{"id":9794,"date":"2026-10-12T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T08:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/flap-discs-maritime\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T18:55:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T17:55:06","slug":"flap-discs-maritime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/flap-discs-maritime\/","title":{"rendered":"Flap Discs for the Maritime Sector in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<article style=\"width:100%;max-width:1040px;box-sizing:border-box;margin:0 auto;padding:0 0 clamp(48px,10vw,80px);color:#232323;font-family:Manrope,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:clamp(16px,4vw,18px);line-height:1.68;overflow-wrap:anywhere;word-break:break-word;\">\n<header style=\"padding:clamp(14px,4vw,18px) 0 clamp(22px,6vw,28px);border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;margin-bottom:24px;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;color:#cc0000;font-size:13px;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;\">Abrasive discs<\/p>\n<p style=\"max-width:900px;margin:0;color:#555f66;font-size:clamp(17px,4.4vw,20px);line-height:1.58;\">Technical guide to choosing <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">flap discs for the maritime sector<\/strong>: dressing repair welds on board, breaking edges before paint patching, preparing for the classification society survey and finishing deck stainless and aluminium with the vessel in service.<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<nav aria-label=\"Table of contents\" style=\"margin:0 0 30px;padding:clamp(16px,4vw,20px) clamp(16px,5vw,22px);background:#ffffff;border:1px solid #e8ebef;border-top:3px solid #023a51;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 12px;color:#023a51;font-size:15px;font-weight:800;text-transform:uppercase;\">Table of contents<\/p>\n<ol style=\"margin:0 0 0 22px;padding:0;font-size:clamp(16px,4vw,17px);line-height:1.62;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><a style=\"color:#023a51;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"#criterios-laminas-maritimo\">7 criteria for choosing flap discs for the maritime sector<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><a style=\"color:#023a51;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"#aplicaciones-laminas-maritimo\">Applications and technical table on board, in port and offshore<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><a style=\"color:#023a51;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"#errores-laminas-maritimo\">Common mistakes when dressing with flap discs on board<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><a style=\"color:#023a51;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"#productos-laminas-maritimo\">Abrasteel flap discs for maritime work<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><a style=\"color:#023a51;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"#abrasteel-laminas-maritimo\">Abrasteel as a technical supplier for the maritime sector<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0;padding-left:4px;\"><a style=\"color:#023a51;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"#preguntas-frecuentes\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 26px;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">These are the 7 criteria we recommend checking:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol style=\"margin:0 0 18px 24px;padding:0;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">What is dressed after the repair: insert weld, plate edge or transition zone<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">Preparation grade for welds and edges required by the paint specification<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">Classification society survey and testing before painting<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">Grit and number of references that fit in the ship&#8217;s storeroom<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">Deck and service stainless: a dedicated disc and heat tint after welding<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 5px;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">Aluminium on superstructures, gangways and fast craft<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0;padding-left:4px;\"><strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">Dust, sparks and the work permit with the vessel in operation<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 18px;\">On a vessel in service, the repair weld is only half the job. Once the welder has closed an insert in the deck, a doubler on a winch seat or a stanchion torn off by a heavy sea, someone has to leave that area fit to take paint, pass the survey and stand years of salt water. That dressing is the territory of <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">flap discs for the maritime sector<\/strong>, and it is almost always done during the same port call, with the ship about to sail.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 18px;\">The weld is worked where it is, often vertical or overhead; marine paint punishes any sharp edge, and within a few metres ship steel, stainless and aluminium sit side by side, each with its own disc. On top of that, many structural repairs go past the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">classification society surveyor<\/strong> before painting.