BRITISH STANDARD

Methods of test for paints

Part A16:
Determination of
natural spreading rate
by brush application
[ISO title: Paints and varnishes Assessment of natural
spreading rate Brush application]

It is recommended that this Part be read in conjunction with the general

information in the Introduction to BS 3900, issued separately.

UDC 667.612:667.612.62:667.644.2

BS 3900-A16:
1986
ISO 7254:
1984

BS 3900-A16:1986

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Pigments,
Paints and Varnishes
Standards Committee, was
published under the authority
of the Board of BSI and comes
into effect on
31 October 1986
BSI 10-1999
The Committees responsible for
this British Standard are shown
in BS 3900: Introduction.
The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference PVC/10
Draft for comment 82/55557 DC
ISBN 0 580 15367 3

Amendments issued since publication

Amd. No.

Date of issue

Comments

BS 3900-A16:1986

Contents
National foreword
0
Introduction
1
Scope and field of application
2
References
3
Definition
4
Apparatus
5
Sampling
6
Test panels
7
Procedure
8
Report
Publications referred to

BSI 10-1999

Page
ii
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
Inside back cover

BS 3900-A16:1986

National foreword
This Part of BS 3900 has been prepared under the direction of the Pigments,
Paints and Varnishes Standards Committee. It is identical with
ISO 7254:1984 Paints and varnishes Assessment of natural spreading rate
Brush application, published by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO).
Terminology and conventions. The text of the International Standard has
been accepted as suitable for publication as a British Standard without deviation.
Some terminology and certain conventions are not identical with those used in
British Standards; attention is drawn especially to the following.
The comma has been used as a decimal marker. In British Standards it is current
practice to use a full point on the baseline as the decimal marker.
In British Standards, it is current practice to use the symbol L for litre (and in
its submultiples) rather than l.
Wherever the words International Standard appear, referring to this standard,
they should be read as British Standard.
Cross-references
International Standard

Corresponding British Standard

BS 3900 Methods of test for paints

ISO 1512:1974

Part A1:1970 Sampling

(Technically equivalent)

ISO 1513:1980

Part A2:1983 Examination and preparation of samples for

testing
(Identical)

ISO 1514:1984

Part A3:1986 Standard panels for paint testing

(Identical)

ISO 2811:1974

Part A12:1975 Determination of density

(Technically equivalent)

The Technical Committee has reviewed the provisions of ISO 3270:1984, to

which reference is made in the text, and has decided that they are acceptable
for use in conjunction with this standard. There is at present no British Standard
equivalent to the 1984 edition of ISO 3270 (although the 1974 edition of ISO 3270
is given as a National appendix to BS 3900-C8:1978), but it is intended to
implement ISO 3270:1984 in a revision of BS 3900 General introduction.
Additional information. The revision of ISO 1514, referred to in the footnote to
clause 2, was published in 1984.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 and 2, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.
ii

BSI 10-1999

BS 3900-A16:1986

0 Introduction

3 Definition

This International Standard is one of a series of

standards dealing with the sampling and testing of
paints, varnishes and related products.
For any particular application, the method of test
described in this International Standard needs to be
completed by the following supplementary
information. This information should be derived in
part or totally from an (inter)national standard or
other document related to the product under test or,
if appropriate, should be agreed between the
interested parties.
a) Material, thickness and surface preparation of
the substrate.
b) The method of expressing the natural
spreading rate (see clause 3).
c) The attitude of the test surface, i.e. whether
horizontal or vertical.
d) The temperature of application of the paint or
varnish.

For the purpose of this International Standard, the

following definition applies:

1 Scope and field of application

Take a representative sample of the product to be

tested (or of each product in the case of a multi-coat
system) as described in ISO 1512.
Examine and prepare the sample for testing as
described in ISO 1513.

1.1 This International Standard describes a method

for assessing the natural spreading rate of
application of a product (in terms of area per wet
film mass or area per wet film volume, as
appropriate) when applied by brush to test panels.
1.2 The method is not suitable for products that
contain highly volatile solvents.
NOTE The results are dependent on the type and nature of the
substrate. Although consistent results may be obtained by one
operator, care should be taken if results between operators and
between laboratories are to be compared. In such circumstances,
the use of a common reference product is recommended.

