“Reliable Methods for the Measurement and Inspection of Protective Barrier Coatings for Outdoor Monuments”

ICOM Metals 98 Postprints

Author and Speaker: Joseph Sembrat

ABSTRACT

Equipment and techniques currently used in coating applications and inspections, which are standard in the protective coatings industry, are not utilized by the conservator of outdoor monuments. Premature coatings failure is responsible for millions of dollars of damage each year, and aggressive efforts to combat this problem by organizations such as the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) and the Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) are evident by the vast amounts of research and technical articles which are being published annually on the subject.

The present practice in use by conservators of measuring coating thickness by the number of coats applied is far too inaccurate. Additionally, many of the coatings they apply are highly susceptible to premature failure because present application and inspection techniques do not include the testing of the film’s continuity.

The test equipment industry manufactures film thickness gages for measuring the proper thickness of applied coatings and holiday detectors which test a coating’s continuity. The integrity and longevity of protective coatings on outdoor monuments could greatly increase if these instruments were utilized by conservators during application and inspection processes.