A methodology for determining the thin film hardness from a microindentation loading curve is proposed. The loading curve is modelled to compute the dynamic Martens hardness using the indentation depth reached during the test. Moreover, the indentation size effect is taken into account by applying the strain gradient plasticity theory. Then, the dynamic Martens hardness and the hardness length-scale factor are used to express the applied load as a function of the indentation depth. The proposed model involves three parameters: (i) the dynamic Martens macro-hardness, equivalent to the hardness obtained for an infinite applied load, (ii) the hardness length-scale factor, which represents the material resistance to plastic deformation under indentation and (iii) a corrective load, considering the rounded tip effect of the indenter and the zero shift. The model is validated on a 316L stainless steel which subsequently is used as a substrate material for two different Diamond Like-Carbon thin films. The coated systems involved both a hydrogen-free mostly amorphous carbon chromium (a-C) film of similar to 2.6 mu m in thickness and a hydrogenated, amorphous carbon (a-C:H) solid lubricant of similar to 2 mu m. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.