STANDARDS RELATED TO SURFACE PREPARATION AND PAINTS

Surface cleanliness

ISO 8501 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Visual assessment of surface cleanliness
ISO 8501-1 Rust grades and preparation grades of uncoated steel
substrates and of steel substrates after removal of previous
coatings.

Written descriptions and photos of:

• Four levels of mill scale and rust: rust grades A, B, C, D
• Blast cleaning preparation grades Sa 1, Sa 2, Sa 2½, Sa 3 for the
various rust grades
• Hand tool and power tool cleaning grades St 2 & St 3 for rust
grades B, C & D
• Flame cleaning grades Fl for the various rust grades

ISO 8501/Suppl:1994 Informative supplement to part 1: Representative photographic

examples of the change of appearance imparted to steel when
blast-cleaned with different abrasives

• Original steel plate, rust grade C

• High carbon cast-steel shot
• Steel grit (hardness 390 HV to 530 HV)
• Steel grit (hardness 700 HV to 950 HV)
• Chilled-iron grit
• Copper refinery slag
• Coal furnace slag

ISO 8501-2 Preparation grades of previously coated steel surfaces after

localized removal of previous coatings

Seven sets of pictures showing typical cases of very thorough

localized blast cleaning (P Sa 2) and of localized machine abrading
(P Ma)
• Blast cleaning: P Sa
• Hand & power tool cleaning: P St
• Machine abrading: P Ma

ISO 8501-3 Preparation grades of welds, cut edges and other areas with
surface imperfection

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 • P1 Light preparation
• P2 Thorough preparation
• P3 Very thorough preparation

ISO 8501-4 Preparation grades of coated and uncoated steel substrates

after removal of rust and previous coatings by high-pressure
water-jetting

This standard is still in progress (not finalized). Photos showing

grades DC A, DC B, DC C1, DC C2, DC D.

ISO 8502 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Tests for assessment of surface cleanliness
ISO 8502-1 Field test for soluble iron corrosion products

“Swab test” for sampling, followed by indicator paper

ISO 8502-2 Laboratory determination of chloride on cleaned surfaces

Washings sampled from surfaces on site, determine by titration

ISO 8502-3 Assessment of dust on steel surfaces prepared for painting

(pressure sensitive tape method)

Sample the dust by means of adhesive tape and compare with

pictorial references in the standard

ISO 8502-4 Guidance on the estimation of the probability of condensation

prior to paint application

• Sling hygrometer
• Guidance on the estimation of the probability of condensation on
a surface to be painted. May be used to establish whether
conditions at the job site area are suitable for painting or not.

ISO 8502-6 Sampling of soluble impurities on surfaces to be painted – The

Bresle method

Sampling using distilled water, adhesive patches and syringes

ISO 8502-9 Field method for the conductometric determination of water-

soluble salts

Salt concentration determined via conductivity measurement (used

together with Bresle sampling)

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Surface roughness

ISO 8503 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Surface roughness characteristics of blast-
cleaned steel substrates
Comparator for either grit or for shot
• FINE: equal to segment 1 and up to but excluding segment 2
(grit: 25-50 micr. / shot: 25-35 micr.)
• MEDIUM: equal to segment 2 and up to but excluding segment 3
(grit: 50-85 micr. / shot: 35-60 micr.)
• COARSE: equal to segment 3 and up to but excluding segment 4
(grit: 85-130 micr. / shot: 60-85 micr.)
• VERY COARSE: segment 4 and above (grit: above 130 micr. /
shot: above 85 micr.)

ISO 8503-1 Specification and definition for ISO surface profile comparators
for the assessment of abrasive blast-cleaned surfaces

ISO 8503-2 Method for the grading of surface profile of blast-cleaned steel –
Comparator procedure

ISO 8503-3 Method for the calibration of ISO surface profile comparators
and for the determination of surface profile – Focusing
microscope method

ISO 8503-4 Method for the calibration of ISO surface profile comparators
and for determination of surface profile – Stylus instrument
method

Preparation methods

ISO 8504 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Surface preparation methods
ISO 8504-1 General principles

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ISO 8504-2 Abrasive blast-cleaning

ISO 8504-3 Hand- and power tool cleaning

Describes the principles and methods for the two types of cleaning.

Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems

ISO 12944 Paints and varnishes – Corrosion protection of

steel structures by protective paints systems
Part 1 General introduction

Introduction to the other parts

Part 2 Classification of environments

• C1 very low
• C2 low
• C3 medium
• C4 high
• C5I very high (industrial)
• C5M very high (marine)
• Im1 Immersion in fresh water
• Im2 Immersion in sea or brackish water
• Im3 buried in soil

Part 3 Design considerations

Corrosion-traps, access, drainage, thermal bridges (risk of

condensation), gaps, openings, crevices, sharp edges, notches

Part 4 Types of surfaces and surface preparation

• Water / solvent / chemical cleaning

• Mechanical / chemical / thermal surface preparation
• Preparation grades
• Surface profile
• Assessment of prepared surface
• Temporary protection (shopprimer)
• Preparation of existing metal coatings

Part 5 Protective paint systems

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 • Types of paint
• Paint systems
• Dry film thickness
• Selection of systems for different environment, surface
preparation grades and durability
• Durability:
o Low (L): 2-5 years
o Medium (M): 5-15 years
o High (H): more than 15 years

Part 6 Laboratory performance test methods

Test methods that are to be used when the performance of the paint
system is to be assessed

Part 7 Execution and supervision of paint work

• Coating material (supply & storage)

• Execution of paint work (application conditions and methods,
evaluation before work commences)
• Supervision of the paint work (at all stages, qualified &
experienced people, test instruments, checking)
• Reference areas

Part 8 Development of specifications for new work and maintenance

• Definitions
• How to develop a spec
• Contents
• Project spec
• Protective paint system spec
• Paint work spec
• Inspection & assessment spec

Abrasives

ISO 11124 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Specifications for metallic blast-cleaning
abrasives
Part 1 General introduction and classification

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Part 2 Chilled-iron grit

Part 3 High-carbon cast-steel shot and grit

Part 4 Low-carbon cast-steel shot

Part 5 Cut steel wire

ISO 11125 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Test methods for metallic blast-cleaning
abrasives
Part 1 Sampling

Part 2 Determination of particle size distribution

Part 3 Determination of hardness

Part 4 Determination of apparent density

Part 5 Determination of percentage defective particles and of

microstructure

Part 6 Determination of foreign matter

Part 7 Determination of moisture

ISO 11126 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Specifications for non-metallic blast-cleaning
abrasives
Part 1 General introduction and classification

Part 2 Silica sand

Part 3 Copper refinery slag

Part 4 Coal furnace slag

Part 5 Nickel refinery slag

Part 6 Iron furnace slag

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Part 7 Fused aluminium oxide

Part 8 Olivine sand

Part 9 Staurolite

Part 10 Garnet

ISO 11127 Preparation of steel substrates before

application of paints and related products –
Test methods for non-metallic blast-cleaning
abrasives
Part 1 Sampling

Part 2 Determination of particle size distribution

Part 3 Determination of apparent density

Part 4 Assessment of hardness by a glass slide test

Part 5 Determination of moisture

Part 6 Determination of water-soluble contaminants by conductivity

measurement

100 g abrasive + 100 ml water, shake 5 min, stand 1 hour, shake 5

min, conductivity measurement

Part 7 Determination of water-soluble chlorides

Part 8 Determination of abrasive mechanical properties

ASTM D 4940 (Checking the abrasive)

Checking abrasives for salt and oil contamination: 300 ml abrasive +
300 ml water, stir 1 min, stand 8 min, stir 1 min, conductivity
measurement & visual for oil

Adhesion

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ISO 2409 Paints and varnishes – Cross cut test
Six parallel cuts, another six more cuts at 90 degree angle, spacing 1
mm / 2 mm / 3 mm (depending on coating thickness & substrate
hardness), adhesive tape pull-off, classify in accordance with table in
standard

ASTM 3359 Standard test method for: Measuring adhesion

by tape test
Test method A: X-cut test (single cross by knife)
Test method B: similar to ISO 2409, only recommended up to 125
micr.

ISO 4624 Paint and varnishes: Pull off test for adhesion
Glue on dolly, measure force to pull it off again with pull-off
instrument

Holiday detection

ASTM D 5162 Standard recommended practice –

Discontinuity (Holiday) testing of non-
conductive protective coating on metallic
substrates
Test method A: Low voltage wet sponge
Test method B: High voltage spark tester

MEK test

ASTM D 4752 Standard test method for: Measuring MEK

resistance of ethyl silicate (inorganic) zinc-rich
primers by solvent rub

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 50 double rubs with white cloth and MEK, smear indicate inadequate
curing

Evaluation of degradation of paint coatings

ISO 4628 Paints and varnishes – Evaluation of

degradation of paint coatings – Designation of
intensity, quantity and size of common type
defects
Part 1 General principles and rating schemes

Part 2 Designation of degree of blistering

Part 3 Designation of degree of rusting

Part 4 Designation of degree of cracking

Part 5 Designation of degree of flaking

Part 6 Designation of degree of chalking

Film thickness

ISO 2808 Paint and varnishes – Determination of film

thickness
Specifies a number of methods for measuring the thickness of
organic coatings, both wet and dry film thickness

ASTM D 4138 Measuring dry film thickness by destructive

means
Paint Inspection Gauge (PIG)

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