scope:

Introduction

SSPC has three types of painting system documents: complete painting systems, painting system guides, and performance- based painting system material specifi cations. The SSPC documents of this type were developed only for steel, not for wood or concrete.

• Painting System: Each of these painting systems combines in a single specifi cation all of the requirements necessary for a complete paint job. It therefore includes by reference all of the specifi cations for surface preparation, paint application, paint thickness measurement, primer, mid-coat, topcoat, safety, and inspection. In most cases it is recommended that the particular painting system is specifi ed by number.

• Painting System Guides: The painting system guides are to be used to prepare modifi ed systems for special cases. Unlike the other guides in this section, SSPC-Guide 8.00 does not address the surface preparation of a steel substrate, but rather provides guidance in selecting the proper topcoat for use over a zinc-rich primer.

• Painting System Material Specifi cations - Performance- based: These documents specify the performance requirements for a multi-coat system based on a particular generic class of coatings, e.g., aluminum epoxy. These documents serve only to qualify a coating material and do not address other items such as surface preparation and thickness measurement. Hence, these painting system material specifi cations serve only to specify the coating material to be used in a complete painting system specifi cation.

By disregarding the more unusual combinations and circumstances, the SSPC Painting Systems are able to offer in complete but compact form the minimum number of combinations necessary to paint the great preponderance of steel structures. For unusual circumstances, users of the specifi cations may devise their own painting systems by choosing from among the alternative specifi cations listed in the Painting System Guides. These models offer a large number of compatible combinations of surface preparations, primers, intermediates, and fi nish paints.

SSPC Painting Systems and Guides were originally published in 1955. They were revised and expanded to incorporate improvements in concept and in technology. The Painting System Material Specifi cations - Performance-Based were fi rst introduced in 2000. The descriptions of painting systems are listed in Table 1. Within each generic type, there may be several systems, each a complete paint scheme in itself. Each scheme is designed for a specifi c application where a particular combination of durability, drying time, tolerance for surface preparation, cost, color, etc., is desired.