Surface Cleanliness

Surface cleanliness refers to the degree to which a steel surface is free from rust, coatings, oil, salts, dust, or other contaminants before applying a protective coating. It is one of the most important factors in determining coating performance and lifetime.

Where is surface cleanliness critical?

Surface cleanliness is a requirement in virtually all industries:

• Oil & Gas – offshore risers, flare booms, topside piping.
• Petrochemical & Chemical plants – process vessels, reactors, insulated pipelines.
• Marine & Offshore wind – deck areas, turbine towers, hull details.
• Infrastructure & Power – bridges, cranes, boilers, turbines.

For you as an asset owner, surface cleanliness ensures coating adhesion, corrosion resistance, and compliance with international standards.

Extra explanation

Standards for cleanliness

• ISO 8501 – visual rust and blasting grades (Sa 1–Sa 3).
• SSPC/NACE – near-white, commercial, and white metal blast cleaning.
• NORSOK M-501 – offshore coating requirements.

Types of cleanliness

• Visual cleanliness removal of visible rust, mill scale, coatings.
• Invisible contaminants soluble salts, oils, dust.
• Surface profile roughness (µm) required for adhesion.

Poor cleanliness is one of the main causes of coating failure.

Pinovo and surface cleanliness

Pinovo ensures high-quality cleanliness by:

• Achieving Sa 2½–Sa 3 grades with vacuum blasting.
• Capturing dust at the source leaving a clean, inspectable surface.
• Reducing contamination risks from microplastics and grit.
• Supporting QA/QC inspections for ISO, NORSOK, and SSPC compliance.

Pinovo does not certify cleanliness but ensures surfaces are consistently clean and ready for inspection.