Near-white metal blast cleaning (SSPC-SP 10 / NACE No. 2)
A surface preparation grade requiring that at least 95 % of each unit area be free of visible residues, with only light shadows or streaks permitted. It is the grade most structural and immersion systems name on their data sheet, and it is defined by reference photographs rather than by description.
SSPC-SP 10 and NACE No. 2 are one jointly issued standard with two names, not two standards. ISO 8501-1 describes closely comparable grades from a different tradition, which is why specifications often name both.
The grade is defined by the reference photographs in the standard itself. That is why a summary is enough to specify a job and not enough to inspect one: anyone signing off preparation needs the document in hand.
Sources and references
- StandardSSPC-SP 10 / NACE No. 2 (2024) — Near-White Metal Blast CleaningAMPP · accessed August 29, 2026
- StandardISO 8501-1:2007 — Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products — Visual assessment of surface cleanliness — Part 1International Organization for Standardization · accessed August 29, 2026
Where this is covered in depth
- SSPC-SP 10 / NACE No. 2: Near-White Metal BlastWhat near-white metal blast cleaning actually requires, how the 5% staining allowance is judged, and when SP 10 is the right call rather than SP 6 or SP 5.
- SSPC-SP1 to SP11: Surface Preparation Degrees ComparisonA complete guide comparing SSPC surface preparation standards from SP1 to SP11, including NACE and ISO 8501 equivalents for industrial coatings.