BS EN ISO 15184:2020

What is ISO 15184 about?  

ISO 15184 discusses paints and varnishes. ISO 15184 specifies a method for determining the film hardness by pushing pencils of known hardness over the film. The rapid test in ISO 15184 has not been found to be useful in comparing the pencil hardness of different coatings. 

It is more useful in providing relative ratings for a series of coated panels exhibiting significant differences in pencil hardness. The method in ISO 15184 is applicable only to smooth surfaces. 

Who is ISO 15184 for? 

ISO 15184 on paints and varnishes (determination of film hardness by pencil test) is useful for: 

• Paint Manufacturers  
• Quality Control Personnel 

Why should you use ISO 15184? 

Pencil hardness measurements have been used by the paint and coating industry for many years, to determine the hardness of clear and pigmented organic coating films. This test method is also used to determine the cure of these coatings, especially when force-dried using heat. 

ISO 15184 discusses the pencil test to assess film hardness. The test in ISO 15184 can be performed on a single coating of paint, varnish, or related product, or on the upper layer of a multi-coat system. ISO 15184 helps you to evaluate the hardness of your coatings. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN ISO 15184:2020 supersedes BS EN ISO 15184:2012, which is withdrawn. BS EN ISO 15184:2020 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN ISO 15184:2012. These include: 

• The force of the instrument on the paint surface has been corrected to (7,35 ± 0,15) N 
• The statement in that by agreement, the test may also be carried out to determine the minimum pencil hardness which does not cause a cohesive fracture (the so-called "gouge" hardness) has been deleted top avoid confusion with those standards, where this test method is described 
• The text has been editorially revised and the normative references have been updated