The Swedish Standard ISO 8501-1 Rust Grade Book contains reference photographs representative of different rust grades and preparation grades that are used to specify the quality of surface preparation before painting.

The Rust Grade Book identifies four levels (designated as Rust Grades) of mill scale and rust that which are commonly found on surfaces of uncoated erected steel and steel held in stock. It also identifies certain degrees of visual cleanliness (designated as Preparation Grades) after surface preparation of uncoated steel surfaces and of steel surfaces after overall removal of any previous coating.
These levels of visual cleanliness are related to the common methods of surface cleaning that are used prior to painting.

Intended to be a tool for the visual assessment of rust grades and of preparation grades, it includes 28 representative photographic examples. The book also includes fourteen preparation grades by blast-cleaning and indicating the degree of cleaning, together with detailed descriptions of the surface appearance to the following Sa grades.

Sa 1. Light blast-cleaning.
Sa 2. Thorough blast-cleaning,
Sa 2.5. Very thorough blast-cleaning.
Sa 3. Blast-cleaning to visually clean steel.

Number of pages: 70 

ISBN: 8501-1-2007