Surface Preparation

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Surface preparation
Surface preparation is the essential first stage treatment of a steel substrate before the application of any coating, and
is generally accepted as being the most important factor affecting the total success of a corrosion protection system.
The performance of a coating is significantly influenced by its ability to adhere properly to the substrate material.
Residual millscale on steel surfaces is an unsatisfactory base to apply modern, high performance protective coatings
and is therefore removed by abrasive blast cleaning. Other surface contaminants on the rolled steel surface, such as
oil and grease are also undesirable and must be removed before the blast cleaning process.
The surface preparation process not only cleans the steel, but also introduces a suitable profile to receive the
protective coating.
Automatic blast cleaning
Manual blast cleaning
Initial surface condition

Structural steel elements in new structures are usually either hot rolled sections or fabricated plate girders. The initial
steel surfaces normally comply with rust grades A or B according to BS EN ISO 8501-1[1]. Material that is pitted, i.e.
rust grades C or D, should be avoided if possible, since it is difficult to clean all the corrosion products from the pits
during surface preparation. Descriptions of rust grades A to D are as follows
A - Steel surface largely covered with adhering mill scale, but little if any rust
B - Steel surface which has begun to rust and from which mill scale has begun to flake
C - Steel surface on which the mill scale has rusted away or from which it can be scraped, but with slight pitting under
normal vision
D - Steel surface on which the mill scale has rusted away and on which general pitting is visible under normal vision
1 / 15
http://www.steelconstruction.info/Surface_preparation - 24th May 2016
SteelConstruction.info
Examples of rust grades

Hot rolled sections with millscale (Grade B)
Methods of preparation and grades of cleanliness

Various methods and grades of cleanliness are presented in BS EN ISO 8501-1[1]. This standard essentially refers to
the surface appearance of the steel after hand cleaning, power tool cleaning, abrasive blast cleaning or flame cleaning
and gives descriptions with pictorial references of the grades of cleanliness.
Hand and power tool cleaning

Surface cleaning by hand tools such as scrapers and wire brushes is relatively ineffective in removing mill scale or
adherent rust. Power tools offer a slight improvement over manual methods and these methods can be approximately
30% to 50% effective but are not usually utilised for new steelwork fabrications. Where it is not possible to clean by
abrasive blasting, hand and power tool methods may be the only acceptable alternative methods.
Modern power tooling has been developed not only to achieve a good standard of surface cleanliness and profile but
also to provide near total containment of all dust and debris generated. New equipment is now available to use
percussive reciprocating needles, rotary abrasive coated flaps and right-angle grinders, all within a vacuum shroud to
enable on-site surface preparation to be environmentally acceptable.
The surface preparation by hand and power tools is covered by BS EN ISO 8504-3[2], and the standard grades of
cleanliness in accordance with BS EN ISO 8501-1[1] are:
St. 2: Thorough hand and power tool cleaning
St. 3: Very thorough hand and power tool cleaning
2 / 15
Hand wire brush

(Image courtesy of
Corrodere/MPI)
Rotary wire_brush
(Image courtesy of
Corrodere/MPI)
Rotary grinder
(Image courtesy of
Corrodere/MPI)
Needle gun
(Image courtesy of
Corrodere/MPI)
Abrasive blast cleaning
Blast cleaned steel surface to Sa 2 standard
By far the most significant and important method used for the thorough cleaning of mill-scaled and rusted surfaces is
abrasive blast cleaning. This method involves mechanical cleaning by the continuous impact of abrasive particles at
high velocities on to the steel surface either in a jet stream of compressed air or by centrifugal impellers. The latter
method requires large stationary equipment fitted with radial bladed wheels onto which the abrasive is fed. As the
wheels revolve at high speed, the abrasive is thrown onto the steel surface, the force of impact being determined by
the size of the wheels and their radial velocity. Modern facilities of this type use several wheels, typically 4 to 8,
configured to treat all the surfaces of the steel being cleaned. The abrasives are recycled with separator screens to
remove fine particles. This process can be 100% efficient in the removal of mill scale and rust.
The standard grades of cleanliness for abrasive blast cleaning in accordance with BS EN ISO 8501-1[1] are:
Sa 1 Light blast cleaning
Sa 2 Thorough blast cleaning
3 / 15
Sa 2 Very thorough blast cleaning
Sa 3 Blast cleaning to visually clean steel
Specifications for bridge steelwork usually require either Sa 2 or Sa 3 grades.
The cleaned surfaces should be compared with the appropriate reference photograph in the standard according to the
specification.
A very wide range of abrasives is available. These can be non-metallic (metal slags, aluminium oxide, etc) and metallic
(steel shot or grit, etc)
The particle size of the abrasive is also an important factor affecting the rate and efficiency of cleaning. In general
terms, fine grades are efficient in cleaning relatively new steelwork, whereas coarse grades may be required for
heavily corroded surfaces. The removal of rust from pitted steel is more easily effected by fine grades and, depending
upon the condition of the steel surface, a mixture of grades may be required initially to break down and remove mill
scale and clean in pitted areas.
Manual blast cleaning

