Surface Preparation

SSPC-SP1 - Solvent Cleaning

Solvent Cleaning is a method for removing all visible oil, grease, soil, drawing and cutting compounds, and other soluble contaminants. Solvent cleaning does not remove rust or mill scale. Change rags and cleaning solution frequently so that deposits of oil and grease are not spread over additional areas in the cleaning process. Be sure to allow adequate ventilation. For complete instructions, refer to Steel Structures Paint Council Surface Preparation Specification No. 1.

SSPC-SP2 - Hand Tool Cleaning

Hand Tool Cleaning removes all loose mill scale, loose rust, and other detrimental foreign matter. It is not intended that adherent mill scale, rust, and paint be removed by this process. Mill scale, rust, and paint are considered adherent if they cannot be removed by lifting with a dull putty knife. Before hand tool cleaning, remove visible oil, grease, soluble welding residues, and salts by the methods outlined in SSPC-SP1. For complete instructions, refer to Steel Structures Paint Council Surface Preparation Specification No. 2.

SSPC-SP3 - Power Tool Cleaning

Power Tool Cleaning removes all loose mill scale, loose rust, and other detrimental foreign matter. It is not intended that adherent mill scale, rust, and paint be removed by this process. Mill scale, rust, and paint are considered adherent if they cannot be removed by lifting with a dull putty knife. Before power tool cleaning, remove visible oil, grease, soluble welding residues, and salts by the methods outlined in SSPC-SP1. For complete instructions, refer to Steel Structures Paint Council Surface Preparation Specification No. 3.

SSPC-SP5 or NACE 1 - White Metal Blast Cleaning

A White Metal Blast Cleaned surface, when viewed without magnification, shall be free of all visible oil, grease, dirt, dust, mill scale, rust, paint, oxides, corrosion products, and other foreign matter. Before blast cleaning, visible deposits of oil or grease shall be removed by any of the methods specified in SSPC-SP1 or other agreed upon methods. For complete instructions, refer to Joint Surface Preparation Standard SSPC-SP5/NACE No. 1.

SSPC-SP6 or NACE 3 - Commercial Blast Cleaning

A Commercial Blast Cleaned surface, when viewed without magnification, shall be free of all visible oil, grease, dirt, dust, mill scale, rust, paint, oxides, corrosion products, and other foreign matter, except for staining. Staining shall be limited to no more than 33 percent of each square-inch of surface area and may consist of light shadows, slight streaks, or minor discoloration caused by stains of rust, stains of mill scale, or stains of previously applied paint. Before blast cleaning, visible deposits of oil or grease shall be removed by any of the methods specified in SSPC-SP1 or other agreed upon methods. For complete instructions, refer to Joint Surface Preparation Standard SSPC-SP6/NACE No. 3.

SSPC-SP7 or NACE 4- Brush-Off Blast Cleaning

A Brush-Off Blast Cleaned surface, when viewed without magnification, shall be free of all visible oil, grease, dirt, dust, loose mill scale, loose rust, and loose paint. Tightly adherent mill scale, rust, and paint may remain on the surface. Mill scale, rust, and coating are considered adherent if they cannot be removed by lifting with a dull putty knife. Before blast cleaning, visible deposits of oil or grease shall be removed by any of the methods specified in SSPC-SP1 or other agreed upon methods. For complete instructions, refer to Joint Surface Preparation Standard SSPC-SP7/NACE No. 4.

SSPC-SP10 or NACE 2 - Near-White Blast Cleaning

A Near-White Blast Cleaned surface, when viewed without magnification, shall be free of all visible oil, grease, dirt, dust, mill scale, rust, paint, oxides, corrosion products, and other foreign matter, except for staining. Staining shall be limited to no more than five percent of each square-inch of surface area and may consist of light shadows, slight streaks, or minor discoloration caused by stains of rust, stains of mill scale, or stains of previously applied paint. Before blast cleaning, visible deposits of oil or grease shall be removed by any of the methods specified in SSPC-SP1 or other agreed upon methods. For complete instructions, refer to Joint Surface Preparation Standard SSPC-SP10/NACE No. 2

SSPC-SP11 - Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal

Metallic surfaces that are prepared according to this specification, when viewed without magnification, shall be free of all visible oil, grease, dirt, dust, mill scale, rust, paint, oxide corrosion products, and other foreign matter. Slight residues of rust and paint may be left in the lower portions of pits if the original surface is pitted. Prior to power tool surface preparation, remove visible deposits of oil or grease by any of the methods specified in SSPC-SP1, Solvent Cleaning, or other agreed upon methods. For complete instructions, refer to Steel Structures Paint Council Surface Preparation Specification No. 11.

SSPC-SP12 or NACE 5 - High- and Ultra-High Pressure Water Jetting for Steel and Other Hard Materials

This standard provides requirements for the use of high- and ultra-high pressure water jetting to achieve various degrees of surface cleanliness. This standard is limited in scope to the use of water only, without the addition of solid particles in the stream. For complete instructions, refer to Joint Surface Preparation Standard SSPC-SP12/NACE No. 5.

SSPC-SP13 or NACE 6 - Concrete

This standard gives requirements for surface preparation of concrete by mechanical, chemical, or thermal methods prior to the application of bonded protective coating or lining systems. The requirements of this standard are applicable to all types of ementitious surfaces including cast-in-place concrete floors and walls, precast slabs, masonry walls and shotcrete surfaces.

An acceptable prepared concrete surface should be free of contaminants, laitance, loosely adhering concrete, and dust, and should provide a dry, sound, uniform substrate suitable for the application of protective coating or lining systems. Depending upon the desired finish and system, a block filler may be required. For complete instructions, refer to Joint Surface Preparation Standard SSPC-SP13/NACE No. 6.