Preparing the surface or conditioning it for the coatings is the first part of the process and the most vital one. It is considered that a coating is only as good as the surface preparation and its application. Less quality coatings have been known to outlast the best ones just because they were applied properly or to a correctly prepared surface according to D.Norman of the EPRG.

Surface cleanliness and surface roughness are often used as one while they do make a significant difference for certain coatings. A cleanliness is a degree of removal of mill scale or oxides from the surface which may be achieved with a very smooth surface profile, even polished. Surface roughness on the other hand can achieve cleanliness too as part of the process of roughness creation or also known as increase in surface area.

Of course, prior to any of the above contaminants like oil, grease, chlorides and so on are all removed. Not removing the mentioned may result is smearing or “tattooing” of the contaminants into the surface that will either interfere with the adhesion of the coating in the event of oily and greasy contaminants or allow for chlorides that lead to osmosis.

This paper primarily focuses on surface profile, excluding foreign contaminants, and its relevance in creating an anchor profile for mechanically adhering or interlocking coatings.

Quite a few definitions are available and may be related to different industries.

• Surface roughness
• Surface texture
• Surface topography
• Surface anchor profile

In addition to the above, we also speak of amplitude or frequency of the wavelength. Roughness and the amplitude are achieved by various methods of surface preparation.