I was recently inspecting a 250' diameter, floating roof waste water treatment tank. The interior coating on the walls of the tank appeared to be, in many places, intact. In other places, it exhibited blistering, with liquid underneath. But to my surprise, when I chipped...
For those of you who follow my writing at all, you’ll know I’m obsessed with coatings, family, and martial arts. What they all have in common is that they’re difficult to manage and are technically challenging. When teaching combat Jiu Jitsu, I try to be lenient...
Blog post originally posted on www.PaintSquare.com I can think of few corrosion protective materials more durable, functional and versatile than lead. Setting aside the health issues for a moment, the history of lead is truly remarkable—like the Swiss Army Knife of materials. Discovered about 3,000 BC, lead was...
For nearly 30 years, I’ve watched, fascinated, as technology in the coatings industry has advanced. The best minds in the business have brought us intumescents, optically activated pigmented coatings, nanotechnology, flouropolymers, flexible ceramics, self-healing coatings, and materials smarter than we are. Testing equipment today is remarkable in...
Now that winter is fast approaching, many owners, engineers, architects, and others believe that all painting projects have to wait until the weather warms up. Well, the short answer is, not so. With the right knowledge and materials, you can paint most surfaces in colder weather...
Reality is not always as firm a thing as we would wish, alas, even in the realm of coatings science. Take the Cold Wall Effect: to some experts, a key cause of coating failure; to others, a myth. I was recently reminded of this controversy while inspecting...
I am intimately familiar with the fine art of “eye-rolling.” As the followers of my blog know, I have three daughters, ages 16, 19 and 22. As you can imagine, I’ve had more than my share of eye-rolling exhibitions over the years. The following is only...