(Video courtesy of Corrodere/MPI)
Flame cleaning
This method uses an oxy/gas flame that is passed over the steel surface. The sudden heating causes rust scales to
flake off as a result of differential expansion between the scales and the steel surface. All loose rust can then be
removed by scraping and wire brushing followed by dust removal. Flame cleaning is not an economic method and may
damage coatings on the reverse side of the surface being treated. Also the technique is not very effective in removing
all rust from steel, so it is rarely used.
Acid pickling
This process involves immersing the steel in a bath of suitable inhibited acids that dissolve or remove the millscale and
rust but do not appreciably attack the exposed steel surface. The cleaning can be 100% effective. Acid picking is
normally only used for structural steel intended for hot-dip galvanizing.
Removal of soluble iron corrosion products

Depending upon the condition of the steelwork prior to blast cleaning, there may be surface contaminants present
other than mill scale and rust. Initial steel surface conditions of Grades A to C are unlikely to be affected, however
Grade D condition (steelwork that is pitted) could contain contaminants within the pits that may not be removed by the
dry blast cleaning process. The testing for soluble iron corrosion products is not usually required for new steelwork but
is sometimes carried out on steelwork which has been stored in an external environment for long periods of time and
on existing structures undergoing maintenance treatments.
Wet abrasive blast cleaning
4 / 15
Wet abrasive blast cleaning
The introduction of water into an abrasive blast stream contributes to the reduction of the dust hazard, particularly
when removing old lead based paints and water-soluble contaminants. Several methods of using water with abrasives
have been developed. Conventional wet abrasive blast cleaning uses the same pressures as for conventional dry
blasting and similar equipment. The water is usually introduced immediately behind the nozzle so that it is atomised
and accelerated through the nozzle orifice along with the air and abrasive. Water can also be introduced in controlled
amounts at the base of the blast pot and is then mixed with the air and abrasive as it passes along the blast hose.
A low pressure system exists in which water is injected into the air stream which then shrouds the air/abrasive mixture
and prevents dust escaping during the blasting operation. The air/water pressure at the nozzle is relatively low; up to
7.0kgF/cm2 (100lbF/in2). Because of the low water to air ratio of the system, fine particulates of abrasive can remain
on the steel surface and need to be removed by water washing. This method can produce a high visual standard of
cleaning and is effective in removing a high proportion of soluble salts.
Some wet abrasive processes use inhibitors in the water to prevent rusting of the cleaned surface. It is important to
establish whether any remaining traces of such inhibitors will be compatible with the paint coating to be applied
subsequently. Generally, where inhibitors are not used, any surface rusting after wet abrasive blasting is usually
removed by final light dry blast cleaning.
Ultra-high pressure water jetting
Ultra high water pressure blasting
5 / 15
Ultra-high pressure water jetting over 1,700 bar (25,000psi) is gaining in popularity, partly because of its ability to
remove high percentages of soluble salts from the steel surface. It has the advantage of not generating spent abrasive
and not incurring the cost of abrasive disposal. Also, at the higher pressures, lower volumes of water are used, and
this makes disposal costs lower than with traditional water blasting methods. Ultra-high pressure water jetting leaves a
warm surface from which traces of residual water quickly dry, but does not generate sufficient heat to cause thermal
stress in the steel surface.
The removal of a high proportion of soluble salts from the steel surface is seen to be the major advantage of ultra-high
pressure water jetting. Rust and coatings are sheared and lifted from the surface relatively easily compared with other
blasting methods. Soluble salts are removed more effectively because the steel profile generally remains unchanged.
Injecting small amounts of abrasive into the water stream can induce a rougher surface profile but can also increase
operating costs. The surface preparation by Ultra-high pressure water jetting is covered by BS EN ISO 8501-4[3].
Ultra-high pressure water jetting is an extremely versatile and effective method of removing paint and metal coatings,
soluble salts and other contaminants from steel surfaces. It is environmentally friendly and, although at present it is
costly compared with traditional blast cleaning methods, it is considered to be an emerging technology which will, in
the near future, rival and possibly replace traditional open abrasive blast cleaning methods.
UHP water jetting

