Volume Solids and Spreading Rate

What Is Volume Solids?

All paints are made up of resin, pigments, additives (such as stabilisers, antifoams and thickeners) and solvent. After the paint is applied, the solvent evaporates, leaving only the dry SOLIDS in the form of a continuous coating.

5.3

The solids can be expressed as a volume percentage of the entire volume of the can of paint. For example, if solvent takes up half the paint volume, then one can say that the paint is 50% solids. One can therefore expect that if a wet coat of paint is applied to a wet film thickness of 100 microns, the dry paint film will be 50 microns in thickness. % Volume Solids = Dry Film Thickness x 100 Wet Film Thickness

So, for a product that, when applied, had a measured wet film film thickness of 100 microns, microns and after the solvent had evaporated, left a dry film of 50 microns, microns the volume solids would be: % Volume Solids = 50 x 100 = 100 50%

We rarely need to calculate volume solids, though, as it is quoted on the product data sheet. The volume solids value can help you calculate theoretical spreading rates, the wet film thickness to deliver the required dry film thickness and corrected wet and dry film thicknesses when thinned by a known amount of solvent.

Relationship Between Spreading Rate And Volume Solids

If you have the volume solids value, and know what dry film thickness you require, then you can calculate what the wet film thickness needs to be using some simple mathematical formulae: Wet Film Thickness Spreading Rate (m2/litre) = = Dry Film Thickness x 100 % Volume Solids % Volume Solids x 10 DFT Required

Example
A section of steel needs to be coated in 125 microns (DFT) of Duremax GPE, which is 71% solids. solids What is the wet film thickness required? Wet Film Thickness = 125 microns x 100 71 = 176 microns

To achieve this wet film thickness, what should the spreading rate be (in square metres per litre)? Spreading Rate (m2/litre) = % Volume Solids x 10 DFT Required = 71 x 10 125 = 5.7 m2/litre

Volume Solids and Spreading Rate

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Volume Solids and Spreading Rate

5.3

Effect Of Thinner On Volume Solids And Wet Film Thickness

We often need to thin a product down to apply it more easily in certain conditions. If we know the volume solids of a product and the dry film thickness required, and add a precisely known amount of thinner, the wet film thickness and the spreading rate required can be calculated thus: Corrected % Volume Solids = % Volume Solids x 100 (100 + % Thinner added) Dry film thickness x (100 + % Thinner added) % Volume solids

Corrected Wet Film Thickness =

Example:
If we are to apply Duremax GPE, GPE with a Volume Solids of 71%, 71% to a dry film thickness of 125 microns after adding 5% thinner: thinner Corrected % Volume Solids Wet Film Thickness Spreading Rate (m2/litre) = = = % Volume Solids x 100 (100 + % Thinner added) Dry film thickness x 100 Corrected % Volume Solids Corrected % Volume Solids x 10 DFT Required = = = 71 x 100 100 + 5 125 x 100 67.6 67.6 x 10 125 = = = 67.6 % 185 microns 5.4 m2/litre

Converting From Theoretical To Practical Spreading Rate

Theoretical spreading rates are based on the volume solids of each product and offer a factual starting point from which to estimate practical spreading rates. The amount necessary to reduce theoretical rate to arrive at practical rate is best determined by experience with similar jobs, since it depends on:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Type of object being painted. Material needed to fill in the surface depressions caused by pitting and by abrasive blasting. Excessive film thickness over the required minimum. Material losses due to: wastage in pots, hoses, brush, rollers, overspray, wind losses, etc. Skill and experience of spray painter and painters. Porosity of surfaces.

Practical spreading rates may be estimated using the following rule of thumb:
Application by brush or roller Application by airless spray Application by conventional spray 10 15% reduction in theoretical spreading rate 10 15% reduction in theoretical spreading rate 40 50% reduction in theoretical spreading rate

Estimation of Paint Required

Volume of paint (litres) = 10 x Area (sqm) x Dry film thickness % Volume Solids x (100 % Wastage)
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Volume Solids and Spreading Rate

Volume Solids and Spreading Rate

Wet Film Thickness (microns)
Volume Solids (%)
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

