Industrial Painting Steel Structures & Silos

Industrial painting steel structures & silos

Structural steel painting

Structural steel beam painting and metal painting

Whether you have steel structures inside or outside your facility, the Sunfix Paints team of coatings professionals can protect them from all kinds of potential damaging situations. Whether your structural steel is outside in the elements year-round or they are inside in a caustic chemical environment, we have a coatings process guaranteed to hold up. Lengthening the lifespan of your steel components ensures you are getting the most out of your large capital investments.

Structural steel can range from pipe racking to support beams for large equipment to steel staircases & catwalks. Our process typically includes a high pressure power wash (6000 psi), followed by 2 coats of a moisture cured urethane (to cover pin holes in the first coat), and a protective top coat. Sunfix Paints can provide warranties up to 10 years against coating failure, depending on which system you choose for us to apply.

Sunfix Paints vast experience in industrial painting has taken us to some very interesting, tricky, and seemingly difficult projects. But once we get some eyes on a project, our team gets to work figuring out all aspects of a job – safety requirements, logistics, scheduling, product selection & delivery – before finally getting to actually start cleaning & painting your surfaces. In other words, we meticulously plan each project so we aren’t surprised by anything that may come up to hinder our production. We have been refining our process for over 15 years because we know that no two projects are exactly alike & each one needs to be handled with special care.

Why Structural Steel?

Structural steel is an excellent building material valued for its strength, durability, cost effectiveness, fire and moisture resistance, and relative low maintenance. Structural steel is tough, but atmospheric elements will rust and corrode structural steel, slowly compromising its strength and appearance. To protect structural steel beams and other structures, professional maintenance and painting (or coating) is essential.

How corrosion and rust damages structural steel

When steel structures are left unpainted or are painted improperly, the steel is exposed to corrosive atmospheric and environmental elements like moisture, chemicals and salt. These corrosive elements exist both indoors and out and slowly corrode the steel, creating unsightly rust and scale buildup and degrading the integrity of the steel itself. If left unprotected, the steel will not only look unsightly but will slowly thin and eventually fail due to continued corrosion.

How to protect structural Steel

The single best way to prevent corrosion and preserve your structural steel assets is with professional application of a protective paint or coating. Simply throwing on a coat of paint will not do, as paint applied improperly will quickly fail and allow corrosion Sunfix Paints has extensive experience and training in preparing and painting structural steel to ensure a durable finish that delivers the highest level of protection from future corrosion.

How to get rid of rust on structural steel beams and other steel structures

If steel has already corroded, professional abrasive blasting and cleaning should be performed to completely remove rust, scale and buildup prior to painting. Skipping or cutting corners on this step will always lead to early paint failure and further corrosion of the steel. Sunfix Painting has the equipment and highly trained team to provide a variety of abrasive blasting options including vapor blasting, sandblasting and soda blasting, as well as professional power washing using hot water and cleaning agents if needed. The specific processes used depend on the condition and goals of each project.

The Sunfix Painting Process for Restoring and Painting Structural Steel

In any structural steel painting project, it is the preparation process that largely determines success. Sunfix Painting never skimps on prep work, and you can see our meticulous preparation process in steps 1-3 below. It’s our no-fail formula for consistently creating finishes that are attractive, highly resilient and extremely durable. Paint is important, but preparation is key!

Blasting, Grinding, Sanding and Scraping

Abrasive blasting

When significant corrosion has occurred, the first step in refurbishing structural steel beams and other steel surfaces is usually abrasive blasting. In this process, abrasives are blasted at the steel to remove rust, mill scale, loose paint and other contaminants to create an ideal surface profile for the new paint or coating. Sunfix Painting is highly skilled and experienced at safely and effectively sandblasting, soda blasting and vapor blasting structural steel. The precise blasting method used will depend on the condition of the structural steel and the work environment.

Power grinding, sanding and scraping

In cases where corrosion and buildup are mild, blasting is not necessary and the debris can be removed by any combination of power grinding, sanding and scraping with hand tools. In most cases, the surface would first be cleaned via power washing or hand washing before sanding or scraping. This is important because sanding or scraping on a dirty surface can push dirt and other contaminants into the existing paint film, ultimately causing adhesion issues with the new paint.

2. Cleaning

After blasting and sanding, the structural steel surface must be thoroughly cleaned to remove any remaining abrasive, dust or residue. Depending on the project, we may power wash the surface using hot water, hand wash the surface, and/or apply a chemical solvent to achieve a clean surface ready for primer.

3. Priming

Applying a high-quality primer is the final step in ensuring a structural steel surface is fully prepared to be painted. Primers assist in paint adhesion by forming a binding layer that is better prepared to receive paint. Specialty primers such as a two-component epoxy mastic industrial primer can convert iron oxide (rust) into a solid, paintable surface. Sunfix Painting is highly knowledgeable in selecting the best primers for each project, and we always apply them exactly per the manufacturer’s specifications.

4. Painting

Lastly, we apply a high-performance paint finish to the structural steel. The exact paint product used is selected to meet each specific project’s requirements and can include properties like abrasion resistance, water resistance and gloss retention. As with primer, the paint is applied exactly per the manufacturer’s specifications. This level of precision in the application is extremely important in achieving a durable, attractive and long-lasting finish. Once the paint is applied, the structural steel looks like new and is protected from rust and contaminants for years to come.

Silo & Storage Tank Painting

Painting/Painters of Silos & Bulk Storage Tanks

If the exterior paint on your bulk storage tanks or silos is deteriorating and corroding, now is the time to stop the damage to your valuable asset. Servicing the Petrochemical, Food, Plastics and other industries that have bulk storage tank needs, we satisfy our clients every time. We are able to offer effective surface preparation services including ultra-high-pressure washing, sandblasting, shot blasting, and CO2 blasting, and more.

We are also able to offer full containment of all blast media and spray material if requested. New robotic shotblast cleaning equipment allows us to remove the coatings from the tank walls, while containing all the old paint and recirculating the shot media.

Interior Tank Linings & Silo Linings

When the interior lining of your silos and tanks wears out, it is more than an issue of aesthetics or protecting the structural integrity down the road. It can be an issue of rapid deterioration of the tank walls and resulting contamination. As industrial painting contractors, we specialize in restoring the interior linings of your tanks and silos. Most commonly used in the following industries: Petrochemical, Oil & Gas, Pulp & Paper, Chemical Processing, Food Processing, Mining & Metals, Pharmaceutical, Utility and Vessel Lining applications.

Silo & Storage Tank Painting

interior standard epoxy linings & coatings
plural component systems polyurethane & polyurea
forced cured applications
fiberglass reinforced
trowelable
flake glass
controlled environment linings
matted fiberglass linings

Confined Space Entry

Certain projects, especially tank linings and vessel linings are designated as “confined entry” (meaning that a worker could become quickly incapacitated by becoming exposed to fumes from painting). Many jurisdictions require a dedicated rescue crew to be onsite for the job duration and a rescue plan in place, prior to any work proceeding We have the trained personnel, systems and procedures to carry out work in a confined space environment both safely and in accordance with local labor laws.

Respect

Why choose Sunfix Paints for your structural steel restoration and Painting?

100%, across the board—we respect your space, your staff, your time, your schedule and your budget.

Safety

The safety of our employees, your staff and your property is always

Our crew is trained and licensed to work safely in demanding work environments and skilled at using elevated work platforms, lifts and other specialty equipment often necessary when painting structural steel. We employ a rigorous safety training program and update our equipment and gear regularly.

One-Stop Capabilities

We’re experts in all phases of structural steel restoration including abrasive blasting, rust removal, power washing/cleaning and painting, so we can manage your project and ensure our high standards are met from start to finish.

Consultant Mindset and customs Solutions

Our experienced and knowledgeable team takes the time to understand your project goals and recommend the best possible solution to restore and preserve your structural steel assets. We’re bringing you more than 15 years experience and feel it’s our obligation to speak up when there may be a better approach, a different product to consider, or any way to enhance the aesthetics and durability of your results.

100% Client Satisfaction

We aim to leave our customers elated with our work. It’s not a goal, it’s a standard expected to be met on every job.

Silo & Storage Tank Painting

interior standard epoxy linings & coatings
plural component systems polyurethane & polyurea
forced cured applications
fiberglass reinforced
trowelable
flake glass
controlled environment linings
matted fiberglass linings

Sunfix Painting restores and paints steel structures in many environments including:

Power plants and utilities

Oil refineries

Chemical plants

Water treatment plants

Silos and storage tanks

Factories and manufacturing plants

Food processing facilities

Warehouses and distribution centers

Healthcare and pharmaceutical facilities

Commercial buildings

Schools and universities

Sports arenas and stadiums

Auditoriums

Bridges and overpasses

Aircraft hangars and transportation facilities