Designation: D 4214 – 07

Standard Test Methods for

Evaluating the Degree of Chalking of Exterior Paint Films1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4214; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 These test methods cover the evaluation of the degree of 3.1 Definitions:
chalking on white or tinted exterior paint films. These test 3.1.1 chalking, n—the formation on a pigmented coating of
methods describe the procedures recommended for transferring a friable powder evolved from the film itself at or just beneath
the chalk to a fabric or fingertip, which is then compared to the surface.
photographic reference standards, or in the case of adhesive
tapes, compared to a reflectance table or photographic refer- 4. Significance and Use
ence standards, to determine the degree of chalking. 4.1 The procedures provide a broad range of techniques and
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the photographic references to evaluate chalking of exterior paints.
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
only. 5. Type of Chalking
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 5.1 Only one type of chalking is recognized, as defined in
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the Section 3.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 6. Use of Photographic Reference Standards
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 6.1 The photographic reference standards that are part of
these test methods are representative of the degrees of chalking
2. Referenced Documents on a paint film. The photographs shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 for illustration purposes only and should not be used for
D 662 Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Erosion of evaluation.
Exterior Paints 6.2 The use of photographic reference standards illustrated
E 1347 Test Method for Color and Color-Difference Mea- in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 requires the following precautions:
surement by Tristimulus Colorimetry 6.2.1 The degree of chalking will vary over any given area.
2.2 Other Document: Therefore, an average portion of the coating should be evalu-
Pictorial Standards of Coating Defects 3 ated. On large surfaces, it is recommended that the rating be
made at several locations and the mean and range reported.
6.2.2 It is difficult to make readings on a windy day and
1
These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D01 on making readings at such time should be avoided. It should also
Paint and Related Coatings, Materials, and Applications and are the direct be noted that rain, snow, or moisture in any form will remove
responsibility of Subcommittee D01.25 on Evaluation of Weathering Effects. chalk so that readings should be made after a period of clear
Current edition approved July 1, 2007. Published July 2007. Originally approved
in 1982. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as D 4214 – 98 which was
weather and when the surface is dry.
withdrawn March 2007 and reinstated in July 2007. 6.2.3 Chalking and erosion (Note 1) are closely related.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or However, the rate of chalking as measured by these test
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM methods, and the rate of erosion may not be comparable
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. because some pigment combinations tend to retain chalk on the
3
Copies of the pictorial photographic reference standards applicable to Test surface while other pigment combinations exert a self-cleaning
Method A are contained in the publication Pictorial Standards of Coatings Defects action by natural means.
and may be obtained from the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, 492
Norristown Rd., Blue Bell, PA 19422. NOTE 1—For the evaluation of erosion, see Test Method D 662.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 D 4214 – 07

FIG. 1 Photographic Reference Standard No. 1—Test Method D 659

7. Recommended Procedures
7.1 Test Method A—Cloth Tape Method:
7.1.1 Material—Fabric, as agreed upon between the pro-
ducer, user, or other interested parties, to rub against the
surface being tested. Black (or white for dark coatings) wool
felt, velvet, and velveteen have proven particularly effective.
7.1.2 Procedure—Wrap the fabric around the index finger-
tip, then make a 50 to 75-mm (2 to 3-in.) stroke with medium
pressure on the coating under observation. Remove the fabric
and compare the spot of chalk on it with Photographic
Reference Standard No. 1.
NOTE 2—Medium pressure can be quantified by placing the finger on a
balance or scale, and pressing downward until 3 to 5-lb pressure is
obtained.
7.2 Test Method B—Wet Finger Method:
7.2.1 Procedure—Moisten a fingertip and with medium
pressure make one continuous rub 50 to 65 mm (2 to 21⁄2 in.)
in length on the surface under test. The chalk from this test
method should be rated as None, Visible, or Severe; however,
some may prefer to use an even numbered scale of 10 to zero.
7.3 Test Method C—Transparent Tape Method:5
7.3.1 Materials:
7.3.1.1 Cellulose Adhesive Tape, 13-mm (1⁄2-in.) wide,
pressure-sensitive.
7.3.1.2 Eraser, 3⁄4 in. (20 mm), wrapped with cellophane
tape.
7.3.1.3 Masking Tape, 13-mm (1⁄2-in.) wide.
7.3.1.4 Plastic Sheet Protector, clear.
7.3.1.5 Photographic Reference Standard No. 2, TNO.6
7.3.1.6 Reflectance Standard, polished black glass.
FIG. 2 Photographic Reference Standard No. 2—Verfinstituut
TNO 7.3.1.7 Reflectance Standard, white tile.
NOTE 3—The black reference standard is necessary as the background
6.3 Records may be kept on forms4 such as shown in Fig. 3.
Reporting of the results shall include the information given in
Section 8.
5
6.4 When these test methods is referenced in specifications Permission to include this test method is provided as a courtesy of NL
Chemicals, Wyckoff Mills Rd., Hightstown, NJ 08520.
for performance, the permissible degree of chalking is estab- 6
The TNO Method and photographic reference standard are provided as a
lished between the producer and the user. courtesy of Verfinstituut TNO Paint Research Institute TNO, Schoemakerstraat 97,
Delft, Nederland. The original source of the photographic reference standard
illustrated in Fig. 2 is the Paint Research Institute, TNO. The ASTM numerical
4
These record sheets may be obtained from the Federation of Societies for rating of chalking shown on the photographic reference standard is opposite to the
Coatings Technology, 492 Norristown Rd., Blue Bell, PA 19422. original TNO scale.

