Your Partner in Surface Prep
I’m Dianna To, founder of Strategic Surface Solutions - a consulting firm built on the principle that surface preparation is where coating systems are won or lost.
I work with owners, contractors, and manufacturers to translate complex specifications into practical, inspectable solutions. I push for honest product testing (not manufacturer-sponsored results) and I hold spec owners accountable to surface preparation requirements that go beyond the minimums printed on a product data sheet. The industry has accepted “good enough” for too long. I don’t.
Here's what drives me
I’ve seen firsthand how unethical practices and a lack of transparency can undermine even the most critical projects and specifications. That's why I broke away from companies that prioritized profit over integrity. I wanted to build something different. My mission is to bring honesty and accountability to the coatings and corrosion industry. I believe in doing business with integrity, and building lasting relationships based on trust.
Deep Industry Involvement:
My industry engagement spans multiple fronts. From chairing AMPP's Surface Preparation Standards and contributing to the NSRP’s Surface Prep and Coatings Panel, to active involvement in various committees, I ensure my guidance is consistently current and practically applicable.
Relationship-Driven
Every client is working with a different substrate, a different environment, and a different set of constraints. I don't start with a pre-built solution; I start by understanding your actual problem. That means taking the time to listen to specifiers, asset owners, and contractors, then getting everyone aligned and working from the same page. When needed, that alignment includes training, making sure the people executing in the field understand the spec, the standards, and what quality actually looks like on the job. When everyone from the spec writer to the applicator is working from the same baseline, projects go better. I build that on purpose.
Independent Perspective
I don't sell products. That independence is what makes my assessments worth something. Whether I'm reviewing a product, writing a specification, or training your QC personnel and applicators on how to implement one, the only agenda is technical accuracy and long-term performance. For manufacturers, that means honest feedback on testing gaps, product positioning, and path to spec inclusion, including the feedback that's inconvenient. For asset owners and contractors, it means recommendations you can trust aren't tied to someone's sales target.
Proven Results
Whether you're an asset owner protecting infrastructure, a contractor executing in the field, or a manufacturer trying to get your product specified and trusted - I deliver outcomes. Specs that hold up under scrutiny. Surface preparation programs that reduce rework. Training that builds real field competence in your applicators, inspectors, and project teams. Partnerships that last past the project closeout.
Ready to get the spec right?
Whether you need a spec written from scratch, a product evaluated honestly, or your team trained to execute - let's talk.
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