Paint (Coatings) Performance Testing

KTA’s analytical and physical testing laboratories work together to provide independent coatings performance testing for owners and associations in order to generate test data for development of Qualified Products Lists (QPL). This process allows facility owners to obtain competitive pricing for coating materials without sacrificing performance, since all of the coating systems on the QPL have been tested and “pre-approved” for use. This instills a greater degree of confidence that the coating system will provide long term corrosion protection.

Testing procedures include both compositional analysis and performance testing. The compositional analysis is used to generate baseline properties, so that field batch testing data can be compared to properties of the coatings “as qualified.” Compositional testing includes, but is not limited to coating characterization tests such as infrared spectroscopic analysis; volatile organic compound (VOC) content and exempt solvent analysis; toxic metals content; isocyanate content for polyurethane coatings; presence of hindered amine light stabilizers; density; solids content by weight; solids content by volume; pigment content by weight; percentage of zinc in the dry film and zinc purity; viscosity, sag resistance; and dry time. Performance testing includes but is not limited to salt fog resistance; cyclic weathering resistance including color and gloss stability assessment; water fog resistance; abrasion resistance, adhesion, resistance to thermal cycling, slip coefficient and tensioned creep testing for slip-critical connections, resistance to cathodic disbondment; immersion testing; flexibility; and impact resistance.

KTA has demonstrated such services on the following representative projects: