 An
effective coating specification is the key to success. A
specification that describes the materials needed, the objectives
of the coating, the key procedures, the appearance of the
finished coating and the quality control requirements usually
assures a good coating job. A specification that is ambiguous,
lacking in definition, or provides poor selection of materials
is an invitation to disagreements, possible litigation, and
early coating failure.
The preparation of a coating specification is difficult because
of the many variables involved. There are hundreds of coating
materials to choose from, thousands of facility and material
configurations, and a variety of exposures. There may also
be time restraints within which the coating work must be
completed.
A good specification should result in a clear understanding
between the owner and the contractor. A clear understanding
invites cooperation between the parties involved and is
more likely to result in a satisfactory job.
A strong specification may result in initially increasing
the bid price above the price obtained by a general specification. It will, however, reduce the overall costs by reducing
rework, extra work, and extending the maintenance free
life of the coating system.
S.G. Pinney, P.E., Inc. has worked directly on field applications
and has seen both successful and unsuccessful coating applications.
This experience provides his clients with the background
to prepare cost effective, clear, concise specifications,
resulting in substantial long-term cost reductions to our
clients. |
