Chapter 2.
1
Overview of Steel Surface Preparation
H. William Hitzrot
Introduction
Preparing steel surfaces for coating involves
removing physical surface defects and contaminants
and providing a surface profile satisfactory for good
primer adhesion. It has been shown that steel surface
profile and cleanliness have a direct relationship
to coating adhesion in laboratory and field
performance.1
Coating failures associated with inadequate
surface preparation are described in separate chapter
of this book.
As new surface preparation requirements for
VOC-conforming coatings and new surface prepara-
tion techniques arise, so does the need for industry to
utilize this information. This chapter provides an
overview of surface preparation of steel for coatings.
Other chapters provide more specialized information.
What Is Steel Surface Preparation?
Surface preparation is defined as any opera-
tion or series of operations performed on a steel
surface to remove physical defects and surface
contaminants in preparation for subsequent fabrica-
tion, repair, and/or painting.
Examples of surface preparation include
removing surface defects, pre-cleaning, removing
chemical contaminants, abrasive blast cleaning,
waterjetting, and power tool cleaning. Surface prepara-
tion also includes meeting a specified degree of
surface cleanliness as well as providing a surface
profile compatible with subsequent fabrication, repair,
and/or painting.
Why Is Surface Preparation Important?
The life of any steel coating system is directly
impacted by the quality of the prepared surface. Thus,
the better the surface preparation, the longer the life of
the coating system. This also implies that the coating
system generally dictates the type and extent of the
surface preparation. Therefore, when selecting surface
preparation procedures, always consider the require-
ments of the subsequent coating system.
Establishing a Surface Preparation
Protocol
Thoroughly examine the steel surface before
initiating any surface preparation and establish its
conditions to define the things that need to be
addressed in the surface preparation protocol.
Pre-cleaning
Pre-cleaning before surface preparation
removes loose or soluble surface contaminants.
Determine what, if any, pre-cleaning is required by
considering these things:
If the steel surface shows evidence of oil or grease
contamination, treat these areas according to SSPC-
SP 1, Solvent Cleaning.2
In areas where industrial pollution is prevalent or salt
contamination is likely either from ocean spray or
deicing salts, the steel should be treated by low-
pressure washing according to SSPC-SP 1 or high-
pressure washing according to SSPC-SP 12/NACE 5
as appropriate to remove the contamination.2, 3
Pre-cleaning also includes removing dirt, snow, ice,
and water prior to mechanical cleaning.
Removing Surface Defects
Before initiating blast cleaning, examine the
steel for surface defects, such as weld spatter, rough
welds, scabs, and sharp edges that can cause
premature coating failures if not removed. Also, if
these defects are not removed, subsequent abrasive
blast cleaning will exaggerate the defect, creating an
even more difficult coating problem. Typical surface
defects and suggested surface preparation include:
Weld spatter is composed of little beads of steel and
slag that adhere to the steel after welding. It is best
removed with hand grinders per SSPC-SP 2 Hand
Tool Cleaning.4
Scabs, burrs, and sharp edges are rolling mill defects
that occur on structural steel surfaces and are best
removed with hand grinders or chipping hammers as
described in SSPC-SP 2. If not removed, abrasive
blast cleaning will exaggerate these defects, requiring
repair and reblasting of the area. Weld-up and grinding
may be necessary to correct some defects.
