Mattifying varnishes

Today, we are all familiar with matt varnish because the trend has taken hold for matt motorcycles and cars : varnishes and paints. By the way, how is it written ? Matt ? Matte ? Mat ?  Yes, it is the first version that is valid, we are talking about a matt varnish or a matt paint.

Such a varnish is less taut than a traditional gloss bodywork varnish. The wet effect, the reflection of light, the depth, and the shine that give this impression of new, precious, are removed in favor of a flattening, a simplification of what we see, with a raw and silky effect.

The result, however, attracts more attention, because it is very beautiful, but above all, it is unexpected and still uncommon on bodywork in metallic colors.

Matt varnish : all degrees of gloss

Just like the fact that darkness doesn't exist, because it's simply the absence of light, well the same can be said about 'matification', it doesn't exist : for a surface, it is an absence of shine. In the scientific field of optics, brilliance is measured: the brilliance or reflection of light is measured with a particular method and test. The gloss index for paints ranges from 0 to 100 degrees.

We can talk about matte varnish, when the shine goes below 50°. Above, it is not a matte varnish, but a satin varnish, then a glossy varnish, beyond 80°. Most matte effect varnishes are between 5 and 20° gloss. For the edge between 20 and 50°, we speak of semi-matt varnish. Some extremely matte varnishes approach 0, with measurements of only 2 or 4° (Extrem matte varnish).

The differences in application between matte and glossy varnish

A matte varnish is much thinner, more fluid and easier to apply. It usually comes quite diluted and requires little hardener (from 15 to 40% maximum). Unlike a glossy varnish, you really have to do it on purpose to get a run !
Simply because matte varnishes dry very quickly. In addition, they apply in thin layers. Indeed, you don't have to worry about making thick and shiny coats, or risking an "orange peel skin" !

The aging of matte varnishes

Until not so long ago, they were said to be difficult to clean. They picked up dirt and dust, at the slightest scratch. They were scoring irretrievably...and it was all true. So you had to be damn motivated and careful to choose the matte option on your vehicle. Today, with the new formulas of anti-scratch or self-repairing matte varnishes, we finally seem to have solved these defects and to have equaled traditional glossy varnishes in terms of resistance and durability.

Semi-gloss varnish
Satin varnish
Super matte varnish