How to Write Paint Specifications

A.S.Khanna
Corrosion Science & Engineering
IIT Bombay
 What do we mean by Paint Specification
• Protecting a surface with a paint coating that takes
care of the requirements of a user
• Requirements
– Chemical Resistance
• Resistance to chlorides, acids, alkalies, solvents
– Mechanical Properties
• Impact, scratch, abrasion, bond strength
– Weathering properties
• Resistance to UV, rains, snow
– Heat Resistance
• Highest Temperature a paint can resist
– Low Temperature resistance
• Lowest temperature a paint can resist
 Selection Criteria
• Location
– Environment
• Mild, Urban, Coastal
• Onshore
• Offshore
– Mud line
– Silent water Zone
– Splash Zone
 Selection Criteria … contd
• Surface Finishing Requirements
– New Surface
– Old Surface
• Whether possibility of complete Cleaning
• Partial cleaning
• Application Technique
– Brush
– Roller
– Air Spray
– Airless Spray
• Life of Coating
– Long Life
– Short Life
• Cost
 Type of paints
• Conventional Solvent based Paints
– Requires more time to dry
– High DFT in several coats
– Large recoating intervals
– Chances of malpractices – tempering of resin ./ solvent
composition
• Modern paints
– Solventless Paints
– High DFT in single coat
– Modified by Glassflake enhance life by several folds.
 Ensuring Proper Raw Materials
• Initial Checking of the composition of the
paint- resin, hardener, thinner etc.
– Volume solid
– Viscosity
– Density
• Batch Testing of Each Batch
 Performance tests
– pre Qualifications
• Chemical Resistance
• Weathering
• Mechanical Properties
• Special Tests – if any
 Qualified Personal
• It is now very important to properly check the
staff who are going to take the job:
– Technical Qualification of applicators / Surface
preparation
– Qualified Supervisor
– Qualified Inspectors
• Their role must be specified and data
collected must be properly arranged and
checked.
 Coating Conditions
• Proper Humidity
• Proper Temperature
• Free from salt deposition
• Free from contamination by salt aerosols etc.
Environment Surface Preparation Coating System No. of DFT in
Category as per Required as per ISO 8501 Coats (μm)
(ISO-12944-2)
C3 St 2 Medium durability
Non-immersion Primer : MIO based alkyd 1 50
Medium Corrosion Top Coat : Modified Alkyd ( with urethane) 1 50
( Temperature up to 120oC)
Long Durability
Primer: Epoxy Mastic 1 50
Top Coat – 2 Pack Aliphatic PUR 1 100
Sa 2.5 Medium Durability
2 coats of Alkyd 2 150
Long Durability 1 50
Primer – Zn-rich 1 80
Top Coat -2 pack Aliphatic PUR
C4 Sa 2.5 Medium Durability
Non-immersion Primer: Zn-rich epoxy 1 50
( High Corrosion) Intermediate: Epoxy MIO 1 60
Top Coat: 2 pack Aliphatic PUR 1 50
Long Durability
Primer: Inorganic Zn- Silicate 1 50
Intermediate: Epoxy MIO 2 150
Top Coat: 2 pack Aliphatic PUR 1 50

C5 Sa2.5 Medium Durability

Non-immersion Primer: Inorganic Zn- Silicate Intermediate: Epoxy MIO 1 50
Very High Corrosion Top Coat: 2 pack Aliphatic PUR 2 150 (2x75)
( Temperature up to 120oC 1 50
Long Durability
Primer: Inorganic Zn- Silicate 1 50
Intermediate: high Build Epoxy MIO 2 160 (2x80)
Top Coat: 2 pack Aliphatic PUR 1 50

