Photo: Michael Coghlan @ Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Discipline

Specifications & Business

Specs, data sheets, warranties, estimating, bidding and quality plans — the paperwork and business side of coating work.

14 articles

Business

Pre-Job Conferences

Coating pre-job conferences: who attends, a typical agenda, technical points to settle, how to run the meeting and why written minutes matter.

4 min read

Business

How to Choose a Coating System

How to choose a coating system: define exposure, substrate and prep limits, application constraints and performance evidence, then compare life-cycle…

5 min read

Business

Product Data Sheets Explained

How to read a coating product data sheet: volume solids, coverage, DFT, mix ratio, pot life, recoat times, application limits…

5 min read

Business

Marketing a Coating Business

Marketing for coating contractors: know your buyer, build proof with case studies, local search, specifier and GC relationships, and measure…

4 min read

Business

Coating Maintenance Planning

Coating maintenance planning: building an asset inventory, ranking condition and criticality, choosing spot repair, overcoat or recoat, and budgeting.

4 min read

Business

Bidding Coating Projects

How to bid coating projects: go/no-go decisions, reading bid documents, RFIs and addenda, clarifications and exclusions, and learning from every…

5 min read

Business

Coating Quality Control Plans

Coating QC plans explained: QC vs QA, inspection and test plans, hold points, test methods and frequencies, nonconformance handling and…

4 min read

Business

Contractor Qualification Programs

Contractor qualification programs explained: SSPC/AMPP QP certifications, manufacturer approvals, owner prequalification and how to specify them.

4 min read

Business

Scheduling Coating Projects

How to schedule coating projects: sequencing prep and coats, cure and recoat windows, weather risk, inspection hold points, outages and…

4 min read

Business

Coating Warranties

How coating warranties work: manufacturer vs contractor coverage, defining failure, common exclusions, documentation and the claims process.

6 min read

Business

Coating Condition Assessment

How to assess existing coatings: survey planning, standard rating methods for rust and blisters, adhesion and thickness tests, sampling and…

4 min read

Business

Writing Coating Specifications

How to write a clear, enforceable coating specification: structure, surface prep, coating system, application limits, inspection and common pitfalls.

4 min read