Glossmeter – Glidecoat-GM 60

Full Description

What is a Gloss Meter?
A gloss meter is a measuring device for the determination of gloss on different materials. During measurement, the gloss meter emits a light, which reflects off the surface. Depending on the level of gloss, the surface absorbs some of the light and reflects the rest. The gloss meter reader measures the reflected light, calculates the degree of gloss, and displays it clearly on the screen.

Gloss meters are commonly used in manufacturing as a quality control measure to ensure that individual products have the same appearance. In this way, complaints and associated costs are avoided. In addition, the external reputation of companies with consistent quality and consistent products is respected or improved.

Why Glidecoat Offers a Gloss Meter?
Since 2015, the Glidecoat Certified Pro Network has applied our coatings to a wide variety of boats, from a 14′ Bass Tracker to 100’+ Mega Yachts. In the early stages of developing our ceramic coating, our customers wanted to measure and validate the effectiveness of the coating.

For most ceramic coating companies, the typical response is to use qualitative measures, such as, check the water beading or sheeting (dependent on the type of ceramic coating) and the shine levels. Both are valid and easily identifiable points; however, everyone will have different expectations and views on the product’s performance. We wanted a better system to reassure customers and provide actual data that would eliminate personal interpretations.

After thorough research, we discovered that using a Gloss Meter would provide a numerical representation of the surface shine levels. We continued to go a step further by utilizing the gloss meter to re-enforce our product warranty.

Gloss Meters in the Proposal Process and Initial Inspection
An unexpected benefit of using the gloss meter has been to help simplify the proposal process with new clients and our Certified Pros. We highly recommend inspecting the boat to provide an accurate quote. As part of the inspection, the Certified Pro will take numerous gloss meter readings across the entire boat to give a snapshot of the boat’s starting condition.

During an initial conversation with a boat owner who is evaluating a marine ceramic coating application, the topic of pricing will typically come up early in the conversation. Because the majority of time is spent preparing the surface for the coating, boats with extremely low initial gloss meter readings and severe oxidization will pay a higher rate per foot than a factory new boat with minimal to no oxidization present on the surface.

Having accurate measurements at this stage drastically improves the accuracy of quotes and helps gauge the necessary level of restoration before applying the ceramic coating.