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 D 4214 – 07

NOTE 1—The cutout section is for illustration purposes only. The

labeling (china marker) may be removed by rubbing the sheet with a clean
tissue or cloth.
FIG. 4 Completed Worksheet

7.3.3.2 Remove a 50-mm (2-in.) long piece of 13-mm

(1⁄2-in.) cellulose, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape from the
roll; place it across the masking strips, and adhere it to the
sheet using a 20-mm (3⁄4-in.) eraser, wrapped with cellophane
tape. Label this tape “blank” on the clear plastic sheet cover. A
black china marker has been found useful for this purpose.
NOTE 4—The average reflectance measurements of the initial and
ending “blank” tapes less the correction value for the clear plastic sheet
divided by 100 are used to verify a rating of 10 using Table 1.7
NOTE 1—Label sample numbers, apply initial blank tape, and proceed
7.3.4 Procedure:
with tape specimens of the samples.
FIG. 3 Example of Worksheet 7.3.4.1 Apply a 50-mm (2-in.) long piece of 13-mm (1⁄2-in.)
wide tape to the surface being rated. Rub ten times with
moderate pressure using the covered eraser, to remove all
bubbles and prevent scratching. Remove the tape from the
for this measurement, since the reflectance of black paper is too high.
Reflectometers (tristimulus colorimeters), with 0 to 45° geometry, use the surface and adhere it to the sheet by rubbing with the eraser.
Y value. Label specimens using a black china marker. Place successive
tapes vertically adjacent to previous tapes, separated by 3 mm
7.3.2 Optional Materials: (1⁄8 in.). Follow the instructions given in 7.3, and place the final
7.3.2.1 China Marker, black. “blank” tape across the masking tape strips and label “blank”
7.3.2.2 Razor Blade. on the clear sheet. When completed, use a razor blade to cut
7.3.3 Preparation:
7.3.3.1 Separately mount and apply two 279-mm (11-in.)
pieces of masking tape along the right side of the clear plastic 7
Kronos-Titan Table for Chalk Rating from Reflectance Reading using the
sheet cover leaving 32 mm (11⁄4 in.) of space between the Transparent Tape Method is provided as a courtesy of Kronos-Titan GMbH,
pieces (see Fig. 4). Leverkusen, West Germany. The original source of Table 1 is Kronos-Titan GMbH.