Grinding rough welds, weld undercuts, and other
localized surface repairs can also be accomplished
with the hand-tool surface preparation procedures
outlined in SSPC-SP 2. Weld-up and grinding may be
required to correct some defects, especially porosity
and undercutting.
Abrasive Blast Cleaning
Abrasive blast cleaning is the accepted
surface preparation method for cleaning large areas of
steel. The primary advantage of this method is that it is
fast and cost-effective and creates a roughened
surface suitable for good adhesion of most coating
systems. Abrasive blast cleaning removes mill scale,
rust, paint, and other tough, brittle contaminants that
respond well to the impact cleaning of abrasive
particles.
Blast cleaning does not effectively remove oil,
grease, or chemical contaminants, such as salts and
chlorides. Therefore, no blast cleaning procedure
should proceed until all of these contaminants have
been removed during pre-cleaning. If oil, grease, and
chemical contaminants are not removed, blast clean-
ing will spread these contaminants widely over the
entire surface, contaminate the abrasive, and make
subsequent contaminant removal much more difficult.
The abrasive blast cleaning parameters that
affect surface preparation are:
Abrasive particle size: Generally speaking, the
larger the average abrasive particle size, the larger the
profile produced on the blast-cleaned surface. Con-
versely, smaller average particle sizes produce smaller
surface profiles. This assumes the use of proper
techniques.
Abrasive velocity: The greater the nozzle pressure
or wheel-speed propelling the abrasive particle, the
faster the cleaning rate.
Abrasive density: The greater the density or mass
of an abrasive particle, the more effective it will be in
removing dense, thick coatings. Dense abrasives also
produce a deeper profile.
Abrasive shape: Angular abrasive particles gener-
ate an angular profile, while rounded-to-spherical
particles generate a more scalloped-to-peened surface
profile.
Abrasive hardness: Choosing the proper abrasive
hardness depends on the type of cleaning involved.
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For example, water is used to remove soluble salts;
corn cobs and walnut shells are used to clean a
coating surface without removing the coating; and
metallic and nonmetallic hard abrasives are used to
remove hard, tough surface contaminants such as mill
scale, rust, and old paint. Generally, the tougher the
surface contaminant, the harder the abrasive.
For more information on specific abrasive
characteristics and their impact on surface preparation
consult the chapters about metallic and nonmetallic
abrasives in this book and SSPC-SP COM, Surface
Preparation Commentary for Steel and Concrete
Substrates.5
Wet Abrasive Blast Cleaning and Waterjetting
Methods
Methods of surface preparation using water
may or may not include abrasive. SSPC and NACE
International have defined four levels of water cleaning
and waterjetting based on nozzle pressure. These
levels are defined in Table 1 and discussed in depth in
a separate chapter.
Table 1. Levels of Water Cleaning and Waterjetting.
Low-pressure water cleaning (LP WC) is used
as part of the pre-cleaning operation to remove water-
soluble contaminants. High-pressure water cleaning,
high-pressure waterjetting, and ultrahigh-pressure
waterjetting are generally used in maintenance clean-
ing of previously painted surfaces.
Surface Cleanliness Standards
SSPC and NACE International have estab-
lished a set of standards and reference photographs
to define the various levels of surface cleanliness. A
summary of these standards appears in Table 2.
It is clear from the range of standards shown
that steel surface preparation involves the full
spectrum of surface cleaning operations, including
Table 2. Surface Cleanliness Standards.

