For over 20 years, specialized coatings have been applied on surfaces to resist the application of graffiti and make removal easier. However, “companies have been making claims about the graffiti-resistance of their product without any standardized test protocol,” said Lloyd Smith, Ph.D., vice president, Corrosion Control Consultants and Labs, Inc. “ASTM D 6578 gives a standardized protocol for evaluating graffiti resistance, and a method for reporting the results.”

Published in September for coatings manufacturers and users, ASTM D 6578, Standard Practice for Determination of Graffiti Resistance, was developed by ASTM Subcommittee D01.46 on Industrial Protective Coatings within Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications.

“To date, any claim made about graffiti-resistance of a coating was dependent upon how the manufacturer tested this property,” Smith explained. “Now a standard method exists for users to evaluate coatings themselves, or compare information from different manufacturers.”

D 6578 describes procedures that provide a standard set of conditions. “The ability to remove graffiti is dependent upon the age of the coating and how long the graffiti has been in place,” Smith said. “D 6578 presents methods for evaluating graffiti-resistance on aged coatings, and graffiti-resistance of aged markings.”

The standard was initiated by paint and coatings manufacturers, owners, government agency representatives, and consultants on Subcommittee D01.46. “Reputable manufacturers wanted a standardized method of evaluating anti-graffiti coatings,” Smith said, “and owners wanted a way of comparing claims made by different manufacturers.”

Graffiti-resistance described in D 6578 is based on a defined set of markings removed by a defined set of cleaning agents. An annex also provides a procedure that evaluates graffiti removal by alternate cleaning agents.

For further technical information, contact Lloyd Smith, Ph.D., Corrosion Control Consultants and Labs, Inc., Suite 110, 299 Herndon Pkwy., Herndon, VA 20170 (703/471-9735; fax: 703/471-8184). Committee D01 meets Jan 21-24 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in conjunction with ASTM Committee G03 on Weathering and Durability. For meeting or membership details, contact Staff Manager Tim Brooke, ASTM (610/832-9729). //

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