04 — Protective Coatings
Protective Coatings
Corrosion, chemical and fire-protective systems to steel, plant and structure. A protective coating is a specification, not a product choice — exposure, substrate, preparation standard and film build, in that order.
mechanical cleaning, abrasive blasting or power-tool cleaning
The specification is decided by the exposure, not by the product catalogue. A coating that performs on internal structural steel will fail on the same steel outside, and the difference is usually the preparation standard rather than the topcoat.
So the order is fixed: establish the exposure category, identify the substrate and what is already on it, set the preparation standard, then choose the system and the dry film thickness. Where a coating has to be signed off we record the preparation and the film build as we go, rather than certifying it afterwards from memory.
Intumescent fire protection is a different discipline again — the thickness is derived from the section factor and the required fire-resistance level, and it is not something to nominate by eye. Send the structural schedule and the FRL and we will work the thickness from it.
Specification
| Systems | Two-pack epoxy · polyurethane · zinc-rich primers · high-build barrier coats · chemical-resistant linings · intumescent |
| Preparation | Mechanical cleaning · abrasive blasting · power-tool cleaning, to AS 2311 |
| Substrates | Structural steel, plant and equipment, pipework, roof sheeting and cladding, concrete |
| Exposure | Internal, external, coastal, chemical and wash-down environments |
| Fire | Intumescent systems to the FRL and section factor in the structural schedule |
| Records | Preparation standard and dry film thickness recorded per area as applied |
| Warranty | 10-year workmanship |
Film build and preparation standard are specified against the exposure category for the specific project. We do not publish a single system as though it suited every condition.
Questions
Why does preparation matter more than the coating?
Because adhesion is what fails first. The most expensive system in the catalogue will lift off a poorly prepared surface; a mid-range one over a correctly prepared surface will not. AS 2311 sets the preparation standards and we specify to them rather than to a product's marketing life.
Can you coat plant while it is running?
Sometimes, in shutdown windows, and sometimes not at all. It depends on surface temperature, access and what the cure requires. We would rather tell you it needs a shutdown at tender than discover it on site.
Do you provide intumescent thickness calculations?
We work the thickness from the section factor and the required FRL using the manufacturer's assessment, and provide it with the quote. Send the structural schedule and the fire engineering report.
What about line marking and anti-graffiti?
Both are part of the same package — line marking is covered under Floor Coatings, anti-graffiti systems are specified here against the substrate and the cleaning regime the building will actually use.