SURFACE PREPARATION SPECIFICATIONS

1 SSPC-SP COM. November 1, 2004. SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings SURFACE PREPARATION SPECIFICATIONS SURFACE PREPARATION Commentary for Steel and Concrete Substrates 5. Summary of SSPC SURFACE PREPARATION Standards 1. Introduction SSPC-SP 1, Solvent Cleaning . Petroleum Solvents and Turpentine This SURFACE PREPARATION Commentary (SP COM) is in- Alkaline Cleaners tended to be an aid in selecting the proper SURFACE PREPARATION Emulsion Cleaners method, materials, and specification for steel, other metals, Steam Cleaning and concrete. A compilation of standards, guides, and speci- Threshold Limit Values fications related to concrete is available as SSPC publication Paint Removal #04-03 SURFACE PREPARATION and Coating of Concrete. The SSPC-SP 2, Hand Tool Cleaning . SP COM is not part of the actual standards, but is included to Loose Rust, Mill Scale, and Paint provide a better understanding of the SSPC SURFACE prepara- Consensus Reference Photographs tion standards.

2 In addition, SURFACE PREPARATION standards other SSPC-SP 3, Power Tool Cleaning . than those published by SSPC are referenced. Loose Rust, Mill Scale, and Paint The SSPC standards, summarized in Table 1, represent Consensus Reference Photographs a broad consensus of users, suppliers, and public interest SSPC-SP 4, Flame Cleaning of New Steel . groups. Details of the methods used to measure many of the SSPC-SP 5/NACE No. 1, White Metal Blast Cleaning . properties discussed in this SP COM are described in SSPC. Consensus Reference Photographs publication 03-14, The Inspection of Coatings and Linings, SSPC-SP 6/NACE No. 3, Commercial Blast Cleaning . A Handbook of Basic Practice for Inspectors, Owners, and Reference Photographs Specifiers, 2nd Ed.. SSPC-SP 7/NACE No. 4, Brush-Off Blast Cleaning . Consensus Reference Photographs 2. Contents SSPC-SP 8, Pickling . SSPC-SP 9, Weathering Followed by Blast Cleaning . 1. Introduction SSPC-SP 10/NACE No. 2, Near-White Blast Cleaning.

3 2. Contents Consensus Reference Photographs 3. Importance of SURFACE PREPARATION SSPC-SP 11, Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal . 4. SURFACE Conditions Power Tools and Cleaning Media New Construction Power Tools with Vacuum Shrouds Maintenance Consensus Reference Photographs SURFACE Contaminants SSPC-SP 12/NACE No. 5, SURFACE PREPARATION and Rust, Stratified Rust, Pack Rust, and Rust Scale Cleaning of Metals by Waterjetting Prior to Coating . Mill Scale SURFACE Cleanliness Grease and Oil Flash Rusting Dirt and Dust Consensus Reference Photographs Moisture SSPC-SP 13/NACE No. 6, SURFACE PREPARATION Soluble Salts of Concrete . Paint Chalk SSPC-SP 14/NACE No. 8, Industrial Blast Cleaning . Deteriorated Paint Consensus Reference Photographs SURFACE Defects SSPC-SP 15, Commercial Grade Power Tool Cleaning . Welds and Weld Spatter Consesnsus Reference Photographs Weld Porosity 6. Selection of Abrasives, Blast Cleaning Parameters, Sharp Edges and Equipment Pits Abrasive Characteristics Laminations, Slivers Hardness Crevices Size Concrete Defects Shape Rust Back Bulk Density Friability/Waste Generation Recyclability.

4 SSPC-SP COM. November 1, 2004. Factors Affecting SURFACE Profile SSPC-VIS 4/NACE VIS 7, Guide and Reference Profile Height Photographs for Steel surfaces Prepared by Profile Texture (Roughness) Waterjetting . Parameters That Affect Productivity SSPC-VIS 5/NACE VIS 9, Guide and Reference Particle Size Photographs for Steel surfaces Prepared by Wet Hardness Abrasive Blast Cleaning . Shape ISO Pictorial Standards Specific Gravity Other Photographic Standards Nozzle Pressure Project Prepared Standards Nozzle Type 12. Other SSPC SURFACE PREPARATION Documents in This Nozzle to SURFACE Distance Volume Impact Angle SSPC-TR 1/NACE 6G194, Joint Technology Abrasive Metering Report on Thermal Precleaning . Abrasive Cleanliness SSPC-TR 2/NACE 6G198, Joint Technical Report Embedment on Wet Abrasive Blast Cleaning . Abrasive Types SSPC-TU 2/NACE 6G197, Informational Report Metallic Abrasives and Technology Update on Design, Installation, Non-Metallic Abrasives and Maintenance of Coating Systems for Concrete Blast Equipment Used in Secondary Containment.

5 Conventional Blasting SSPC-TU 4, Field Methods for Retrieval and Vacuum Blasting Analysis of Soluble Salts on Substrates . Abrasive Blast Cleaning Above 760 kPa SSPC-TU 6, Chemical Stripping of Organic (110 psi) Coatings from Steel Structures . 7. Summary of SSPC Abrasive Standards 13. Non-SSPC Cleaning Standards SSPC-AB 1, Mineral And Slag Abrasives 14. SURFACE PREPARATION of Concrete for Coating SSPC-AB 2, Cleanliness of Recycled Ferrous Industry Standards Metallic Abrasives Methods of Cleaning Concrete SSPC-AB 3, Ferrous Metallic Abrasive 15. SURFACE PREPARATION of Other Metallic surfaces 8. Wet Abrasive Blast and Waterjetting Methods Aluminum Water Cleaning and Waterjetting Stainless Steel (Without Abrasive) Copper Alloys Degrees of Cleaning Profile 3. Importance of SURFACE PREPARATION Water Consumption Equipment Often, the SURFACE PREPARATION of steel for painting requires Flash Rust a three step process: 1) initial pre-cleaning to remove grease, Wet Abrasive Blast Cleaning oil, dirt, and other SURFACE contaminants; 2) cleaning with hand/.

