Scrub Abrasion and Washability Tester
QualiWAST™ Series – Gardner-Type Wet Scrub & Washability Testers
A scrub abrasion and washability tester — also known as a Gardner-type abrasion tester — evaluates the resistance of coated surfaces to mechanical wear caused by repeated linear reciprocating strokes of a brush, sponge, or abrasive pad under a defined load, in the presence or absence of a liquid scrub medium. This test class simulates the real-world mechanical stresses that painted walls, floor coverings, and coated surfaces encounter during routine cleaning: brushing, sponging, detergent washing, and solvent wiping. The fundamental test mechanism places a coated panel on the instrument bed, positions a loaded brush or pad above it, and counts the number of complete reciprocating strokes until the coating fails — either visually (breakthrough to the substrate, gloss change, or color transfer) or by mass loss. Variability in stroke speed, load weight, pad type, and scrub medium composition all influence the result, which is why standardization through ASTM D2486, ASTM D3450, ASTM D4213, ASTM D4828, ISO 11998, and DIN EN 13300 is essential for reproducible, comparable data between laboratories.
Qualitest's QualiWAST™ Series addresses scrub abrasion and washability testing across three models that scale from standard single-mode operation to fully automated multi-method testing with image recognition. The QualiWAST™-I is a single-channel wet abrasion scrub tester designed for routine QC and compliance testing to ASTM D2486, D3450, D4213, D4828, DIN EN 11330, and ISO 11998. Its adjustable stroke speed, five-digit auto-stop counter, multi-voltage compatibility, and quick-change abrasion head system make it a reliable and practical entry-level instrument. The QualiWAST™-II advances this to dual independent working channels — each with its own scrub medium container — and a full touchscreen parameter interface, supporting simultaneous wet and dry testing across nine standards including solvent resistance tests (ASTM D4752, D5402, D7835) alongside the full washability suite. The flagship QualiWAST™-II-IR adds machine vision: an automated image recognition system that continuously measures the length of substrate exposed by scrubbing, stops the test automatically when the operator-set threshold is reached, photographs the test panel at each interval, and exports images to USB — enabling truly unattended, objective, and photo-documented scrub resistance testing without a human observer stationed at the machine.
Applications in Industries
Architectural & Decorative Paints Wet scrub resistance (ASTM D2486 / ISO 11998) and washability (ASTM D3450 / D4828) are primary quality specifications for interior latex wall paints, primers, and topcoats. These tests determine how many scrub cycles a painted surface survives before failure — a key differentiator in product-line tier claims (e.g., 'scrubs 2,000 times'). | Industrial & Protective Coatings Epoxy, polyurethane, alkyd, and high-performance industrial coatings are tested for abrasion weight loss (ASTM D4213), solvent resistance by MEK rub (ASTM D4752, D5402, D7835), and cleanability to verify that coating formulations meet specification before production scale-up or regulatory submission. |
Floor Coverings & Hard Surface Materials Vinyl, LVT, laminate, ceramic tile, and engineered stone flooring are subjected to wet scrub abrasion testing to simulate the mechanical wear from repeated cleaning with detergents and abrasive pads. The dual-channel QualiWAST™-II allows wet and dry wear tests to run simultaneously. | Detergent & Cleaning Product Performance Cleaning efficacy of household and institutional detergents, surface cleaners, and stain removers is evaluated by applying a test soil to a coated panel and measuring how many scrub cycles are required to achieve removal under defined detergent concentration and load conditions. |
Automotive Refinish & OEM Coatings Automotive clear coats, base coats, and plastic interior trim coatings must demonstrate resistance to simulated car-wash scrubbing, solvent rubs, and cleaners. The QualiWAST™-II-IR’s image recognition system provides objective, photographic endpoint documentation required for OEM coating approval packages. | R&D and Regulatory Submission Paint, coating, and flooring R&D laboratories use the QualiWAST™ series to generate scrub resistance and cleanability data for ASTM, ISO, and DIN regulatory submissions, product claims substantiation, and comparative benchmarking of new formulations against market references. |
Product Comparison Table
Specification / Feature | QualiWAST™-I (Standard / Single) | QualiWAST™-II (Multifunction / Dual) | QualiWAST™-II-IR (Dual + Image Recognition) |
Working Channels | Single channel | Dual channels (independent containers) | Dual channels (independent containers) |
Interchangeable Abrasion Heads | ✓ (ISO, ASTM, DIN pads) | ✓ (brush, sponge, pad — ISO, ASTM, DIN) | ✓ (compatible with ISO, ASTM, DIN pads) |
Scrub Medium Delivery | Manual application | Separate container per channel; manual or gravity | Peristaltic pump (precise automatic dosing) |
Test Modes Supported | Wet abrasion scrub; washability | Wet abrasion scrub; sponge washability; scrub resistance; cleanability; dirt pickup resistance; MEK test; Rub test; and more | Wet abrasion scrub; sponge washability; scrub resistance; cleanability; dirt pickup resistance; MEK test; Rub test; and more |
