COATING INSPECTION

COATING INSPECTION - Topics

 BACKGROUND
 STANDARDS
 LEVEL OF INSPECTION
 DUTIES OF THE INSPECTOR
◦ Before Surface Preparation
◦ During Surface Preparation
◦ Before Paint Application
◦ During Paint Application
◦ After Paint Application
 INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
 RECORDS, REPORTS, AND DOCUMENTATION
 COMMON COATING FAILURES AND THEIR CAUSES
COATING INSPECTION -
Background
 Quality assurance is simply a question of
ensuring that the specification is being
followed.

 The higher the demand to protection, the more

advanced the coating system and painting
specification.

 Advanced coating system increases the

demands to the execution of the work and –
consequently – to the degree of quality
control/paint coatings inspections.
COATING INSPECTION -
Standards
 ASTM D-4414 : Standard Practice for Measurement of WFT by
Notch Gages

 ASTM D-7091 : Standard Test Methods for Nondestructive

Measurement of DFT of Nonmagnetic Coatings Applied to a
Ferrous Base

 British Standard, BS 5493 – Code of practice for protective

coating of iron and steel structures against corrosion

 International Standard ISO 8501-1: Preparation of steel

substrates before application of paints and related products --
Visual assessment of surface cleanliness -- Part 1: Rust grades
and preparation grades of uncoated steel substrates and of
steel substrates after overall removal of previous coatings
COATING INSPECTION -
Standards
 British Standard BS 7909 - Preparation of steel substrates before
application of paints and related products. Visual assessment of
surface cleanliness. Representative photographic examples of the
change of appearance imparted to steel when blast-cleaned with
different abrasives

 American SSPC-SP/PA Standards : Surface Preparation and Paint

Application Standards

 International Standard ISO 8503-1 : Preparation of steel substrates

before application of paints and related products. Surface roughness
characteristics of blast-cleaned steel substrates. Specifications and
definitions for ISO surface profile comparators for the assessment of
abrasive blast-cleaned surfaces

 National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) – Rust Grades

and Surface Cleanliness
COATING INSPECTION – Levels
of Inspection (BS 5493)
 FULL – All operations observed by a Coating Inspector
and passed as complying with the specification before
the next stage is started, i.e. ‘Hold’ point in each
activity.

 INTERMITTENT – Part of operations observed by a

Coating Inspector and passed as complying with the
specification before the next stage is started, i.e. ‘Hold’
point in critical activities.

 OCCASSIONAL – All operations observed initially by a

Coating Inspector for setting standards of workmanship.
Ad hoc visits by a Coating Inspector thereafter.
COATING INSPECTION – Duties
of the Inspector
The duties of the Coating Inspector are to:

 Prevent faults and mistakes to occur

 Correct faults and mistakes, should they

occur
COATING INSPECTION –
Inspection Phases
There are five distinct phases – some of them recurrent –
require the Coating Inspector’s attentions:

 Before Surface preparation

 During Surface preparation

 Before Paint application

 During Paint application

 After Paint application

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Surface preparation)
Before start of any surface preparation, it is importance to
examine:

 Working conditions – lighting condition and accessibility

 Rust grade of surface (e.g. A, B, C, or D according to NACE

or ISO 8501-1)

 Contamination of the surface, i.e. water, oil, grease,

soluble salt, and others which will not be removed by
mechanical cleaning

 Filtering equipment, to see if possible oil and water are

separated correctly
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Surface preparation)
 Blasting media, purity and soluble salt

 Adhesion of old coating system if present

 Welds – slag, spatter, rough and uneven welds, arc

strikes

 Sharp edges – will lead to local coating damage

 Excessive pitting – localized reduction of thickness

 Corrosion traps - requiring stripe coating

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Surface preparation)
 Concrete – adherence on surface

 Blasting equipment – plus safety gears

 Blast hoses – size and material

 Compressor – delivered pressure

 Nozzles – size and lining

It is also advisable to check at this point if the paint is

delivered, and type, and color of the paint is correct.
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (During Surface Preparation)
Checks, to the extent possible, are made on:

 Equipment

 Cleanliness of surface –removal of

contaminants

 Surface profile – surface roughness and

roughness profile, if steel is to be prepared.
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Paint Application)
Main areas, on which the Coating Inspector should
focus before any paint is applied would be:

