British Standard

A single copy of this British Standard is licensed to

chris sharkey
Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

on March 26, 2002

This is an uncontrolled copy. Ensure use of the most

current version of this document by searching British
Standards Online at bsonline.techindex.co.uk

BRITISH STANDARD

Methods of test for paints

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Part H1: Designation of

intensity, quantity and
size of common types of
defect: general
principles and rating
schemes
[ISO title: Paints and varnishes Evaluation of degradation of
paint coatings Designation of intensity, quantity and size of
common types of defect Part 1: General principles and rating
schemes]

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

information in the Introduction to BS 3900, issued separately.

UDC 667.613.72:620.191.3

BS 3900-H1:
1983
ISO 4628-1:
1982

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

BS 3900-H1:1983

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
29 April 1983
BSI 07-1999

Amendments issued since publication

First published April 1980

First revision April 1983

Amd. No.

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference PVC/10
Draft for comment 76/53284 DC
ISBN 0 580 13092 4

Date of issue

Comments

BS 3900-H1:1983

Contents

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Page
National foreword
ii
0
Introduction
1
1
Scope and field of application
1
2
Reference
1
3
Designation of intensity and quantity of defects
1
4
Designation of size of defects
2
5
Rating
2
6
Test report
2
Table 1 Uniform deterioration Rating scheme for designating the
intensity of deterioration consisting of a uniform change in the
visual appearance of the paint coating
1
Table 2 Scattered defects Rating scheme for designating the
quantity of defects consisting of discontinuities or other local
imperfections of the paint coating
1
Table 3 Rating scheme for designating the size
(order of magnitude) of defects
2
Publications referred to
Inside back cover

BSI 07-1999

BS 3900-H1:1983

National foreword

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

This Part of BS 3900 forms part of a revision of BS 3900-H1:1980 and has been
prepared under the direction of the Pigments, Paints and Varnishes Standards
Committee. It is identical with ISO 4628-1:1982 Paints and varnishes
Evaluation of degradation of paint coatings Designation of intensity, quantity
and size of common types of defect Part 1: General principles and rating
schemes, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
BS 3900-H1:1980, which was identical with ISO 4628-1:1978, presented in
section 1 the general principles of the system of evaluation adopted in the
standard and, also, detailed in sections 2 and 3 the rating schemes for assessing
respectively the degree of blistering and the degree of rusting. In 1982, however,
ISO 4628-1 was re-published in three separate Parts, Part 1: General principles
and rating schemes, Part 2: Designation of degree of blistering, and
Part 3: Designation of degree of rusting; these three Parts are now implemented
as Parts H1, H2 and H3, respectively, of BS 3900, this Part corresponding to
section 1 of BS 3900-H1:1980.
Thus this standard, together with BS 3900-H2 and BS 3900-H3, which are
published simultaneously, supersedes BS 3900-H1:1980, which is withdrawn.
Terminology and conventions. The text of the international standard has
been approved 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.
Wherever the words International Standard appear, referring to this standard,
they should be read as British Standard; and wherever the words this part of
ISO 4628 and ISO 4628-1 appear, they should be read as this Part of BS 3900
and BS 3900-H1 respectively.
Cross-references
International standards

Corresponding British Standards

ISO 4540:1980

BS 5466 Methods for corrosion testing of metallic

coatings
Part 6:1982 Ratings of results of corrosion tests on
electroplated coatings cathodic to the substrate
(Identical)
BS 3900 Methods of test for paints
Part H2:1983 Designation of degree of blistering
(Identical)
Part H3:1983 Designation of degree of rusting
(Identical)
Part H4:1983 Designation of degree of cracking
(Identical)
Part H5:1983 Designation of degree of flaking
(Identical)

ISO 4628-2:1982
ISO 4628-3:1982
ISO 4628-4:1982
ISO 4628-5:1982

ii

BSI 07-1999

BS 3900-H1:1983

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.

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

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 to iv,
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.
BSI 07-1999

iii

iv

blank

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

BS 3900-H1:1983

0 Introduction
This International Standard is one of a series of
standards dealing with the sampling and testing of
paints, varnishes and related products.
The other parts of ISO 4628 already published or in
course of preparation are:
Part 2: Designation of degree of blistering;
Part 3: Designation of degree of rusting;
Part 4: Designation of degree of cracking;
Part 5: Designation of degree of flaking;
Part 6: Designation of degree of chalking1).
Parts 2 to 6 provide auxiliary pictorial or other
reference scales for rating particular types of defect.
As far as possible, the scales are based on existing
well-established schemes.
The schemes given in this part of ISO 4628 are
intended to provide a system for describing, in a
standard manner, test areas showing the common
types of defects of coatings, in particular the defects
caused by ageing and weathering.

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

1 Scope and field of application

This part of ISO 4628 establishes a general system
for designating the intensity, quantity and size of
common types of defects of paint coatings and
outlines the basic principles of the system in respect
of designation of the intensity, quantity and size of
defects.

2 Reference
ISO 4540, Metallic coatings Coatings cathodic to
the substrate Rating of electroplated test
specimens subjected to corrosion tests.

