OUR SERVICESSurface Preparation

Surface Preparation

We carry out various types of surface preparation:

Pre-Treatment Checks
Steelwork is checked for surface defects, sharp edges and weld spatter, then fresh water washed and de-greased prior to all types of treatment. Adequate protection is then applied to any areas which do not require painting.

Manual Preparation to ST2
Abrasion with sandpaper/wire brushing (by hand) to provide a suitable key for paint applications using a surface tolerant primer.

Mechanical Preparation to ST3
Use of hand-held grinder/flapper wheel to provide a suitable key for paint applications using a surface tolerant primer.

Abrasive Blasting to Swedish Standard Sa2, Sa2.5 or Sa3
Blasting via manual means or automated wheelabrator, using a variety of abrasives including:

• Chilled Iron Grit / Copper Slag / Ball Shot – for use on Carbon Steel substrates.

• Garnet / Aluminium Oxide / Glass Bead – for use on Stainless Steels & Duplex substrates.

Blasting achieves a uniform profile suitable for the application of all coating types. It is also recommended in some specifications for the preparation of steelwork prior to Hot Dip Galvanising.

Etch Priming
Using a Mordant ‘T-Wash’ Etch Priming solution for the application of paint systems to Galvanised Steelwork.

Sign Writing & Stencilling Services

We also carry out the following Sign Writing / Stencilling services on and off-site:

  • Pipeline Identification & Banding
  • SWL (lifting equipment etc.)
  • Structural Identification
  • Lifting Point Identification
  • Tank/Vessel Identification
  • Pile Markings

Protective Coatings

We carry out various types of protective coating, to a variety of specifications:

Prime Only
A variety of primers are available including:

• Weldable Pre-Fabrication Primer
• Standard Epoxy / Holding Primer
• Zinc Phosphate / MIO Pigmented Primer
• Zinc Dust Ethyl Silicate Primer
• Zinc Rich Primer
• *Surface Tolerant / Aluminium Pigmented Primer
• *Polyaspartic Primer / Finish (offering equivalent protection to a two-coat system in
moderately corrosive environments in a single-coat application)

Multiple Coat Epoxy Systems

Multiple coat systems with a variety of finishes (matt, eggshell, semi-gloss, high gloss etc) including:
• *Polyurethane / Modified Acrylic (excellent colour retention & resistance to UV exposure).
• *Polysiloxane (superior colour retention & resistance to UV exposure).
• High Build / Glass Flake Epoxy, suitable for offshore (subsea and splash zone) application with excellent abrasion resistance and suitability for cathodic disbondment.
• Anti-Fouling systems (fluoropolymer foul release or controlled depletion self-polishing systems).
• Epoxy Phenolic / Glass Flake Vinyl Ester / Epoxy Novolac Tank Linings.
• Hi-Temp Oleoresinous / Aluminium Silicone / Cold Spray Aluminium coatings, for use at elevated temperatures (above 120°C).
• *These coating are available in a wide variety of colours from the BS 4800 / RAL colour standards (others may also be available).