What is the process of preparing a surface for painting or coating called?

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The essential idea is the overall process of getting a surface ready for paint or coating. This is called surface prep. It covers everything you do to make the surface clean, smooth, and properly textured so the coating adheres well and finishes evenly. Cleaning removes dirt, oil, and grease; sanding provides the right roughness for adhesion and helps delaminate any old coating; and other steps like degreasing or rust removal may be included as needed. Priming is a specific step you might apply after the surface is prepped to improve adhesion or seal the surface, but it’s not the entire preparation process. So, the term that best describes the whole sequence before coating is surface prep.