Tests and Certifications

BS7976-2

The test: To measure slip resistance a Coefficient of Friction (CoF) test is used.

How it works: A pendulum slip test (or PTV) is the UK’s preferred test method for measuring floor slipperiness in both wet and dry areas. The pendulum test imitates the way a heel makes contact with the floor. The swinging pendulum glides over the floor in a controlled manner giving a measurable Pendulum Test Value, or PTV.

The results: A PTV tested with a wet result value of 0-24 indicates a high risk of slip. Between 25-35 is a moderate risk and anything above 36 is classed as low risk. We’re pleased to say all our anti slip coatings have a PTV value above 36. The products with the best PTV rating are Safety Grip, Heavy Duty Anti Slip Traffic Paint and ArmourGrip which all have a fantastic wet PTV above 70. Results for all products can be viewed here.

ISO 1519

The test: A Mandrel Flex Tester is used to determine elasticity, adhesion and elongation of paint.

How it works: A thin metal sheet is painted and bent 180 degrees around a piece of equipment called a Mandrel, causing it to stretch.  The sheet is bent over a range of diameters until it reaches a specific diameter where it starts to crack, delaminate or show some sign of physical defect.  The diameter it cracks at gives the flexibility result. The higher the diameter it cracks at, the less flexible the coating is.

The results: The coatings which demonstrated the highest flexibility passed the 2mm test which is the best result you can get. Our top coating for flexibility is Flexicoat.

ISO 6272

The test: The impact resistance test shows how much impact is needed before the coating shows signs of cracking or disbonding altogether. 

How it works: A 2kg weight on a rail is dropped from a pre-determined height, onto a coated metal sheet. If the coating shows signs of impact but hasn’t actually cracked, it’s classed as a pass, but if it cracks it’s a fail, therefore the test has to be carried out again varying the weight and height, until it gets to a point where the paint film is still intact. So, how impact resistant it is, is determined by the calculation between the height from which the weight has been dropped, and the size of the weight itself.

The results: The results are expressed in Newton meters (NM), and the higher the Newton meters, the better the impact resistance.  To pass the CE marking threshold, coatings must have a minimum of 4 Newton meters which equates to a Class 1 rating.  As a guide to how impact resistant our coatings are, Concrete Floor Paint Best Ever Formula, which is a single pack floor paint, not a two pack, has in excess of 20 Newton meters and that equates to Class 3 which is excellent and well exceeds the pass mark.

ISO 45862

The test: Scratch resistance is measured using a Sclerometer and the resistance is measured in Newtons. The Sclerometer is used to assess a coating’s resistance to permanent damage.

How it works: The test is performed by moving the hardened tip over the surface with a predetermined force. The coating is then visually examined for damage, the harder the coating, the greater the force required to scratch it.

The results: The results are expressed in Newtons as it’s a measurement of force.  The higher the result the more scratch resistant the coating is. 1N is the lowest resistance, 20N is the highest. Scratch resistance is important since scratches dull a paint surface and make it difficult to clean. 

EN 1062-3

The test: The Water Permeability/Capillary Absorption test to EN1062-3, indicates how effectively a coating will prevent ingress of water into the substrate, or how well it will waterproof and protect the substrate.

How it works: 3 bricks are completely sealed with a coating on all sides, except one, then immersed in water for 24 hours.  The weight of the bricks is recorded before and after the immersion, to see how much water has been absorbed.

The difference in weight, and the surface area of the coating of all three bricks, are then calculated to see how much water has been absorbed in 24hrs.

The results: The result is the average taken from all three bricks. To pass the CE marking, there has to be less than 0.1 kilograms of water absorption, per metre squared. Look for the test results on the product data sheet for areas where damp proofing are important.

EN 17/3

The test: The aim of the Food Taint Test is to determine whether a coating has the potential to taint food after it has cured. This test is crucial in food preparation areas where hygiene is important on all surfaces.

How it works: A specialist testing centre is used for food taint testing. Trained technicians are used to taste chocolate which has been in contact with a coating against similar chocolate which has not.

A glass tile, which has been cut to a specific size, is coated and left to cure for 7 days. It then goes into a sealed unit alongside the chocolate; the coating and the chocolate do not come into contact with each other.  The point of the test is to see if any chemical or fume given off by the coating is transferred atmospherically to the chocolate, thus contaminating it and changing how it tastes.

At the same time an identical test is carried out using chocolate from the same pack, but this time it goes into a sealed unit without the coated glass tile. Both lots of chocolate are left in the sealed unit for 24 hours before given to 30 specialist ‘sensory tasters’.  Not a bad job really!

The results: If there is any hint of contamination, it’s automatically a fail, but if the ‘tasters’ can’t detect any change in the chocolate whatsoever, then it’s a pass.

The test: Our coatings have been tested to see just how resistant they are when subjected to chemical attack. 

How it works: The coating is totally submerged in the chemical for 28 days.  After immersion, the strength of the coating is measured, using the Shore D Hardness Test.  We have tested to Class 2, which is immersion in the chemical for 28 days without pressure. The Shore D Hardness Test works by inserting a small spike into the coating.  The effort needed to push the spike into the coating is measured, and this determines how hard or soft the coating is after the chemical attack.

The results:  The criteria for CE Marking EN 13529, (resistance to severe chemical attack), states that the coating must not decrease in its Shore D value of less than 50%. Our coatings have been tested using a range of more commonly used chemicals and we have subsequently rated their overall chemical resistance as Excellent, Very Good, Good and Limited.

Watco Chemi- Coat has been designed to offer excellent chemical resistance, with Chemi-Coat Acid Strength resisting 98% concentration of sulphuric acid.

BS8493:2008

The test: Our coatings have been tested to give an accurate measurement of the amount of light that is reflected from the surface.

How it works: LRV stands for light reflective value and is measured in accordance with BS8493:2008. The LRV is measured using a Datacolour Spectro 700 Spectrophotometer. This machine captures the true spectral fingerprint of any colour, giving an accurate measurement of the amount of light that is reflected from the surface.

The results:  An LRV runs on a scale of 0% - 100%. A perfect black would have a LRV of 0%, whilst a perfect white would have an LRV of 100% (neither of these currently exist!). If the colour has a LRV value of below 50%, you know the colour will be absorbing more light than it will be reflecting back into the room. The opposite applies for colours with an LRV value above 50%.