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Coating gloss level

Useful

Coating gloss level

A practical explanation of the core terms and differences between coating gloss levels.

Coating gloss level
What matters most

Sometimes the gloss level alone can completely change how a finished product looks. Gloss is measured in % at a specific measurement angle. As a rule, the higher the gloss, the more light is reflected from the surface.

  • Glossy coatings are easier to polish and clean from contamination. However, they tend to highlight surface imperfections and inadequate substrate preparation.
  • Matt coatings can conceal substrate defects to some extent and are less demanding on application quality. On the other hand, cleaning a matt-coated surface is more difficult compared to glossy finishes.
  • The right gloss level depends on the product's end use, customer requirements and the environment in which it will be deployed.
Gloss levels at 60° ISO 2813
Deep matt – < 5 % glossMatt – 6–10 % glossSemi-matt – 11–40 % glossSemi-gloss – 41–70 % glossGloss – 71–90 % glossHigh gloss – 91–97 % gloss