The surface gloss measurement test examines the degree of gloss achieved by the surface coating, using an instrument capable of recording data from different angles.
Gloss is one of the main aesthetic characteristics of surface coatings, just like the colour itself. For this reason, measuring the gloss of the coating is essential for assessing the appearance of a surface-coated article.
Using a gloss meter, it is possible to determine the degree of gloss achieved by the coating and whether it meets expectations.
It must be considered that visual appearance can determine people’s perception of a product and that this perception is subjective. To circumvent this “personal” component, one of the measurement parameters used to define and quantify the overall visual quality of a product is gloss. For this reason, it is essential to assess it with safe, standardised and easily replicable tests.
Gloss is measured by aiming a beam of light at a constant intensity, at a fixed angle, at the surface to be assessed and then monitoring the amount of light reflected from the same angle. This specular reflectance is measured using the gloss meter mentioned above. It should be noted that different surfaces require different reflection angles.
Gloss is classified as matt, semi-gloss or gloss, and the unit of measurement that governs it is called Gloss Units (GU). The process involves measuring 3 different angles of reflectance, at 20, 60 and 85 degrees.
The standard governing this test is ISO 2813.