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What glossmeter do I need?

Identify the surface that you wish to measure. Is it a flat surface? If so, it can be measured with a traditonal glossmeter.

Curved surfaces should be measured using equipment specifically designed for this type of application. Benchtop and handheld instruments are available for these applications.

Selecting the correct glossmeter is dependent on the application and level of gloss of the surface. Each gloss meter specifies the measuring angles utilised.

‘Measurement angle’ refers to the angle between the incident and reflected light. Three measurement angles (20°, 60°, and 85°) are specified to cover the majority of coatings applications. The angle is selected based on the anticipated gloss range, as shown in the following table.

Gloss Range 60° Value Notes
High Gloss >70 GU If measurement exceeds 70 GU at 60°, change test setup to 20°
Medium Gloss 10 – 70 GU
Low Gloss <10 GU If measurement is less than 10 GU, change test setup to 85°
20 degrees: 0-2000 GU (where 0 is matt and 2000 is a perfect mirror)
60 degrees: 0-1000 GU (where 0 is matt and 1000 is a perfect mirror)
85 degrees: 0-199 GU (where 0 is matt and 199 is a perfect mirror)
Examples of high gloss finishes include:
Glossmeter - car image
Glossmeter - polished metal
Glossmeter - polished concrete
Examples of medium gloss finishes include:
Modern Kitchen
Examples of low gloss finishes include:
Seamless linen canvas with a low gloss measurement
Glossmeter - carbon fibre
Leather is another example of a Low Gloss Finish

Selecting the correct angle for the application will optimise measurement accuracy.

Three types of instruments are available on the market: 60° single angle instruments, a combination of 20° and 60° and one type that combines 20°, 60° and 85°.

Two additional angles are used for other materials. An angle of 45° is specified for the measurement of ceramics, films, textiles and anodised aluminium, whilst 75° is specified for paper.

If a the appearance of a high gloss surface is affected by surface texture such as orange peel or a ‘milky’ finish or halos around reflections of bright light, these will need to be measured with the Rhopoint IQ

Novo Gloss Trigloss Glossmeter with Haze

  • 20/60/85° Gloss meter for matt to mirror finishes
  • Now features haze measurement to ASTM E430
  • Full statistical analysis with trend graphs

Novo Gloss Trio Glossmeter

  • 20/60/85° low cost glossmeter for all gloss applications
  • Rapid data transfer
  • Pass / Fail for easy identification of non conformances

Novo Gloss 60° Glossmeter

  • 60 degree glossmeter for all gloss applications
  • Easy reporting
  • Pass / Fail for easy identification of non conformances

Related products

Rhopoint Novo-Curve 4 Product Image with text

Novo-Curve 4 Glossmeter

  • Benchtop glossmeter, Measures at 60°
  • Suitable for both curved & flat surfaces
  • Precise measurement of small areas & irregular shapes
  • Custom adaptor jigs available
  • To ensure accurate and reliable results, the Novo-Curve 4 Glossmeter is supplied with standards calibrated and certified according to ISO 17025 UKAS

Novo-Gloss 45 Glossmeter

  • 45° glossmeter for all gloss applications
  • Specialist angle for the measurement of films and ceramics
  • Full colour easy to read screen
  • Easy reporting

What glossmeter do I need?