation and there may be (and probably is) equipment operating 24/7.  Plus, you need some [...]