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 D 4214 – 07
TABLE 1 Chalk Rating from Reflectance ReadingA lowing the final tape measurement, record reflectance values of
Reflectance Range Chalk Rating the clear plastic sheet cover, and the white and black reflec-
0–0.038 10 tance standards.
0.0381–0.044 9.5 7.3.5.3 Subtract the mean reflectance value of the sheet
0.0441–0.054 9.0
0.0541–0.062 8.5
from each reading, enter on worksheet form (Fig. 4), or other
0.0621–0.072 8.0 form used, and determine from Table 1 the chalk rating value
0.0721–0.082 7.5 of each tape to the nearest 0.5 unit. Record the rating on the
0.0821–0.095 7.0
0.0951–0.105 6.5
worksheet or other form. The worksheet form (Fig. 4), inserted
0.1051–0.120 6.0 into the plastic sheet protector with a black background gives
0.1201–0.131 5.5 a clear permanent record of these measurements and evalua-
0.1311–0.150 5.0
0.1501–0.165 4.5
tions.
0.1651–0.190 4.0 7.3.5.4 These tape chalks may also be compared to Photo-
0.1901–0.210 3.5 graphic Reference Standard No. 2 as an alternative procedure.
0.2101–0.235 3.0
0.2351–0.260 2.5
7.4 Test Method D—TNO Type Method:
0.2601–0.286 2.0 7.4.1 Materials:
0.2861–0.310 1.5 7.4.1.1 Photographic Reference Standard No. 2 for the
0.3101–0.340 1.0
0.3401–0.366 0.5
determination of chalking, consisting of a photograph of five
>0.366 0 strips of tape mounted on a black background, numbered 0, 2,
A
This table is based upon a correlation between tape reflectance measure- 4, 6, and 8, and varying in this order from black to almost
ments and visual evaluations of the same tape compared to the photographic white.
standards prepared by Kronos-Titan.7
7.4.1.2 Polyethylene Tape, transparent, 13 to 25 mm (1⁄2 to 1
in.) wide.
7.4.1.3 Black Velvet, dull black with a short pile and without
along the inside edges of the masking tape, cutting through the a tendency to crush, size approximately 200 by 300 mm (8 by
adhesive tapes. The removal of the masking tape will leave 12 in.), mounted on a flat substrate. Black construction paper
only the tapes to be measured and evaluated with the sample may also be used. Place adjacent to the standard for the ratings.
number of each tape listed on the sheet (see worksheet example 7.4.2 Procedure—Apply a piece of tape, 63 to 100 mm (21⁄2
in Fig. 4). Before proceeding, check to ensure all sample to 4 in.) long to the coating by uniform gentle pressure of the
numbers have been recorded on the sheet. finger, remove the tape, and lay it with the adhesive side on the
7.3.4.2 Insert the 13-mm (1⁄2-in.) or smaller aperture and piece of velvet. Under diffused light compare the tape on the
calibrate the reflectometer according to the manufacturer’s black velvet with Photographic Reference Standard No. 2, and
instructions, setting the reflectometer for zero reflectance using determine which of the five grades most closely matches the
the black reflectance standard and standardizing with the white whiteness of the adhering pigment. If the degree of chalking is
reflectance standard and record the values. Refer to Test obviously between two adjacent grades, select the intermediate
Method E 1347 should there be any question on the correct odd number as the chalk rating.
procedure to follow in the calibration of the instrument. 7.4.3 Chalk ratings may also be determined by following
7.3.5 Reflectometer Measurements: the procedures of 7.3.3 and comparing to the values shown in
7.3.5.1 Leave the transparent tapes mounted on the clear Fig. 1. The use of the worksheet form shown in Fig. 3 and Fig.
plastic sheet. Remove the black paper that may have been 4 may be used as a permanent record.
inserted behind the sheet and fold back the unused portion of 8. Report
the sheet. Measure the reflectance of the clear plastic sheet
8.1 A record of the test method used, the rating, panel
using the black reflectance standard of the instrument (Note 3)
number, and other pertinent information must be clearly shown
as a backing or background and record its value. Move the
on the inspection report for each evaluation.
sheet until the first tape is exposed to the light source with the
8.2 The pertinent information should include: date of in-
adhesive side toward the light and the black reflectance
spection, date of exposure start, purchase order number of
standard behind the area being measured, and record the value.
testing organization, duration, remarks about unusual weather,
7.3.5.2 Continue this procedure until ten tapes have been etc., the name of the person making the inspection, and other
measured, then check reflectance values for the white and information agreed upon between the producer and the seller.
black standards. If no changes have occurred, proceed with
measurements. If values have changed, restandardize and 9. Keywords
record values before proceeding to the remaining tapes. Fol- 9.1 chalking; evaluation; exterior paint films

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 D 4214 – 07
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