(Video courtesy of Corrodere/MPI)
Surface profile and amplitude

The type and size of the abrasive used in blast cleaning have a significant effect on the profile and amplitude
produced. In addition to the degree of cleanliness, surface preparation specifications should also consider roughness
relative to the coating to be applied. High build paint coatings and thermally sprayed metal coatings need a coarse
angular surface profile to provide a mechanical key. This is achieved by using grit abrasives. Shot abrasives are used
for thin film paint coatings such as pre-fabrication primers.
The difference between shot and grit abrasives and the corresponding surface profiles produced is illustrated below in
the three-dimensional diagrams obtained from noncontact surface characterisation equipment.
6 / 15
Shot abrasives
Grit abrasives
The surface treatment specification should describe the surface roughness required, usually as an indication of the
average amplitude achieved by the blast cleaning process. Several methods have been developed to measure or
assess the distance between the peaks and troughs of blast cleaned surfaces. These have included comparator
panels, special dial gauges, replica tapes and traversing stylus equipment. Usually, comparators or replica tapes are
used, and the relevant standards are BS EN ISO 8503-1[4] and BS EN ISO 8503-5[5] respectively.
Surface profile comparators
7 / 15
Surface profile
comparators
Replica tape method
Surface dust
The blast cleaning operation produces large quantities of
dust and debris that must be removed from the abraded
surface. Automatic plants are usually equipped with
mechanical brushes and air blowers. Other methods can
utilise sweeping and vacuum cleaning. However, the
effectiveness of these cleaning operations may not be
readily visible, and the presence of fine residual dust
particles that could interfere with coating adhesion can
be checked for using a pressure sensitive tape pressed
onto the blast cleaned surface. The tape, along with any
dust adhering to it, is then placed on a white background
and compared to a pictorial rating. This method is
described in BS EN ISO 8502-3[6]. Although the standard
provides a method of checking for dust, there are no
recommendations for acceptable levels.
Surface condition immediately

before coating
8 / 15
After the preparation of the surface to an acceptable

standard of cleanliness and profile, it is important that the
steelwork is not allowed to deteriorate. Re-rusting can
occur very quickly in a damp environment and unless the
steel is maintained in a dry condition coating of the
surface should proceed as soon as possible. Any rerusting of the surface should be considered as a
contaminant and be removed by re-blasting.
Additional surface treatments

After abrasive blast cleaning, it is possible to examine for
surface imperfections and surface alterations caused
during fabrication processes, e.g. welding. Certain
surface imperfections introduced during the original
processing of the steel may not be detrimental to the
performance of a coating in service, particularly for
structures in relatively low risk environment categories.
However, depending upon the specific requirements of
the structure, it may be necessary to remove general
surface imperfections on welds and cut edges to produce
an acceptable surface condition for painting.
Weldments on fabricated structural steelwork represent a
relatively small but important part of the structure and
can produce variable surface profile and uneven
surfaces or sharp projections that can cause premature
failure of the coating. Although welded areas are
inspected, the requirements for weld quality do not
usually consider the requirements for coating. Welds
must be continuous and free from pinholes, sharp
projections and excessive undercutting. Weld spatter
and residual slags should also be removed.
Examples of surface imperfections produced during
welding (Images courtesy of Corrodere / MPI)
9 / 15
BS EN ISO 8501-3:2006[7] describes preparation grades