C3 Sa2.5 Medium Durability

Non-immersion Aluminum Coating 2 250
Medium Corrosion Long Duration
( Temperature up to 400oC Primer: Inorganic Zn- Silicate 1 50
Top Coat : Silicon Based Coating 2 200
C3 Sa 2.5 Medium Durability
Non-immersion Primer - Silicon Based 1 50
Medium Corrosion Top Coat : Polysiloxane 2 250
( Temperature up to 600oC
Immersion Sa 2.5
Service Solvent Less Epoxies 1 500
Tanks for fuel, oil,
crude, chemicals
and process water
Immersion Sa 2.5
Service Glassflake Epoxies 1 or 2 1000 or more
Sewage lines, or
water treatment Combination of Glassflake and
facilities Reinforced epoxies
Immersion Sa2.5 Polyester Glassflake 1 1000
Service HA 2 Water Repellent Epoxies 2 2x400
Splash Zone in
Sea Water
Underwater
Immersion Sa 2.5 Glassflake Epoxy
Service Or Novolac Epoxy 1 or 2 1500-2000
Water Jetties
Sea Water
Immersion
Service Sa 2.5 Solvent less Epoxies 1 1000
Freshwater
Treatment
facilities, locks
and gates
External
Underground Sa 2.5 Oil & Gas 3 2000 – 3000
Structures 3 layer PE ( FBE Primer, Adhesive and 1 3000-5000
Gas Pipelines PE) 700-1000
Water Pipelines Water Pipelines
Coal tar or Tar Epoxy, tar-urethane
Liquid Epoxy, Elastomeric PU
Quality Control for Protective
Coatings Projects

A.S.Khanna
Corrosion Science & Engineering
IIT Bombay
 Definition
• QC gathers and documents the information that verifies that the
work performed meets the minimum standards as required by
specifications.
• Quality assurance (QA) on the otherhand is to protect the against
failures of quality control. It is process to verify that quality work was
performed actually as claimed on the basis of QC.
• The quality programme assures and controls the QA and QC as per
industry standards.
• The QC manager is a qualified person, appointed by top
management to assure the quality of coating, which is evaluated on
annual basis and recommendations of the corrective measures if
any.
• QA and QC inspector is the qualified person appointed by QC
manager to perform individual inspections and verify the work being
performed as per specifications, can introduce corrective measures
or stop work, if not going as per specifications
 Standards & Guidelines
1. SSPC-QP1 Standard Procedure for evaluating
painting contractor( field application to
complex industrial structures)
2. SSPC-QP3 Standard Procedure for evaluating
Shop Painting Applicators.
3. SSPC-QP5 Standard Procedure for evaluating
qualifications of coating and lining
inspection companies .
 Pre-Job Review
1. Contract & Specification review.
2. QC and inspector Requirements
3. Inspection Plan
4. Document control
5. Pre-job conference
 QC and inspector Requirements
1. Formalised training & Certification of the inspector.
2. Experience in the type of structure to be inspected.
3. Availability of inspection equipments to the
inspector.
4. Records of all inspection equipment used by
inspector.
5. Standards & Procedures to show conformance with
The specifications be available with the inspector.
6. Approved copies of materials supplier technical data
sheets, application instructions and material safety.
 Inspection Plan
• Prior to the start of work,
•Immediately following the surface preparation.
• Immediately prior to the coating & lining
application.
• Following the application of each coat
•Following the curing of coating or lining.
•Final inspection and sign off
 Daily Inspection Activities
1. Revision Log
2. Technical resource availability
3. Calibration verification
4. Daily work log
5. Daily inspection report
6. Corrective Actions
7. Photographic Records
8. Management review
 Technical resource availability
• SSPC Painting Manual Vol. 2, systems &
specifications
• SSPC PA2, Measurement of DFT
• SSPC visual standards
• ASTM protective coating inspection standards for
field and shop applications.
• Updated material supplier technical data sheets.
• Standard procedures SSPC, NACE, ASTM, API, ISO
 Calibration verification
• Equipment type & serial number
• Required frequency & calibration method.
•Record of calibration data.
• Signature and date of person performing
calibration verifications.
 Daily inspection report
• Weather and site condition.
• Pre-surface condition & cleanliness
•Surface Preparation monitoring.
• Post surface preparation cleanliness and profile.
•Coating material preparation & application
• Physical film properties, DFT measurement
•Verification of corrective actions prior to final
approval.
• Record of equipments used for measurement