Updated: 11-20-2019
INTRODUCTION
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Selection of the appropriate Paints and Coatings are a key design and maintenance strategy for the protection and mitigation of corrosion for facilities, facility components and infrastructure. Prior to selecting a coating for a new or sustained facility, the Architect/Engineer and Sustainment Professional should consider fundamentals of paint classification, types of coatings, surface preparation, application, inspection, economic considerations, defects, failures, causes, remedies, safety and environmental concerns. The next step is to assess and understand related criteria and standards such as Unified Facility Criteria (UFC), Unified Facility Guide Specifications (UFGS), Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC), National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) International and tools for paints and coatings selection.
DESCRIPTION

Figure 1: "Know What is in the Can"
Paints and coatings serve as the first line of defense between the facility and the environment. Knowing what is "in the can" is an essential part of selecting the right paint or coating (see Figure 1). As the environmental severity risks increase, so does the stress on the paints and coatings. The incorrect selection of a paint or coating will mean early surface protection failure exposing the surface to corrosion and ultimate component failure. As an example, the coastline is an environment with high salt, moisture, and temperature creating an environment that fosters corrosion at an exceptionally high rate. Because of this, the selection of a paint or coating would dictate a high performance option versus a conventional exterior latex coating.
Paint can be defined as a mixture or dispersion of opaque pigments or powders in a liquid or vehicle. Coatings include other materials that can be considered paint-like in their use such as varnishes and inorganic binders. Modern classifications of paints includes:
- Architectural/Trade Sales - commonly recognized latex and alkyd paints sold in retail stores;
- Industrial/Maintenance - may include anti-corrosive primers, machinery and industrial enamels and other products that require more specialized application equipment. Some trade sales type paints are also used in Industrial situations (i.e. High Performance Architectural Coatings);
- Specialty - are generally very specific in their use, application and resistance properties such as plastics coatings, coil coatings, and resistive coatings.
Selection of the appropriate paint or coating must include consideration of mission and operational needs, exterior weathering, appearance, drying time, application, maintenance and resistance to fuel, solvents, chemicals, abrasion, heat, and mildew. Understanding surface preparation and correct application methodology is key to a successful coating and painting project. Many coating system failures result from improper surface preparation and poor application. Coatings and Paints represent a sophisticated area of design and specifications/standards application as can be seen in the Architectural Painting Specification Decision Tree.


Consider that annual maintenance and periodic repair costs are far less costly than major repairs or replacement of structures themselves when the appropriate coatings and paints are selected to support the desired life cycle requirements. For more information review the Introduction to Paints and Coatings.
Consulting a Paints and Coatings Subject Matter Expert (SME)
The Paints and Coatings SME provides invaluable consultation skills developed from years of experience assessing corrosion prevention requirements in many environments. The SME can translate local conditions into Paints and Coatings solutions that provide immediate and long-term benefits to the installation and its SRM bottom line costs. Typical consulting services provided by the Paints and Coatings SME include:
- Problem assessment
- Failure analysis
- Environmental Severity impacts
- System and material selection
- Review and assessment of contractor deliverables
- Quality assurance
- System design
- SRM analysis and recommendations (system inspection and testing assistance)
- Hazards analysis
- Assessment of new technologies
- Process analysis
Relevant Codes and Standards
