Services / Protective & Corrosion Coating
Protective & Corrosion Coating
Protective coatings defend assets in aggressive environments — offshore, chemical, marine — using zinc-rich primers, epoxies and polyurethanes engineered for long-term corrosion control.
A protective coating shields metal from corrosion — and it does it in one of three ways: as a barrier, sacrificially (zinc corroding in place of the steel), or by inhibition. Which system you need is decided by the environment, not the metal alone. This overview maps environment to system; the guide and hub below go deeper and connect you to a contractor.
The systems
- Epoxy — a tough barrier coat; the backbone of most industrial systems (often the intermediate).
- Polyurethane — a UV-stable topcoat that holds gloss and color over the barrier.
- Zinc-rich primer — sacrificial protection; the zinc corrodes first, protecting steel at scratches and cut edges.
- Fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE) — the standard for buried and immersed pipe; see pipeline coating.
By environment (ISO 12944)
The corrosivity category sets how heavy the system has to be:
| Environment (ISO 12944) | Typical system | Where it's used |
|---|---|---|
| C2 — low (rural, dry) | 1–2 coat epoxy | Sheltered/interior steel |
| C3 — medium (urban, light coastal) | Epoxy + polyurethane | General industrial |
| C4 — high (industrial, coastal) | Zinc-rich + epoxy + polyurethane | Plants, near-coast steel |
| C5 — very high (marine, heavy industrial) | Zinc-rich + high-build epoxy + polyurethane | Marine, heavy industry |
| CX — extreme (offshore, splash zone) | Thermal-sprayed metal or high-build systems | Offshore, splash zone |
Ranges are indicative; the specified system comes from the project's corrosivity assessment and service life, over steel prepared to the required SSPC grade.
Where it's used
Pipelines, storage tanks and vessels, marine and port structures, and general industrial steel — anywhere metal has to survive a corrosive service environment for years.
Standards that govern the work
- ISO 12944 — atmospheric corrosivity categories (C2–CX) and matching systems by durability.
- SSPC / NACE (now AMPP) — surface-preparation grades and coating-inspection practice.
Related guides & next step
- Buried/immersed pipe → pipeline coating
- Structural steel (corrosion + fire) → structural steel coating
- Find a contractor → industrial coating contractors
Ready for a quote? Get a free quote with your asset and its environment, and we'll match a contractor who works to that spec.
Common questions
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