Paint Performance Testing

Testing and Assessment of Coatings

Introduction

If an appropriate international standard exists (and if time and money allows) we would always regard testing to this standard as the preferred method of paint assessment. Unfortunately there are only a limited number of coating-related international standards with pass/fail criteria and some of these are time-consuming and expensive to carry out.

In order to overcome this problem, we have compiled suites of test methods (mainly international but with some in-house) which we regard as a means of obtaining the maximum amount of information with the minimum expenditure of time and money.

We do not set our own pass/fail criteria so we offer the following options:-

Option 1: Client Assessment

This option is available to clients who are happy to make their own interpretation of the test results. They can submit one or more coatings with or without a reference coating.

Option 2: PRA Assessment

This option is appropriate for clients who would like us to comment on the significance of the test results and to give our opinion on the performance of the coatings tested. Experience has shown that the most effective way that we can do this is:-

• we obtain a premium brand coating of the same type as the one under test; our report does not identify the actual coating obtained.
• we test both coatings.
• we issue a report which give the results obtained from both coatings and which includes our opinion of the quality of the coating under test.

Clients can submit their own reference coating but if they provide one which they do not make or market, we ask that they re-label it as (for example) "Sample X". We do not issue reports containing the names of coatings unless they are made or marketed by the client.

Hygienic coatings

When testing hygienic coatings there are two distinct types we have categorised them as:

Type A

Those designed to inhibit microbial growth (especially bacteria). These coatings are intended for use in hospital wards, food packaging areas and other locations where a sterile surface is required but where severe soiling is not expected.

Type B

Those which do not actively inhibit microbial growth but are designed to withstand frequent cleaning. Coatings of this type are intended for use in abattoirs, food preparation areas, hospital operating theatres and other areas where surfaces are liable to become soiled and need to be kept both clean and sterile.

Test Method Selection

The following tables list the coating types that we can assess with the appropriate test methods. For any given coating type, we test solventborne and waterborne variants in exactly the same way. When selecting a premium brand coating for comparison purposes however, we would normally compare solventborne with solventborne and waterborne with waterborne.