SSPC surface preparation standards explained for facility owners
A plain-language guide to SSPC/NACE surface prep standards (SP 2, SP 3, SP 6, SP 10) and why they decide coating life.
Why prep standards exist
A coating is only as good as the surface under it. SSPC and NACE (now AMPP) standards define how clean steel has to be before coating, so everyone measures the same thing.
The common ones
SP 2 is hand-tool cleaning. SP 3 is power-tool cleaning. SP 6 is commercial blast cleaning. SP 10 is near-white blast cleaning. Each step up removes more rust and mill scale and gives the coating a better grip.
Matching prep to exposure
Mild interior exposure may accept power-tool prep with a surface-tolerant coating. Immersion, chemical, or severe corrosion usually calls for blast cleaning.
What to ask your contractor
Which standard is specified, how the surface profile will be measured, and how the inspections will be documented. Get the answers in writing.
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