Piano black finish is the deep, mirror-like black used on spoilers, mirror caps, grilles and trim. Yirox paints piano black and gloss black in a 3C2B system on two lines in ISO 7 and ISO 8 clean rooms, to ≥95 GU and ≥90 GU at 60°, with UV clearcoat available.
| Item | Piano black | Gloss black |
|---|---|---|
| Gloss at 60° | ≥95 GU | ≥90 GU |
| Extra check | 20° gloss / DOI | 20° gloss / DOI |
| Paint system | 3C2B (primer/base + color + clear) | 3C2B |
| Total film | 35–50 μm (base 10–15, color 12–18, clear 15–20) | 35–50 μm |
| Clearcoat | Standard or UV-cured | Standard or UV-cured |
| Adhesion | Cross-hatch grade 0–1 | Cross-hatch grade 0–1 |
| Materials | ABS, PC/ABS, ASA, PP/TPO with adhesion primer | Same |
Piano black is a high-gloss, deep black finish named after the lacquered finish on grand pianos. On a car, a piano black finish means a black part with a mirror-like surface and very high distinctness of image, so reflections look sharp, not hazy. It is made by painting a black color coat and a thick, smooth clearcoat over a well-prepared plastic part.
Gloss black finish is the same idea with a slightly lower gloss target. The difference shows in reflections: on piano black, the edge of a reflected line looks crisp; on gloss black it is slightly softer. Both are used for chrome-delete trim, spoilers, mirror caps, diffusers and grilles.
Piano black trim gives a premium, modern look at a low cost compared with metal or real carbon fiber, and it matches black glass and dark wheels. It also hides joints between parts. The downside is that a mirror surface shows dust, swirl marks and scratches, which is why the quality of the clearcoat matters so much. A harder clearcoat, such as a UV-cured clear, improves scratch and weather resistance.
The part is molded with a smooth, defect-free surface; flow lines and sink marks show through gloss paint.
Dust, release agent and oils are removed before painting.
A base or primer layer of 10–15 μm levels the surface; PP and TPO get an adhesion primer.
A black color coat of 12–18 μm is applied in an ISO 8 spray booth.
A clearcoat of 15–20 μm gives depth and gloss; UV-cured clear is optional.
60 °C × 10 min pre-bake, 80 °C × 30 min topcoat bake in an ISO 7 oven, then gloss, DOI and adhesion checks.
Gloss meters shine light onto the surface at a fixed angle and measure how much is reflected. 60° is the standard angle for most finishes. For high-gloss finishes above about 70 GU at 60°, the 20° angle separates small differences better and relates to DOI (distinctness of image).
We measure with a BYK micro-TRI-gloss meter at 20°, 60° and 85° (repeatability ±0.2 GU). Values at different angles are not comparable, so a specification should always state the angle.
| Finish | 60° gloss target | Angle for fine control |
|---|---|---|
| Piano black | ≥95 GU | 20° / DOI |
| Gloss black | ≥90 GU | 20° / DOI |
| Satin black | 20–40 GU | 60° |
| Matte black | 5–15 GU | 85° |
Our ISO 8 spray booths and ISO 7 flash-off and oven areas reduce dust, and molding and painting are controlled by the same team, so surface defects can be traced to their cause.
| Defect | What it looks like | Main cause |
|---|---|---|
| Orange peel | Wavy, textured reflection | Paint flow and film build |
| Dust inclusions | Small bumps in the clear | Booth cleanliness |
| Sink marks | Shallow dips over ribs | Molding and rib design |
| Flow lines | Lines visible under the paint | Molding conditions or gate position |
| Haze | Cloudy, low-DOI surface | Clearcoat or bake conditions |
| Finish | Look | Scratch visibility | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piano black | Mirror-like, deep | High | Premium trim, spoilers, mirror caps |
| Gloss black | High gloss | High | Chrome-delete trim, grilles |
| Satin black | Soft sheen | Medium | Sporty trim, roof parts |
| Matte black | Flat | Low | Aero parts, wraps, sporty looks |
| Molded-in texture | Grain, unpainted | Very low | Flares, cladding, louvers |
24 stations for consistent film build on medium parts.
For larger parts, with 4 manual touch-up stations.
X-Rite Ci64 spectrophotometer; ΔE*ab ≤1.0, critical ≤0.8.
BYK 8500 gauge; total 35–50 μm.
Adhesion is checked in-house by cross-hatch (grade 0–1). When your specification requires it, accredited outside labs (SGS, CTI) run weathering (QUV 500 / 1,000 h, xenon arc 2,500 kJ/m²), humidity (ISO 6270-2) and pull-off adhesion (ASTM D4541) tests.
Piano black is painted mainly on ABS and PC/ABS. For a low-gloss look see matte black, and for a patterned look see carbon fiber look.
Rigid, easy to paint and the standard plating-grade plastic. Used for grilles, mirror caps, spoilers and body kits.
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Matte 5–15 GU and satin 20–40 GU at 60°, painted or molded paint-free. Checked at 60° and 85°.
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Water transfer printing with UV-cured clear, IMD or film, and real carbon fiber through partner factories.
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Cu/Ni/Cr ≥32 μm on plating-grade ABS, trivalent chrome, CASS 48 h. Grilles, trim strips and emblems.
Learn more →Piano black is a deep, mirror-like high-gloss black finish made with a black color coat and a thick clearcoat. Our target is ≥95 GU at 60°.
Piano black has a higher gloss and sharper reflections. Our targets are ≥95 GU for piano black and ≥90 GU for gloss black at 60°.
A mirror surface shows every fine scratch. A harder clearcoat, such as a UV-cured clear, improves scratch resistance.
Yes, after surface preparation and a PP/TPO adhesion primer.
With a gloss meter at 20°, 60° or 85°. We use 60° as standard and 20° (DOI) for high-gloss parts.
We offer low MOQ on selected items. The quantity is confirmed in your quote.
Send your drawing or a sample and the gloss target. We will reply with DFM comments and a quote.
