What is ISO 2808 - Paints and varnishes about?
ISO 2808 is an international standard on paints and varnishes which covers the determination of film thickness.
ISO 2808 describes methods for measuring the thickness of coatings applied to a substrate. Methods for determining wet-film thickness, dry-film thickness and the film thickness of uncured powder layers are described.
For each method described, ISO 2808 provides an overview of the field of application, existing standards and the precision.
Who is ISO 2808 - Paints and varnishes for?
ISO 2808 on the determination of film thickness of paints and varnishes is useful for: 
- Paints and varnishes manufacturers
- Substrate coating professionals
Why should you use ISO 2808 - Paints and varnishes?
Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture to objects.
Varnish is a clear transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not a stain. It usually has a yellowish shade from the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmented as desired, and is sold commercially in various shades.
Film thickness is the depth of the coating applied. Film thickness can be broadly classified as: Wet film thickness - Wet film thickness (WFT) is the thickness of wet paint or any coating film that is liquid-based. Wet thickness is at its peak right after the application of the coating
ISO 2808 consistently enumerates the individual coatings applied in a multi-layer system by referring to the first coating applied on the substrate as coating 1. Some other standards referring to individual test methods enumerate in reverse order.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN ISO 2808:2019 supersedes BS EN ISO 2808:2007, which is withdrawn.
BS EN ISO 2808:2019 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN ISO 2808:2007. These are:
- The terms and definitions have been updated to ISO 4618 and ISO/IEC Guide 99
- White-light interferometer has been added as method 6C
- The existing methods have been adapted to the current state of metrology
- Information in Annex A on the precision of the individual methods has been adapted to current standards
- Annex C, on factors which influence measuring accuracy when measurements are performed on wood has been added