 Working conditions – lighting, access, and ventilation

 Application equipment – type, adequacy, and

condition

 Microclimate – surface temperature, air temperature,

relative humidity, dew point

 Paint to be applied – quality and quantity, color, shelf

life, time at storage
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Paint Application)
Other checkpoints can be relevant in specific cases:

 Type of thinner

 Type of curing agent

 Mixing ratio and stirring

 Storage temperature

 Paint temperature
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Paint Application)
Surface to be painted might also be checked
for:

 Roughness

 Cleanness

 Curing ; drying state of previous coat –

recoating interval

 Thin spot or misses, referring to previous coat

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (Before Paint Application)
Equipment might also be checked for:

 Capacity and type – compression ratio

 Length and condition of hoses – pressure capacity

 Condition of pumps and guns

 Nozzles – include spray fan also

 Paint heater – when required

 Dehumidification
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (During Paint Application)
Most of the checkpoints from previous phases are
still valid in this phase and in addition attention
should be paid to:

 Wet Film Thickness (WFT)

 Workmanship – possible pinholes, misses, dry

spray, etc.

 Drying/Curing of paint

 Recoating interval
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Phases (After Paint Application)
After completion of the application, checks must be made on:

 Opacity – visibility of substrate (primer) or previous coat (contrasting

color plays role on this)

 Total Dry Film Thickness (DFT)

 Microclimate – to secure drying/curing of coat

 Film formation – pinholes, mud cracking, sagging, misses, dry spray,

orange peel

 Adhesion/cohesion

 Damages – mechanical

 Smoothness
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment
 From the listings of paint Coating
Inspector’s duties and main checkpoint, his
most vital equipment is his eyes and ears,
his common sense, and his wide experience
in paints and allied technologies.

 Some checkpoints, however, demand a

degree of accuracy not easily afforded by
human senses, and some electronic
measuring instruments are called for
although not all tools are that sophisticated.
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment
 Fresh water – when sprinkled on a suspect surface
will reveal whether oily or fatty substances are
present or not.

 Electric/Battery torch - and an angled mirror with

telescopic handle will enable the coating inspector to
look into things in a surprisingly thorough manner.

 Standards – to aid the assessment of surface

preparation degree.

 Comparators – for determining surface roughness

and roughness profile.
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection Equipment
 Tape – for checking and documenting dust or other deposits.

 Thermometers – for reading temperatures of air, substrate and, in some cases paint.

Ambient Temperature
• Must be at least 5°C (9°F) above the dew point temperature.
• This minimizes the risk of moisture condensation on the substrate, which can severely
compromise coating adhesion.
Relative Humidity
• Must be below 85%.
• Higher humidity increases the likelihood of condensation and may interfere with coating
curing, especially with moisture-sensitive systems (e.g., epoxy, polyurethane).
Wind Velocity
• Must be appropriate for the coating application method being used.
• Excessive wind can:
• Cause overspray or dry spray during spray applications
• Accelerate solvent evaporation, affecting film formation
• Introduce dust or debris, contaminating the surface
Substrate Temperature
• Must be monitored continuously and remain above the dew point to prevent
condensation.
• Coatings should not be applied if the substrate is at or near the dew point temperature.

 Hygrometer – or sling psychrometer, for measuring relative humidity.

 Dew point Calculator – or table for determining the dew point.

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment
 Wet Film Gage – of the comb type, and made of steel,
not plastic, for measuring and monitoring WFTs. Purpose:
Ensures applied coating meets required thickness before
curing. Take measurements immediately after application,
before the film begins to set.
• Dry Film Gage – for measuring DFTs. Purpose: Verifies that
the applied coating meets specified thickness after curing.
Method: Non-destructive measurement using a DFT gauge

 Sharp knife – for opening blisters, evaluate

adhesion/cohesion, layer of coatings.

 Magnifying glass – for closer examination of blast

cleaned areas, deteriorated coatings, etc.
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment
 Camera – for recording and documentation
purposes.

 Small plastic bag/containers – for

gathering samples, e.g. blasting media.

