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SURFACE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT DIVISION

Guarantee Adhesion & Prolong The Service Life Of The Coating

Improperly prepared and treated surfaces can result in reduced coating integrity and service life. Up to 80% of all coatings failures can be directly attributed to inadequate surface preparation or treatment, which affects coating adhesion and the expected life of the coating system

Avoid Coating Failures

Our Experts Follow Strict Preparation & Treatment Methods

To ensure adhesion of the coating to the substrate and prolong the service life of the coating system, we select and implement the proper surface preparation and treatment prior to any painting. The method of surface preparation depends on the substrate, the environment, and the expected life of the coating system. Economics and surface contamination (including its effect on the substrate) will also influence the selection of surface preparation methods. Our Surface Preparation and Treatment Division is fully equipped to handle a variety of common substrates and the most challenging surfaces can be treated without causing any headache or problems to you and your investments

Golden Rules

1- Surfaces must be dry and in sound condition

2- Removal of mildew, oil, dust, dirt, loose rust, peeling paint or other contamination

3- No exterior painting is done immediately after a rain, during foggy weather, when rain is predicted, or when the temperature is below 10ºC - unless the coating indicates it can be used during lower temperatures

UNITCO : Surface Preparation & Treatment Division

Preparation Steps By Surface Types

Aluminium

We remove all oil, grease, dirt, oxide and other foreign material by cleaning per SSPC-SP1, Solvent Cleaning

Brick

Brick must be free of dirt, loose and excess mortar, and foreign material. All bricks should be allowed to weather for at least one year followed by wire brushing to remove efflorescence. We may treat the bare brick with a coat of OMEGA UNICRYL SURFACE Penetrating Primer or Sealer for better adhesion, chemical and light resistance, carbonation and water barrier protection

Block (Cinder & Concrete)

Remove all loose mortar and foreign material from block and ensure the surface is free of laitance, concrete dust, dirt, form release agents, moisture curing membranes, loose cement and hardeners


  • Concrete and mortar must be cured at least 30 days at 24ºC / 75ºF
  • The pH of the surface should be between 6 and 9
  • On tilt-up and poured-in-place concrete, commercial detergents and abrasive blasting may be necessary to prepare the surface
  • We will fill bug holes, air pockets, and other voids with OMEGA Powder Filler and other forms of cement patching compounds

Concrete

The Surface Preparation & Treatment Division will help assure maximum performance of the coating system and satisfactory coating adhesion to concrete:


1. Cure - Concrete must be cured prior to coating application. Cured is defined as concrete poured and aged at a material temperature of at least 24ªC / 75ºF for at least 30 days. The pH of the surface should be between 6 and 9;

2. Moisture - Concrete must be free of moisture as much as possible (moisture seldom drops between 15% in concrete). We will test for moisture or dampness by taping the 4 edges of an 18 inch plastic sheet (4 mils thick) on the bare surface (an asphalt tile or other moisture impervious material will also do), sealing all of the edges. After a minimum of 16 hours, we will inspect for moisture, discoloration, or condensation on the concrete or the underside of the plastic. If moisture is present, the source will be located and the cause will be corrected prior to painting;

3- Temperature - Air, surface and material temperature must be at least 10ºC / 50ºF during the application and until the coating is cured;

4- Contamination - We will remove all grease, dirt, loose paint, oil, tar, glaze, laitance, efflorescence, loose mortar, and cement;

5- Imperfection may require filling with a material compatible with Omega Paints coatings;

6- Concrete Treatment - Hardeners, sealers, form release agents, curing compounds and other concrete treatments must be compatible with the coating, or be removed.


