Meaning and Purpose

5.1 Graffiti on buildings and structures is a persistent and growing problem. Many applications have been produced that are designed to resist graffiti marks or provide coatings on surfaces from which such marks can be easily removed. The procedure described in this practice provides a set of standard conditions that can be used to assess the graffiti resistance of a surface.

5.2 Graffiti resistance measured in accordance with this procedure is applicable to smooth surfaces. The same coating applied to rough or textured surfaces may be less resistant to graffiti.

5.3 Coating resistance to graffiti determined after natural or laboratory accelerated weathering, either before or after marking and conducted in accordance with this code, is considered to have greater weight than resistance to graffiti determined on the same coating without weathering. Coating resistance to graffiti determined after natural weathering should be considered more important than resistance to graffiti determined after accelerated laboratory aging.

ASTM D6578-2018 Standard Practice for the Determination of Graffiti Resistance

Scope of

1.1 This protocol covers the basic methods for assessing the graffiti resistance of coatings and the use of this protocol to assess the graffiti resistance of coatings after outdoor or laboratory accelerated exposure (before or after graffiti). Graffiti resistance is based on how a defined set of cleaners removes a defined set of marks.

1.2 This specification also defines procedures (optional) for assessing graffiti removal after re-marking and subsequent re-cleaning. It does not involve recoating after the coating is no longer graffiti resistant.

1.3 Values expressed in SI units or inch-pound units shall be considered standards, respectively. The values specified in each system may not be exactly the same; Therefore, each system should be used independently. Combining the values of both systems may lead to non-compliance with the criteria.

1.4 This standard is not intended to address all safety issues, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of users of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health and environmental practices and to determine the applicability of regulatory restrictions prior to use.

1.5 This international Standard has been developed in accordance with the internationally accepted standardization principles established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guidelines and Recommendations issued by the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee of the World Trade Organization.