CoatingsPro Magazine

JAN 2009

CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.

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SPECIFYING SUCCESS Writing Site-Specific Specifications By L.D. (Lou) Vincent, Ph.D., Technical Editor C oatings specifications are intended to be the method by which an owner/ engineer sets forth what he/ she wants to achieve on a coatings job. Unfortunately, more often than not, the person writing the specification has limited knowledge of the technology involved in achieving the desired results on either a new construction painting job or a maintenance painting job. The predictable result is a coatings specifica- tion that creates more problems than it solves. The one person most affected by this insufficient or ineffective specifica- tion is usually the painting contractor, who becomes the first person blamed for any shortcomings or failures on the coating project. Simply copying an old spec that worked well on one site and reusing it on another is a recipe for failure. Each location will have individual needs. Two major studies of coating failures on a global basis agree that between 25 and 50 percent of all coatings failures are initiated by a coatings specification that either had technical errors in it or called for unrealistic requirements. This article will explore key elements that should be considered when writing 28 CoatingsPro J January 2009 Rosemont Tank photo provided courtesy of the Tnemec Company Inc. and Jetco Painting

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