Overview
EN ISO 4619:2018 - Driers for paints and varnishes (ISO 4619:2018) specifies the requirements and corresponding test methods for driers used in paints, varnishes and related coating products. It applies to driers supplied in solid or liquid form and explicitly excludes emulsifiable driers. Adopted by CEN as EN ISO 4619:2018, this international standard provides harmonized procedures for sampling, testing and reporting to support quality control, formulation and compliance across the coatings industry.
Key topics and requirements
The standard details both general requirements and specific test methods, including:
- Scope and definitions: clear classification of solid and liquid driers and exclusions (no emulsifiable driers).
- Sampling and test reporting: guidance on how to take representative samples and document results.
- Physical and organoleptic tests: appearance, consistency and colour assessment for both solid and liquid driers.
- Solubility and stability: solubility/miscibility in solvents, raw linseed oil or other drying media and stability of solutions.
- Suspended solids and volatile matter: methods to determine suspended particulate content and volatile components.
- Acidity: procedure for determining acidity using ion‑exchange column preparation (method described in the standard).
- Viscosity (liquid driers): prescribed approach to measure viscosity where applicable.
- Metal content determination: quantitative methods for metals commonly used in driers - cobalt, manganese, zinc, calcium, iron, zirconium, barium - using techniques such as EDTA titration, iodometric, gravimetric and acidimetric methods. Methods are provided both for single‑metal driers and mixed-metal formulations.
Applications
EN ISO 4619:2018 is practical and directly applicable to:
- Quality control laboratories verifying incoming raw materials and finished drier products.
- Paint and varnish manufacturers and formulators optimizing drying performance and ensuring consistent product quality.
- Suppliers certifying drier composition and conformity to buyer specifications.
- Third‑party testing bodies and regulatory authorities assessing product safety, labeling and compliance.
- Procurement/specification teams writing technical purchase requirements for driers.
Who should use this standard
- Coatings manufacturers, R&D and QC teams
- Chemical suppliers and distributors of drying agents
- Independent testing laboratories and certification bodies
- Standards and compliance managers in the paint, varnish and coatings sector
Related standards
- ISO/TC 35 (Paints and varnishes) and CEN/TC 139 work areas are relevant for broader coatings standards.
- EN ISO 4619:2018 supersedes earlier editions (e.g., EN ISO 4619:2010); check national adoptions and complementary ISO/CEN standards for coating testing and safety.
This standard is essential for consistent, reproducible testing of driers and for ensuring predictable drying performance in coatings formulations.