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 18px;\">Choosing badly is expensive: a weld ground too flush may fail the survey, an unbroken edge is the first rust spot on the patch and a disc that has been used on steel will stain a stainless handrail. Below you will find the criteria we apply on board, the typical situations and the most frequent mistakes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 22px;\">This guide covers dressing and intermediate finishing with flap discs on vessels in service, in port and offshore. Removing pitting and preparing the bevel are covered in <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/maritime-grinding-discs\/\">grinding discs for the maritime sector<\/a>; cutting through plate, tube and deck fittings, in <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/maritime-cutting-discs\/\">cutting discs for the maritime sector<\/a>; and the final polish of exposed stainless, in <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/finishing-and-polishing\/maritime-polishing-discs\/\">polishing discs for the maritime sector<\/a>. For newbuilding or major repair on the slipway or in dry dock, the guide is <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/flap-discs-shipyards\/\">flap discs for shipyards<\/a>, and for the criteria of the family regardless of sector, <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/abrasive-flap-discs-solutions-for-surface-treatment\/\">abrasive flap discs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"margin:24px 0 30px;padding:14px;background:#f9fafb;border:1px solid #e8ebef;\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:3\/2;object-fit:contain;background:#ffffff;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/images\/discos-laminas-abrasteel.webp\" alt=\"Abrasteel flap discs for dressing repair welds on vessels in service\"><figcaption style=\"margin:10px 0 0;color:#555f66;font-size:15px;\">On board, the flap disc works between the repair weld and the paint: it levels the weld, breaks the edges and cleans the burnt band.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"criterios-laminas-maritimo\" style=\"margin:clamp(38px,9vw,54px) 0 18px;padding-bottom:10px;border-bottom:2px solid #e8ebef;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(24px,6vw,30px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:700;\">7 criteria for choosing flap discs for the maritime sector<\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">1. What is dressed after the repair: insert weld, plate edge or transition zone<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">When the welder finishes an insert in the bulwark, three things are left for the flap disc: the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">repair weld<\/strong>, with spatter and reinforcement; the edges of the plate fitted on board, sharp and burred; and the band of old plate where the heat has burnt off the paint.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">On the weld, control matters most so as not to take off too much; on the edge, a short pass that rounds the arris; on the burnt band, cleaning without opening up more surface than necessary. Whichever of the three dominates decides which grit goes on board.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">2. Preparation grade for welds and edges required by the paint specification<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Marine repair paint specifications usually refer to <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">EN ISO 8501-3<\/strong>, which defines three preparation grades for welds, edges and other imperfections before painting: P1, P2 and P3, from least to most demanding. Grades P2 and P3 call for removing spatter, smoothing the weld profile and rounding edges: flap disc work.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">On a sharp edge the paint film pulls back as it cures and ends up much thinner than on flat plate, and that is where the first rust on the patch appears. Breaking the edge with one or two passes at a low angle is one of the things that does most to extend the life of the repair.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">3. Classification society survey and testing before painting<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">A structural repair is not closed with the chief engineer&#8217;s approval: the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">classification society surveyor<\/strong> will normally see it before painting and may ask for magnetic particle or dye penetrant testing. A very irregular weld traps the developer or the magnetic powder and gives false indications.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">That is why dressing is scheduled before the visit, with one limit: on fillet welds the load-bearing section depends on the throat, so the disc smooths the profile but does not grind flush unless the approved procedure calls for it.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">4. Grit and number of references that fit in the ship&#8217;s storeroom<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">There is no room in the storeroom for a full range of grits, nor any need for one. On ship steel two are enough: a 60 for the weld and spatter, and an 80 or 120 to blend before priming. ZAFIR comes in grits 40 to 120 in 115, 125 and 178 mm, so you take on board two grits in the diameter the ship&#8217;s grinder takes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">If the crew prefers a single disc for several stages, the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">HYBRID<\/strong> combines ceramic flaps and surface conditioning flaps and lets you grind and satin in one step depending on the working angle. It does not replace grinding, but it saves a disc change on small repairs.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">5. Deck and service stainless: a dedicated disc and heat tint after welding<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Stanchions, handrails, cleats and seawater piping are usually <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">stainless steel<\/strong> and are welded on board with TIG or stick. The disc that dresses them must be kept for stainless only: a flap that has touched ship steel leaves iron particles which, with salt spray, show up as rust spots within weeks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Dressing with flaps removes the reinforcement and much of the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">heat tint<\/strong> next to the weld, but it does not give the stainless back its passive layer. On exposed areas it is advisable to finish with a stainless pickling agent after dressing; our guide on <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/finishing-and-polishing\/stainless-steel-passivation\/\">stainless steel passivation<\/a> explains why that step cannot be skipped in a marine environment.