# Painting Structural Steel **URL:** \ **Category:** Archive - Product Discussions #4\ **Created:** [March 20, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/painting-structural-steel/1678 "2011-03-20T17:46:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jsandoz](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.4specs.com/jsandoz/32/84_2.png) [@jsandoz](https://forum.4specs.com/u/jsandoz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/painting-structural-steel/1678/21 "2011-03-25T13:29:51Z")
By the way, I should add I’ve learned much by reading the consultants’ specifications. They have prompted me to ask questions over the years which have always been graciously answered. I guess others are pleased when someone expresses interest in their work just as I am when someone asks me about mine. ---
**Author:** ![jim\_sliff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c4cdca/32.png) [@jim\_sliff](https://forum.4specs.com/u/jim_sliff)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/painting-structural-steel/1678/22 "2011-04-02T22:24:15Z")
Mark - My reference to needle guns was performance-based. In many cases I have seen corners where grinding just can’t provide the degree of preparation necessary for a successful coatings application. In lieu of spot-blasting (which is often not allowed or impractical) needle guns can do the job. No, they can’t make the surface as smooth as grinding - but in a “pickle” I give the client two choices - a visible weld where the coating will fail, or a somewhat less visible (but not perfect) weld where the coating will probably perform fine. If it _can_ be ground that’s the way to go. But if it’s physically impossible to grind the welds smooth some type of compromise is in order. [Previous page](https://forum.4specs.com/t/painting-structural-steel/1678.md?page=1)