Paint thickness gauge

[Hllywd]

Do paint thickness gauges read the full thickness of paints or just the top layer?
Thanks

[Joe@NextLevelDetail]

Its measures everything to the substrate panel

[RangerDetails]

Its measures everything to the substrate panel

So how does it differentiate the paint from the clear coat? How do you know the thickness of the clear coat if it measures everything?

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

You can get a PTG to read either total film thickness or each individual layer.

I would safely say 75% of detailers have the first version that reads total film thickness. The price is the differential factor.

This one reads the total amount.
Defelsko Paint Thickness Gauge, Paint thickness meter, coating thickness gauge, auto paint meter, car paint meter

This one reads each layer.
Defelsko PosiTector 200 Series (Advanced), paint meter, coating thickness gauge, paint gauge

[zmcgovern45]

So how does it differentiate the paint from the clear coat? How do you know the thickness of the clear coat if it measures everything?

You don't... simple as that.

A paint thickness gauge (except for the ultrasonic meters) are simply a tool to help you make more educated decisions. You can get a basic understanding of overall film thickness and see how certain areas vary throughout the car, whether there are very thin areas which potentially indicate previous sanding or heavy correction work, or very thick areas which may indicate body filler or at least repainted spots. This type of information cannot be gathered with the naked eye, obviously, so while a typical PTG may not provide the exact thickness of the clear coat, it helps you to identify potential areas of concern.

I always walk around the car and take 5-10 readings per panel with the vehicle owner present so that I can point out any notable areas to them ahead of time and explain any risks/concerns that I have. I also document everything on our inspection forms so that in the event that something were to happen, and it was on a repainted area, we would not be held liable for what was likely a poorly repaired spot.

If I worked on exotics all day, I would gladly shell out the money for an ultrasonic gauge as the potential risk mitigation cost is less than paying to repair a vehicle.