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">6. Aluminium on superstructures, gangways and fast craft<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Fast ferries, pilot boats and many superstructures and gangways are made of <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">welded aluminium<\/strong>, MIG welded. Aluminium clogs the flaps: the disc stops cutting, heats up and leaves shiny marks instead of dressing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">We recommend keeping one disc for aluminium only, marking it and never using it on steel, and applying <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/accessories-and-other-abrasive-consumables\/polishing-pastes\/bait-paste\/\">tallow paste<\/a>, which is used to extend the life of discs and belts on non-ferrous materials. Light pressure, and do not let the disc dwell in one spot, so as not to distort thin plate.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">7. Dust, sparks and the work permit with the vessel in operation<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Dressing produces sparks and fine dust with cargo in the holds, fuel in the tanks and sometimes fresh paint nearby. On many ships the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">hot work<\/strong> procedure of the safety management system includes grinding, with a permit, a fire watch and removal of combustibles.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Flap discs are coated abrasives and their safety standard is <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">EN 13743<\/strong>: the maximum speed marked on the disc takes precedence over that of the grinder. With pneumatic grinders connected to the ship&#8217;s air line, it is worth checking.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"aplicaciones-laminas-maritimo\" style=\"margin:clamp(38px,9vw,54px) 0 18px;padding-bottom:10px;border-bottom:2px solid #e8ebef;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(24px,6vw,30px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:700;\">Applications and technical table on board, in port and offshore<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">With <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">flap discs for the maritime sector<\/strong> it makes sense to organise the choice around what comes after dressing: repair paint, survey, exposed stainless or aluminium.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The table sums up the most common dressing situations with the vessel in service and at port and offshore installations, with the constraint that governs each one and what the flap disc has to deliver.<\/p>\n<div style=\"overflow-x:auto;margin:24px 0;border:1px solid #e8ebef;\">\n<table style=\"width:100%;min-width:720px;border-collapse:collapse;background:#fff;\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"padding:14px;background:#023a51;color:#fff;text-align:left;font-weight:800;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;\">Dressing situation<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:14px;background:#023a51;color:#fff;text-align:left;font-weight:800;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;\">Main constraint<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:14px;background:#023a51;color:#fff;text-align:left;font-weight:800;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;\">What the flap disc delivers<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Insert welded into the deck or bulwark that will be painted<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Sharp edges and a band of burnt paint around it.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Edge breaking and band cleaning with grit 60, finishing with 80 or 120.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Structural repair awaiting class survey<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Non-destructive testing and a throat that cannot be reduced.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Smoothed, spatter-free weld profile, not ground flush.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Edges and lightening holes of a stiffener in a ballast tank<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Confined space and tank coating that is very demanding about edges.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">115 mm disc to round edges in short passes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Stainless stanchion, handrail or pipe welded on board<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Ferritic contamination and heat tint.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;vertical-align:top;\">Reference dedicated to stainless and dressing before pickling.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;vertical-align:top;\">Aluminium superstructure or gangway<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;vertical-align:top;\">Clogging of the flaps and thin plate.<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:14px;vertical-align:top;\">Disc reserved for aluminium, light pressure and tallow paste.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Insert or patch welded into the deck before paint patching<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">After replacing wasted plate on the deck or on a hatch cover, the disc levels the weld, breaks the edges of the insert and cleans the burnt band back to well-adhered paint, which is what will take the overlap of the new system.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The sequence: grit 60 for spatter and reinforcement, edge breaking, cleaning the band and finishing with 80 or 120 without leaving the area shiny. The final roughness is set by the paint system data sheet, not by how the bare plate looks.