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Surface Preparation Guidelines
At Resimac we have developed a range of products for coating for steel and concrete which offer flexibility to
the user with regards to surface preparation. As a manufacturer we would always recommend that the best
possible surface preparation be completed prior to the application of our products. However, through
experience we know that on many projects this is not possible.
As a guide the more aggressive the chemical, temperature and operating environment the more stringent our
preparation guidelines will become.
Steel
Some of the various methods of surface preparation of steel are described below, such as;
International Standard ISO 8504:1992(E). Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related
products - Surface preparation methods.
International Standards ISO 8501-1:1988(E) and ISO 8501-2:1994.
Preparation of steel substrate before application of paints and related
products – Visual assessment of surface cleanliness.
Swedish Standard SIS 05 59 00 (1967) - Pictorial Surface Preparation
Standards for Painting Steel Surfaces
As standard, Resimac uses the internationally accepted Swedish Standard for
surface preparation guidance for all coatings and repair materials.
The performance of our coatings applied to steel will be significantly affected
by the condition of the steel substrate immediately prior to painting. The principal
factors affecting performance are;
Contamination on the surface of the steel including salts, grease, oils,
drilling and cutting fluids.
Rust and mill scale.
Surface profile.
The main objectives of surface preparation are to ensure that all surface contaminants have been removed and a coarse
profile (key) has been created for the Resimac coating to adhere too.
Concrete
To ensure a clean surface for the recommended Resimac
coating, the concrete surface must be roughened by
blasting, scarifying or grinding. The type of method used
depends on the conditions of the concrete surface and
the working environment of the application.
Blasting: the concrete should be blast cleaned
using a recovery unit
Scarifying: the machines used include fast
rotating hardened flails which remove old
coatings and can be set to roughen the concrete
surface to various depths
Grinding: the most popular method of grinding
concrete is using mechanical diamond grinders
which scarify the surface of the concrete
ensuring a good key and removing any loose
material or existing coating.
Resimac Ltd
Unit 11, Poplars Industrial Estate, Wetherby Road, Boroughbridge, YO51 9HS, UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0) 1423 325073 Email: info@[Link]
Preparation of Steel Surfaces
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Hand Tool Cleaning
Loosely adhering mill scale, rust and old paint can be removed from the surface using a wire brush, sandpaper or scraper.
This type of surface preparation will only remove surface contaminants
that are visible to the eye and will not remove any ingrained contamination.
For this particular type of surface preparation it is recommended that only
the following Resimac coatings be used;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem 502 CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime
Resichem 554 RB Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Notes on application; the surface must be dry and then degreased using
an appropriate solvent cleaner such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).
Power Tool Cleaning
Generally more effective and less time consuming than hand tool cleaning,
power tools such as grinders, sanders, needle guns, power wire brushes and
MBX bristle blasters will remove rust and mill scale but will not remove
tightly adhered contaminants. Resimac testing has shown the MBX bristle
blaster to give the best adhesion results. For this particular type of surface
preparation it is recommended that only the following Resimac coatings be
used;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem 502 CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime,
Resichem 507 DWPU, Resichem 555 RB Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Notes on application; the surface must be dry and then degreased using
an appropriate solvent cleaner such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).
Blast Cleaning
The most effective method for removal of mill scale, rust and old coatings is by blasting with abrasive media. The primary
standard quoted by Resimac for surface preparation is Swedish Standard SA2.5 75 micron profile. The key areas to be
considered during any blasting process are;
The presence of salts, grease and oils on the surface. These may
appear to be removed during the blasting process. However they
may have been ingrained into the surface of the metal and will
require sweating from the metal substrate by repeated blasting
or power washing.
Weld Seam, metal slivers and sharp edges must be ground down
after the blasting process as coatings tend to run off sharp
edges and will result in thinning of the paint surface.
Weld spatter is proven to be one of the main reasons for failure and
must be removed, as the spatter is likely to be poorly adhered to the
steel surface.
We recommend for the best profile that angular grit of 1.5-2.0mm grain be used
To achieve a surface profile of the steel ranging from 75-100 microns.
For this particular type of surface preparation it is recommended that the following Resimac coatings be used;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem 502 CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime, Resichem 507 DWPU, Resichem 511 UCEN, Resichem 512
Uucen 90, Resichem 554 RB Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Notes on application; Resichem 501 CRSG, 502 CRXF, 506 Aluprime can be applied to damp surfaces and surfaces that have
gingered. After abrasive blast cleaning the metallic substrate must be washed down using an appropriate solvent cleaner
such as MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).
