PAINT TYPE TESTING

IDENTIFYING THE SUBSTRATE

THE FOLLOWING SIMPLE TESTS WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY THE SUBSTRATE

TEST	RESULT	NATURE OF SUBSTRATE
Rub the paintwork with a rag soaked in	The paint softens or dissolves	Nitro-cellulose or acrylic lacquer
nitro-cellulose thinner	and the rag becomes stained with
	the colour of the paint

	The paint is not attacked by the	High -bake synthetic or high-bake
	solvent	acrylic enamel

		Aged and fully cured air-dry
		synthetic enamel

	swelling or pickling of the paint	air-dry synthetic enamel which
		has not fully cured

		Degraded lacquer finish

Polish paintwork with rubbing	Staining of the polishing cloth	Single layer finish
compound
	polishing cloth remains unstained	Basecoat and clear

Flat finish with P600-P1200 grit	Coloured flatting sludge	Single layer finish
paper
	Whitish flatting sludge	Base coat and clear

Flat finish with P500 grit paper	finish feels rubbery and /or clogs	Incompletely cured enamel
	abrasive paper