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Deck stainless on passenger and service vessels<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">On ferries, cruise ships and harbour service craft there are many metres of stainless handrails and fittings. The flap disc blends the weld into the tube; if the item stays on view, the final finish moves on to polishing, which we cover in <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/finishing-and-polishing\/maritime-polishing-discs\/\">polishing discs for the maritime sector<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">On thin-walled tube, use the disc almost flat with light pressure: an insistent pass heats it and leaves a bluish tint.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Port and offshore: quay ladders, pontoon railings and galvanised structures<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Off the ship, flap discs dress welds on quay ladders, pontoon railings, fender brackets and offshore walkways, much of it <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">hot-dip galvanised<\/strong>, with the zinc burnt around the joint. EN ISO 1461 allows those areas to be repaired with zinc-rich paint or thermal spraying, with the surface prepared beforehand, and that preparation is flap disc work in a medium grit.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Every pass outside the burnt area strips sound zinc and makes the touch-up larger. If old paint or loose rust has to be removed first without eating into the metal, <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/abrasive-discs\/clean-strip-discs\/\">Clean Strip discs<\/a> usually work better than flap discs.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"errores-laminas-maritimo\" style=\"margin:clamp(38px,9vw,54px) 0 18px;padding-bottom:10px;border-bottom:2px solid #e8ebef;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(24px,6vw,30px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:700;\">Common mistakes when dressing with flap discs on board<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The mistake we see most is using flap discs for grinding work: slag, excess reinforcement or deep pitting. The storeroom runs empty before the port call is over and the fine dressing never gets done.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The second is calling the job finished once the weld can no longer be seen. At sea, what decides whether the repair lasts is the condition of the edges and of the band around the patch, not just the weld.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Leaving sharp edges on the insert and the lightening holes<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Paint thins out over any sharp edge, and on deck or in a ballast tank that thin line is the first to rust. One unbroken edge on an otherwise well-dressed patch ends up ruining the whole repair.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Grinding a repair weld flush before the survey<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">A flat fillet weld looks neat, but it loses throat and may lead the surveyor to reject it. If the procedure does not call for flush grinding, smoothing the profile and removing spatter is enough.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Using on stainless the disc that has already worked on ship steel<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">Iron particles embedded in the stanchion rust with the salty humidity and stain a sound part; the rework costs far more than a dedicated disc.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:26px 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(20px,5.2vw,22px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Finishing with grit 40 on a painted passenger area<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The topcoat highlights the scratches of a coarse grit on a deck that every passenger sees. Finish with a finer grit, even if it is just one pass.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"productos-laminas-maritimo\" style=\"margin:clamp(38px,9vw,54px) 0 18px;padding-bottom:10px;border-bottom:2px solid #e8ebef;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(24px,6vw,30px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:700;\">Abrasteel flap discs for maritime work<\/h2>\n<div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(min(100%,250px),1fr));gap:18px;margin:24px 0;\">\n<div style=\"border:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#fff;padding:16px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:clamp(150px,44vw,185px);object-fit:contain;background:#f9fafb;margin:0 0 14px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/images\/disco-laminas-zafir-abrasteel.jpg\" alt=\"Abrasteel ZAFIR flap disc for dressing repair welds on board\"><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(19px,5vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">ZAFIR flap disc<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;color:#555f66;font-size:16px;line-height:1.55;\">For all types of metal, with a fibreglass backing and grits 40 to 120 in 115, 125 and 178 mm: two grits cover almost the whole <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">ship&#8217;s storeroom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/abrasive-discs\/blade-discs\/zafir-flap-disc\/\">View product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"border:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#fff;padding:16px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:clamp(150px,44vw,185px);object-fit:contain;background:#f9fafb;margin:0 0 14px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/images\/disco-laminas-ceramic-abrasteel.jpg\" alt=\"Abrasteel CERAMIC flap disc for ship steel and stainless in maritime maintenance\"><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(19px,5vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">CERAMIC flap disc<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;color:#555f66;font-size:16px;line-height:1.55;\">For <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">stainless steel and ferrous metals<\/strong>, in grits 40, 60 and 80 and diameters of 115 and 125 mm, with an even finish on repair welds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/abrasive-discs\/blade-discs\/ceramic-flap-disc\/\">View product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"border:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#fff;padding:16px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:clamp(150px,44vw,185px);object-fit:contain;background:#f9fafb;margin:0 0 14px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/images\/disco-laminas-hybrid-abrasteel.jpg\" alt=\"Abrasteel HYBRID flap disc for grinding and satin finishing in one step on deck\"><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(19px,5vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">HYBRID flap disc<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;color:#555f66;font-size:16px;line-height:1.55;\">Ceramic flaps and surface conditioning flaps to <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">grind and satin in one step<\/strong> depending on the angle, useful when you want to save a disc change on board.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/abrasive-discs\/blade-discs\/hybrid-flap-disc\/\">View product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"border:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#fff;padding:16px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block;width:100%;height:clamp(150px,44vw,185px);object-fit:contain;background:#f9fafb;margin:0 0 14px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/images\/disco-laminas-turbo-inox-abrasteel.jpg\" alt=\"Abrasteel TURBO INOX flap disc for stainless stanchions and handrails on deck\"><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(19px,5vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">TURBO INOX flap disc<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;color:#555f66;font-size:16px;line-height:1.55;\">Dedicated to <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">stainless<\/strong>, with an M14 plastic backing that fits without a nut, for flat surfaces on fittings, covers and deck items.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\"><a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/abrasive-discs\/blade-discs\/turbo-inox-flap-disc\/\">View product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The full range is in <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/abrasive-discs\/blade-discs\/\">Abrasteel flap discs<\/a>. For stainless welded on board, dressing is completed with the <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/accessories-and-other-abrasive-consumables\/metal-cleaning\/inox-paint-remover\/\">INOX pickling agent<\/a>, which is applied by brush onto the weld, and the <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Catalogo2017.pdf\">technical catalogue<\/a> lists grits, diameters and speeds so you can stock the storeroom before the port call.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"abrasteel-laminas-maritimo\" style=\"margin:clamp(38px,9vw,54px) 0 18px;padding-bottom:10px;border-bottom:2px solid #e8ebef;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(24px,6vw,30px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:700;\">Abrasteel as a technical supplier for the maritime sector<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">At Abrasteel we work with on-board maintenance crews, port repair workshops and offshore service companies. When dressing with flap discs, the useful question is what happens to the surface afterwards: paint, class survey, exposed stainless or aluminium.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin:0 0 16px 22px;padding:0;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 8px;\">We help define two or three grits that cover dressing across the fleet without filling the <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">storeroom<\/strong> with references nobody uses.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 8px;\">We separate discs by material so that stainless and aluminium on board do not share consumables with ship steel.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 8px;\">We check diameters and maximum speed against the pneumatic and cordless grinders each vessel actually carries.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0;\">We provide continuity of <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">supply<\/strong> between port calls and for unscheduled port repairs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">If your team repairs on board, on the quayside or at an offshore installation and you want to review which <strong style=\"color:#111;font-weight:800;\">flap discs for the maritime sector<\/strong> are worth taking on board, you can write to us from the <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/contact\/\">contact<\/a> page and we will go through it with your usual repairs in front of us.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;\">The complementary operation, removing pitting and preparing the bevel before welding, is covered in <a style=\"color:#cc0000;font-weight:700;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/maritime-grinding-discs\/\">grinding discs for the maritime sector<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"preguntas-frecuentes\" style=\"margin:clamp(38px,9vw,54px) 0 18px;padding-bottom:10px;border-bottom:2px solid #e8ebef;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(24px,6vw,30px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:700;\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/h2>\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 28px;border-top:1px solid #e8ebef;\">\n<details open style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style-position:outside;padding:16px 0;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">What is the difference between this guide and the one on grinding discs for the maritime sector?