Painted Corroded Steel: No Blasting Required

Maintaining steel structures that are already painted and showing signs of corrosion is notoriously labor‑intensive. Conventional wisdom says that rust and flaking paint must be blasted away to create a fresh surface profile for a new coating. This mechanical approach adds cost, noise and downtime, and it often exposes crews to airborne dust and spent blasting media. NanoPrime™ offers a different path: it bonds chemically to both the steel and the existing paint, so blasting is unnecessary.

To prepare a corroded, painted surface for NanoPrime, only a clean, oil‑free substrate is needed. A low‑pressure water wash removes grease and dirt, and any loose, flaky rust can be knocked off with a wire brush or power tool. There is no need to remove all the paint — NanoPrime will chemically bond with the paint that remains after washing and react with any rust to create iron phosphate, a corrosion‑resistant compound. This means that light or heavy rust left on the surface becomes part of the protective film rather than a source of future failure.

The primer’s ability to bond to both metallic and painted surfaces stems from its patented chemistry. NanoPrime works by reacting with iron and iron oxide to form iron phosphate and creating a nano‑scale bond with the surface. Because the bond is chemical rather than mechanical, the coating can adhere to smooth, previously painted substrates and stop under‑film corrosion. The product is versatile enough to be used as a maintenance tool for repairing corroding painted surfaces, forming a solid foundation for a variety of high‑performance topcoats.

Ease of application goes beyond eliminating blasting. NanoPrime’s water‑based formulation contains no VOCs and is non‑toxic and non‑flammable. According to NRX technical data, the coating system requires minimal surface preparation and no sand blasting, dries quickly and is safer for employees and the environment. Pressure washing instead of blasting saves man‑hours and reduces environmental and safety concerns. The Info Center notes that NanoPrime eliminates the need for expensive, time‑consuming surface preparation such as sand blasting and is designed to be applied on painted, rusted, galvanized, damp or dry steel surfaces.

For maintenance crews working on offshore rigs, refineries or infrastructure, these advantages translate into real savings. NanoPrime can be applied in humid or damp conditions and even in salt‑air environments without adverse effects. It bonds to existing coatings and rust, cures quickly and provides a durable base for topcoats. By converting the corrosion itself into a protective layer, NanoPrime turns rusty, painted steel from a liability into a long‑term asset.