of welds, cut edges and other areas, on steel surfaces
with imperfections to make the steel surfaces suitable for
the application of coatings. Three preparation grades are
described, with illustrated examples of relevant
imperfections, as:
P1- Light Preparation
P2 - Thorough Preparation
P3 - Very Thorough Preparation
The selected preparation grade is correlated with the
environment corrosivity category (C1 to C5 as described
in BS EN ISO 12944 Part 2[8]) as appropriate for the
structure.
Sawn and flame-cut ends and edges need treatment to
ensure that the coating adheres and is of sufficient
thickness.
Cross-section showing reduction in coating thickness at

a corner
At outside arrises (i.e. the meeting between two

surfaces) there is a potential problem when there is a
sharp (i.e. 90) edge, because the fluid coating will not
cover it properly (see right). Consequently, they should
be smoothed by grinding or filing. It is generally
considered sufficient to smooth the corner to a radius of
about 2mm; chamfering to 45 is also effective, but it is
difficult to avoid leaving some sharp edges when
attempting this with hand tools. It can be argued that with
modern high-build coatings and the use of stripe coats
(an extra coat applied only locally), smoothing to a 1mm
radius is adequate. Network Rail specifies a minimum
radius of 3mm and this is considered by some steelwork
contractors to be an onerous requirement.
10 / 15
In addition to the requirement for smoothing arrises, the
Highways Englands Specification for Highway Works[9],
specifies the application of one or more stripe coats for
all external corners (and for welds and fasteners, for a
similar reason).
The corners of rolled sections generally do not require
grinding, as they are usually smooth as a result of the
rolling process.
For the treatment of flame-cut surfaces, which are harder
than the rolled surface, refer to Steel Bridge Group
Guidance Note GN 5.06.
Site painting considerations

Site connections and splices
Girder splices and connection details are often not given
full protection in the shop, leaving the connection zones
to be made good on site. A frequent consequence is that
these zones are the least well prepared and protected,
and are the first to show signs of breakdown. Hence, it is
important to pay special attention to the corrosion
protection of these areas.
Welded connections
At welded connections, the key factors in ensuring the
effectiveness of the coating system are the effectiveness
of the protection before final coating. The areas local to
welds are usually masked, to prevent them being coated.
The masking stays in place until the joint is welded; this
is not an ideal form of protection if there is prolonged
exposure before welding.
After welding, it is essential that the joint surfaces,
including the weld itself, are prepared to the specified
standard of cleanliness and profile. Because of the
contamination that occurs from the welding flux,
particular attention needs to be paid to cleaning off all
residues.
The surfaces of welds themselves should not need any
grinding if they comply with the requirements of BS EN
1011: Part 2[10] for smoothness and blending into the
parent metal. However, rough profiles, badly formed startstops, sharp undercut and other defects such as
adherent weld spatter should be removed by careful
grinding. Particular attention needs to be paid to the blast
cleaned profile because weld metal is harder and site
blast cleaning is more difficult than shop blasting.
Bolted connections
11 / 15
Preloaded bolted connections merit particular
consideration, both of the surfaces that will remain
exposed and of those that will not (e.g. the faying
surfaces). The friction surfaces are usually either
unpainted or metal sprayed without sealer. Hence, they
need to be protected (usually by masking tape) until the
parts are finally bolted together.
Attention should be paid to the removal of any adhesive
used on the protective films for the faying surfaces, and
to the removal of any lubricants used on the threads of
bolts. Care should also be taken to avoid contamination
of surfaces during bolting up. For example, older airpower wrenches tend to produce a fine oily or misty
exhaust which may settle on the surface.
Surfaces in contact with concrete

Surfaces in contact with concrete are usually, with the
exception of a marginal strip at the edges of the
interface, blast cleaned bare steel. The marginal strip
should be treated as an external surface, except that only
the shop coats need be applied. The width of the
marginal strip should ideally be at least equal to the
required cover to the reinforcement, for the same
exposure condition. A width of 50mm is common. Any
aluminium metal spray on surfaces in contact with
concrete needs to receive at least one coat of paint to
prevent the reaction that may occur between concrete
and aluminium. It is recommended that any shear
connectors on composite beams are positioned such that
they (and their welds) do not lie within the marginal strip;
they should also be protected against overspray of the
coating.
Damage during handling

