The Need for Paint Testing
Paint hardness is the result of a chemical reaction between the paint and the substrate it adheres to. Coatings need to be hard enough to protect the surface they coat from abrasive media. The thickness of the paint, the type of paint, the nature of the substrate, and the surrounding temperature and humidity all play a role in affecting the hardness of the paint.
The paint hardness test can be used to rate its resilience to scratching, polishing, scraping, gouging, rubbing and other external abrasive forces. Companies need to know the hardness of their coating to determine if it is suitable for their intended application. ATS' Environmental Testing Laboratory has the necessary tools and techniques to help businesses accurately assess coating hardness. Our testing services provide clear data with quick and concise results.
Pencil Hardness Test
Pencil hardness test is one of the very popular testing methods in the paint industry. The procedure consists of making marks on the coated board at a 45-degree angle using pencils of increasing hardness until one is identified that will not damage the coating.
ASTM D3363
ISO 15184
Determining gouging and/or scratch (mar) hardness
fast results