We provide surface preparation and treatment of concrete using the following methods:


  • Blast Cleaning
  • Acid Etching
  • Power Tool Cleaning / Hand Tool Cleaning
  • Surface Cleaning

Cement Composition Siding/Panels

Remove all surface contamination by washing with an appropriate cleaner, rinsing thoroughly and allowing the siding to dry. Existing peeled or checked paint will be scraped and sanded to a sound surface. Glossy surfaces will be sanded dull. If needed, we will conduct pressure cleaning, with a minimum of 2100 psi to remove all dirt, dust, grease, oil, loose particles, laitance, foreign material, and peeling or defective coatings

Drywall - Interior / Exterior

Clean and dry the surface. All nail heads will be set and spackled. Joints will be taped and covered with a joint compound. Spackled nail heads and tape joints will be sanded smooth and all dust will be removed prior to painting

Exterior Composition Board (Hardboard)

Some composition boards may exude a waxy material that must be removed with a solvent prior to coating. Whether factory primed or unprimed, we will clean the hardboard thoroughly and prime using OMEGA UNIKYD and OMEGA UNIKYD SUPERIOR primers

Galvanized Metal

Galvanized metal must weather a minimum of 6 months prior to coating. We will conduct a solvent clean per SSPC-SP1, then prime as required. When weathering is not possible or the surface has been treated with chromates or silicates, we will first Solvent Clean per SSPC-SP1 and apply a test area, priming as required. We will allow the coating to dry at least one week before testing. If adhesion is poor, we will Brush Blast per SSPC-SP7 if necessary to remove these treatments

Plaster

Plaster must be allowed to dry thoroughly for at least 30 days before painting. The room must be ventilated while drying. In cold, damp weather, rooms must be heated. Damaged areas must be repaired with an appropriate patching material. Bare plaster must be cured and hard. We will check for textured, soft, porous, or powdery plaster and treat it with a solution until the surface is hard, rinsed with clean water and allowed to dry

Previously Coated Surfaces

Maintenance painting will frequently not permit or require complete removal of all old coatings prior to repainting. However, all surface contamination such as oil, grease, loose paint, mill scale, dirt, foreign matter, rust, mold, mildew, mortar, efflorescence, and sealers will be removed to assure sound bonding to the tightly adhering old paint. We will also clean and dull glossy surfaces of old paint films before repainting; thorough washing with an abrasive cleanser will clean and dull in one operation, or, wash thoroughly and dull by sanding. Finally, we will spot prime any bare areas with the appropriate primer. 


We recognize that any surface preparation short of total removal of the old coating may compromise the service length of the system. We will check for compatibility by applying a test patch of the recommended coating system, covering at least 1 square meter. We will allow surface to dry one week before testing adhesion per ASTM D3359. If the coating system is incompatible, complete removal is required per ASTM 4259

Steel

Steel should be cleaned by one or more of the surface preparations listed below. These methods were originally established by the Steel Structures Council in 1952, and are used throughout the world for describing methods for cleaning structural steel. 


Our Surface Preparation and Treatment Division are professionals with experience in preparing steel surfaces. We are highly familiar and knowledgable in implementing the below methods for surface preparation:


  • Solvent Cleaning
  • Power Tool Cleaning
  • White Metal Blast Cleaning
  • Commercial Blast Cleaning
  • Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal
  • Brush-Off Blast Cleaning
  • Near-White Blast Cleaning
  • Water Blasting

Wood - Exterior & Interior

Wood must be clean and dry. 


For exterior wood, we will prime and paint as soon as possible. Knots and pitch streaks will be scraped, sanded, and spot primed before a full priming coat is applied. We will patch all nail holes and imperfections with a wood filler or putty and sand smooth. 


For interior wood, all finishing lumber and flooring will be stored in dry, warm rooms to prevent absorption of moisture, shrinkage, and roughening of the wood. All surfaces will be sanded smooth, with the grain, never across it. 


Surface blemishes will be corrected and the area cleaned of dust before coating

Ask About Our Surface Preparation & Treatment Services

We Recommend Omega Paints For Your Painting Works

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Omega Paints & Chemical Industries | Unitco Al Bahrain Company | Art's Construction Company

P.O. Box 1018 Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

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