Resimac Ltd
Unit 11, Poplars Industrial Estate, Wetherby Road, Boroughbridge, YO51 9HS, UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0) 1423 325073 Email: info@[Link]
Preparation of Steel Surfaces
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Wet Abrasive Blasting
Wet abrasive blasting uses slurry of water and abrasive rather than dry
abrasive alone. The main advantage of this type of surface preparation is the
eradication of dust from the application area. Also while blasting the fluids
wash out any contaminants embedded in the pitting and scarring on the
surface of the steel. However, a disadvantage of this technique is that the
cleaned steel begins to rust rapidly after blasting and therefore it is essential
that rust inhibitors are used in the wet abrasive mix. Careful selection is
required to ensure that tese do not adversely affect adhesion.
For this particular type of surface preparation it is recommended that the
following Resimac coatings be used;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem 502 CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime, Resichem
507 DWPU, Resichem 511 UCEN, Resichem 512 UCEN 90, Resichem 554 RB
Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Hydroblasting
Hydroblasting is considered to the most environmentally friendly method of
surface preparation as it relies entirely on the energy of water striking the
surface. No abrasive is included in the water and therefore eradicates
problems caused by dust and the disposal of blasting abrasive.
High pressure hydroblasting, operating at pressures
between 680 bar (10,000psi) and 1,700 bar (25,000psi).
For this particular type of surface preparation it is recommended that the following Resimac coatinsgs be used;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime, Resichem 507 DWPU, Resichem 511 UCEN, Resichem 512
Ucen 90, Resichem 554 RB Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Ultra High Pressure Hydroblasting
The range of pressures used in UHPH are 2,000-2,500bar (30,000-36,000psi). Steel surfaces produced by hydroblasting do
not look the same as those produced by dry abrasive blasting, or slurry blasting. This is due to the water being unable to
cut or deform the steel surface in the way abrasives can. Hydroblasted surfaces, therefore, tend to look dull prior to flash
rust. Flash rust is caused by oxidation as the hydroblasted steel dries and should be removed by hard bristle brush or by
washing down with high pressure fresh water. Hydroblasting does not produce a surface profile like blast abrasives, the
surface profile exposed by UHPH will have been produced by earlier preparation work, i.e during original fabrication work,
or by corrosion. To ensure UHPH produces the required surface profile for Resichem products it is advised to test a small
area of the surface to check the original surface profile of the steel.
The energy created during the Ultra High Pressure Hydroblasting process can also cause the steel substrate to increase in
temperature and therefore reduce the drying time of the steel prior to application of the chosen Resimac coating.
For this particular type of surface preparation it is recommended that the following Resimac coatinsgs be used;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime, Resichem 507 DWPU, Resichem 511 UCEN, Resichem 512
UCEN 90, Resichem 554 RB Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Resimac Ltd
Unit 11, Poplars Industrial Estate, Wetherby Road, Boroughbridge, YO51 9HS, UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0) 1423 325073 Email: info@[Link]
Preparation of Concrete Surfaces
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Concrete
As previously stated there are three ways of preparing concrete surfaces – blasting, scarifying and grinding.
Blasting: generally blasting of concrete is achieved at lower pressures than with steel to ensure that the aggregates
are not exposed. Blasting is recommended when existing coatings have to be removed from the surface and also
when it is known the concrete has been badly contaminated.
Scarifying: this should be used when the top surface of the concrete has been badly damaged or has severe oil or
chemical contamination. Scarifying or scrabbling can plain up to 3” off the surface of the concrete.
Grinding: this should be used on sound concrete surfaces or on existing coatings which are compatible with
Resimac systems.
Resimac coatings will be affected by moisture in the concrete surface, as a rule moisture content must not register more
than 6-7% in the slab. If moisture readings taken higher than this we would recommend the application of Resichem 505
Damp Seal on any surface reading up to 30%. Please contact Resimac with regards to any questions on this subject.
In the majority of circumstances where our coatings are to be applied to a sound, dry concrete surface we would
recommend at least 1 x primer cost of Resichem 503 SPEP or Resichem 504 SPXF or Resichem 505 Damp Seal to seal the
surface.
For application to concrete we would recommend the following products;
Resichem 501 CRSG, Resichem CRXF, Resichem 506 Aluprime, Resichem 507 DWPU, Resichem 511 UCEN, Resichem 512
UCEN 90, Resichem 554 RB Membrane, Resichem 555 Resinox
Resimac Recommendations and Method Statements
Please contact Resimac on info@[Link] or +44 (0) 1423 325073 for further clarification or to
request a method statement
Resimac Ltd
Unit 11, Poplars Industrial Estate, Wetherby Road, Boroughbridge, YO51 9HS, UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0) 1423 325073 Email: info@[Link]