Surface Prep Tools Since 1937Maintaining America’s bridges requires more than repairing concrete and replacing structural components. For thousands of steel bridges, overpasses and highway structures, one of the most important steps in extending service life is something much more fundamental: proper surface preparation.
Steel exposed to moisture, road salt, temperature changes and years of environmental exposure will eventually develop corrosion. Protective coatings also deteriorate over time. Before steel can be inspected, repaired, welded or recoated, crews frequently need to remove layers of rust, scale, paint and other hardened materials.
That’s where Aurand® surface preparation tools have earned a place on demanding maintenance projects.
Manufactured in the United States since 1937, Aurand tools are designed specifically for removing paint, rust, scale, epoxy and other difficult coatings from hard surfaces. For bridge contractors, transportation departments and infrastructure maintenance crews, that makes Aurand a practical solution for preparing steel girders, beams, structural members, underpasses and other areas where dependable mechanical surface preparation is required.
America’s Aging Bridges Require Ongoing Surface Preparation
Bridge rehabilitation is not a temporary market.
The Federal Highway Administration’s 2025 National Bridge Inventory lists:
- Pennsylvania: 23,314 bridges, including 12,482 rated fair and 2,813 rated poor.
- New York: 17,666 bridges, including 10,227 rated fair and 1,741 rated poor.
- Ohio: 26,713 bridges, including 9,205 rated fair and 1,266 rated poor.
- Illinois: 26,927 bridges, including 12,352 rated fair and 2,563 rated poor.
Across those four states alone, transportation agencies are responsible for maintaining nearly 95,000 bridges, with more than 52,000 currently rated fair or poor.
Those numbers represent a continuing need for bridge preservation, rehabilitation and maintenance.
Funding is also being directed toward that work. Federal Bridge Formula Program funding for fiscal year 2026 included approximately $5.3 billion distributed for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, protection and construction. Pennsylvania announced nearly $461 million for municipal road and bridge maintenance in 2026, while Illinois’ FY2026 highway program specifically emphasizes preserving existing roads and bridges.
For contractors and maintenance departments, a significant part of that work happens before the new coating, repair or weld is applied.
It starts with getting back to a properly prepared surface.
Why Surface Preparation Matters on Steel Bridges
A coating system can only perform as well as the surface underneath it.
When steel bridge components are covered by loose rust, deteriorated coatings, scale or other buildup, those materials need to be addressed before many repair and recoating operations can proceed.
Common bridge surface preparation projects include:
- Rust and corrosion removal
- Old bridge paint removal
- Epoxy and coating removal
- Scale removal from structural steel
- Cleaning steel beams and girders
- Preparing areas around welds
- Localized coating repairs
- Preparing difficult-to-access structural components
- Cleaning steel beneath bridges and overpasses
- Concrete and masonry surface preparation
- Pavement marking and coating removal
This work can be particularly challenging around connections, edges, beams, girders and confined areas where large surface preparation equipment may not be practical.
A handheld mechanical surface preparation tool gives crews another option.
Aurand Tools for Bridge Rust, Paint and Coating Removal
Aurand has been manufacturing professional surface preparation equipment since 1937.
The company’s tools are designed to mechanically remove paint, rust, scale, epoxy, non-skid coatings and other hardened materials from metal and concrete surfaces. Applications specifically identified by Aurand include bridge structures, beams, girders, tanks, valves, industrial equipment and marine structures.
That experience translates naturally to bridge and highway infrastructure.
Aurand’s bridge maintenance tools can be used for jobs such as:
Removing Rust From Steel Bridge Components
Corrosion can form on girders, beams, cross members, structural connections and other exposed steel.
Aurand scalers mechanically attack rust and scale, allowing maintenance crews to work back toward a sound surface before performing the next stage of the repair or coating process.
Removing Old Paint and Protective Coatings
Bridge coatings eventually deteriorate and require maintenance.
Aurand tools are designed for aggressive removal of paint and other hardened coatings from metal surfaces, making them useful for localized bridge coating removal and rehabilitation projects.
Preparing Steel for Welding and Repairs
Repair work often requires access to clean steel.
Aurand tools can be used for grinding and weld-area preparation to remove coatings, scale and corrosion around areas scheduled for steel repair or welding.
Working on Beams, Girders and Underpasses
Bridge maintenance rarely happens on a perfectly flat, open surface.
Crews need equipment that can reach structural steel beneath decks, along girders, around edges and underneath overpasses.
Handheld Aurand tools give operators the ability to bring mechanical surface preparation directly to the work area.
Aurand has even documented an Aurand Model K7 in service with the Ohio Department of Transportation removing paint beneath an underpass, demonstrating exactly the type of infrastructure application these tools were designed to handle.