3 Designation of intensity and

quantity of defects
A uniform convention has been adopted for
designating the intensity and quantity of defects by
means of ratings on a numerical scale ranging
from 0 to 5; 0 denoting no defects, and 5 denoting
defects so severe that further discrimination has no
practical meaning.
The other ratings, corresponding to the
numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4, are so defined that they give
an optimal discrimination over the whole range of
the scale.
The use of intermediate half-steps is permissible, if
required, to give a more detailed report of the
defects observed.

1)

A general description of each of the ratings is given

in Table 1 and Table 2.
Table 1 refers to defects consisting of a uniform
deterioration of the visual appearance of the
coating.
Table 2 applies to defects in the form of
discontinuities or other local irregularities of the
coating, scattered over the test area in a more or less
even pattern.
NOTE If appropriate, the quantity of small defects scattered
over the test area can be assessed in terms of their frequency by
means of a grid method. Details of such a method are described
in ISO 4540.

Table 1 Uniform deterioration Rating

scheme for designating the intensity of
deterioration consisting of a uniform
change in the visual appearance of the
paint coating
Rating

0
1
2
3
4
5

Intensity of change

unchanged, i.e. no perceptible change

very slight, i.e. just perceptible change
slight, i.e. clearly perceptible change
moderate, i.e. very clearly perceptible
change
considerable, i.e. pronounced change
severe, i.e. intense change

Table 2 Scattered defects Rating scheme

for designating the quantity of defects
consisting of discontinuities or other local
imperfections of the paint coating
Rating

0
1
2
3
4
5

Quantity of defects
(relative to a test surface area of 1 to 2 dm2)

none, i.e. no detectable defects

very few, i.e. some just significant defects
few, i.e. small but significant amount of
defects
moderate, i.e. medium amount of defects
considerable, i.e. serious amount of defects
dense, i.e. dense pattern of defects

At present at the stage of draft.

BSI 07-1999

BS 3900-H1:1983

Table 3 Rating scheme for designating the

size (order of magnitude) of defects
Class

0
1
2
3
4
5

Size of defect

not visible under X 10 magnification

only visible under magnification up to X 10
just visible with normal corrected vision
clearly visible with normal corrected vision
(up to 0,5 mm)
range 0,5 to 5 mm
larger than 5 mm

4 Designation of size of defects

The average size of defects shall be designated, if
required and meaningful, according to the
classification given in Table 3.

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

5 Rating
Rate the intensity or quantity of the observed
defects on the basis of the schemes given in Table 1
or Table 2, depending on the type of phenomenon in
question.
If applicable, also rate the average size of the
individual defects on the basis of the scheme given
in Table 3.

6 Test report
The test report shall contain at least the following
information:
a) the type and identification of the product
tested;
b) a reference to this International Standard
(ISO 4628-1);
c) the type of defect;
d) the intensity of the defect (Table 1) or,
e) the quantity of the defect (Table 2);
f) the rating, if any, of the size of the defect in
parentheses, preceded by the letter S.
Examples: cratering of top coat: 2 (S3)
whitening:
4
rivelling:
3 (S2)
If necessary, the test report may be amplified in
words, for example confined to edges or
blistering of top coat down to the undercoat.
The use of such comments shall, however, be
avoided wherever possible.
g) the date of the examination.

BSI 07-1999

BS 3900-H1:1983

Publications referred to

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

See national foreword.

BSI 07-1999

BS 3900-H1:
1983
ISO 4628-1:
1982

BSI British Standards Institution

BSI is the independent national body responsible for preparing
British Standards. It presents the UK view on standards in Europe and at the
international level. It is incorporated by Royal Charter.
Revisions
British Standards are updated by amendment or revision. Users of
British Standards should make sure that they possess the latest amendments or
editions.
It is the constant aim of BSI to improve the quality of our products and services.
We would be grateful if anyone finding an inaccuracy or ambiguity while using
this British Standard would inform the Secretary of the technical committee
responsible, the identity of which can be found on the inside front cover.
Tel: 020 8996 9000. Fax: 020 8996 7400.
BSI offers members an individual updating service called PLUS which ensures
that subscribers automatically receive the latest editions of standards.
Buying standards
Orders for all BSI, international and foreign standards publications should be
addressed to Customer Services. Tel: 020 8996 9001. Fax: 020 8996 7001.
In response to orders for international standards, it is BSI policy to supply the
BSI implementation of those that have been published as British Standards,
unless otherwise requested.

Licensed Copy: chris sharkey, March 26, 2002, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Information on standards
BSI provides a wide range of information on national, European and
international standards through its Library and its Technical Help to Exporters
Service. Various BSI electronic information services are also available which give
details on all its products and services. Contact the Information Centre.
Tel: 020 8996 7111. Fax: 020 8996 7048.
Subscribing members of BSI are kept up to date with standards developments
and receive substantial discounts on the purchase price of standards. For details
of these and other benefits contact Membership Administration.
Tel: 020 8996 7002. Fax: 020 8996 7001.
Copyright
Copyright subsists in all BSI publications. BSI also holds the copyright, in the
UK, of the publications of the international standardization bodies. Except as
permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 no extract may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written
permission from BSI.
This does not preclude the free use, in the course of implementing the standard,
of necessary details such as symbols, and size, type or grade designations. If these
details are to be used for any other purpose than implementation then the prior
written permission of BSI must be obtained.

BSI
389 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 4AL

If permission is granted, the terms may include royalty payments or a licensing

agreement. Details and advice can be obtained from the Copyright Manager.
Tel: 020 8996 7070.