2 References
ISO 1512, Paints and varnishes Sampling.
ISO 1513, Paints and varnishes Examination and
preparation of samples for testing.
ISO 1514, Paints and varnishes Standard panels
for testing1).
ISO 2811, Paints and varnishes Determination of
density.
ISO 3270, Paints and varnishes and their raw
materials Temperatures and humidities for
conditioning and testing.

1) At

natural spreading rate

the average area per wet film mass or the average
area per wet film volume when applied uniformly by
a skilled operator using a brush to give a film free
from runs, sags and tears
NOTE The natural spreading rate is expressed either in m2/kg
(area per mass) or m2/l (area per volume).

4 Apparatus
4.1 Brush, of good quality hog bristle or nylon
monofilament, about 50 mm wide.
A new brush should not be used for the preparation
of test panels, but one that has been conditioned by
previous use.
4.2 Balance, accurate to 10 mg.

5 Sampling

6 Test panels
Unless otherwise specified, the test panels shall
comply with, and shall be prepared as described in,
ISO 1514.
Unless otherwise specified the test panels shall be
rectangular with sides 300 mm 600 mm.
NOTE Because of the practical difficulty in accurately weighing
the mass of product applied, the area of the test panel should be
not less than 0,1 m2.

7 Procedure
7.1 Conditions of application
For referee purposes and unless otherwise agreed,
application shall be carried out in duplicate
at 23 2 C and a relative humidity of 50 5 %.
See also ISO 3270.
7.2 Surface area
Measure the linear dimensions of the test panel to
an accuracy of 1 % and determine the surface area
of the face to be painted.

present at the stage of draft. (Revision of ISO 1514:1974.)

BSI 10-1999

BS 3900-A16:1986

7.3 Assessment of spreading rate from wet film

mass
7.3.1 Condition the brush (4.1) by applying some of
the product under test to a clean surface, working
the product well into the bristles. Immediately
weigh, to the nearest 10 mg, a container holding the
conditioned brush and sufficient wet product to coat
the test panel.
7.3.2 Apply the product to the panel as quickly as
possible to give a film free from sags, runs or other
defects.
7.3.3 Reweigh the brush and container.
7.3.4 Calculate the natural spreading rate (area per
wet film mass) of the product from equation (1).
1 000 A
S N ( m ) = ------------------------m1 m2

. . . (1)

where
A is the area, in square metres, of the test panel;
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the container, brush
and product, before application;
m2 is the mass, in grams, of the container, brush
and product, after application;
SN (m) is the natural spreading rate, in square
metres per kilogram.
7.4 Assessment of spreading rate from wet film
volume
7.4.1 Determine the density of the product by the
method described in ISO 2811.
7.4.2 Carry out the procedure described in 7.3.1
to 7.3.3.

7.4.3 Calculate the natural spreading rate (area per

wet film volume) of the product from equation (2).
1 000 A
S N ( V ) = ---------------------------------m 1 m2

. . . (2)

where
A is the area, in square metres, of the test panel;
is the density, in grams per millilitre, of the
product;
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the container, brush
and product, before application;
m2 is the mass, in grams, of the container, brush
and product, after application;
SN (V) is the natural spreading rate, in square
metres per litre.

8 Report
The report shall contain at least the following
information:
a) the type and identification of the product
applied;
b) a reference to this International Standard
(ISO 7254);
c) the items of supplementary information
referred to in the introduction to this
International Standard;
d) a reference to the (inter)national standard,
product specification or other document
supplying the information referred to in c) above;
e) the results in terms of the stated requirements;
f) any deviation, by agreement or otherwise, from
the procedure specified;
g) the date of the application of the product.

BSI 10-1999

BS 3900-A16:1986

Publications referred to
See national foreword.

BSI 10-1999

BS 3900-A16:
1986
ISO 7254:
1984

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