Ask the Expert Question-and-Answer Archive

by Ron Joseph

November, 2003

Measuring Orange Peel Levels of Paint

Q. We are using a byk-gardner wavescan plus, to measure our orange peel levels. Which one is used longwave or shortwave to measure the visual appearance of the paint? We spray Ford transit vans here, in your opinion what would be acceptable figures of both long and shortwave for vertical/horizontal panels?

A. Unfortunately I don't own this instrument and hence can't give you an answer. However, the values that you select for pass/fail are dependent on what you are painting, what your customer will accept, the color of the paint, (some colors show orange peel more predominantly than others).

If I were in your position, I would paint up a series of panels with varying degrees of orange peel. Allow the paint to properly dry and cure. Show the panels to your marketing people, customers, or whoever dictates what is, or is not acceptable.

Measure the long and short-wave orange peel levels at which the panels would be rejected, and make this your Q. C. standard.