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 16px;color:#232323;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">The grinding guide deals with removing pitting and the bevel before welding. This one deals with the next step: dressing the weld, breaking edges and leaving the area ready for survey and paint.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style-position:outside;padding:16px 0;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Which flap disc grits should be carried on board?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 16px;color:#232323;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">For most repairs on ship steel two are enough: a grit 60 for the weld and spatter, and an 80 or a 120 to blend before priming. Stainless and aluminium need their own disc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style-position:outside;padding:16px 0;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Can a structural repair weld be ground flush with flap discs?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 16px;color:#232323;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">Only if the approved repair procedure provides for it. On fillet welds the load-bearing section depends on the throat, and reducing it may lead the class surveyor to reject the repair.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style-position:outside;padding:16px 0;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Why do edges have to be broken before painting on a ship?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 16px;color:#232323;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">Because on a sharp edge the paint ends up much thinner than on flat plate and it is the first point to rust. EN ISO 8501-3 includes edge rounding in its preparation grades P2 and P3, which are the ones repair specifications usually call for.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style-position:outside;padding:16px 0;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">How do I dress a weld on a stainless stanchion or handrail?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 16px;color:#232323;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">With a disc dedicated to stainless that has never touched ship steel, held almost flat and with light pressure so as not to heat the tube. Afterwards it is advisable to pickle the weld and, if it stays on view, polish it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;\">\n<summary style=\"cursor:pointer;list-style-position:outside;padding:16px 0;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,21px);line-height:1.25;font-weight:800;\">Why do flap discs clog on superstructure aluminium?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 16px;color:#232323;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">Because aluminium is soft and sticks to the flaps, which stop cutting and heat up. It helps to reserve a disc for aluminium, work with little pressure and apply tallow paste.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details><\/div>\n<div data-abrasteel-sticky-cta=\"true\" aria-label=\"Abrasteel quick actions\" style=\"position:fixed;right:max(12px,env(safe-area-inset-right));bottom:max(12px,env(safe-area-inset-bottom));z-index:9999;width:min(260px,calc(100vw - 24px));max-height:calc(54vh - 24px);background:#ffffff;border:1px solid rgba(2,58,81,.16);box-shadow:0 18px 44px rgba(2,58,81,.20);overflow:auto;\">\n<div style=\"height:6px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#cc0000 0%,#cc0000 38%,#023a51 38%,#023a51 100%);\"><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Close notice\" onclick=\"this.closest('[data-abrasteel-sticky-cta]').style.display='none';\" style=\"position:absolute;top:10px;right:10px;z-index:2;width:32px;height:32px;border:1px solid #e8ebef;background:#ffffff;color:#023a51;font-size:18px;line-height:1;font-weight:800;cursor:pointer;\">x<\/button><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding:clamp(12px,3.5vw,16px) clamp(12px,3.5vw,16px) clamp(10px,3vw,14px);\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 6px;color:#cc0000;font-size:13px;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;\">Abrasteel advice<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:#023a51;font-size:clamp(18px,4.8vw,20px);line-height:1.18;font-weight:800;\">Dressing welds on board or on the quayside?<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 12px;color:#555f66;font-size:clamp(14px,4vw,16px);line-height:1.45;\">We help you define the grits and discs worth taking on board.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a style=\"display:block;padding:clamp(11px,3.2vw,13px) 14px;background:#cc0000;color:#fff;font-size:clamp(14px,3.8vw,15px);font-weight:800;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/contact\/\">Ask for technical help<\/a><a style=\"display:block;padding:clamp(11px,3.2vw,13px) 14px;background:#000;color:#fff;font-size:clamp(14px,3.8vw,15px);font-weight:800;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Catalogo2017.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download catalogue<\/a><\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Abrasive discs Technical guide to choosing flap discs for the maritime sector: dressing repair welds on board, breaking edges before paint patching, preparing for the classification society survey and finishing deck stainless and aluminium with the vessel in service. Table of contents 7 criteria for choosing flap discs for the maritime sector Applications and technical<a href=\"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/blog\/abrasive-discs\/flap-discs-maritime\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;Flap Discs for the Maritime Sector in 2026&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[178],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abrasive-discs"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9794","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9794"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9794\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.abrasteel.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}