 Pad and pencil – for making sketches and

notes.
COATING INSPECTION – Special
Inspection Equipment
 Pinhole Detector – used when checking the
dried/cured system for continuity – free from
pinholes, misses, and holidays.
 Adhesion Tester– to check or assess

adhesion/cohesion. Purpose: Evaluates the bond

strength between coating and substrate.
Methods:
• Pull-off test (per ASTM D4541 / ISO 4624)
• Cross-cut test (per ASTM D3359 / ISO 2409)
 PROTIMETER– to indicate the degree of

moisture in concrete.
 Roughness Gage– to indicate the degree of

moisture in concrete.
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Surface Preparation)
Comparator

Surface Profile ISO 8503 – Roughness

Comparator Comparator
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Surface Preparation)

Contamination Test Kit Bresle salt test

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Surface Preparation)

Elcometer 130 Salt

Surface Profile Gauge
Contamination Meter
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Coating Application)

WFT Gage - Steel DFT Gage

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Coating Application)

Electronic Contact Thermometer Sling Hygrometer –

– Steel Temperature Relative Humidity
COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Coating Application)

Dew Point Meter Adhesion Tester

COATING INSPECTION – Inspection
Equipment (Coating Application):
Angle Mirror + Flashlight
COATING INSPECTION – Records,
Reports, and Documentation
 The degree of detail to be recorded and
reported by the paint Coating Inspector
depends on the level of inspection
demanded by the painting specification and
its intention.

 The documentation provided by the Coating

Inspector is a historical record; it may be
used for insurance purposes, for settling
disputes, and as basis for future
specification.
COATING INSPECTION – Records,
Reports, and Documentation
To be at all meaningful and useful, records
should – as an absolute minimum – contain the
following information:

 Identification of area(s)/location(s) inspected

 Date and Time

 Weather/ambient/microclimatic conditions

 Information on paint system being applied (brand,

type, color, extent, and location)
COATING INSPECTION – Records,
Reports, and Documentation
Continuation of required minimum information:

 Quality control checks carried out, and their results

 Faults observed and corrected

 Compliance with, or deviation from, the painting

specification

 Advice and recommendations given

COATING INSPECTION – Records,
Reports, and Documentation
Where full inspection is warranted, it is customary also
to record items such as:

 Condition of surface before preparation

 Condition of surface after degreasing and desalting

 Condition of surface after preparation/immediately prior to

paint application

 Hours worked, down time, delays and their issues (progress of

work)

 Time between surface preparation and paint application

COATING INSPECTION – Records,
Reports, and Documentation
Continuation of full inspection documentation/recording
requirement:

 Actual recoating intervals

 Standard of workmanship

 Equipment and technique used – includes working conditions

 Full details of all tests and measurements made – and the

type of instruments used

 State of drying and/or curing at given intervals and prior to

application of subsequent coat
COATING INSPECTION – Records,
Reports, and Documentation
In special cases, it my prove useful to have
recorded also:

 Handling and/or stacking procedures for painting

 Appropriate information about contractors

 Safety precautions observed

 Measured employed for the protection of the

environment
COATING INSPECTION – Common
Coating Failures And Their Causes
Sags are recognized as
“curtains” on the painted
surface. It occurs when:

 Paint is applied in excess

of the DFT specified

 Too much thinner is added

to the paint

 The gun is held too close

to the surface.

Causes Sagging
COATING INSPECTION – Common
Coating Failures And Their Causes
 Wrong spraying technique,
i.e. excessive air pressure

 Excessive film thickness,

i.e. air will be entrapped in
the paint

 Strong wind, too good

ventilation

 Too long application

distance, i.e. spray gun
distance

Causes Pinholes and Pores

COATING INSPECTION – Common
Coating Failures And Their Causes
Most common type of failure
related to the adhesion of the
paint. Sometimes blisters are dry
and sometimes filled with liquid:

 Soluble salt contaminating the

substrate or the surface between
coats – permeable, dissolving the
salt - osmosis

 Contamination of the surface due

to oil, waxes, dust, etc. – dry
blisters

 Poor or inadequate solvent release

from the coating

Causes Blistering
COATING INSPECTION – Coating
Failures And Their Causes
Lifting is the raising of
the undercoat. The
result is a wrinkled
surface

 Stronger solvent used

in the top coat thus
attacking the
previously applied
film.

Cause Lifting
COATING INSPECTION – Coating
Failures And Their Causes
Loss of adhesion to the
substrate or between coats is
delamination or peeling. The
causes are:

 Unsatisfactory surface
preparation

 Incompatible primer or undercoat

 Substrate or inter-coat
contamination

 Excessive cure time between

coats

Causes Delamination/Peeling
COATING INSPECTION – Coating
Failures And Their Causes
Finely pebbled or dimpled surface
texture with an appearance similar
to the skin of an orange.

Caused by:

 Improper atomization due to low

air pressure

 Incompatible primer or undercoat

 Substrate or inter-coat
contamination

 Excessive cure time between coats

Causes Orange Peel