6 Air/Water/Abrasive Blasting power tools, pressurized water, chemicals, or abrasive blast- Water/Abrasive Blast Cleaning ing; 3) creation or verification of the specified anchor pattern Flash Rust and Rust Bloom profile. The life of a coating depends as much on the degree Inhibitors and Salt Removers and quality of SURFACE PREPARATION as on the selected coating 9. Other Cleaning Methods system, because most coating failures can be attributed to Chemical Stripping inadequate SURFACE PREPARATION or lack of coating adhesion. Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) Blast Cleaning SURFACE PREPARATION , therefore, should receive thorough con- Pliant Media Blasting (Sponge Jetting) sideration. The primary functions of SURFACE PREPARATION are: Carbon Dioxide (Dry Ice) Blasting To remove SURFACE contaminants that can induce Electrochemical Stripping premature coating failure 10. Film Thickness To provide a clean SURFACE with adequate profile for 11. Consensus Reference Photographs good coating adhesion.

7 SSPC-VIS 1, Guide and Reference Photographs Where conventional abrasive blast cleaning is not allowed for Steel surfaces Prepared by Dry Abrasive Blast or is impractical, alternative abrasives or methods of cleaning Cleaning the SURFACE must be employed. Chemical stripping will remove SSPC-VIS 2, Standard Method of Evaluating paint and is relatively easy to contain. Hence, chemical strip- Degree of Rusting on Painted Steel surfaces ping may be used around sensitive machinery or in densely SSPC-VIS 3, Guide and Reference Photographs populated areas. (Refer to SSPC-TU 6, Chemical Stripping of for Steel surfaces Prepared by Hand and Power Organic Coatings from Steel Structures. ) Alternative abrasives Tool Cleaning .. SSPC-SP COM. November 1, 2004. TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF CURRENT SSPC ABRASIVE AND. SURFACE PREPARATION STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS . SSPC specification DESCRIPTION. AB 1 Definition of requirements for selecting and evaluating mineral and slag Mineral and Slag Abrasives abrasives used for blast cleaning.

8 AB 2. Cleanliness requirements for a recycled work mix and a description of the Cleanliness of Recycled Ferrous test procedures. Metallic Abrasive AB 3 Requirements of chemical and physical properties of iron and steel Ferrous Metallic Abrasive abrasives. SP 1 Removal of oil, grease, dirt, soil, salts, and contaminants by cleaning with Solvent Cleaning solvent, vapor, alkali, emulsion, or steam. SP 2 Removal of loose rust, loose mill scale, and loose paint to degree specified, Hand Tool Cleaning by hand chipping, scraping, sanding, and wire brushing. SP 3 Removal of loose rust, loose mill scale, and loose paint to degree specified, Power Tool Cleaning by power tool chipping, descaling, sanding, wire brushing, and grinding. Removal of all visible rust, mill scale, paint, and foreign matter by blast SP 5/NACE No. 1. cleaning by wheel or nozzle (dry or wet) using sand, grit or shot. For very White Metal Blast Cleaning corrosive atmospheres where high cost of cleaning is warranted.

9 Blast cleaning until at least two-thirds of the SURFACE is free of all visible SP 6/NACE No. 3. residues with only staining permitted on the remainder. For conditions Commercial Blast Cleaning where a thoroughly cleaned SURFACE is required. SP 7/NACE No. 4 Blast cleaning of all except tightly adhering residues of mill scale, rust, and Brush-Off Blast Cleaning coatings, while uniformly roughening the SURFACE . SP 8 Complete removal of rust and mill scale by acid pickling, duplex pickling, or Pickling electrolytic pickling. Blast cleaning nearly to White Metal cleanliness, until at least 95% of the SP 10/NACE No. 2 SURFACE is free of all visible residues with only staining permitted on the Near-White Blast Cleaning remainder. For high humidity, chemical atmosphere, marine, or other corrosive environments. SP 11 Complete removal of all rust, scale, and paint by power tools, with resultant Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal SURFACE profile.. SSPC-SP COM.

10 November 1, 2004. SP 12/NACE No. 5 Defines four degrees of cleaning for visible contaminants (similar to SURFACE PREPARATION and Cleaning of SP 5, 6, 7, and 10) and three levels of flash rust and describes three Metals by Waterjetting Prior to levels of non-visible SURFACE cleanliness for non-visible soluble salt Coating contamination. Description of inspection procedures prior to SURFACE PREPARATION , SP 13/NACE No. 6. methods of SURFACE PREPARATION , inspection, and classification of SURFACE PREPARATION of Concrete prepared concrete surfaces . Between SP 7 (brush-off) and SP 6 (commercial). The intent is to SP 14/NACE No. 8. remove as much coating as possible, but contaminants difficult to Industrial Blast Cleaning remove can remain on 10 percent of the SURFACE . SP 15 Between SP 3 and SP 11. Removes all rust and paint but allows for Industrial Grade Power Tool Cleaning staining; requires a minimum 1 mil (25 m) profile. VIS 1. Guide and Reference Photographs for Standard reference photographs; recommended supplement to Steel surfaces Prepared by Dry SSPC SURFACE PREPARATION standards SSPC-SP 5, 6, 7, 10, and 14.