Stroke Speed | Adjustable to meet different standard requirements | Adjustable via touchscreen; stable push-rod drive | Adjustable via touchscreen; stable push-rod drive |
Stroke Counter / Timer | 5-digit counter; auto-start & auto-stop at set count | Touchscreen programmable; auto-stop at set count | Touchscreen programmable; auto-stop at set count OR at image threshold |
Control Interface | Mechanical / analog controls | Touchscreen (set all parameters; monitor status) | 8-inch touchscreen (large, smooth display) |
Image Recognition (IR) | — | — | ✓ Automatic detection & measurement of exposed substrate length (scrub-to‑substrate) |
Unattended / Auto Stop on Threshold | — | — | ✓ Auto-stops when exposed length reaches operator- set threshold |
Photo Capture & Export | — | — | ✓ Captures test panel images; export to USB drive |
Wet + Dry Simultaneous | — | ✓ (each channel independent) | ✓ (each channel independent) |
Machine Body | Standard housing; push-rod drive design | Anodized aluminum body; push-rod drive design | Anodized aluminum body; push-rod drive design |
Multi-Voltage Operation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Standards Compliance | ASTM D2486, D3450, D4213, D4828, DIN EN 11330, EN ISO 11998 | ASTM D2486, D3450, D4213, D4828, D5402, D4752, D7835, DIN EN 13300, ISO 11998 | ASTM D2486, D3450, D4213, D4828, D5402, D4752, D7835, DIN EN 13300, ISO 11998 |
Best For | Standard single-mode wet abrasion / washability QC; entry-level; routine testing to ASTM D2486/ISO 11998 | Multi-method QC; parallel wet + dry testing; paint, coatings, flooring, and solvent resistance labs | Automated, unattended high-throughput QC; paint R&D; regulatory submissions requiring image documentation |
* All models use push-rod drive design for stable, uniform stroke speed. Abrasion heads (brush, sponge, felt, abrasive pad) are interchangeable across ISO, ASTM, and DIN geometries. Multi-voltage operation standard on all models. Contact Qualitest for full stroke speed ranges and load specifications.
Why Choose Qualitest for Your Scrub Abrasion Testing Needs?
✔ Three-Tier Portfolio: Entry to Fully Automated From the focused QualiWAST™-I for standard single-mode wet scrub testing, through the multifunction QualiWAST-II for parallel dual-channel multi-method work, to the QualiWAST-II-IR with full image recognition and unattended operation — Qualitest covers every tier of scrub abrasion testing from one product family. | ✔ Broadest Standard Coverage in One Machine The QualiWAST™-II and II-IR address nine testing standards in a single instrument: ASTM D2486, D3450, D4213, D4828, D5402, D4752, D7835, DIN EN 13300, and ISO 11998 — consolidating wet abrasion scrub, sponge washability, cleanability, dirt pickup resistance, MEK solvent resistance, rub test, and more without equipment changeovers. |
✔ Image Recognition for Objective, Unattended Testing The QualiWAST™-II-IR is the only model in the series with automated image capture and analysis: it continuously monitors the length of substrate exposed by scrubbing, automatically stops the test when the erosion threshold is reached, records the stroke count, and stores panel photos for export — removing the subjectivity and labor of manual scrub endpoint determination entirely. | ✔ Precise Scrub Medium Dosing via Peristaltic Pump The QualiWAST™-II-IR delivers scrub medium through a side-mounted peristaltic pump directly to the brush, ensuring controlled, reproducible liquid delivery across the entire test duration — eliminating the manual re-wetting variability that is one of the largest sources of between-lab and within-lab test scatter in ASTM D2486 and ISO 11998. |
✔ Anodized Aluminum Construction for Long Service Life The QualiWAST™-II and II-IR machine bodies are machined from anodized aluminum, providing high hardness, corrosion resistance, and dimensional stability over years of continuous operation with aqueous scrub media, detergent solutions, and solvent rubs — maintaining stroke uniformity and repeatability even at maximum speed settings. | ✔ 26+ Years of Coatings & Materials Testing Experience Qualitest has supplied scrub abrasion, washability, and surface resistance testing instruments to paint manufacturers, architectural coatings laboratories, floor covering producers, and testing agencies in 122+ countries for over 26 years. Our application specialists provide standard selection guidance, test configuration support, and after-sale service for all QualiWAST™ instruments. |
Every Stroke Counts. Make It Reproducible.
Scrub resistance and washability are among the most commercially important performance claims a coatings manufacturer can make — and among the most sensitive to test variability. Whether your laboratory runs routine ASTM D2486 wall-paint scrub resistance QC, characterizes the cleanability window of a new floor coating formulation, validates solvent resistance of an industrial epoxy by MEK rub, or needs photo-documented, unattended automated scrub testing for regulatory submission, the QualiWAST™ Series delivers the consistency, standard coverage, and automation depth your program demands.
Contact Qualitest today to speak with a coatings testing specialist, request a side-by-side model comparison, or receive a quotation for any instrument in the QualiWAST™ Series. With over 26 years of surface and materials testing experience and customers in 122+ countries, Qualitest is the partner your coatings laboratory can rely on.
