A clean surface is key for the successful performance of a coating.
During the initial surface preparation, in addition to brushing or grinding, a coated surface can be blasted, high pressure water-jetted or simply washed down. In many cases, the abrasive media or water is recycled. In these instances, it is important that the level of contaminants in the recycled material is carefully monitored to avoid the re-contamination of the surface being cleaned.
Measuring the level of contaminants on a surface prior to application of...
Elcometer′s range of Surface Standards, covers most of those...
Surface contamination from salt ions such as chlorides, sulphates and nitrates has been shown to lead to delamination, blistering and premature coating failure. The measurement of the cleanliness of a surface prior to the application of a coating is, therefore, necessary to ensure the substrate, or coated surface in multi-layer systems, is clean of all contaminants prior to the application of the next coating.
A range of field tests is available to ensure surface cleanliness:
- Chloride Ion Specific Test Kits for Abrasives and Water
- Chloride Ion Specific Test Kits for Surface Cleanliness
- Soluble Salt Testing Kits - using the Bresle Patch Method
- Soluble Salt Test - using the Salt Contamination Meter
- Surface Contamination Test Kits
- for testing levels of chloride, sulphate and nitrateiIons
- for testing levels of pH, iron, chlorides and soluble salts
The visual inspection of a surface is also required and a range of Pictorial Standards has been produced to aid both operators and inspectors.
Coating Inspection 