During handling, turning and assembly, damage to edges
and to surfaces by the use of sharp-toothed clamps must
be avoided by taking precautionary measures, such as
the use of lifting devices with soft renewable contact
surfaces or properly designed lifting cleats. If damage
does occur, it must be carefully blended out by grinding
(and the full protective treatment restored, with specified
overlaps between coats).
Cleanliness at site
12 / 15
Just as surface cleanliness before first coating is

fundamental to performance of the system, so is the
cleanliness of painted surfaces prior to the application of
subsequent coats. On site, thorough cleaning shortly
before painting is always necessary to remove
contamination accumulated over time and from
construction activities including dust, grout leaks from
concreting, and the products of blast cleaning, bolting
and welding.
13 / 15
References
1.^ 1.01.11.21.3 BS EN ISO 8501-1: 2007, Preparation
of steel substrates before application of paints
and related products. Visual assessment of
surface cleanliness. Rust grades and preparation
grades of uncoated steel substrates and of
substrates after overall removal of previous
coatings, BSI
2.^ BS EN ISO 8504-3: 2001, Preparation of steel
substrates before application of paints and
related products. Surface preparation methods.
Hand- and power-tool cleaning, BSI
related products. Visual assessment of surface
cleanliness. Initial surface conditions, preparation
grades and flash rust grades in connection with
high-pressure water jetting, BSI
related products. Surface roughness
characteristics of blast cleaned steel substrates.
Specifications and definitions for ISO surface
profile comparators for the assessment of
abrasive blast-cleaned surfaces, BSI
related products. Surface roughness
characteristics of blast cleaned steel substrates.
Replica tape method for the determination of the
surface profile, BSI
related products. Tests for the assessment of
surface cleanliness. Assessment of dust on steel
surfaces prepared for painting (pressuresensitive tape method), BSI
7.^ BS EN ISO 8501-3: 2007 Preparation of steel
related products -- Visual assessment of surface
cleanliness - Part 3: Preparation grades of welds,
edges and other areas with surface
imperfections. BSI
8.^ BS EN ISO 12944-2: 1998, Paints and
varnishes. Corrosion protection of steel
structures by protective paint systems.
Classification of environments, BSI
9.^ Manual of Contract Documents for Highway
Works: Volume 1 - Specification for Highway
Works, Series 1900 Protection of steelwork
against corrosion, August 2014, The Stationery
Office
14 / 15
10.^ BS EN 1011-2, 2001, Welding.
Recommendations for welding of metallic
materials. Arc welding of ferritic steels. BSI
Resources
Hendy, C.R.; Iles, D.C. (2015) Steel Bridge
Group: Guidance Notes on best practice in steel
bridge construction (6th Issue). (P185). SCI
Guidance Note 5.06 Flame cutting of
structural steels
Guidance Note 8.01 Preparing for
effective corrosion protection
Steel Buildings, 2003, The British Constructional
Steelwork Association Ltd.
Chapter 12 Corrosion Protection
Further reading
D.Deacon & R.Hudson (2012), Steel Designers
Manual (7th Edition), Chapter 36 - Corrosion and
corrosion prevention, The Steel Construction
Institute.
D.A. Bayliss & D.H.Deacon (2002), Steelwork
Corrosion Control (2nd edition), Spon Press.
See also
Corrosion of structural steel
Influence of design on corrosion
Paint coatings
Standard corrosion protection systems for
buildings
Metallic coatings
Appropriate specifications
Inspection and quality control
CPD
Corrosion protection
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Surface Preparation

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SteelConstruction.

Automatic blast cleaning

Manual blast cleaning

Initial surface condition

Examples of rust grades

Methods of preparation and grades of cleanliness

Hand and power tool cleaning

Hand wire brush

Abrasive blast cleaning

Blast cleaned steel surface to Sa 2 standard

Manual blast cleaning

Removal of soluble iron corrosion products

Wet abrasive blast cleaning

Ultra high water pressure blasting

UHP water jetting

Surface profile and amplitude

Surface profile comparators

Replica tape method

Surface condition immediately

After the preparation of the surface to an acceptable

Additional surface treatments

BS EN ISO 8501-3:2006[7] describes preparation grades

Cross-section showing reduction in coating thickness at

At outside arrises (i.e. the meeting between two

Site painting considerations

Surfaces in contact with concrete

Damage during handling

Just as surface cleanliness before first coating is

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