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removing dirt and soil, oil and grease, chemical
contaminants, mill scale, rust and paintall of which
require a different approach. It is important, therefore,
to thoroughly examine the steel surface and determine
what surface preparation procedures will be required
to meet a given cleanliness level:
Evidence of oil and grease (SSPC-SP 1)
Spot welding produced weld spatter and some rough
welds (SSPC-SP 2)
Steel structure in an industrial area with evidence of
chemical contaminants on the surface. (SSPC-SP 1
water washing or steam cleaning)
Steel surface must be blast cleaned to meet a
commercial level of cleanliness. (SSPC-SP 6/NACE 3
Commercial Blast Cleaning)6
By devising and following a surface prepara-
tion protocol, the job will proceed smoothly and
minimize future surface preparation-related problems.
Surface Profile
Generating a surface profile is a consequence
of any surface preparation method involving abrasive
blast cleaning. It is important to know the profile
requirements of the coating system to be applied to
the blast-cleaned surface. For example, if the coating
system requires a 2 mil profile, the blast cleaning
abrasive used should generate a 2 mil profile. Test
panels can be prepared prior to blasting to be certain
that a given abrasive media will generate the required
profile.
If surface preparation involves blast cleaning
to remove an existing coating system, remember that
there is an existing blast cleaned profile under the
original coating. Subsequent blast cleaning to remove
the original coating will change but not remove that
original profile. Any new coating system should be
compatible with the altered, potentially deeper profile
of the reblast-cleaned surface.
Profile Measurement
The two most commonly used methods for
field measurement of surface profile of blast-cleaned
steel are ASTM D 4417, Method A (comparator) and C
(replica tape).7 In Method A, the blasted steel surface
is visually compared to standards prepared with
various profile depths. In Method C, a composite
plastic tape is impressed into the steel surface profile
forming a reverse image that is measured with a
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micrometer. These techniques are described in more
detail in the inspection chapter of this book.
Environmental Impact on Surface
Preparation
Such factors as job location, presence of
hazardous materials, and abrasive disposal can
influence the surface preparation method:
If surface preparation occurs inside a production
facility, power-tool cleaning methods may be required
to minimize disruptions.
If the job is located in a residential area and the
coating being removed contains hazardous materials,
containment is required during blast cleaning to
minimize the environmental impact.
If abrasive disposal after blast cleaning is a problem,
use of a recyclable abrasive is dictated.
It is evident from these examples that job
location plays an important role in any surface
preparation process. Carefully review the surrounding
environment before establishing a surface preparation
protocol.
Summary
Because the life of a coating system depends
on the quality of the surface preparation, it is essential
to establish a surface preparation protocol that will
meet the requirements of the subsequent coating
system. The surface preparation protocol should begin
with a careful examination of the entire project to
determine the answers to these questions:
What pre-cleaning is required?
Are there surface defects to be removed?
What mechanical cleaning methodsabrasive blast
cleaning, high-pressure water, power toolswill be
required to accomplish the job?
What degree of SSPC specified surface cleanliness
is required?
What type of abrasive or method of mechanical
cleaning will clean the steel and generate sufficient
surface profile to meet the coating system require-
ments?
Can the proposed surface preparation protocol
comply with the environmental constraints of the job
location?
Once the surface preparation protocol is
established, it is then time to begin the job.
References
1. Schwab, Lee K.; Drisko, Richard W. Relation of
Surface Profile to Coating Performance. In Corrosion
Control by Coatings; Henry Leidheiser, Jr., ed., NACE:
Houston, 1981.
2. SSPC-SP 1. Solvent Cleaning; SSPC: Pittsburgh.
3. SSPC-SP 12/NACE 5. Surface Preparation and
Cleaning of Steel and Other Hard Materials by High-
and Ultra High-Pressure Waterjetting Prior to
Recoating; SSPC: Pittsburgh and NACE: Houston.
4. SSPC-SP 2. Hand Tool Cleaning; SSPC: Pittsburgh.
5. SSPC-SP COM. Surface Preparation Commentary
for Steel and Concrete Substrates; SSPC: Pittsburgh.
6. SSPC-SP 6/NACE 3. Commercial Blast Cleaning;
SSPC: Pittsburgh and NACE: Houston.
7. ASTM D 4417. Test Method for Field Measurement
of Surface Profile of Blast Cleaned Steel; ASTM: West
Conshohocken, PA.

Acknowledgements
The author and SSPC gratefully acknowledge the
participation of Joe Brandon, Carl Mantegna, Hugh
Roper, and Don Sanchez in the peer review process
for this document.

About the Author

H. William Hitzrot
Bill Hitzrot, prior to his retirement, was an active
member of SSPC for about 30 years, chair of the
abrasives committee and member of the SSPC Board
of Governors. He was also an active participant in the
Chesapeake Chapter of SSPC. Bill retired as vice
president of Chesapeake Specialty Products, a
manufacturer of steel abrasives and iron oxides for
industrial use. He remains active in SSPC assisting in
updating publications and training programs in the
areas of surface preparation and abrasives.

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