A Practical Alternative to Sandblasting for Many Maintenance Jobs
Abrasive blasting remains an important surface preparation method, particularly for large-scale coating removal projects. But not every bridge maintenance task requires mobilizing a complete blasting operation.
For localized repairs, smaller work areas and maintenance projects, blasting can introduce additional considerations involving containment, abrasive media, cleanup and equipment setup.
Aurand provides a mechanical alternative to sandblasting for appropriate surface preparation applications.
Instead of projecting abrasive material against the surface, an Aurand scaler uses rotating cutters to mechanically remove unwanted material.
For the right project, that can make Aurand especially useful for:
- Spot repairs
- Localized corrosion removal
- Maintenance beneath overpasses
- Preparing individual structural components
- Smaller coating removal projects
- Areas where blasting equipment is difficult to position
- Repair crews that need portable surface preparation capability
Aurand tools don’t replace every abrasive blasting application. They provide contractors with another highly useful option when mechanical removal makes more sense for the job.
The Aurand K7: A Proven Tool for Bridge Maintenance
One of Aurand’s most recognizable surface preparation tools is the K7 Series handheld deck scaler.
Don’t let the term “deck scaler” limit its application.
The K7 is a multi-purpose industrial surface preparation tool designed for metal and concrete. Depending on the model, it can function as a scaler, scarifier, paint remover, paint chipper and surface preparation tool.
The Aurand K7-1 features a five-inch clearing area and is rated for approximately 50–75 square feet per hour, while the eight-inch K7-1E is rated for approximately 65–90 square feet per hour. The tools are designed for applications including bridge structures, beams, girders, weld preparation, rust removal and epoxy coating removal.
For bridge contractors, that combination of portability and aggressive material removal makes the K7 particularly useful for targeted surface preparation work.
Electric, Pneumatic and Specialized Surface Preparation Options
Different bridge jobs require different equipment.
Aurand offers multiple configurations so contractors can select a surface preparation tool based on available power, working conditions and the material being removed.
Options include:
Electric handheld scalers for portable surface preparation where electrical power is readily available.
Pneumatic handheld scalers for crews already operating compressed-air equipment or working in industrial environments where pneumatic tools are preferred.
Vacuum-shroud models that can be connected to appropriate vacuum equipment to assist with dust and debris collection.
Needle scalers for more concentrated scaling and cleaning applications.
Walk-behind scarifiers for larger horizontal concrete and pavement surfaces.
Aurand also manufactures different cutter configurations, allowing equipment to be matched more closely to the surface and material being removed.
Built for Industrial Maintenance — Not Just Bridge Work
Another advantage for highway departments and contractors is versatility.
A tool purchased for bridge maintenance doesn’t have to spend the rest of the year sitting on a shelf.
The same Aurand equipment can be used for surface preparation on:
- Highway structures
- Concrete surfaces
- Industrial facilities
- Tanks and piping
- Parking areas
- Pavement markings
- Marine structures
- Power plants
- Retaining walls
- Steel fabrication and repair
- Municipal maintenance projects
That makes Aurand particularly attractive for public works departments, transportation agencies and contractors maintaining multiple types of infrastructure.
Made in the USA Since 1937
Surface preparation equipment used in bridge maintenance has a difficult job.
These tools are expected to remove materials specifically designed to stay attached to steel while operating in industrial environments day after day.
Aurand has focused on that type of work for decades.
Founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1937, Aurand continues to manufacture its surface preparation tools in the United States. More than 30,000 Aurand tools are estimated to be in service around the world, with equipment used across industries ranging from transportation and construction to shipyards, oil platforms and military marine maintenance.
That history matters when contractors are selecting equipment intended for ongoing infrastructure maintenance.
Choose Aurand for Your Next Bridge Surface Preparation Project
Bridge preservation depends on good inspection, sound engineering, quality repairs and durable coating systems.
But before much of that work can begin, someone has to remove the rust, scale, old paint and deteriorated coatings.
That’s what Aurand tools are built to do.
Whether you’re maintaining steel girders in Pennsylvania, rehabilitating an overpass in New York, preparing bridge steel in Ohio or performing infrastructure maintenance in Illinois, Aurand surface preparation tools provide a proven mechanical solution for bridge rust removal, paint removal and coating preparation.
From the K7 Series to pneumatic scalers, needle scalers and specialized cutter systems, Aurand offers professional-grade equipment built around one purpose: preparing difficult surfaces for what comes next.
For bridge contractors, highway departments, municipal maintenance crews and industrial surface preparation professionals, that’s a tool worth having on the job.
