Calculate dry film thickness from wet film thickness and volume solids, or estimate coating requirements from target thickness, coated area and application efficiency.
| Parameter | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| WFT | Wet Film Thickness | Thickness of the freshly applied wet coating |
| DFT | Dry Film Thickness | Thickness remaining after the coating has cured |
| Volume Solids | % | Fraction of coating volume remaining as solid material |
| Application Efficiency | % | Practical transfer/utilization factor for material planning |
| Coated Area | m² or ft² | Surface area receiving the coating |
For an idealized coating system, the dry film thickness can be estimated from the wet film thickness and volume solids.
For example, a 150 µm wet film at 65% volume solids gives an estimated dry film thickness of 97.5 µm.
For material planning, theoretical coating volume can be estimated from the target dry film thickness and coated area.
When area is in square metres and DFT is in micrometres, the resulting volume is converted to litres using the appropriate unit relationship.
Practical coating consumption is normally higher than the theoretical requirement because transfer losses, overspray, equipment losses, surface roughness and application conditions can affect material usage.
An additional material allowance can then be applied for estimating and purchasing purposes.
How is dry film thickness calculated?
For an idealized coating, dry film thickness is estimated by multiplying wet film thickness by the volume-solids fraction.
What is volume solids?
Volume solids is the percentage of the applied coating volume expected to remain as solid coating after curing.
Can the calculator estimate coating volume?
Yes. Enter the target DFT, coated area, volume solids and application efficiency to estimate practical coating volume.
Why is practical coating volume higher than theoretical volume?
Application losses, overspray, equipment losses, surface roughness and other factors can increase actual material consumption.
Does coating density affect DFT?
Density does not directly determine DFT from WFT and volume solids. It is used here to estimate coating mass from the calculated volume.
Does this calculator measure actual DFT?
No. Actual DFT should be verified using an appropriate calibrated coating thickness gauge and the applicable inspection procedure.