5.3

Specified Dry Film Thickness (microns) 20

200 133 100 80 66 57 50 44 40 36 30 -

25
250 166 125 100 83 71 62 55 50 45 41 38 35 -

30
300 200 150 120 100 85 75 66 60 54 50 46 42 40 37 -

35
350 233 175 140 117 100 87 77 70 63 58 53 50 46 43 41 38 -

40
400 266 200 160 133 114 100 88 80 72 66 61 57 53 50 47 44 42 40

50
333 250 200 166 142 125 111 100 90 83 76 71 66 62 58 55 52 50

60
300 240 200 171 150 133 120 109 100 100 85 80 75 70 66 63 60

75
300 250 214 187 166 150 136 125 115 107 100 93 88 83 78 75

90
300 257 225 200 180 163 150 138 128 120 112 105 100 94 90

100
285 250 222 200 181 166 153 142 133 125 117 111 105 100

125
357 312 277 250 227 208 192 178 166 156 147 138 131 125

200
500 444 400 363 333 307 285 266 250 235 222 210 200

250
555 500 454 416 384 357 333 312 294 277 263 250

300
545 500 461 428 400 375 352 333 315 300

350
538 500 466 437 411 388 368 350

500
666 625 588 555 526 500

1000
1111 1052 1000

Theoretical Spreading Rate (m2/L)

Dry Film Thickness (micron)
20 25 30 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 250 300 400 500

Volume Solids (%) 20

10.0 8.0 6.7 4.0 2.7 2.0 1.6 1.3 1.1 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.4

25
12.5 10.0 8.3 5.0 3.3 2.5 2.0 1.7 1.4 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.5

30
15.0 12.0 10.0 6.0 4.0 3.0 2.4 2.0 1.7 1.5 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6

35
17.5 14.0 11.7 7.0 4.7 3.5 2.8 2.3 2.0 1.8 1.4 1.2 0.9 0.7

40
20.0 16.0 13.3 8.0 5.3 4.0 3.2 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.6 1.3 1.0 0.8

45
22.5 18.0 15.0 9.0 6.0 4.5 3.6 3.0 2.6 2.3 1.8 1.5 1.1 0.9

50
25.0 20.0 16.7 10.0 6.7 5.0 4.0 3.3 2.9 2.5 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0

55
27.5 22.0 18.3 11.0 7.3 5.5 4.4 3.7 3.1 2.8 2.2 1.8 1.4 1.1

60
30.0 24.0 20.0 12.0 8.0 6.0 4.8 4.0 3.4 3.0 2.4 2.0 1.5 1.2

65
32.5 26.0 21.7 13.0 8.7 6.5 5.2 4.3 3.7 3.3 2.6 2.2 1.6 1.3

70
35.0 28.0 23.3 14.0 9.3 7.0 5.6 4.7 4.0 3.5 2.8 2.3 1.8 1.4

75
37.5 30.0 25.0 15.0 10.0 7.5 6.0 5.0 4.3 3.8 3.0 2.5 1.9 1.5

80
40.0 32.0 26.7 16.0 10.7 8.0 6.4 5.3 4.6 4.0 3.2 2.7 2.0 1.6

85
42.5 34.0 28.3 17.0 11.3 8.5 6.8 5.7 4.9 4.3 3.4 2.8 2.1 1.7

90
45.0 36.0 30.0 18.0 12.0 9.0 7.2 6.0 5.1 4.5 3.6 3.0 2.3 1.8

95
47.5 38.0 31.7 19.0 12.7 9.5 7.6 6.3 5.4 4.8 3.8 3.2 2.4 1.9

100
50.0 40.0 33.3 20.0 13.3 10.0 8.0 6.7 5.7 5.0 4.0 3.3 2.5 2.0

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Volume Solids and Spreading Rate

Corrected Volume Solids After Thinning (%)
Original Volume Solid (%)
15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

5.3

Percentage Thinner Added (%) 5

14 19 24 29 33 38 43 48 52 57 62 67 71 76 81 86 90 95

10
13.6 18 23 27 32 36 41 45 50 55 59 64 68 73 77 82 86 91

15
13 17 22 26 30 35 39 43 48 52 56 61 65 70 74 78 83 87

20
12.5 16.7 21 25 29 33 37 42 46 50 54 58 62 67 71 75 79 83

25
12. 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80

33
11 15 19 23 26 30 34 38 41 45 49 53 56 60 64 68 71 75

50
10 13 17 20 23 27 30 33 37 40 43 47 50 53 57 60 63 67

For more information, please contact the Dulux Protective Coatings Technical Consultant in your state, or refer Dulux Protective Coatings Product Manual CD.

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