coating is, the Taber Abrasion Test replicates years of actual use in just a few hours.
A metal plate is coated, left to cure and put onto a turntable. As the turntable rotates at a fixed speed, two abrasive wheels, applied at a specific pressure, are then lowered onto the coating.
The plate is then weighed to see how much coating has been worn by the two wheels and the result is expressed in milligrams. The lower the milligram value the more abrasion resistant the coating is. To obtain a CE marking, the results have to be less than 3000 milligrams.
IMPACT RESISTANCE TEST Coatings are used in many different environments, and for certain environments, such as workshops or garages, impact resistance can be a real factor when deciding which one to use.
The test shows how much impact is needed before the coating shows signs of cracking or disbonding altogether. 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, so 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, impact resistance, is determined by the calculation between the height from which the weight has been dropped, and the size of the weight itself.
STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
Steve Chanter from Watco explains the
range of tests that a floor coating can go through to obtain CE accreditation.
When choosing floor paint, there are various things to take into consideration. What is important to one customer may be different to another. Probably the three most important qualities in a coating are just how durable it is, how well it bonds to the floor and how well it stands up to scratching. Because painting a floor is inconvenient and time consuming, the longer the paint lasts the better.
To give customers more insight into the products they are buying, Chemists at Watco completed a series of tests across the whole coating range, to relevant ISO standards.
ABRASION RESISTANCE TEST To find out just how abrasion resistant or hardwearing a
46 | FLOORCARE & MAINTENANCE
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 4NM which equates to a Class 1 rating.
ADHESION RESISTANCE Cross-Cut Test determines how much resistance a coating has, when a special serrated tool, used at right angles, is used to cut through the coating in a criss-cross type pattern. The Adhesion Pull Off Test measures how much force is needed to pull a coating off the floor.
WATER PERMEABILITY 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.
Coatings from Watco are also tested for scratch resistance, slip resistance and to see how resistant they are to chemicals. As well as this they undergo tests for flexibility, and whether or not the coating would taint food after it has cured. Finally the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) carries out five tests to check whether the coating is toxic or can support fungal or bacterial growth. The WRAS if the coating passes all five then it is given a BS6920 Water Potability certificate
It’s impossible to say exactly how long a coating will last, but using a product that has undertaken extensive testing to achieve a CE Mark standard, will extended the lifespan of the floor, and reduce the cost of maintenance.
www.watco.co.uk www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64