Department of Defense
Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC)
- UFC 3-570-01 Cathodic Protection
- UFC 3-570-06 Operation and Maintenance: Cathodic Protection Systems
- UFC 3-190-06 Protective Coatings and Paints
Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS)
- UFGS 09 90 00 Paints and Coatings
- UFGS 09 96 00 High-Performance Coatings
- UFGS 09 96 59 High-Build Glaze Coatings
- UFGS 09 97 10.00 10 Metallizing: Hydraulic Structures
- UFGS 09 97 02 Painting: Hydraulic Structures
- UFGS 09 97 13.00 40 Steel Coatings
- UFGS 09 97 13.15 Epoxy/Fluoropolyurethane Interior Coating of Steel Petroleum Fuel Tanks
- UFGS 09 97 13.16 Interior Coating of Welded Steel Water Tanks
- UFGS 09 97 13.17 Three Coat Epoxy Interior Coating of Welded Steel Petroleum Fuel Tanks
- UFGS 09 97 13.25 Maintenance, Repair, and Coating of Tall Antenna Towers
- UFGS 09 97 13.26 Coating of Steel Waterfront Structures
- UFGS 09 97 13.27 Exterior Coating of Steel Structures
- UFGS 09 97 13.28 Protection of Buried Steel Piping and Steel Bulkhead Tie Rods
- UFGS 09 97 23.13 Interior Lining For Concrete Storage Tanks (For Petroleum Fuels)
- UFGS 09 97 23.16 Linseed Oil Protection of Concrete Surfaces
- UFGS 09 97 23 Metallic Type Conductive/Spark Resistant Concrete Floor Finish
- UFGS 26 42 13.00 20 Cathodic Protection by Galvanic Anodes
- UFGS 26 42 14.00 10 Cathodic Protection System (Sacrificial Anode)
- UFGS 26 42 15.00 10 Cathodic Protection System (Steel Water Tanks)
- UFGS 26 42 17.00 10 Cathodic Protection System (Impressed Current)
- UFGS 26 42 19.00 20 Cathodic Protection by Impressed Current
- UFGS 26 42 19.10 Cathodic Protection Systems (Impressed Current) For Lock Miter Gates
- UFGS 26 42 22.00 20 Cathodic Protection System for Steel Water Tanks
- UFGS 26 42 14.00 10 Cathodic Protection System (Sacrificial Anode)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Public Works Technical Bulletin (PWTB)
- PWTB 420-49-29 Operation And Maintenance Of Cathodic Protection Systems
- PWTB 420-49-37 Cathodic Protection Anode Selection
Industry Organizations
Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)
- SP 1 Solvent Cleaning
- SP 2 Hand Tool Cleaning
- SP 3 Power Tool Cleaning
- SP 15 Commercial Grade Power Tool Cleaning
- SP 11 Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal
- SP 10/NACE No. 2 Abrasive Blast to Near-White Metal
- SP 5 Abrasive Blast to White Metal
- SSPC/NACE Blast Standards
- PA 1 Shop, Field, and Maintenance Painting of Steel
- PA 2 Procedure for Determining Conformance to Dry Coatings Thickness
- ASTM D5402 Standard Practice for Assessing the Solvent Resistance of Organic Coatings Using Solvent Rubs
- NACE SP0188 Discontinuity (Holiday) Testing of New Protective Coatings on Conductive Substrates
The International organization for Standardization (ISO)
- ISO 11303 Corrosion of metals and alloys - Guidelines for selection of protection methods against atmospheric corrosion
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
WBDG
Tools
Architectural Painting Specification Decision Tree
Publications
- FICES Report, July 2013
- Corrosion Prevention and Control: A Program Management Guide for Selecting Materials, Spiral 2 (2nd Edition) by AMMTIAC. Sept 2006.
Organizations
- NACE International (The Corrosion Society)
- Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)
- STI (Steel Tank Institute)
- Master Painters Institute (MPI)
Training
DoD-Funded Training - Opportunities
The DoD Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office has contracted with SSPC and NACE International to provide tuition-free courses in corrosion prevention and mitigation to DoD personnel throughout fiscal year 2017.
- For more information about SSPC course opportunities, please visit Funding For SSPC Training.
- To inquire about funding for SSPC courses, contact Jennifer Merck or 412-281-2331, extension 2221. For information about funding for NACE courses, contact Shawna Jones or 281-228-6225, or Carmen Peebles.
Assistance
Obtaining SME Assistance for DoD Installations
- Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Facilities Management
- Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL)
- Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC). Reach Back Center: AFCEC.RBC@us.af.mil
- Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC)