A
ABATEMENT
Reduction in amount, degree or intensity.
The removal of the painted surface (the most common
example is old lead-based paint) or of asbestos. Also
includes encapsulation i.e. covering the painted or
asbestos surface with an impermeable product, or
covering the surface with heavy-duty coating.
ABRASION RESISTANCE
Resistance to being worn away by friction; related more
to toughness than to hardness.
ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING
Cleaning and roughening of a metal surface by the use
of abrasives which are projected against a surface
using compressed air, water, or centrifugal force. Also
used to clean concrete surfaces by removing dirt, grime,
loose concrete, efflorescence, concrete spatter, laitance,
glaze, form release agent, and all other foreign matter.
ABRASIVE BLAST FINISH
The purpose of abrasive and/or abrasive injected water
blasting on concrete is to produce an even finished
appearance or an esthetically pleasing texture on gap
graded and architectural aggregate mix concrete
surfaces. MPI standards for decorative architectural blast
finishes are:
• SFI (Brush) - removes surface dirt and stains to
give the surface a uniform appearance.
• SF2 (Light) - exposes some of the fine aggregate
as well as removing surface dirt and stains. Depth
of cut shall not exceed 1/16” (1.5 mm).
• SF3 (Medium) - exposes the top faces of the
coarse aggregate faces near the surface. Depth of
cut shall not exceed 3/16" (5 mm).
• SF4 (Heavy) - exposes more of the coarse
aggregate particles near the surface. Depth of cut
shall not exceed 3/8" (10 mm).
ABRASIVES
Materials used for wearing away a surface by friction,
such as powdered pumice, silica, sandpaper, metal
shot, mineral slags, steel wool, or glass beads. Also,
used for abrasive blast cleaning, e.g. sand, grit,
carborundum, baking soda, rice hulls, ground walnut
shells, etc.
ABSORPTION (ABSORB)
A phenomenon where a substance (the absorbate) is
taken into pores, voids, or interstices of a material (the
absorbent); process of soaking up.
See also Adsorption.
ACCELERATED WEATHERING
Man-made methods to simulate the exterior
environment in an intensified manner in an effort to
duplicate or reproduce actual weather conditions in
order to test the exterior durability of coatings
and materials. A testing procedure used by
coatings and resin manufacturers to assimilate
exterior exposure by the use of condensation,
water spray, temperature variation and high
intensity ultra violet light. The three most
commonly used methods are carbon arc, xenon
and fluorescent UV condensation types. ASTM
publishes a number of related test methods.
ACCELERATOR
Accelerators speed up chemical curing
reactions. They are used with vinyl treatments
and etch wash primers. See also Catalyst.
ACCENT
Any deep or strong color. Also elements of
color used as a design contrast.
ACCENT BASE
A tinting base used to make deep or strong
colors with the addition of colorants. Generally
contains no opaque pigments. See Tint Base.
ACCENT COLOR
Elements of color decor having characteristics
quite different from the basic color scheme.
Often bright, deep, or strong colors.
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
Minimum standards for the content of
programs, plans, procedures, and designs
required by a specification for the performance
of a contract. Acceptance Criteria is the basis
for judging the responsiveness of a contractor’s
program and is used as a basis for suspending
work, if necessary. [SSPC]
ACCREDITATION
To authorize or give credentials to; to certify as
meeting certain set standards e.g. a college
accredited by an association.
ACETATES
Organic solvents formed by combining various
alcohols with acetic acid.
ACETIC ACID
A colorless, corrosive organic acid with a
pungent odor. Widely used as an intermediate
in the production of other chemicals. Also
known as ethanoic acid or vinegar.
ACETONE
A fast evaporating, highly flammable solvent
that is a member of the ketone family. Used in
some lacquer solvents and wood fillers.
ACID
An organic or inorganic substance that contains
hydrogen that disassociates when put into
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 3
solution with water producing one or more hydrogen
ions.
ACID ETCH
A surface treatment using a dilute acid to scarify and/or
neutralize (an alkali) the surface. Often, concrete and
other masonry surfaces are treated with muriatic acid (a
dilute form of hydrochloric acid), but metals are usually
treated with phosphoric or chromic acids.
ACID NUMBER
A numerical index of free acid in an oil or resin.
ACID STAIN
A water-soluble stain made with an organic dye.
ACIDIC
Having an excess of acid forming substances (a pH
below 7).
ACIDITY
Chemical character of a body in the presence of water,
measured by pH (short for hydrogen potential) : pH
from 0 to 7 = increasing acid medium (hydrochloric
acid), pH from 7 to 14 = increasing alkaline or basic
medium content (caustic soda, ammonia).
ADDITIVE
A substance added in small quantities to a
coating to modify its properties (e.g. driers,
mildewcide, etc.).
ADDUCT CURING AGENT
A curing agent combined with a portion of resin.
ADHESION
The act or state of adhering (the sticking
together of substances in contact with each
other as if they were glued). The property that
makes a paint film stick to the surface. The
degree of attachment between a coating film
and the underlying material with which it is in
contact. The latter may be another film of paint
(intercoat adhesion) or any other material such
as wood, metal, plaster, etc. (adhesion between
a coating and substrate). Adhesion should not
be confused with cohesion.
ADSORPTION (ADSORB)
The adhesion of molecules or ions of a gas or
liquid onto (as opposed to absorb “into”) a
dissimilar material. Activated carbon used for
water purification is a good example.
ACID-RESISTANT PAINT
A coating material designed to resist attack by acids
under specified conditions.
ADULTERATION
The substitution of inferior materials for those
accepted as standard.
ACOUSTIC PAINT
A paint that is designed to absorb or deaden sound.
ADVANCING COLORS
Colors that give an illusion of being closer to the
observer. Warm colors in which red-orange
predominates, are advancing colors.
ACRYLIC
The family of organic acids with the generic formula of
CnH2nCOOH. Acrylic acids are polymerized to create
film-forming materials ranging from Plexiglas to latex
emulsions.
ACRYLIC LATEX
Water based, emulsion type paint that contains an
acrylic co-polymer as the binder. Other binders that
may be added to reduce the cost or add specific
properties include styrene, epoxy, and poly-vinyl
acetate.
AERATION
The presence of air in a liquid paint sometimes
caused by excessive agitation. In high viscosity
paints, aeration may result in air entrapment in
the dried film.
AEROSOL (SPRAY)
A coating packaged with a gas or liquid
propellant applied by way of a finger operated
spray tip.
ACRYLIC RESINS
Synthetic resins (made from derivatives of acrylic acid)
of excellent color and clarity. Used in both emulsion and
solvent-based paints. Generically, resins resulting from
the polymerization of derivatives of acrylic acids,
including esters of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid,
acrylonitrile, and their copolymers. Also known as
acrylate resins.
AFTER TACK
Prolonged stickiness of a coating film after the
specified "dry hard" stage has been reached.
Also see Tack.
ACTIVATOR
A catalyst or curing agent or 'accelerator' combined with
a resin or coating to initiate a chemical reaction that
cures the resin.
AGGLOMERATION
The massing or grouping of pigment particles.
Dispersing action during paint manufacture is
used to break up those agglomerates,
AGEING
Degeneration occurring in a coating during the
passage of time.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 4
AGGREGATE
1) An inert particle larger than the mean pigment size in
a coating. Aggregates are added to coatings to
impart texture or non-slip properties to floor and deck
coatings.
2) A non-dispersed or non-wetted group of pigment
particles.
AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT
Environments that will aggressively attack or cause
severe corrosion of unprotected substrates. Examples
include, but are not limited to: frequent chemical
exposures (splash, spillage, fumes), immersion service,
secondary containment service, high heat service,
marine service and geographical regions with wide
temperature ranges, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet
rays and high humidity. In architectural, also treated as
an Aggressive Environment are those conditions where
the cost to re-do would be excessive.
AGITATION
A mixing or stirring motion often used to combine
components in a uniform mixture.
AIR ATOMIZER
The device that causes the breakup of paint fluids into
fine particles for even distribution by the spray gun
nozzle.
AIR BRUSH
A miniature air spray system (usually of the suction feed
variety) for use in artwork or detailing
AIR BUBBLE
Bubble in paint film caused by entrapped air. See Air
Entrapment.
AIR CONTAMINANTS
Material, either natural or man-made, in the ambient air,
such as particles (dust, smoke etc.); mist (other than
water); fumes; gases, etc.
AIR DRY
To dry a coating at ordinary room conditions 60 to 75
degrees F. (15 to 24 degrees C.), with 40 to 60%
relative humidity, by simple exposure to air without heat
or catalyst.
AIR ENTRAPMENT
Inclusion of air bubbles in paint film.
AIR MANIFOLD
Device that allows common air supply chamber to
supply several lines.
AIR VOLUME
The amount of air in cubic feet (usually per minute) at
atmospheric pressure.
AIR-ASSISTED AIRLESS SPRAYING
A modification of the airless spraying system.
Pressurized air is used at the edges of the airless spray
pattern to more fully atomize paint spray. A
lower paint or pot pressure can therefore be
used.
AIRLESS SPRAY
Unlike conventional spraying, this system
requires no air, as it uses hydraulic pressure.
Atomization of the paint is achieved when the
pressurized paint is forced through a small
spray nozzle (tip). Due to the high pressure,
one of its main advantages is that coatings do
not need to be reduced nearly as much, thereby
resulting in better hiding and higher film build.
ALCOHOL
A flammable solvent; alcohols commonly used
in painting are ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and
methyl alcohol (methanol, wood alcohol).
ALCOHOL RESISTANT
A material or coating that shows no damage
when in direct contact with alcohol.
ALDEHYDES
A chemical compound containing the R-C-H
group. The most common is formaldehyde.
ALIPHATIC
A major class of organic compounds showing a
linear carbon structure. Many of these are used
as solvents for alkyd and oil based paints such
as the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents.
ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON SOLVENT
A family of low strength liquid solvents
commonly distilled from petroleum. These
solvents are generally found in trade sale oils
and alkyd paints. Also known as stoddard
solvent, paint thinner, or mineral spirits.
ALIVE
A paint or varnish surface that is still soft and
workable until it begins to become tacky. Also
called "open time".
ALKALI
A substance such as lye, soda of lime, alkaline
or strong alkaline solutions. It is highly
destructive to paint films (certain latex coatings
are, however, quite resistant) and can also be
used to neutralize acids.
ALKALI BURN
A condition that occurs when the alkalinity in
fresh concrete, masonry, or plaster causes a
reaction with a paint’s binder, or pigment,
resulting in change or deterioration of the paint
film. Most likely to occur with pigmented latex
and oil-based paints.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 5
ALKALI-RESISTANT PAINT
A coating designed to resist attack by strong alkaline
solutions under specified conditions.
ALKALINE
A condition where the pH is higher than 7.
ALKALINITY
Chemical character of a body in the presence of water,
measured by pH (short for hydrogen potential) : pH
from 0 to 7 = increasing acid medium (hydrochloric
acid), pH from 7 to 14 = increasing alkaline or basic
medium content (caustic soda, ammonia).
ALKYD RESIN
An oil modified, synthetic resin generally made from the
combination of poly basic acids (phthalic acid, maleic
anhydride), polyhydric alcohols (glycerol,
pentaerythritol) and oils (linseed, soya, tung). Alkyds
are considered "oil modified polyesters" and are
generally diluted with hydrocarbon solvents to make
varnishes and alkyd paints.
ALLIGATORING
A painted surface on which cracks, resembling the hide
of an alligator, have formed. Common causes of this
condition are the application of thick films which prevent
the under surface from becoming thoroughly dry and
hard, and from drying the paint in poorly ventilated
rooms. See MPI’s Identifiers.
ALUMINUM LEAF
Flat plate-like particles of aluminum metal used in
aluminum paints and metallic enamels. Available in
leafing and non-leafing types.
ALUMINUM PAINT
A paint that includes a mixture of fine aluminum
particles or flakes as pigment combined with a resinous
vehicle and solvent. Silicone type binders in
combination with aluminum pigments are used for high
heat coatings. Regular alkyd and resin binders are used
for sealers. Exhibits a silver metallic finish when dried.
ALUMINUM PASTE
A paste of aluminum flakes, solvent, and assorted
additives. Available in either "leafing" or "non-leafing"
types.
ALUMINUM SILICATE
A white inert pigment of little color and opacity, which is
used in coating and filling compounds. Also known as
kaolin or clay.
ALUMINUM STEARATE
A pure white powder that reduces the settling of
pigments in paints and is used in clear sanding sealers
for improving the sanding or non-clogging properties.
ALUMINIUM WOOD PRIMER
A coating containing a portion of aluminum
pigment that is used as a barrier coat to
overcome bleeding from resinous wood or
timber.
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
Surrounding temperature. Often means a
comfortable and not extreme range. For proper
coating cure, the ambient temperature should
be 44.6 to 86 degrees F. (7 to 30 degrees C.).
AMERICAN GALLON
Equal to 3.785 liters, .833 Imperial gallons, 231
cubic inches.
AMERICAN VERMILION
Chrome orange pigment, usually a basic lead
chromate.
AMIDES
A family of materials of which the polyamides
are used to cure epoxy resins.
AMINES
A family of materials of which the polyamines
(tertiary) are used as fast cure promoters for
epoxy coatings and as blowing (foaming)
enhancers for polyurethane foams.
AMORPHUS SILICA
See Silica.
AMYL ACETATE
A solvent for nitrocellulose which is used
extensively in lacquers. Sometimes called
banana oil because of its odor.
ANAGLYPTA
A type of wallpaper made from the pulp of
cotton fiber since the late 1800’s. It is a trade
name but is now used to refer to any type of
paper with embossed patterns designed to be
painted. It is most commonly used below the
dado rail in halls and stairways, but is also used
on ceilings and entire walls.
ANALOGOUS COLORS
Colors adjacent to one another on the color
wheel.
ANATASE
One of the two main crystalline forms of
titanium dioxide, mainly available in synthetic
form. See Titanium Dioxide.
ANCHOR
The property of a paintable substrate that
enhances the adhesion of a coating.
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Page 6
ANCHOR PATTERN
A profile on a surface, usually attained by abrasive
blasting or abrading. Measured by the depth of profile
(i.e. peak to valley). See also Profile.
ANCHORING
Mechanical bonding of a coating to a rough(roughened)
surface as opposed to adhesion which is chemical
bonding.
ANGLE BLASTING
Abrasive blast cleaning at angles less than 90 degrees.
ANHYDROUS
A material that is free from moisture.
ANILINE COLORS
A broad term used to identify coal tar dyes and/or
derivatives.
ANILINE DYE
A type of powder stain soluble in water, alcohol,
naphtha, etc., and made from aniline. Used as an
interior wood stain.
ANIMAL BLACKS
Bone, drop and ivory blacks made by charring animal
bones after the fatty material has been removed.
ANODIZED ALUMINUM
Aluminum onto which a protective, often colored, layer
of oxide has been placed by electroplating.
ANTI-BLOCKING AGENT
A material added for the prevention of fusion or sticking
between two surfaces. Fumed silica prevents blocking
by providing micro-roughness to the surface thus
preventing actual contact between the two surfaces.
ANTI-CONDENSATION PAINT
A paint designed to minimize the effects of
condensation of moisture under intermittently dry and
humid conditions.
ANTI-CORROSIVE PAINT
Paint designed to inhibit or retard corrosion and rusting;
applied directly to metallic surfaces, usually as a primer
for finish coats. See also Primer.
ANTI-FOULING PAINT
The final coat of paint applied to the hull of a ship below
the water line. Contains metallic poisons, such as red
cuprous oxide, or other toxins, formulated to prevent
growth of marine life, such as barnacles and algae,
which add drag and retard the speed of a ship.
ANTI-SKINNING AGENT
Any material added to a coating to prevent or retard the
processes of oxidation or polymerization that results in
the formulation of an insoluble skin on the surface in an
unopened container.
ANTI-SLIP COATING
A coating devised to increase the coefficient of
friction of a substrate, to reduce the danger of
slipping on the coated surface. The coating
often contains sand or the like, or a rubbery
finish. See also Non Skid Coating.
ANTIMONY OXIDE
A white pigment no longer in much use, except
in fire retardant paints.
ANTIQUE FINISH APPLICATION
Usually applied to furniture or walls to give the
appearance of age. Any process (including
brushing, spraying (cold or hot), dipping (simple
immersion), roller coating, flushing, and
spreading) by which coatings are transferred to
a variety of surfaces.
ANTIQUING
A process to replicate the effects of natural
aging. May use such decorative techniques as
color washing, glazing, distressing, patina,
crackle glazing, etc.
APPLICATION PROPERTIES
Characteristics of a paint that facilitate its
application, e.g., spatter resistance, lapping
properties, open time. etc.
APPLICATOR
A person (or contractor) who applies a coating.
Also a tool for applying a material.
APPLIED HIDING
Property of an applied coating that covers,
masks, or obscures the substrate, taking into
account opacity, film thickness, flow and
leveling.
APPLIED SOLIDS
Solids that remain on a substrate after the
solvent evaporates.
APPRENTICE PAINTER
One engaged in learning the painting trade
under an agreement with an employer,
employer's association, or responsible agency.
Such agreement provides for a certain number
of years of reasonably continuous employment
and participation in approved training programs.
APPROPRIATE SPECIFIED USE
The suitability of the proper product and system
for the functional intended use of the surface.
For example, a high performance paint system
in a high contact/traffic area would be so,
whereas a non-scrubbable matte finish system
would not be.
APPROVED PRODUCTS LIST
See MPI Approved Products List.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 7
AQUEOUS
Containing water.
ATOMIZE
The process of breaking a stream of liquid into
fine particles.
ARCHITECTURAL COATING
Coating intended for on site application to interior or
exterior surfaces of residential, commercial,
institutional, or light industrial structures as opposed to
factory-applied or industrial coatings. They are
protective and decorative finishes applied at ambient
temperatures.
ARCING
To swing spray gun away from the work
(perpendicular).
AROMATIC HYDROCARBON
An aromatic hydrocarbon is a type of compound that
contains one or more unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbons
that have a six-sided carbon structure (benzene ring)
with three alternating (C=C) double bonds.
AROMATIC POLYURETHANE
Type of polyurethane with good chemical resistance but
poor ultraviolet resistance.
AROMATIC SOLVENT
A hydrocarbon solvent with an aromatic structure. The
common aromatic solvents used for paints are toluene,
xylene and benzene.
ASBESTOS CEMENT BOARD
A construction material where asbestos fibers are set
into a matrix of cement. These boards are used as
insulation and as test beds for ascertaining the
flammability of coatings. The use of asbestos is
controversial and has been banned in many areas.
ASPHALT
Black solid bitumen found naturally. Also, the residue
from distillation of petroleum. In construction, tar mixed
with sand and gravel.
ASPHALT BLEEDING
A yellow to brown discoloration on the surface of
painted asphalt. See MPI’s Identifiers.
ASPHALT CUT-BACK
A solution of refined asphalt and hydrocarbon solvent
often used as a damp proofing sealer for below grade
concrete foundations.
ASPHALT VARNISH
Varnishes that are usually composed of asphalt or
pitch, heat treated with gilsonite and thinned with
mineral spirits or naphtha. Also called bituminous
varnish.
ASTM
ASTM International (formerly American Society for
Testing and Materials). One of the largest standards
and test methods development organizations in the
world.
B
BACK PRIMING
The application of a paint or primer to the back
(i.e. inside) of wood, usually exterior siding and
trim, to reduce the amount of moisture that can
migrate from the interior. This reduces the risk
of cupping, swelling and blistering due in large
part to water intrusion.
BACK ROLLING
A method where freshly applied paint (wet) is
smoothed out with an undipped roller to even
the appearance and improve uniformity. Back
rolling is not considered a second coat. See
also Coat.
BACKER ROD
A flexible rod of foamed urethane, styrofoam, or
similar material inserted into wide joints or
cracks (generally ranging from 3/8 inch to 3
inches or more) to stop the flow of caulking or
sealant material through the joint being sealed.
BACTERICIDE
A chemical compound that retards the growth of
bacteria in water based paints. It is effective in
the container and should not be confused with a
fungicide which functions after the film has
dried. In the past, formaldehyde was the most
widely used bactericide, but health concerns
have reduced its use. There are many types of
bactericides used in paints today.
BADGER BRUSH
A very soft brush made from badger (an animal)
hairs used for smoothing lines in graining and
varnishing.
BAKING
Coatings that require curing at elevated
temperatures. Examples are melamine and
urea formaldehyde modified alkyds that are
often used for metal furniture and license
plates. Baking may be done in an oven, under
infrared lamps, or by induction heating
depending on the demands of shape, space,
maximum heat and other requirements. The
substrate coated must be able to withstand the
temperature required for the proper baking of
the finish. Baking is usually employed to speed
drying and step up production. Also referred to
as stoving in Europe.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 8
BAKING JAPAN
A japan enamel that requires heating or baking to attain
the maximum hardness and toughness in the cured
film. Baking japans are generally composed of varying
amounts of gilsonite, linseed oil and cottonseed pitch
which are cooked together in a specific manner to form
the base resin.
BASE BOARD
An interior trim board (often a decorative,
molded wood) applied to the wall at the floor
line.
BALUSTRADE
A railing or handrail supported by balusters. Generally
used to surround a balcony or landing.
BASE COAT
1) The plaster coat applied prior to the finish
coat.
2) A coat applied directly to a substrate (wood,
plaster, cement, etc.), whose purpose is to
ensure adhesion between the substrate and
the coating. See also Primer.
3) A ground coat. See also Graining.
4) A foundation coat for a decorative finish. See
Decorative Finish.
BANANA LIQUID
An amyl acetate nitrocellulose solution. Its odor
resembles ripe bananas.
BASE COLOR
Substrate color under a special decorative
finish such as multi colored and faux finishing.
BANANA OIL
A bronzing liquid containing amyl acetate.
BANDING
A method of applying a final pass of the spray gun over
the areas where previous passes began or ended to
even the appearance.
BASECOAT CLEARCOAT
A coating system usually used in automotive
body painting. The basecoat is a highly
pigmented paint that is subsequently coated
with multiple thin layers of clear finish, giving
the final product depth and brilliance in color as
well as extreme durability.
BARGE BOARD
A decorative wood board applied to the ends of gable
rafters.
BASIC LEAD
A precipitate formed by combining a sodium
dichromate solution with a lead solution.
BARIUM SULFATE
A heavy, white extender pigment with good filling and
hold out properties and is often used in automotive
fillers and undercoats. There are two main forms of
barium sulfate that are used in coatings. The natural ore
is known as Barytes and the synthetic produced as
Blanc Fixe.
BASIC ZINC CHROMATE
(ZnCrO4-4Zn(OH)2) A low hiding, yellow
pigment used mainly for its corrosion inhibiting
properties in vinyl wash primers. Also known as
zinc tetroxy chromate. See also Zinc Chromate,
Zinc Yellow.
BARRIER COAT (ING)
A coating or primer designed to shield or block the
chemical or solvent interaction between a substrate and
a finish coating. Barrier coatings are also often used on
solvent sensitive surfaces such as some plastics.
BATCH
The total quantity of paint or other material
produced in a single process or filling operation.
Manufacturers generally apply a code on each
unit filled from a batch so that it can be
identified as to the date of production and
formula used.
BALUSTER
An individual, vertical member that supports a
balustrade or handrail.
BARRIER PIGMENT
A pigment that can improve the ability of a coating to
provide a good barrier between the environment and
the substrate it protects. All inorganic pigments can
provide some additional barrier protection when
properly formulated into a coating.
BARYTES
Natural barium sulfate. Used extensively as an extender
pigment in paint and as a base for diluted colors.
BASE
See Tint Base.
BATTEN
A strip of wood, metal or plastic (usually
narrow) used to cover an open joint or seam.
BEAD
A strip of material (often galvanized metal, or
plastic) bent at an angle along its length and
used to form a corner for drywall or plaster. In
some cases, the bead is covered with a paper
tape that extends over the edges. The most
common bead shapes are standard and bull
nosed.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 9
BEADING
A slight ridge or protrusion that extends along a drywall
joint that is often caused by the application of a second
coat of filler over a wet first coat. Also known as ridging.
BEVEL
Edge cut at an angle; corner with two angles and a flat
plane between.
BENCHMARK SAMPLE
A sample that serves as a standard by which other work
may be measured or judged.
BENZENE
An aromatic hydrocarbon solvent once used for drycleaning fluids and fast dry coatings. Benzene is now
limited in use due to toxicity. Not to be confused with
benzine. Also known as benzol. See also Aromatic
solvents, Toluene, Xylene.
BENZINE
A very light specific gravity petroleum distillate, less
volatile than gasoline but more so than kerosene. It has
low solvent power and is flammable. Occasionally used
as a lacquer diluent.
BINDER
The nonvolatile portion of a paint that binds the pigment
particles together and adheres the film to a surface.
Also referred to as the polymer, resin or film former.
The type and proportional amount of binder to pigment
in a coating can significantly affect the physical
properties of the dry film (e.g. washability, toughness,
adhesion, and color retention). Examples of paint
binders are: drying oils, alkyds, latex emulsions,
epoxies, etc.
BIOCIDE
Any substance, especially a bactericide or fungicide,
which kills or retards the growth of microorganisms. In
the paint industry, a biologically active paint additive
designed to keep bacteria from spoiling the paint in the
container. Mildewcide is sometimes included to keep
mildew from growing on the applied paint.
BITING
When a coat of nitrocellulose lacquer material is applied
over another coat of lacquer or similar finishing
material, the solvents in the topcoat partially dissolve or
"bite" into the bottom coat.
BITUMEN
Any mixture of solid and semi-solid hydrocarbons from
petroleum or coal sources. Bitumens are dark brown to
black colored thermoplastic materials that are often
used in combination with a drying oil, epoxy or other
film former. Bitumens are used as emulsions in water
for sealers, dissolved in solvent or heated for
application. See also Asphalt.
BITUMINOUS
See Bitumen, Asphalt.
BLANC FIXE
See Barytes, Barium Sulfate.
BLAST ANGLE
Angle of the nozzle or blast stream relative to
the surface being abraded; the angle of
particles that are propelled from a rotating blast
cleaning wheel relative to the surface.
BLAST CLEANING
Any method for the cleaning or roughening of a
surface by the use of natural or artificial grit, or
fine metal shot (usually steel), which is
projected onto a surface by compressed air,
pressurized water or mechanical means.
BLAST DEBRIS
The detached materials, such as paint,
corrosion, etc., and the spent abrasive grit
generated by the abrasive blast cleaning
process.
BLAST MEDIA
The abrasive or grit used during abrasive blast
cleaning. It may be sand, steel shot, walnut
husks, etc.
BLEACHING
1) The use of a chemical bleaching solution to
lighten or remove stains and discolorations
from wood surfaces. See also Bleaching
Agent.
2) Loss of color or fading, commonly caused by
exposure to sunlight. See also Fading.
BLEACHING AGENT
A material that, through a chemical reaction,
removes color or stains from a surface. Some
of the bleaching agents used are potassium
permanganate, sodium bisulphite, sodium
hypo-sulfite and hydrogen peroxide.
Commercial bleaching solutions for removing
mildew are often sodium or potassium
hypochlorite based. Oxalic acid is often used for
removing cedar and iron oxide stains.
BLEACHING LACQUER
Bleaching lacquers are basic lacquers
containing bleach solutions. They are used for
lighting effects on dark woods.
BLEEDING
Migration of a dye or stain from stained wood or
any undercoat into subsequent coats. This
usually occurs as the result of solubility in the
vehicle or solvent portion of the coating. It can
often be prevented or reduced by the
application of an intermediate coat of shellac,
aluminum paint, or emulsion paint. For
example, white enamel applied over mahogany
woodwork or over brilliant red enamel will
The Master Painter’s Glossary
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develop pink spots in a few weeks. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
BLEEDING STAIN
A stain that migrates through coatings applied to it. In
most cases, this is caused by the stain (or a component
of it), being soluble in the liquid volatile phase of the
coating applied. As the volatile material evaporates, the
solubilized stain is deposited (or condensed) on the
surface.
BLEMISH
A general term for any number of surface defects that
reflect on the finished appearance.
BLENDING
The word blending is often used synonymously with the
word mixing. When two materials are blended, they are
intimately mixed together. At other times, blending
refers more particularly to the gradual shading off from
one color to another.
BLISTER
A rounded protrusion appearing in a dry coating film
caused by the trapping, then subsequent vaporization,
of a volatile material in the substrate. The vapor
pressure disbonds the coating and, depending on the
flexibility of the paint, can form small to large dome
shaped blisters. In wall coverings, a blister is a bubble
of entrapped air under the surface that hasn’t been
smoothed out.
BLISTERING
A paint film defect appearing as dome-shaped bubbles
resulting from loss of localized adhesion and the
consequential lifting from the underlying surface.
Blistering often occurs when a coating is applied to a
wet, porous substrate or when moisture enters the
substrate through some indirect source such as poorly
sealed joints. It may also be caused by excessive heat
during application that causes the surface to dry too
quickly or by sap (pitch) trapped in a wood surface. See
MPI’s Identifiers.
BLOCK COAT
Material used between incompatible coatings or
substrate and coating. See also Barrier Coating.
BLOCK FILLER
A thick, medium to high solids, heavily pigmented
material used for application on concrete blocks for
filling and smoothing the surface for subsequent finish
coatings. Block fillers can be based on various emulsion
resins, epoxies and alkali resistant alkyds.
BLOCK RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating to resist sticking to itself when
used on surfaces that come into contact with each
other.
BLOCKING
The sticking or bonding together of two painted
surfaces that are in direct contact e.g., door and
jamb, window sash and sill, etc.. Sometimes
caused by stacking painted articles before dry
or reaching a “block free” stage. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
BLOOM
A haze or clouded effect appearing on the
surface of a dried enamel or varnish film and
effecting the gloss of the film. This is generally
caused by the appearance at the surface of a
disassociated component of the coating. This
could be a plastisizer or monomeric oil, but is
commonly caused by pigment that is soluble in
a solvent in the coating. As the solvent
evaporates, the solubilized pigment is carried to
the surface and deposited leaving a powdery
residue. Blooming is seen immediately after the
film has dried. See MPI’s Identifiers.
BLOW-BACK
The rebounding of atomized sprayed droplets.
See Bounce Back.
BLOWN OIL
Oils that have been bodied and partially
polymerized or oxidized by blowing air through
them. This is done to improve drying.
BLUE LEAD
A basic sulfate of lead containing basic lead
sulfate, lead sulphide, lead sulfite, zinc oxide
and small amounts of carbon that impart a
bluish-gray color. Used for its ability to form
soaps with free acids in oil resins and to
improve water resistance.
BLUSHING
This defect may occur during the drying period
of lacquer films. Blushing is caused by the
precipitation of a portion of the solid content of
the material, which gives an opaque
appearance. The two general types are
"moisture" blushing and "gum" blushing.
Moisture blushing is usually caused by high
humidity, causing the condensation of minute
droplets of water onto the lacquer surface
during the dry. Gum blushing is usually caused
by improper selection of the lacquer solvents,
which results in a precipitation of some of the
non-volatile resin solids. See MPI’s Identifiers.
BODIED OIL
Oils that are thickened (bodied) through heating
either in air, under vacuum or in an inert gas.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 11
BODY
A term used to indicate the substance, density, or
consistency (i.e. fluid consistency or thickness or
thinness) of a liquid paint.
BORDER
A narrow strip or band of contrasting or
decorative material applied to the edge of a
surface as a decorative accent.
BODY COAT
A coat of paint applied between the priming and
finishing coats. Also referred to as the intermediate
coat, build coat.
BORON CARBIDE
One of the hardest man-made materials, almost
as hard as diamonds, used for lining sandblast
nozzles and spray tips (tungsten carbide is also
used).
BODYING
1) The thickening of an oil through thermal processing.
See Bodied Oil.
2) An increase in the viscosity or thixotropy of a paint,
varnish, or lacquer which occurs during storage.
BOTTOM DRYING
Certain types of materials which, when added
to a product, cause it to dry from the bottom
toward the top of the film.
BOILED LINSEED OIL
An alkali refined linseed oil that has been heated to 550
degrees F. (287 degrees C.), then had soluble drier
metals added. Boiled linseed oil is occasionally added
to oil based paints and stains in small amounts to
increase penetration and improve flow.
BOUNCE BACK
Paint spray that rebounds back from the
surface being painted, often caused by spray
pressures greater than ideal. This effect is most
noticeable when spraying into a corner or small
enclosure.
BOND BREAKER
A general name for any number of materials that
prevent the permanent adhesion of one material to
another. Bond breaking film formers are commonly
used to facilitate the removal of forms for poured-inplace and tilt-up concrete construction. See also Form
Release Agent.
BOXING
Mixing paint by pouring from one bucket or
container to another several times to assure
uniform color consistency.
BOND COAT
A type of coating designed to improve adhesion of
subsequent coats. See also Tie Coat.
BONDING
The adhesion or bonding between applied coatings and
surfaces.
BONDING STRENGTH
A measurement of the adhesion between a coating or
adhesive and a substrate. The amount of stress needed
to separate a coating or adhesive from the surface to
which it is bonded.
BONE BLACK
A black pigment made by carbonizing animal bones at
1400 - 1600 degrees F. (760 - 870 degrees C.) in
closed vessels. Sometimes known as "drop black".
BONE DRY SHELLAC
A bleached, light colored gum resin.
BOOKING
Installation method. Paste is applied to the back of the
wall covering, then folded or booked paste side to paste
side, and allowed to sit for a predetermined time before
applying to wall. This is also sometimes recommended
for pre-pasted wall coverings.
BREAK (ING)
The break in an oil is the flocculate materials or
"foots" which separate out upon long standing
or upon application of heat. Varnishes "break"
when a portion of the resin or drier separates
from the liquid. Also describes the defect which
sometimes appears in a coat of paint when,
soon after application, the liquid separates from
the pigment.
BREAKING STRENGTH
The ability of a wall covering to resist initial
tearing.
BREATHE
The ability of a coating or material to allow the
passage of moisture vapor without causing
blistering, cracking or peeling. See also
Permeability.
BREATHING COATING
A coating, which is sufficiently permeable to
permit passage or transmission of water vapor
without detrimental effects such as blistering.
BRIDGING
1) Ability of paint to span small gaps or cracks
through its cohesion and elastic qualities.
2) The ability of a coating to form a dry film over
gaps, cracks and holes in a substrate.
Elastomeric coating would be a good
example.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 12
used for water-based coatings; and wire bristles
(e.g. stainless steel, steel) are used for surface
preparation.
BRIGHT BLAST
See White blast.
BRIGHT COLORS
Generally a secondary or primary color not tinted (white
added) or shaded (black added).
BRUSH APPLICATION
The use of a brush to apply a coating.
BRIGHTNESS
A scale of whiteness starting at 0 (black) to 100 (bright
white). For example, titanium dioxide has a brightness
generally around 96.
BRUSH GRAINING
The process of dragging a dry brush over an
applied coating to imitate a straight, grained
effect.
BRISTLE
The working part of a brush containing natural or
synthetic bristle.
BRUSH MARK
Parallel marks that resemble ridges and valleys
that remain in a dried film after a brush
application. These are often caused by working
the paint too long or after its solvents have
evaporated to the point of reduced flow or by a
poor leveling paint. See Leveling. Also, see
MPI’s Identifiers.
BRITTLE
A dried film easily broken or is not tough or tenacious.
Inflexible, glass-like.
BROADCAST
To sprinkle solid particles on a surface.
BROKEN COLOR
The general multi-colored effect brought about by the
merging of wet paints of various colors or by
manipulation that produces random effects. Often a
translucent medium over colored ground coat(s). See
Decorative Finish.
BRUSHABILITY
The ease with which a paint can be brushed
under practical conditions.
BRUSHING
A material is said to be a "brushing" product,
when it is capable of being applied with a brush.
BRUSHING CONSISTENCY
A paint or varnish suitable, when received in the
package, for easy application with a brush.
BRONZE TOOLS
Non-sparking tools.
BRONZING
Formation of metallic sheen on a paint film.
BRONZING LIQUID
A vehicle especially formulated for use as a binder for
aluminum or gold bronze powder.
BRUSH-OFF BLAST CLEANING
Lowest level of abrasive blast cleaning
standards where all except tightly adhering of
mill scale, rust, paint and coatings are removed,
while uniformly roughening the surface. See
Brush-Off Blast Cleaning, SSPC-SP 7.
BROOMING
A method of applying a textured or non-skid surface to
a freshly placed concrete slab before it has thoroughly
hardened. A fine texture is obtained by using a soft
bristle broom, a coarse texture by using a stiff bristle.
BRUSH-OUT
A technique that consists of brushing out a
paint onto a small sample for testing or so that
a customer can see how the finished job will
look.
BROWN BAGGING
A decorative technique applied by sticking torn pieces
of brown paper bags onto walls etc.
BUBBLING
Describes the appearance of bubbles in the
coating or on the surface either while the
coating is being applied or in the dry film. See
also Foam. Also, see MPI’s Identifiers.
BROWN COAT
A coat of rough plaster directly beneath the finish coat.
In a two-coat system, the brown coat is applied directly
to the lathing, then the finish coat. In a three-coat
application, a scratch coat is applied to the lathing, the
brown coat is applied to the scratch coat and then the
finish coat.
BRUSH
A tool made of bristles set into a handle. Natural bristles
(e.g. hog, horse) are used for solvent-based coatings;
synthetic bristles or filaments (e.g. polyester, nylon) are
BUFFER COAT
A coat of finishing material applied over the old
finish to protect it from the solvent action of the
new finishing material. See also Barrier Coat.
BUFFING COMPOUND
A fine or soft abrasive commonly in stick, paste
or liquid form. The stick types are often used on
hard surfaces such as metals, and the paste
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Page 13
and liquid types are used on painted surfaces. Also
known as cut polish.
BUG HOLES
Small surface cavities (usually not exceeding 15 mm in
diameter) in formed concrete resulting from entrapment
of air bubbles during placing, compaction and curing.
BUILD
Real or apparent thickness, fullness, or depth of dried
film. See Film Build.
BUILDING COATS
Coats used to build up surfaces before rubbing.
BUTT JOINT
1) A joint or seam where wall covering strips are
hung side by side without overlapping. Also
known as butt seam.
2) The seam where the untapered or butt ends
of gypsum wallboard panels meet.
BUTYL ACETATE
A strong, medium-evaporating solvent
commonly used as a component of lacquers
and lacquer thinner. N butyl acetate is the
standard for rating evaporation rate (ER) of
solvents (ER = 1.00).
See also Evaporation Rate.
BULKING
Indicating the number of gallons per pound of pigment.
BULL NOSED
An external angle that has been rounded off to remove
the sharp corner.
BURNED FINISH
A wood finish produced by using a blowtorch and stiffbristled or wire brush. This technique makes the hard
portion of the grain texture stand out by charring back
the softer portions.
BURNING IN
The repairing of scratches and other damaged places in
a finish by melting stick shellac into the defect with a
heated blade knife.
BURNING OFF
The removal of paint by a process in which the paint is
softened by heat, e.g. from a flame or heat gun, and
then scraped off while still soft.
BURNISH (ING)
Commonly associated with the appearance of shiny
patches on flat and low sheen finishes after being
rubbed or polished. Coatings can vary widely in their
burnish resistance depending on the type and amount
of pigmentation used in the product. Coatings with
higher gloss generally have better burnish resistance
than those with low sheens. See MPI’s Identifiers.
BURNT SIENNA
A reddish brown pigment made by roasting sienna.
BURNT UMBER
A dark brown pigment made by roasting umber.
BUTADIENE
A gas which is chemically combined with styrene to
create a resin used in latex binders, styrene-butadiene.
BUTT END
The untapered end of a drywall panel generally at the
narrow dimension of the board.
C
C.
The international abbreviation for Celsius or
centigrade (see Celsius). Expressed as a
number preceding and representing degrees of
centigrade.
CADMIUM
A metallic element used in some low melting
alloys, electroplating solutions and in the
manufacture of various color pigments used in
the coatings industry. Colored pigments are
produced by chemically combining cadmium
and other metals such as selenium, mercury
and zinc. The colors range from bright yellows
to dark maroon, depending on the combination.
Cadmium pigments have excellent resistance to
heat, solvents and alkali but only fair resistance
to acids. These pigments have good resistance
to UV, but are affected by moisture and air.
Both pure and lithopone versions of cadmium
pigments are considered toxic and are in limited
use.
CADMIUM LITHOPONE
Cadmium color pigments that have been coprecipitated with barium sulfate. This process
reduces the cost and opacity of the pigment,
but improves the settling properties. Cadmium
lithopone is available in the same range of
colors as the pure cadmium pigments.
CAKING
1) Describes the settled pigment in a can of
paint. The pigment is said to be in a hard
cake if settled to a point where just stirring
will not return it to a uniformly mixed
condition.
2) A condition where a varnish adheres to the
rubbing pad, forming a cake. Unless
removed from the pad, the cake can scratch
or mar the surface.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 14
CALCIMINE
A dry powder consisting of calcium carbonate and/or
clay mixed with water and a small percentage of glue
and is used as an interior paint. Calcimine coatings can
be removed with warm water and are damaged by wet
or humid environments.
CALCINING
A thermal process used for removing chemically bound,
volatile materials from a compound. In the coatings
industry, this process is largely used for removing
bound water from pigments to modify their properties.
CALCIUM CARBONATE
(CaCO3) A white compound that occurs naturally in
limestone, marble, calcite and chalk. The natural
calcium carbonate is mined, ground, pulverized, then
classified as to particle size. Calcium carbonate is also
produced synthetically by precipitation and frequently
as a byproduct of another chemical process. Calcium
carbonate pigments are slightly alkaline, relatively soft
and dissolve in acids. They are widely used in interior
alkyd and latex paints as extender pigments. Also
known as whiting.
CALCIUM DRIERS
A compound created from the reaction of calcium and
fatty acids used to promote drying or oxidation in oils
and alkyd resins. See also Driers.
CALCIUM PLUMBATE
A pigment used in primers for galvanized metals, giving
adhesion and corrosion-inhibiting properties.
CALCIUM SULFATE
(CaSO4) A naturally occurring compound that can be in
the hydrous form (gypsum, terra alba) or the anhydrous
form (anhydrite). The pigments are the anhydrous type
and are produced from natural sources or by
precipitation of lime with sulfuric acid that is then
dehydrated.
CALENDAR COAT
A high solids coating that is applied to fabric or paper by
a machine that resembles a roll coater.
CALIBRATE
To fix, check, or adjust the indication of output of a
measuring device to that of a standard.
CARB
California Air Resources Board, a part of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. Its mission is the
effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants.
CARBITOL
A trade name for ethylene glycol solvents produced by
Union Carbide. The Carbitol designation applies to
solvents based on ethylene glycol intermediates, which
are available in many forms. e.g. methyl carbitol, butyl
carbitol (and acetate).
CARBON BLACK
A group of fine black pigments produced from
natural gas, oil, acetylene or graphite sources in
various processes - channel, furnace and
thermal. The different processes create
pigments with variations in particle size,
strength, mass color and reduced color. Carbon
black is widely used in the paint industry, but
more so in the rubber industry as enforcing and
filling agents. Also known as lampblack, furnace
black, channel black.
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
A strong, colorless, non-flammable solvent. Due
to toxicity and potential as a carcinogen, carbon
tetrachloride is restricted in use for coatings.
Replacement solvents include methylene
chloride, perchlorethylene, and 111
trichlorethylene.
CARMINE
A rich, red-purple color often made by mixing
maroon with a clean orange.
CASEIN PAINTS
A water-based opaque and matte coating made
from prime and extender pigments mixed with
casein and, in some cases, a small amount of
oil or resin. Traditionally made from the washed
curd of soured skim milk mixed with limewater,
pigments and filler, becoming insoluble in time.
CASING
The interior trim around door and window
frames or openings.
CAST IRON
A medium carbon type of iron produced by
casting into molds then machining.
CASTOR OIL
Non-drying oil extracted from the seeds of the
castor plant (Rincinus communis). Often used
as a plastisizer in nitrocellulose lacquers. The
most important use to the paint industry is the
chemical dehydration of the oil into a drying oil
that is widely used in alkyd resins.
CAT EYE
A defect in a paint film that appears during
application or before drying of the film. It
appears as a rounded area with a slightly
elevated rim and a thin film of coating on the
bottom; in most cases, the surface is partially
visible. See also Fish Eye.
CAT FACE
A flaw in a plaster finish coat, comparable to a
pockmark. In some cases, knobs showing
through from the base coat are also called
catfaces.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 15
CATALYST
A chemical compound used to accelerate the reaction
between other compounds. Generally this reaction
causes the finish to be more durable that without the
catalyst. In the coatings industry, a catalyst such as
para toluene sulphonic acid (PTSA) is used to lower the
temperature required for and to speed the drying of
alkyd/urea/melamine baking enamels.
CATALYZED FINISH
A finish obtained from the use of a coating that requires
the addition of a curing agent to dry. Catalyzed finishes
are typically physically tough and chemical and solvent
resistant.
CELLULOSE ACETATE
A hard, solvent soluble polymer often combined
with other film formers and used for high
performance clear lacquers on wood (cellulose
acetate butyrate). The application is generally
done at the factory level.
CELLULOSE NITRATE
See Nitrocellulose.
CATHODE
Negative electrode in an electrolytic cell, where there is
a gain of electrons (i.e. reduction) resulting in the
electrode becoming more negative.
CELSIUS
Formerly called centigrade. This is the
temperature scale that uses the freezing point
of water as 0 and the boiling point as 100. To
convert to Fahrenheit, multiply the degrees C.
by 1.8 then add 32. To convert Fahrenheit to
Celsius, subtract 32 then multiply by 0.5555.
Celsius is used in most countries of the world,
with the exception of the United States.
CATHODIC PROTECTION
A method used in the protection of metallic substrates
from corrosion by using an electrical current or the
attachment of a sacrificial anode to the surface. See
also Sacrificial Coating.
CEMETITIOUS BASED PAINT
A paint using portland cement as the main
binder. There may be other modifiers added for
specific purposes, such as an organic binder
(resin, oil), pigments or coloring materials.
CAULKING COMPOUND (CAULK)
A soft, resilient, putty-like material used for filling cracks
and holes or for sealing around flashings, frames,
piping, etc. Available in single component tubes (gun)
or as single and multi component materials for
application by knife or spreader.
CENTIPOISE
A unit used to express the viscosity or thickness
of a liquid. 1/100th of a poise.
CAULKING GUN
A tool for expelling caulking compound from a tube,
enabling a "bead" of material to be applied to cracks
and joints.
CAUSTIC
Corrosive material capable of burning or eating away
skin, e.g. caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or caustic
potash (potassium hydroxide).
CEDAR / REDWOOD STAINING
Yellow to reddish-brown stain on cedar or redwood.
Occurs when water dissolves the substrate’s natural
coloring agents, then migrates through the coating and
evaporates, depositing the stains on the surface. See
MPI’s Identifiers.
CELLOSOLVE
A trade name for diethylene glycol solvents produced
by Union Carbide. The Cellosolve designation applies
to solvents based on diethylene glycol intermediates
which are available in many forms e.g. methyl
cellosolve (and acetate), butyl cellosolve (and acetate).
CELLULOSE
One of the materials extracted from woods and
processed into cellulose polymers. See also Cellulose
Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Cellulose Esters.
CENTRIFUGAL BLAST CLEANING
An abrasive blast cleaning method using motor
driven, bladed wheels (instead of pressurized
air) to propel the abrasive medium at the
surface. Also known as wheel abrading.
CERTIFICATION
The procedure (often involving standardized
testing) through which an official designation is
obtained. A document attesting to the truth of
certain facts, or meeting a standard.
CHAIR RAIL
A wood, plastic, aluminum or sometimes
wallpaper border applied to interior walls at a
height ranging from three to four feet from the
floor. Historically, chair rails were used to
protect the plaster wall surfaces from abrasion
or damage from the backs of chairs.
CHALK
See Calcium Carbonate
CHALKING
The formation of a loose powder on the surface
of a coating generally caused by the
degradation of the binder that causes release of
surface pigment. Some pigments are known to
chalk freely (e.g. anatase titanium dioxide) and
are used to make self-cleaning paints. Chalk
should be removed prior to repainting. Ref.
ASTM D 659. See MPI’s Identifiers.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 16
CHANGE ORDER
A written order to the contractor (signed by the owner,
owner’s representative or specifying authority) issued
after the execution of the contract authorizing a change
in the work, or an adjustment in the contract sum or the
contract time.
CHECKING
The formation of small narrow breaks in a coating film
that do not extend to the underlying surface. ASTM D
660 describes three types of checking: Irregular Pattern
type, Line type and Crowfoot type. The various types
are rated for severity by visual comparison to
photographic standards, where 10 = no checking and 0
= severe checking. See also Cracking. Also, see MPI’s
Identifiers.
CHECK ROLLING
Using a specialized tool to imitate broken pore marks in
certain woods (e.g. oak) while wood graining. See
Graining.
CHEESY
A state of dry intermediate between surface dry and
hard dry.
CHEMICAL ADHESION
A chemical reaction of two materials that bonds the two
together. See also Adhesion.
CHEMICAL RESISTANCE
The property of a coating to resist the destructive action
of a chemical. Many coatings are very specific in their
resistance properties, and it is best not to generalize
based on the generic type.
CHEMICALLY PURE
Of a definite chemical composition free from
contaminants, adulterants and diluents.
CHIME
The lip around the opening of a paint can into which the
lid is fitted.
CHINA CLAY
Aluminum Silicate. A white, low refractive index pigment
used in paints as an extender. See also Aluminum
Silicate, Clay, Kaolin.
CHINA WOOD OIL
See Tung Oil.
CHINESE BLUE
A member of the iron blue pigment family. Also known
as Prussian blue or Milori blue.
CHINESE VERMILION
A brilliant red pigment made from the reaction of
mercury, sulfur and caustic soda. Technically it is red
mercuric sulfide. Also known as English vermilion and
cinnabar.
CHIP BOARD
A composite wood product made from flakes or
chips of various wood types, bonded together
by an adhesive and pressure. Distinct from
particleboard due to the size of the wood chips.
CHIP RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating to resist impact by hard
objects (or from wear) during service without
total or partial removal from the substrate.
CHIPPING
1) Damage caused to a painted surface due to
impact, causing chips or flakes to be
removed.
2) A method of cleaning steel surfaces by the
use of impactive tools. See Chipping
Hammer.
CHIPPING HAMMER
A hand operated tool designed for removing
paint, rust and loose mill scale in preparation for
painting or repainting.
CHLORINATED RUBBER
A binder or resin formed from the reaction of
rubber with chlorine. These products show
good chemical resistance, but seldom used due
to the environmental impact from their
manufacture.
CHLORINATED SOLVENT
Also referred to as a halogenated solvent.
Chlorinated solvents are those that use chlorine
as an intermediate in production. The
chlorinated solvents are non-flammable. The
chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents were the most
widely used types, but environmental concerns
have significantly reduced their use. The uses
ranged from paint strippers to dry cleaning
fluids.
CHROMA
The intensity (degree of saturation) of depth of
color (hue). The quality of color that relates to
its concentration, when at full intensity has
maximum chroma. See Saturation.
CHROME GREEN
A strong green pigment made from a blend of
iron blue and medium chrome yellow (lead
chromate). The light fastness is good, but alkali
resistance is poor.
CHROME YELLOW
(Lead Chromate) A yellow pigment ranging in
color from a pale lemon yellow to a strong
orange-yellow. Has good chemical and solvent
bleed resistance and good exterior durability,
but has a slight tendency to darken. Used in
yellow traffic line marking paints.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 17
CHROMIUM OXIDE
An earthy green pigment with excellent resistance to
acids and alkali and is lightfast and durable.
CHRONIC
Long lasting and/or frequently repeating.
CIELAB COLOR SPACE
A widely used coordinate system for expressing the
color of an object. The term comes from the
organization - Commission Internationale d’lEclairage
(CIE), and from the coordinates used (LAB): lightness
(L*); red-green-ness (a*); and yellow-blue (b*)
CISSING
The recession of a wet paint film from a surface leaving
small areas uncoated.
CLADDING
Metal or wood covering on the outside of a structure i.e.
siding.
CLEAR COATING
The application of a transparent coating to
provide protection from abrasion, staining,
chemicals or solvents, etc.
CLEAR LACQUER
See lacquer.
CLEAR TONE
A finish that is clear or without cloudiness or
muddiness.
CLOSE DRYING
A material is said to be close drying, when it
does not show much fullness or body on the
work.
CLOSE GRAINED WOOD
A natural wood that shows no open pores when
dry.
CLASHING
In this situation, colors are not in harmony.
CLOUDINESS
Describes a condition where a normally clear
coating (varnish) distorts the clarity of the
surface to which it is applied. See Hazing.
CLAY
1) A fine grained material of natural origin and
composed mainly of aluminum silicate. Used for the
production of clay bricks and tiles.
2) A broad name used for the aluminum silicate
pigments used in paints.
CLOUDING
A process in marbling where a scumble glaze is
applied then softened and blended. See
Marbling.
CLEAN SURFACE
A surface on which the contaminants have been
removed.
COAGULATE
To change a liquid dispersion or emulsion into a
curdled state. This sometimes happens when a
latex paint is dispersed. Separates the solid
materials from the liquid phase.
CLEANING
Process consisting of the removal from a surface of any
foreign tarnishing or dirtying particle. Surface cleaning
is part of the preparation work and includes (depending
on the nature of the surface) brushing, dusting, dust
removal, grease removal, and removal of rust, mill
scale, etc.
CLEANING SOLUTION
A liquid or material used to remove contaminants from a
surface. This may be a solvent or water based liquid
containing surfactants, detergents or chelating agents.
CLEANSABILITY
Ease with which washing will remove dirt from the
paint's surface without causing damage. (Cleanse
suggests more specifically the use of chemicals.)
CLEAR COAT (FINISH)
A layer of a material, transparent in nature (often water
white or of amber cast) over a colored basecoat, giving
the final product depth and an added brilliance of color
as well as durability.
COAL TAR
A dark brown to black residue produced from
the distillation of coal.
COAL TAR EPOXY
A coating that uses a combination of coal tar
and epoxy resin as the binder. Commonly used
on steel barges in fresh water or on buried
pipes and tanks.
COAL TAR SOLVENT
Solvents derived from the distillation of coal tar.
Main products used in the coatings industry are:
mineral spirits, toluol, xylol, etc. See also
Aromatic Solvents.
COALESCENT
A material that assists in the fusing together of
plastic materials. Latex paints commonly
contain a coalescent solvent to reduce the
minimum film forming temperature required to
form a cohesive material at temperatures below
the normal capabilities of the emulsion binder.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 18
COALESCING
To unite into a whole. The act of plastic particles fusing
together.
COARSE PARTICLES
Grains or particles of pigment, which are larger than
desired. Coarse particles are often determined by
noting the residue retained when the pigment is washed
through a standard
325-mesh screen.
COAT
A layer of paint, varnish, lacquer, etc. applied, and then
allowed to dry to form an evenly distributed adherent
film. To back roll, or apply as a wet-on-wet film, still
constitutes a single coat.
COATING
A generic term for a paint, varnish, lacquer, or other
material evenly applied to a surface in a uniform
adherent layer to fulfill a protective, functional or
decorative purpose.
COATING APPLICATOR
An individual who applies a protective or decorative
coating. In law, also a company engaged in the
application of coatings. Can also be a application
device.
COATING SYSTEM
A predetermined selection of coating types designed for
a specific substrate(s).
COATING WORK
An all-inclusive term to define all operations required to
accomplish a complete coating job; construed to include
materials, equipment, labor, preparation of surfaces,
control of ambient conditions, application of coating
systems, and inspection. [ASTM D4538]
COBALT BLUE
A blue pigment composed of oxides of aluminum and
cobalt metals. Cobalt blue has a cleaner tone than the
ultramarine blue pigments and has excellent light
fastness and resistance to acids, alkalis and heat.
COBALT DRIERS
A compound made from cobalt metal and various fatty
acids used to promote the drying of alkyd and oil type
polymers. Cobalt is a strong surface drier and is
generally used in combination with one or more through
driers such as calcium, lead and zirconium .
COBWEBBING
The result of the premature evaporation of highly
volatile solvents from a coating (occurring mostly during
a spray application, but also during rolling). Often seen
with chlorinated rubber and similar coatings. The
coating shows fine threads or filaments that resemble a
spider’s web. Although generally considered a defect in
some lacquers, it is sometimes used as an intended
effect.
COHESION
The bond or force that binds a material
together. Distinct from adhesion that is the
binding force that holds an applied coating to a
surface.
COLOR WASHING
A decorative technique using an ordinary dry
paintbrush, or even better a dry softening brush
through scumble glaze over a painted base to
create a broken color effect. See also Dragging.
COLD CHECKING
Checking of film caused by low temperature.
Usually exposure happens before the finish has
completely cured. See MPI’s Identifiers.
COLD COLOR
A bluish or greenish tone, or one not suggestive
of warmth.
COLD CRACKING
The formation of cracks in a film caused by
exposure to cold temperatures or repeated
cycles of cold and warm temperatures.
COLD ROLLED STEEL
Low carbon steel that has been formed at low
temperatures.
COLD WATER PAINT
A paint in which the binder is composed of
casein, glue or other protein material, dissolved
in water.
COLLOID
A material composed of microscopic particles of
a solid, liquid or gas, dispersed in a different
medium such as a solid, liquid or gas. A latex
emulsion is a colloid composed of a dispersion
of solid polymer particles in water.
COLOR
The selective reflection of light waves in the
visible spectrum. Materials that show specific
absorption of light will appear the color of the
wavelength that they reflect.
COLOR CHIP
A color sample usually consisting of paint
applied to a small piece of card (a chip).
COLOR FAST
That which will keep its original color without
fading or changing.
COLOR FLOAT
The separation to the surface of a coating of
colored pigments in a non-uniform manner. See
also Floating, Flooding.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 19
COLOR IN OIL
A paste made by grinding colored pigments in an oil
such as linseed. Used principally for tinting oil based or
alkyd paints.
COLOR IN WATER
A dry color pigment ground in or mixed with water. Also
known as watercolor.
COLOR RANGE
The extent of colors, tone, and hue. Paint
manufacturer’s system of tint bases used in conjunction
with colorants to produce a wide range of colors,
including pastel, mid-tone, deep-tone, ultra-deep tones,
and variations thereof. See also Tint Base.
COLOR RETENTION
The ability of a coating to show little change in color
after exposure to weather (i.e. ultraviolet radiation), heat
or chemical attack.
COLOR RUN
The amount of wall covering produced at one time. A
repeat run at another time will probably not match the
color of the original run and is given another run
number.
thereby exposing the grain. Also used on walls
to give a semi-opaque finish.
COMBING
A decorative technique using a graining comb,
or like device or tool, to remove small amounts
of paint or glaze in the direction of the
movement of the comb. Can then be used in a
different direction with a succeeding coat of
glaze material for a different effect. Combing is
also used for Wood Graining and for Moire’.
COMBUSTIBLE
A material capable of catching fire and burning
easily. A liquid having a flash point at or above
100° F (37.8° C).
COMMERCIAL BLAST CLEANING
Moderate grade of abrasive blast cleaning.
According to SSPC-SP 6, a commercial blast
cleaned surface is free of all visible oil, grease,
dirt, dust, mill scale, rust, paint, oxides,
corrosion products, and other foreign matter;
staining is limited to no more than 33% of each
unit area of surface.
COLOR SCHEME
A selection of colors intended to complement or create
a desired visual effect. See Room Finish Schedule.
COMMERCIALLY PURE
Defines the purity of a substance on the basis
of an accepted commercial or industrial
standard.
COLOR SPECTRUM
A representation of the full range of visible colors
composed from the primary colors of blue, red, and
yellow. See also Primary Color, Secondary Color.
COMPATIBLE
The ability of two or more materials to be
blended together or in contact without
undesirable reactions or separation.
COLOR UNIFORMITY
The ability of a coating to appear or maintain a uniform
color after drying or exposure to the environment.
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS
Two colors directly opposite one another on a
color wheel.
COLOR WHEEL
A chart, on which complementary colors (or their
names) are arranged on opposite sides of a circle,
(often a 12 segment wheel, containing 3 primary, 3
secondary, and 6 intermediate colors). Used in color
decorating.
COMPLETE CURE
The final state of a paint or coating. A coating is
said to be at complete cure or fully cured, when
the designed degree of reaction has been
completed and the physical and chemical
resistance properties have achieved their
maximum potential.
COLORANT
A dispersed pigment in a medium. A concentrated liquid
(or dry) color that is added in order to tint paints to
obtain a chosen color. In most paints, a universal
colorant is used due to its broad compatibility with
various solvent and binder types. See also Tinting
Colors and Universal Colorants.
COMPLIANCE
To meet the schedule, specification, plan or
terms ordered, specified or approved by a
specifying agency, authority or court.
COLORFAST
A color unaffected by exposure to light, water or
chemicals.
CONCRETE
A mixture of portland cement, sand, aggregate
and, in some cases, modifying resins, air
entraining compounds or cure accelerators.
See also Portland Cement, Hydraulic Cement.
COLOURWASHING
A technique of coating wood with a water-based paint
and then removing most of the paint with a cloth
CONGO GUM
A fossilized gum resin used in varnishes. It is
not as hard as Kauri, Amber or Zanzibar.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 20
CONSISTENCY
The viscosity or thickness of a liquid material.
CONTRACTING ENTITY
The general contractor, owner of property, construction
manager, developer or other entity legally responsible
for the agreement, or authorized agent of any of the
above. [PDCA]
CONTRAST
A difference, especially a striking difference, between
things being compared (usually as to color and tone).
CONTRAST RATIO
A term used in hiding power determinations (i.e. the
masking property). Figure indicating, according to a
conventional measuring method, the masking property
of a paint from a calculation of the ratio between the
reflectance of a paint film applied over a black substrate
and the reflectance of the same paint applied over a
white substrate expressed as a percentage. (Contrast
ratio > .98 for a totally opacifying paint).
CONTROL JOINT
A method of controlling and relieving stresses in
concrete, masonry, plaster, stucco, gypsum board, etc.
to reduce the possibility of cracking.
CONVENTIONAL AIR SPRAYING
A coating application method utilizing compressed air to
atomize and apply coatings to a surface.
CONVERSION COATING
A coating (usually applied to metallic surfaces) that
contains a component that reacts with the surface to
change its surface chemistry or properties. One
example would be a wash primer that uses phosphoric
acid to phosphotize the surface to improve adhesion
and corrosion resistance.
COOL COLORS
Hues or colors in which blue predominates. “Cool” is
used because of the association with ice, water and
sky.
COPAL
A type of natural resin used principally with oils to make
varnishes.
CO-POLYMER
The product obtained from the polymerization or linking
together of different monomers chemically. Some
examples are styrene acrylic, polyvinyl acetate, etc.
COPPER CHROMATED ARSINATE
(CCA) An insecticidal and fungicidal preservative
commonly used in pressure treated woods.
COPPER STAIN
1) The discoloration of a surface in contact with, or in
the proximity of, copper. The stain is caused by the
oxidation of the copper and subsequent movement to
the surface through water. Coating the
copper article with a paint or clear varnish
reduces the chances of copper staining. See
MPI’s Identifiers.
2) Aging stains can be applied to new copper
installations to match the weathering effect.
COPPER SULFATE TEST
A test in which a 5 to 10% solution of copper
sulfate is swabbed onto steel. The appearance
of a copper color indicates that mill scale is not
present.
COPPERAS
The common name for ferrous sulfate.
CORNER BEAD
See Bead.
CORNICE
A decorative horizontal molding of precast
concrete, molding plaster, fiberglass, plastic or
wood usually installed to the top of a wall.
CORROSION
The formation of oxides of metallic materials.
See also Rusting. Also, see MPI’s Identifiers.
CORROSION INHIBITOR
A material, additive or pigment in a coating (or
applied directly to the surface) e.g. zinc
phosphate, barium metaborate, strontium
chromate, etc., used to prevent the oxidation
(rusting) of metals.
CORROSION RESISTANT COATING
A primer or paint containing corrosion inhibitors.
CO-SOLVENT
A solvent that acts as a coalescent. See also
Coupling Solvent.
COUPLING SOLVENT
A mutually compatible solvent that promotes
the blending of otherwise incompatible
materials.
COVERAGE
The area over which a coating can be spread to
attain a specified film thickness. Often, used
interchangeably with spreading rate or in
relationship to hiding power.
CRACKING
The splitting or breaking of a dry coating. There
are specific terms that describe different
degrees of cracking in paints. ASTM D 661
describes cracking as a phenomenon
manifested in paint films as a break extending
through to the surface painted. A break should
only be called a crack if the underlying surface
is visible. Under this designation there are three
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 21
recognized types of cracking, Irregular Pattern type,
Line type and Sigmoid type. The severity of each is
rated on a scale from 10 (no cracking) to 0 (severe
cracking), based on photographic standards. The
coatings industry has designated other terms that
consider the conditions of the cracking that relate to a
well-known cause or description.
1) Hairline Cracks
Fine cracks that may occur
internally or at the surface without apparent
disruption of the surface.
2) Mudcracking
Sharply defined cracking that
resembles dried mud. Associated with the shrinkage
of pigmented coatings in thick films during the dry.
3) Grain Cracking
Individual cracks in a coating on
wood that follow the grain direction.
4) Cold Cracking
Cracking caused by exposure to
extremely cold temperatures.
Ref. ASTM D 661. See also MPI’s Identifiers.
CRACKLE
The formation of pronounced fissures in the topcoat
revealing the undercoat through the cracks. This defect
/ failure is generally caused by the topcoat drying hard
before the under coat is thoroughly dry. Similar in
appearance to Alligatoring.
CRACKLE FINISH
A decorative finish in which the crackle has been
purposely induced by use of a topcoat designed to
shrink and crack, exposing a basecoat. In many cases,
the undercoat is a contrasting color to the topcoat.
CRATERING
The formation of concave depressions in a paint film
after drying. Generally caused by large bubbles created
during application that, due to the drying speed of the
surface, have not fully leveled-out after breaking.
CRATERS
A circular impression with a slightly raised edge in a
paint film, often mistaken for a fisheye.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
CRAWLING
A condition where a coating appears to crawl away from
parts of the surface. Generally caused by the surface or
contaminants on the surface having a significantly lower
surface tension than the coating applied. See also Cat
Eye, Fish Eye.
CRAZING
Fine hairline cracks in a paint resembling the
appearance of old pottery. See MPI’s Identifiers.
CREVICE CORROSION
The formation of corrosion within or adjacent to
a crevice formed by contact with another piece
of the same or a dissimilar metal or a non-metal
material. At these locations, the severity of the
corrosion is generally greater than the
surrounding areas.
CRITICAL HUMIDITY
The relative humidity above which the
atmospheric corrosion rate of a given metal
increases sharply.
CRITICAL PIGMENT VOLUME
CONCENTRATION
(CPVC) The level of pigmentation in a paint
where there is just sufficient binder to fill the
voids between the pigment particles.
Formulations above CPVC exhibit markedly
poorer scrubbability and stain resistance than
formulations below CPVC, but will exhibit a
phenomenon known as ‘dry hide’ that results
from the air/pigment interface created by the
low binder level. CPVC only has significance in
flat paints as gloss levels higher than flat cannot
approach CPVC. An example of a paint
formulated at a high CPVC would be a ceiling
paint.
CROCKING
The transfer of color from a colored surface by
mild abrasion or rubbing with cloth or clothing.
CROCODILING
See Alligatoring.
CROSS HATCH ADHESION
A test of a coating’s adhesion to a surface,
where a sharp blade or series of blades are
used to cut through the film being tested in a
specified pattern. A specified tape of known
adhesive strength is applied to the cut area
then removed. The amount of remaining
coating determines the adhesion rating. (Ref.
ASTM D 3359. Note: Test Method A is primarily
intended for use at job sites while Test Method
B is more suitable for use in a laboratory.) See
also Tape Test.
CROSS LINKING
A uniting of a film former or film formers through
chemical linkages.
CROSS SPRAY
Spraying a coating in one direction then at right
angles to produce a more even film thickness.
CREEPING
See Crawling.
CREOSOTE
An oily material made from coal tar and used to reduce
insect and fungal growth on woods. As creosote does
not truly dry, paints are not generally recommended for
use over it.
CROSS STROKE
A stroke in an X pattern. Applying a coating in
one direction then at right angles to the first.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 22
CROSSING OFF
The final stroke of a paint method. Interchangeable with
laying off, except that the latter tends to refer to the
whole activity and the direction, whereas crossing off
refers to the single action. Crossing off varnish means
making a stroke at right angles to the rest of the
strokes, which are usually vertical, at the bottom of the
panel or surface. This stops varnish from running.
CROWS FOOT
A film defect that develops small wrinkles in a pattern
that resembles a crow’s foot.
CRUMBLING
The breaking apart of a material due to a lack of binding
or adhesive material.
CRYPTOMETER
An instrument used to measure the opacity or hiding
power of a wet paint.
CUSTOM COLOR
A color not produced in manufacturing, but
tinted at the outlet or store level.
CUT
The pounds of a resin added to each gallon of
solvent. Generally used in reference to dry
shellac where a 5# cut equals 5 pounds of dry
resin added to 1 gallon of alcohol.
CUTTING IN
A brushing technique used to create a clean
sharp edge such as at the intersection of a wall
and trim, or the brush application of a coating to
areas that cannot be reached with a roller.
CUTTING UP
Takes place when the undercoat is softened by
the application of a topcoat. Usually due to the
undercoat being partially wet or the topcoat
containing too strong a solvent. See also Lifting.
CRYSTALLINE SILICA
See Silica.
CRYSTALLIZING
A surface that dries to a rough or crystalline finish rather
than a smooth, clear finish.
CUBIC FEET PER MINUTE
(CFM) A measure of volume of a material (usually air,
gas or water) used or supplied in a specified time.
CUPPING
Warping of a wood board, along its radial axis, most
often caused by water absorption and subsequent
drying. See MPI’s Identifiers.
CUPROUS OXIDE
A reddish, fine pigment formed by the oxidation of
copper at high temperatures. Commonly used in marine
anti-fouling paints. Also known as copper oxide.
D
DADO
1) A rectangular groove in millwork.
2) The lower part of the wall of a room if
decorated differently from the upper part.
DADO RAIL
The wooden or plaster molding designating the
top edge of the dado.
DAMAGE BY OTHERS (DBO)
Any marks, stains, scuffs, scratches or other
damage to a newly painted surface that is
caused by anybody other than the painter. Also
known as Damage Caused by Others.
CURE
To initiate the conversion of a polymer to its final, stable
condition. Describes the drying or hardening of a film
through heat, oxidation, chemical reaction or a
combination of the former.
DAMMAR
Oil soluble resins that originate in the East
Indies and were once used in the preparation of
varnishes and lacquers. Often used in the past
for clear over-print varnishes and to improve the
gloss and hardness of baking alkyds.
Sometimes spelled Damar.
CURING AGENT
A material that reacts with and remains a part of a
polymer. Generally, refers to epoxy curing agents such
as the polyamines, polyamides, amine adducts, etc.
DAMP
For a surface, damp indicates a moist condition
with no visible water at the surface.
CURLED HAIR
A form of horse hair sometimes used to dull the gloss of
varnish or enamel prior to the application of another
coat.
CURTAINING
Describes a paint that has sagged to the degree that
the dried film looks like a curtain. See MPI’s Identifiers.
DAPPLING
A graining process whereby the silver grain
(dapples) are imitated. See also Graining.
DEAD FLAT
A coating or surface having no gloss or sheen.
DEADENING
A condition where a coating loses its luster or
gloss. This may be caused by an insufficient
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 23
undercoat or improper filling of a wood surface. See
also Flashing, Suction Spotting.
DEADMAN VALVE
A remote shut off valve used on abrasive blast
equipment.
DECK COATING
A pigmented coating designed for application to
horizontal walking surfaces such as decks and porches.
In most cases a coarse aggregate is added where
slipping is a concern (i.e. non-skid).
DECORATIVE COATING
A coating applied more for its aesthetic or decorative
function than for protective purposes.
DECORATIVE ARCHITECTURAL BLAST FINISH
See Abrasive Blast Finish.
table tops. This material forms a thick (10 - 30
mil), durable finish.
DEEP COLOR
An intense or strong color with no apparent
appearance of black. Also called an accent
color.
DEEP BASE
A paint base, generally containing a small
amount of prime pigment, used for tinting
moderately dark or strong colors. See Tint
Base.
DEFICIENCIES
Individual items lacking in some essential;
incomplete; defective. See Defective Work.
Also see Painting Deficiencies and Substrate
Deficiencies.
DECORATIVE (PAINT) FINISH
Application of paints or glazes to adorn, decorate or
embellish a surface as compared to a plain solid color,
stain or varnish finish and as opposed to performing a
protective function. This general group of decorative
paint finishes includes a widening number of
‘subgroups’ many of which overlap and many of which
have more than one name by which they are referred
to. These include:
• Faux (false) Finishes – In French ‘false’ finish.
These seek to imitate products found in nature like
wood, marble, granite, stone, etc. These include
wood graining, marbling, gilding, etc.
• Representative Finishes – These seek to imitate
products otherwise made like leather, parchment,
frescoe, venetian plaster (itself a faux plaster), etc.
• Special Effect Finishes – Broken color effects (as
opposed to imitation effects), like ragging on,
ragging off, sponging on, sponging off, strie’,
splattering, stippling, etc.
• Graphic Finishes – Detailed effects like stenciling
and graphics that are “in accordance with
mathematical rules”.
• Pictorial Finishes – Decorative effects like murals,
scenics, portraits, etc.
• Trompe d’oeil – In French, “Trick Of The Eye” That which creates such a strong illusion that it is
difficult to ascertain whether it is real or a
representation. Usually, but not always, threedimensional giving the impression of depth and
perspective.
DEFICIENCY LIST
A list, made at or near the completion of work,
indicating items to be finished (or work to be
performed) by the contractor or subcontractor in
order to complete the work as specified in the
contract documents. Also known as a Punch
List.
DECOUPAGE
A decorative effect obtained by gluing shapes (often
irregular) of paper or other material to a surface, then
applying clear or varnish coats overtop.
DEGREASING
The removal of contaminants, such as oil,
grease, fat, etc., from a surface by the use of a
cleaning solution. The solution can be a
detergent, solvent or a blend in liquid or vapor
form. See also Solvent Cleaning and TSP.
DECOUPAGE EPOXY
A solvent free, two component, clear epoxy coating
used for thick film applications to decorative items and
DEFECTIVE WORK
Work not complying with contract or
specification requirements. See also
Noncompliant.
DEFOAMER
A material used in the manufacture of a coating
to reduce the foaming either in the processing
step or during application. Latex paints
generally require a defoamer due to the
complex mixtures of dispersants, emulsifiers
and surfactants used in them.
DEFORMATION
The change in shape or form in a material
caused by stress or force.
DEGLOSSER
A liquid alternative to sandpaper (e.g. TSP,
various strong solvents, or commercially
available preparations). Used to remove the
gloss of a conventional coating in order to
improve adhesion of subsequently applied
coatings by providing some mechanical ‘tooth’.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 24
DEHUMIDIFY
The removal of moisture in the air through a process of
condensation, desiccation, etc.
DEIONIZED WATER
Water that has been treated to remove the dissolved
ions. Commonly, filtration through a combination of
anionic and cationic charged resins is used.
DELAMINATION
The separation of a dried surface coating from the
substrate to which it is applied. The substrate could be
a previous coat of paint, primer, wood, metal, etc. See
MPI’s Identifiers.
DENATURED ALCOHOL
Ethanol containing a percentage of methanol (to make it
unsafe for human consumption). A solvent commonly
used for shellac.
DENSITY
The mass of a material per unit volume. Commonly
expressed as pounds per gallon (lb/gal), kilograms per
liter (kg/l) or grams per milliliter (gm/ml). The density of
water at 3.98 degrees C. is 8.33 lb/gal (U.S.), 1.0 kg/l or
1.00 gr/ml.
DEPTH OF FINISH
A desirable visual impression usually gained by viewing
a thick film of varnish or enamel of excellent
smoothness or evenness.
DILATANCY
A rheological behavior of a liquid that shows as
an increase in viscosity or resistance to mixing
as shear or shear stress is increased. The
opposite effect of pseudoplasticity and
thixotropy.
DILUENT
1) A volatile liquid commonly used as a solvent
in lacquers and lacquer thinners, but alone
not a true solvent for the nitrocellulose resin.
Diluents (e.g. aromatic hydrocarbon solvents)
are commonly used in lacquers to reduce the
cost of the primary solvent blend.
2) A non-volatile liquid used to reduce the
viscosity of the primary polymer or blend, and
improve the flow. See also Reactive Diluent.
DILUTING AGENT
Simple or mixed liquid, volatile in normal drying
conditions, incorporated during the
manufacturing process or added prior to use, to
obtain required application conditions without
disorders.
DILUTION
Result of adding a diluting agent (water for
aqueous phase paints, solvents for solvent
phase paints).
DESCALING
The mechanical or chemical removal of mill scale
and/or tied rust from a ferrous surface.
DIMPLE
The depression made in drywall by a hammer
used to set a spiral shank nail. This allows a
smooth coat of filler to be applied over top for
surface uniformity.
DESICCANT
A material that produces dryness. Commonly used to
absorb water from the air.
DIP COATING
The process where an object is immersed in a
solution or coating, then withdrawn.
DESIGN AUTHORITY
In the construction of a structure, the design authority is
the person(s) responsible for the final design. This, in
most cases, is an architect or engineer that determines
the best materials to use for that structure.
DIPENTENE
A clear, organic solvent of the terpene family
extracted from pine woods through steam
distillation, destructive distillation and chemical
removal. Dipentene was used as an antiskinning agent in alkyd and oil alkyd type
coatings prior to the introduction of the
ketoxime solvents.
DETERGENT
A cleaning agent, either hydrophilic (water soluble), or
oleophillic (oil soluble) and to wet and emulsify
contaminants to facilitate removal from a surface.
DEW
The condensation on cool objects of atmospheric
moisture in warm, humid air.
DEW POINT
The temperature at which condensation of water vapor
in the air takes place. This can be calculated from
temperature and humidity.
DFT
Dry Film Thickness.
DIRECT COSTS
Costs such as labor, taxes, insurance,
materials, equipment and inspection.
DIRECT IMPACT
The impact of an object directly onto another
surface. Coatings used on metallic surfaces are
often tested for their resistance to direct and
reverse impact by impacting the face of a
coated panel with a weight then impacting the
same area from the other (reverse) side. This
gives an indication of the flexibility of the
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 25
coating under quick deformation. See also Reverse
Impact.
gouging or scratching the surface, or applying
specks of glaze before varnishing.
DIRECT TO METAL (DTM)
A coating applied to metal without the use of a primer.
See Self Priming.
DOCTOR BLADE
1) A flat metal strip or blade mounted such that
it scrapes off the excess coating from a roller
or rotogravure coater before the coater
contacts the substrate.
2) A metal bar with a precision milled gap used
to apply a coating in an even film thickness.
Also known as a drawbar or drawdown
blade.
DIRT COLLECTION
The collection or accumulation of airborne
contaminants, such as dust, dirt, etc., onto the surface
of a coating. For certain coatings that have a rough or
soft surface, dirt collection can become a permanent
stain and lead to the growth of mildew. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
DISBOND
The failure of a coating to adhere to another coating,
substrate or primer.
DISCOLORATION
The change in color from the original color in the cured
coating. This can be caused by many different factors
such as UV degradation, chemical reaction, staining,
etc.
DISINTEGRATION
The total breakdown of a dried film of coating (syn.
deterioration).
DISPERSANT
A material that assists in breaking apart then stabilizing
pigment aggregates during the manufacture of paints.
DISPERSED
The final state of dispersion where the particles of one
medium are finely divided into another medium.
Commonly refers to pigment mixed into paint at the
manufacturing level.
DISTEMPER
A water based paint in which the binder contains
casein, glue, egg white, etc. Not often used these days
other than in artistic painting.
DISTILLED WATER
The purified water obtained from heating to steam then
condensing back to liquid. This removes all of the nonvolatile components such as calcium, salts and metals
and volatile materials with a boiling point higher than
water. Volatile contaminants that have a boiling point
lower than water are not removed.
DISTINCTIVENESS OF IMAGE (D.O.I.)
A comparative test used to determine the smoothness
of a coating or coating application by viewing a
complex, reflected image in it. Commonly used to
compare automotive coatings.
DISTRESSING
A variety of decorative techniques designed to replicate
the appearance of wear and tear i.e. to make it appear
older (and more worn) than it is. Can include marring,
DOMINANT COLOR
A color that stands out or is dominant in a color
scheme. In many cases, it is referred to as an
accent color in a group but can also be a single
color.
DOPE
A material, usually a lacquer, applied on textiles
and leather.
DOUBLE CUT
An installation method that overlaps strips of
wall coverings then cuts through both
thicknesses. Commonly used on commercial
vinyl wall coverings. See also Wall Covering
Seam.
DRAG
The resistance of a paint to shearing stress.
This is most noticeable in thick or dilatant
coatings during application by brush or roller.
DRAGGING
A simple broken color effect obtained by
dragging a dry brush or graining comb through
wet paint, glaze or scumble glaze to produce a
series of parallel lines (fine or broader).
DRAWDOWN
Preparation of a paint film of a fixed uniform
thickness using a doctor blade type of
application device. Often requested by
architects and designers in order to evaluate
the characteristics of the specified or desired
paint.
DRAWDOWN BAR
A metal or plastic bar (‘doctor blade’) designed
to deposit a specified thickness of wet coating
film on test panels or other substrates.
DRIERS
Organo-metallate compounds containing
certain metals used to improve the drying
speed or oxidization of alkyd and oil type
coatings and varnishes. The most commonly
used in trade sales coatings are: cobalt,
calcium and zirconium. Other driers are used
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 26
for specific applications (e.g. lead, manganese, zinc,
cerium, iron).
DROP
A length of wallpaper cut to wall height ready for
pasting.
DROP BLACK
Also known as bone black.
DROP CLOTH (SHEET)
A plastic or cloth (usually canvas) sheet used to protect
items or areas that are not to be painted from
overspray, drips, or spatter during a paint application.
DRY BRUSH
A technique used in which a coating is applied sparingly
with a semi-wetted brush. Commonly used to touch-up
and for faux finishing.
DRY COLORS
Powder-type colors (pigments) to be mixed with water,
alcohol or mineral spirits and resin to form a paint or
stain.
DRY DUST-FREE
Drying stage of a coating at which airborne dust
particles will not adhere to it. See Dry Time.
DRY FALL (DRY FOG)
A paint designed to be applied by spray and dries fast
enough that the overspray will be a dry powder after
falling a certain distance. The dust can then be swept or
vacuumed up.
DRY FILM THICKNESS (DFT)
The depth or thickness of a coating in the dry state.
Usually expressed in mils or microns.
DRY FILM THICKNESS GAUGE
An instrument used for measuring dry coating film
thickness. These measuring devices are somewhat
substrate dependent, but are of two basic types:
destructive (e.g. mechanical) and nondestructive (e.g.
electronic). The destructive types require intrusion or
removal of the paint film (e.g. Tooke gauge,
micrometer, microscope, etc.). The nondestructive
types do not damage the paint film (e.g. magnetic,
ultrasonic, etc.) Generally, industry standards call for
representative readings (e.g. five separate readings
evenly spaced over each 100 sq.ft. to be measured).
See also Film Thickness Gauge.
DRY ROT
A form of fungus that degrades wood causing it to
crumble into powder.
DRY SPRAY
This can occur when a coating partially dries in the
atomized spray during application due to excessive
atomization, too fast a solvent or spraying from too far a
distance from the substrate. Also describes a rough,
sand-like finish of adherent particles on the
surface after a spray application. See also
Overspray, Bounce Back.
DRY STANDARDS (ASTM D1640)
1) Set to touch
The film is set to touch when it still shows
tack but will not adhere to the finger after
light pressure.
2) Dust free
When the film can have powder of cotton lint
dropped on it from a height of one inch that
can be removed by blowing lightly across the
surface.
3) Tack Free
The test film has a special test paper applied
to it with a specified weight placed on top for
a minute. The panel is then inverted and the
film is considered tack free if the paper drops
off unaided.
4) Dry to touch
When the film does not rub-up appreciably
when the finger is lightly rubbed across the
surface.
5) Dry Hard
A maximum downward pressure is exerted
by the thumb on the film, and no mark shows
after a light polishing.
6) Dry Through
Maximum pressure applied with the thumb
on the film with a twisting motion does not
deform or detach the film.
7) Re-Coat
When a second coat or specified top-coat
can be applied without causing lifting,
wrinkling, or loss of adhesion of the first coat.
DRY TACK-FREE
See Dry Time.
DRY TIME
The amount of time for a coating to reach a
specified degree of cure under standard
conditions of 73 +/- 4 degrees F. (23 +/- 2
degrees C.) and 50 +/- 5% relative humidity, or
another specified set of conditions. Where dry
times are reported, it is normally assumed,
unless otherwise noted, that standard
conditions were used.
DRY TO RECOAT
Time interval between application and ability to
receive next coat satisfactorily. See Dry Time.
DRY TO SAND
Drying stage at which a coating can be sanded
without the excess clogging of the sandpaper.
DRY TO TOUCH
See Dry Time.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 27
DRYING
An intermediate stage in the curing process (i.e. from
liquid through ‘drying’ to ‘cured’) due to evaporation of
solvent, chemical reactions of the binding medium, or a
combination of these. When the drying process takes
place during exposure to air at normal temperatures, it
is called ‘air-drying’; if it is accelerated by the
application of a moderate amount of heat (normally not
exceeding 150° F / 65° C), it is termed ‘forced-drying’ as
distinct from ‘baking’ at higher temperatures. See Dry
Time. See also Cure.
DRYING OIL
Oil, generally of vegetable origin, that has the capability
of drying (oxidizing) in air e.g. linseed oil, tung oil,
perilla, etc. Oils used in paints are classified as drying,
semi-drying and non-drying depending on their degree
of saturation or reactivity.
DRYWALL
A sheet of material available in various thickness and
sizes, (standard size is 4 ft. wide by 8 ft. long by 1/2
inch thick), composed of a plaster-like material with a
fiber or paper surface applied to the back and front,
used for interior wall surfaces. Also known as “Gyproc”,
“Sheet Rock”, plasterboard, gypsum wallboard.
DRYWALL COMPOUND
See Joint Cement.
DSD
Degree of Surface (Substrate) Degradation
Deterioration or Damage). MPI’s system of assessing
and noting the degree of surface or substrate
degradation, deterioration or damage in order to
establish levels of surface preparation and priming
necessary to provide a foundation for subsequent
maintenance repaint topcoat(s).
DSD 0
Essentially a sound surface that may
have visual defects but the film is still
protective.
DSD 1
Exhibits a slight degree of degradation. It
is unlikely that the topcoat has been
anything but insignificantly breached, and in no case is
the substrate exposed.
DSD 2
Exhibits a moderate degree of surface
degradation, with ‘spot’ damage to the film’s integrity
such that the substrate may be exposed.
DSD 3
Exhibits a severe degree of surface
degradation with damage to the coating(s)
widespread. Necessary surface preparation will likely
be substantial, and a full coat of priming material is to
be expected.
DSD 4
Essentially an “unsound” surface, where
the substrate needs repair and/or
replacement before an appropriate coating system is
considered. Without substrate repair or replacement,
repainting would be only a temporary cosmetic remedy.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
DULL FINISH
Almost a dead flat.
DULL RUBBING
Rubbing of a dried film of finishing material to
the desired dull finish, usually with an abrasive
material such as steel wool, pumice, stone, etc.
lubricated with water and/or rubbing oil.
DURABILITY
The property of a coating to withstand an
environment to which it is exposed (e.g. exterior
durability, chemical durability). Durability can be
considered to have two aspects: protective
properties that reduce degradation of the
substrate and decorative properties that
maintain an aesthetically pleasing or attractive
appearance.
DUST
Fine particles that can be light enough to be
suspended in air.
DUST MASK
An air-filtering device made of paper or cloth
worn on the face covering the mouth and nose,
designed to reduce the inhalation of airborne
dust particles and paint overspray.
DUTCH METAL
An artificial gold leaf produced from thin strips
or leaves of bronze or brass foil. See Gold Leaf
and Gilding.
DUTY CYCLE
The length of time a coating is expected to
remain in service on a cyclical basis. Useful life.
DYE
A coloring agent that is soluble in the medium in
which it is mixed (e.g. water, oil, solvent). This
makes a dye distinct from a pigment, which is
not soluble. A type of color that soaks into the
fibers of the wood instead of being left on top
like pigment. Often used to evenly color wood
before staining.
E
EARTH COLORS
Colors or colored pigments that are muddy in
tone. Originally this term was related to the
natural color pigments e.g. red iron oxide,
ocher, umber, etc.
EARTH PIGMENTS
The naturally occurring pigments obtained from
soft rocks or from deposits such as ocher,
umber, sienna, chalk, barytes, clay and
graphite.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 28
EASE OF APPLICATION
Positive application properties e.g. brushability.
EAST INDIA GUM
Naturally occurring, semi-fossilized resins available in
three types: black, pale Singapore (Rasak) and pale
Macassar (Hiroe). Related to the Dammar resins.
EFFLORESCENCE
The deposit of crystalline, water-soluble compounds on
the surface of masonry substrates caused by the
migration of water. This is also commonly seen on brick
and block walls where the salts are generally from the
mortar. Efflorescence can pass through permeable
films; but in most cases, it causes lifting and breaking of
the film. See MPI’s Identifiers.
EFFLUENT
A discharge of a pollutant into a water source.
EGGSHELL
A finish with a gloss between flat and semi-gloss. The
sheen resembles the surface on an eggshell. It is now
an ambiguous term as the gloss levels now vary greatly
between alkyd and latex, and between different
manufacturers.
ELASTICITY
The ability of a dry paint film or material to stretch then
return to its normal size or shape.
ELASTOMER
A macromolecular material that, after substantial
deformation by a weak stress returns rapidly to its initial
shape and dimensions when the stress is removed.
ELASTOMERIC COATING
A coating that has the ability to stretch to a specified
length without breaking or tearing, then recover to its
original length.
ELECTRO-DEPOSITION
A method of coatings application where a conductive
substrate is made the anode or cathode in a tank of
oppositely charged particles of an aqueous coating
material. Another metal surface is used as the opposite
charge carrier. As an electric current is passed through
the substrate and other metal, an electric field is
created which causes the charged particles to be
deposited on the substrate until they form a continuous
film.
ELECTROSTATIC COATING
A coating designed for application (or applied) by
electrostatic equipment.
ELECTROSTATIC SPRAY
The application of a coating using static electricity
generated by the charging of the coating particles as
they are atomized and by grounding a conductive
substrate. The advantage is a minimization of overspray
as the grounded article attracts the paint particles.
ELONGATION
The stretching of a material or coating film. It is
measured as a percentage increase in the
length of a test specimen when it is stretched
until it breaks. See ASTM D412 for additional
information.
EMBOSSED PAPER
A wallpaper with a raised pattern or texture.
EMERY CLOTH
A cloth that has an abrasive adhered to one
side. Used much like sandpaper but generally
better for wet sanding.
EMISSION
The release of a pollutant, such as nitrous oxide
(automobiles) and hydrogen sulfide (pulp mills).
EMULSIFIER
A chemical compound, like a soap or
surfactant. Commonly nonionic and anionic
surfactants are used to achieve emulsification.
Nonionic surfactants contain the combination of
a hydrophilic (water miscible) and a lipophilic
(oil miscible) portion on each molecule. The
degree of solubility in either medium is rated on
the HLB scale. Materials below 10 are
predominantly oil soluble and above, watersoluble. Anionic emulsifiers can be as simple as
a base combined with a fatty acid or as
complex as a metallic salt of a complex acid.
See also Surfactant.
EMULSION
The suspension of small droplets of an
insoluble liquid (internal phase) dispersed, but
not dissolved in another liquid medium
(external phase). Has been used to describe
water-based polymers in general, whereas
these materials are truly dispersions (insoluble
solid particles suspended in a liquid medium).
EMULSION PAINT
A coating in which the binder is emulsified, and
the dominant liquid phase is water. Also often
referred to as “latex paint”.
ENAMEL
A hard, glossy, vitreous finish likened to
enamelized (fired ceramic) potteries. Originally
used for gloss alkyd/oil paints and varnishes.
Now used for alkyd and latex coatings of varied
gloss.
ENAMEL SURFACE
A surface with a slight dimpling effect in it. Not
as prominent as Gooseflesh.
ENAMEL UNDERCOATERS
See Undercoat.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 29
ENCAPSULATE
An abatement technique to enclose (encapsulate) lead,
asbestos, etc. with special coatings. Encapsulation, in
many cases, is particularly encouraging as a practical
and cost-effective alternative to full removal of the paint,
etc.
END SEAL
1) The application of a primer or sealer to the ends of
wood boards. This is done to reduce absorption of
moisture that can lead to warpage and splitting of the
wood.
2) A colored coating applied to the ends of dimensional
lumber at the production mill for identification and/or
for reducing water absorption. In most cases, the
products are applied too thinly and are too porous to
give anything more than short-term protection (syn.
Endsealer).
ENVIRONMENT
The surroundings and conditions therein.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
An agency of the U.S. federal government with the
responsibility of protecting the environment.
EPOXY/AMINE
An epoxy compound to be cured by a polyamine such
as diethylene triamine or amine adducts. These
systems can be difficult to handle due to the toxicity and
reactivity of the amine.
EPOXY ESTER
An epoxy that has been co-polymerized into an alkyd
resin. The curing is through oxidation, like the alkyd, but
the adhesion and toughness are improved.
EPOXY PAINT
A coating material based on an epoxy resin.
EPOXY RESIN
A resin produced from the reaction of film formers
usually made from bisphenol and epichlorohydrin which
contain the characteristic oxirane (epoxide) group or
glycidal group. Epoxy resins are capable of curing
through heat oxidization (epoxy ester) with polyamides,
amines and isocyanates. Epoxies are generally clear,
tough, adhesive, mechanically and heat stable, and
abrasion and chemical resistant, but tend to discolor
(yellowing) and chalk when exposed to UV light.
EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT
The moisture content (usually expressed as a
percentage) at which a substrate will neither gain nor
lose moisture when surrounded by air at a given relative
humidity and temperature.
ERODE
1) To roughen a surface by the use of a chemical agent
prior to painting to improve adhesion.
2) The process of erosion.
EROSION
The wearing away of a paint film through the
abrasive action of wind, dust and dirt. This
condition can be accelerated by the
degradation of the binder through UV light
causing chalking. The erosion can proceed till
the under coating or the substrate are exposed.
Ref. ASTM D 662. See MPI’s Identifiers.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Aromatic oils found in an un-combined form in
various parts of plants, often used to mask
undesirable odors.
ESTER
A class of organic compounds produced from
the reaction of an acid and an alcohol.
ESTIMATE
A general calculation used to size or cost a job.
ETCH (ING)
To roughen a surface by the use of a chemical
agent (often acid), prior to painting, to improve
the adhesion of subsequently applied
coating(s). This technique is most often used on
metals and concrete. Etching is always followed
by thorough water rinsing and drying.
ETCH PRIMER
A primer made from polyvinyl butyral and basic
zinc chromate mixed with phosphoric acid
shortly before application. Also known as wash
primer or vinyl wash primer.
ETHYL ACETATE
A fast evaporating, powerful solvent used in
lacquers, particularly in sanding sealers.
ETHYL ALCOHOL
An alcohol solvent often used in lacquer,
lacquer thinner and shellac as a methanol
replacement and in aqueous cleaners. Most
often produced from the distillation of fermented
grain, stalks but occasionally from petroleum
sources. Also known as ethanol. See also
Denatured Alcohol.
EVAPORATION RATE
(E.R.) The time it takes for a liquid to evaporate
into a gas. In the case of organic solvents, this
is a scale that is relative to the evaporation rate
of N-Butyl Acetate (E.R.=1.0), where acetone
would be faster evaporating (E.R.=7.0) and
ethylene glycol would be slower (E.R.=.01).
EXFOLIATE
The scaling of a material from a surface in
flakes or layers.
EXOTHERMIC
A heat generating reaction.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 30
EXPANSION JOINT
A seam in concrete, plaster, wallboard or stucco
construction designed to control or relieve stress in that
surface. Used to reduce the possibility of cracking. Also
known as a control joint.
EXPLOSION PROOF
Generally refers to an electrical device that has been
wired or sealed to prevent sparking or overheating, so it
can be used in areas that may have flammable gasses
or vapors present.
EXPLOSIVE LIMITS
A range of the ratio of solvent vapor to air in which the
mixture will explode if ignited. Below the lower or above
the higher explosive limit, the mixture is too lean or too
rich to explode. The critical ratio runs from about 1 to 12
percent of solvent vapor by volume at atmospheric
pressure.
EXPOSURE RACK
A stand designed for the exposure of painted test
panels to determine the effects of natural weathering on
coatings and modifications of those coatings.
EXPOSURE TESTS
A preliminary and practical method of testing and
evaluating a protective coating under conditions similar
to those to which the film ultimately will be subjected.
EXT
MPI short-term designation for an exterior coating
system used in architectural painting projects. See also
REX.
EXTENDER
A term used extensively for inexpensive and inert, low
refractive, non-hiding pigments such as talc, clay, silica,
calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, gypsum, etc. added
to paint for bulk and to lower costs. The term is
sometimes used in a derogatory way but this may be
misleading, as many uses for extender pigments modify
the coating in a desirable manner.
EXTERIOR
The outside surfaces of a structure.
FABRIC BACKED
A woven fabric (usually cotton) bonded to the
back of a wall covering to increase its strength.
FACE SIDE
The side of a wood board that shows the best
quality of surface.
FACINGS
Exposed surfaces applied over a structural
surface as in decorative stone, brick and
woods.
FACTORY FINISHED
Finished at the point of manufacture, requiring
no additional work or finish by the Painting &
Decorating Contractor.
FADE
Describes the lightening of a colored paint film.
Fading can be initiated by exposure to sunlight
(UV), heat, chemicals, etc. The degradation of
the binder or pigments is generally the cause.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
FADE-O-METER
An instrument used to expose colored or tinted
paint samples to high levels of artificial sunlight
to determine the fade resistance of the coatings
under UV. The light source can be Fluorescent
(FVB 40, UVA 340), Carbon arc or Xenon
lamps.
FADING
See Fade.
FAILURE
Describes a condition of a coating film, where it
has ceased to function for the purpose for
which it was intended as a decorative or
protective material.
FALLOUT
A type of overspray. Often used in reference to
the spray application of ceiling coatings.
EXTERNAL ATOMIZATION
Spray gun that mixes the fluid and air, and atomizes it
on the outside of the air cap.
FALSE BODY
Appearing to have a high viscosity or thickness
that breaks down under the shear stress of
brushing or rolling. Also known as thixotropy.
EXTERNAL MIX NOZZLE
Spray nozzle in which the paint and air are mixed
outside the gun.
FAN PATTERN
The geometry or the shape of a spray pattern.
Generally round or flat.
FANTASY FINSHES
Not found in nature. See Special Effect
Finishes.
F
F.
International symbol for Fahrenheit. Usually expressed
as degrees of.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 31
FASCIA
1) A wood band or flat board at the end of the rafters,
sometimes used with a molding on the eaves of a
building.
2) A raised band or course of bricks or blocks on any
story of a building other than the top.
FAST DRYING
Generally, a paint recoatable in 8 hours or less. Rapidly
hardening material.
FAST SOLVENT
A solvent that evaporates quickly under normal
atmospheric conditions.
FAT EDGE
See Thick Edge.
FAUX BOIS
A French term meaning ‘false wood’.
FAUX FINISH
In French, literally a ‘false’ finish. A decorative finish
applied to surfaces (wood, drywall, glass, etc.) to make
them appear as different substrates.
The general category may also include Faux Plaster
(like Venetian Plaster, etc.), or Faux Brick finishes
(which may use actual plaster formulations or brick
facing) but also can be simulated with decorative
painted effects.
Originally, it generally meant an artificial finish that
represented or imitated a finish of natural products like
wood, stone, marble, etc. for those who could not obtain
or afford the ‘real thing’. It is also used today to match
‘real’ adjacent items where cost or regulation would
preclude the use of the ‘real’ material. Faux Marbre
(‘false marble’) is Marbling, Faux Bois (‘false wood’) is
Wood Graining. There is also Faux Granite (‘false
granite’) and Faux Tortoiseshell (‘false tortoiseshell’).
The term, however, has come to include other
imitations of products that are not directly ‘from nature’.
Faux Leather, Faux Parchment, Faux Moldings are
some that are now included, as is Gilding, Antiquing,
Frescoe, and some Verdigris/Patina.
Faux Finish generally does not properly include Special
Effect Finishes, Graphic Finishes, Pictorial Finishes and
Trompe d’oeil. These are defined elsewhere. Fantasy
Finishes may include ‘creative’ faux finishes, or just
may create different effects.
FAUX FINISHING
The traditional and modern technique(s) for the
application of decorative finishes to surfaces to make
them appear as different substrates. Wood graining,
marble, and granite effects are created by the use of a
pigmented base coat, then applying a semi-transparent
colored glaze coating with a graining comb, sponge,
rag, stencil, etc. (depending on the effect desired).
FAUX GRANITE
A French term meaning ‘false granite’.
FAUX MARBRE
A French term meaning ‘false marble’.
FAUX MOLDINGS
A ‘false’ decorative technique whereby lighting
and shading, lining, relief and depth effects are
artfully applied to imitate architectural moldings
and frames. Often used in trompe d’oeil.
FAUX TORTOISESHELL
A French term for ‘false tortoiseshell. See
Tortoiseshell
FEATHERED EDGE
1) The result of sanding the edge, where a filler
(or a paint) meets the substrate, with a fine
abrasive to create a smooth transition.
2) The result of dry brushing in a small area
(e.g. touch-up) which leaves a smooth
transition.
FEATHERING
1) Reducing or tapering the thickness of the
edge of a filler or paint film by sanding or
abrading prior to repainting.
2) The tapering off of a paint film by laying off
with a comparatively dry brush.
FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Federal Government standards or
specifications for manufacture of raw materials,
finished goods or performance. U.S. Federal
Specifications for paint have, for the most part,
been replaced by MPI Standards.
FEEL
Describes the general working and application
properties of a paint or varnish.
FELTING DOWN
The operation of flatting down the dry film of a
coating material by means of a pad made of felt
or similar material, charged with a very fine
abrasive powder and lubricated with water or
other suitable liquid. Sometimes used on
furniture refinishing.
FERRIC OXIDE
A name for the various oxides of iron. See also
Iron Oxide.
FERROUS
Compounds containing predominantly iron.
FERRULE
The metal band that connects the stock and the
handle of a paint brush.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 32
FIBER CEMENT (BOARD / SIDING)
A product made a of cement, sand, cellulose fiber, and
select additives mixed with water and often formed into
textured siding and smooth panels.
FIBERBOARD
A composite wood product containing small wood and
plant fibers that have been bonded together with an
adhesive (commonly phenolic based) then compressed
into boards or sheets (e.g. chipboard, (OSB) oriented
strand board, or (MDF) medium density fiberboard).
FIBERGLASS
A material made by the spinning of fine glass fibers into
a thread or yarn to be woven into a textile fabric or used
as a non-flammable insulative material.
FIELD COAT
Coat or coats of paint that are applied at the job-site.
Also known as field application.
FIERY FINISH
See Burned Finish.
FIGURE
A pattern visible in a wood surface produced by
variations in the grain or color such as annual growth
rings, knots, etc.
FILIFORM CORROSION
A specific type of corrosion that generally appears
under a coating. Distinguished by its appearance as a
thin, wandering line or group of lines with no specific
pattern.
FILLER
1) A heavily bodied material used to fill voids, holes,
pores, depressions, etc. in a substrate. There are
specific types of fillers that are used for different
substrates or end-uses, e.g.:
• Body Filler
Generally refers to a filling
compound used on automobiles.
• Wood Filler
A filler using pigments and/or
fine wood fibers on open grained woods.
• Drywall filler
A soft filler, highly sandable,
used to fill joints, nail and screw holes.
• Block Filler
A low shrinkage, thick paint-like
material used on concrete blocks.
Fillers should be of relatively high solids and a viscosity
that allows bridging and application by most
conventional methods. Higher volume solids contribute
to low shrinkage on drying.
2) A name once used for extender pigments.
FILM
A general name given to a layer of paint, varnish or
similar material. A recently applied film is called wet film
as opposed to a dry film after the drying process is
complete.
FILM BUILD
Used in relationship to the ability of a coating to
build thickness or depth during application. The
film build characteristics can depend on the
rheology and/or the volume solids of the
coating.
FILM FORMATION
The process of a coating converting from a
liquid to a solid state in a layer or film.
FILM FORMER
A material capable of converting from a liquid to
a solid state in a layer.
FILM INTEGRITY
Generally related to the toughness and
continuity of a dry coating film.
FILM THICKNESS
The thickness or depth of a coating film either in
the wet state (wet film thickness, abbr. WFT) or
dry state (dry film thickness, abbr. DFT), usually
measured or represented in mils (1/1000 inch)
or microns. See also Dry Film Thickness, Wet
Film Thickness.
FILM THICKNESS GAUGE
An instrument used to determine the depth of
an applied coating in either the wet or dry state.
(See also Wet Film Thickness Gauge and Dry
Film Thickness Gauge).
FINENESS OF GRIND
Describes the degree of particle size in a
pigmented coating. See also Grind, Grind
Gauge.
FINGER
A broken spray pattern of alternating heavy and
light areas that resemble fingers. Most often
seen in airless spray equipment with a worn,
flat spray tip or in spray applications where the
paint is too thick or pressure too low.
FINGERNAIL TEST
Gouging a dried paint film with a fingernail to
make a subjective estimate of the hardness,
toughness and adhesion.
FINISH
1) An entire paint or coating system.
2) The texture, color and sheen of a surface.
FINISH COAT
The final coat in a paint system. Also known as
the topcoat.
FINISH SCHEDULE
See Room Finish Schedule.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
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FINISHED LIGHTING
Finished lighting conditions are described as those in
place when the project is finished. This includes, but is
not limited to, design lighting (e.g. wall washers, spots
and floods, etc.) and natural lighting (e.g. skylights,
windows, window walls and window treatments, etc.).
FIRE CAULK
A sealant intended to provide a barrier against fire and smoke
penetrating through wall, floor, and other construction gaps.
FIRE CHECKS
Intricate, almost invisible surface cracks. Most
frequently associated with paints and varnishes.
FIRE RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating to withstand fire. See also Fire
Retardant.
FIRE RETARDANT
A descriptive term implying that a product will:
1) Reduce the rate of flame spread on the surface to
which it is applied
2) Resist ignition when exposed to high temperatures
3) Insulate a substrate to which it has been applied and
prolong the time required to reach its ignition,
melting, or structural weakening temperature
Ref. ASTM D 16
See also Intumescent, Flame Spread.
FIRST COAT
The first coating in a new application. In most cases, it
is the sealing coat or primer coat.
FISH EYES
1) The appearance of round spots, resembling fish
eyes, in a newly applied coating that appear to be
pulling away from the substrate. This is often caused
by contamination of the surface or by oil
contamination from a compressor in a spray
application. See also Cat Eyes.
2) Describes shiny spots in a wrinkle finish paint. See
MPI’s Identifiers.
FISH OIL
Obtained from sardine, menhaden and pilchard.
Although this oil has a high iodine number after refining,
there remains a significant percentage of saturated
acids that causes fish oils to dry slowly and have a
tendency to after tack. Improvements appear when the
oils are polymerized.
FITCH BRUSH
A small long handled brush used for intricate work.
FIXATIVE
A clear coating most often sprayed onto drawings on
charcoal, crayon, watercolor, etc. or onto photographs
to protect them from abrasion, moisture and marking.
FIXED OIL
An oil of a stable, saturated nature, not easily
broken down.
FLAKING
The lifting and breaking away of small pieces of
a coating from the substrate or previous
coating. This term is generally used where no
impact damage has occurred to the surface.
Poor inter-coat adhesion and thermal change
stress are common causes. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
FLAME CLEANING
A method of cleaning steel surfaces by the use
of a hot flame to remove mill scale and rust.
This is followed by a wire brushing, then
application of the coating.
FLAME SPREAD
A rating used to describe the burning
characteristics of materials and coatings
applied to them. Asbestos cement boards are
rated at 0; un-coated red oak is rated at 100.
The National Fire Prevention Association
(NFPA) rates coatings using ASTM E84 tunnel
test results in various classes, e.g.:
Class A
Flame Spread 0 - 25
Class B
Flame Spread 26 - 75
Class C
Flame Spread 76 - 200
FLAMMABLE
A material that will burn readily or quickly. A
liquid having a flash point below 100° F (37.8° C).
FLASH
Uneven gloss or color in a dried paint surface
usually resulting from uneven absorption,
insufficiently sealed substrate, or poor drying
conditions.
FLASH DRY
The stage of drying at which most of the volatile
solvent (or water in a water-thinnable paint) has
evaporated and which is often characterized by
a marked change in appearance.
FLASH POINT
The temperature at which the fumes from a
paint or solvent will ignite (flash) if ignited by an
open flame. There are four methods of test
widely used for paint: Tag Closed Cup, Tag
Open Cup, Pensky-Martins Closed Cup and
Seta-flash.
FLASH RUST
Describes the thin layer of corrosion that
appears shortly after steel has been cleaned in
preparation for painting. Flash rust is commonly
seen on exterior metal preparations where too
much time has been left between prepping and
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 34
painting or where the environmental conditions allow
trace condensation.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
FLOCCULATION
The re-agglomeration of dispersed particles
(commonly pigment) due to instability, chemical
reaction or poor dispersion.
FLASHING
The non-uniform appearance of a coating applied to
walls or other surfaces, where there are noticeable
variations in the gloss or color. This can be caused by
application to an inconsistently sealed surface (suction
spotting), excessive film build where roller paths overlap
(lapping), etc. See MPI’s Identifiers.
FLOCK (ED) FINISH
A finish obtained by spraying or sifting flock
(tiny, fine, short fibers of wool, silk, cotton or
rayon) onto a surface to which the flock fibers
will adhere in order to achieve a velvety, clothlike appearance.
FLASHING(S)
Sheet metal strip used to block water seepage around
openings, roof penetrations or connections.
FLOGGER
A thin, long haired brush capable of producing
an imitation of pores in a graining process.
FLASH-OFF TIME
The time allowed between application of successive
wet-on-wet coats, or for the evaporation of the bulk of
the solvent before baking.
FLOGGING
A graining process where a dry brush over
graining colors is used to imitate fine pores in
wood.
FLAT
Without luster or gloss. For ideal uniformity in a coating,
the sheen (85 degree) would be close to, or the same,
as the 60 degree gloss. See Gloss Levels G1 (matte or
flat), and also Gloss Level G2 (high side sheen flat).
FLOOD
A liberal application of a coating. Many masonry
water repellents are applied to vertical surfaces
by a flood method, which is to apply by lowpressure spray allowing the material to run
down the surface a specified distance.
FLAT APPLICATOR
A rectangular shaped, flat pad with an attached handle
used to paint shingles, shakes and other surfaces.
FLATTING AGENT
A material (generally a pigment) used to reduce the
gloss of a coating. Synthetic silicas are very efficient
flatting agents and require only small amounts to give a
lusterless finish to a gloss varnish. The low usage
reduces the effect on the film clarity. Other flattening
agents used are the ground waxes such as
polyethylene.
FLATTING DOWN
Abrading by rubbing down the surface of a dry coating
material with fine, dry or wet, abrasives to produce a
smooth dull surface.
FLECKS
Spots or marks in a wood surface caused by
irregularities in the grain.
FLEXIBILITY
The ability to bend or deform without cracking or losing
adhesion.
FLOATING
1) Describes the separation of low density color
pigments from a mixture of color pigments in a liquid
paint. A strong float appears as a cellular shaped
pattern at the surface known as Bernard Cells.
2) The act of spreading or smoothing a plaster or
concrete surface for finishing.
FLOODING
The separation of color pigments in a paint that
appears as a uniform color, but when rubbed or
re-brushed in the wet state, a different color will
appear. See MPI’s Identifiers.
FLOOR ENAMEL
A coating designed for application to horizontal
walking surfaces. See also Non-Skid.
FLOOR VARNISH
A varnish made specifically for floor surfaces.
Designed for toughness and abrasion
resistance.
FLOW (FLOW-OUT)
The ability of a coating to smooth out after
application. The leveling of ridges and
striations, and brush and roller marks in the wet
film after application. See also Leveling.
FLOW COATING
A method of applying paint, where the coating
is poured (flowed) over the substrate. The
excess is allowed to drain off and in most cases
is reused for the next article.
FLOW CUP
Instrument for determining viscosity or
thickness of a coating. See also Ford Cup,
Zahn Cup.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 35
FLOWING
The leveling action of a paint, varnish or lacquer. See
also Leveling.
FORM RELEASE AGENT
An oil, wax or silicone compound used to
prevent concrete from adhering to the forms.
Also known as bond breakers, release agents.
FLUID TIP
The orifice end of a spray gun, in which the needle is
seated and through which the coating is distributed or
atomized.
FOSSIL GUM RESINS
Resins extracted from fossilized plants (e.g.
amber, zanzibar, manilla and congo).
FLUORESCENT
A material with the ability to absorb radiation of a
particular wavelength then re-emit it as light of a
different wavelength. The effect lasts only as long as
there is a source of radiation or light.
FOULING
The adhesion of barnacles and other forms of
marine life to a surface that is partially or totally
immersed in seawater, such as pilings, boat
hulls, piers.
FLUORESCENT PAINT
A luminous paint that glows when activated by UV or
“black light”. The degree of fluorescence depends on
the light source and the level and type of fluorescent
pigment in the coating.
FOXY
Pigment crystals arranged in different order by
the method of application causing different
shades of color when viewed at different
angles. Such a material is called foxy.
FOAM ROLLER
An open cell, foam coated paint applicator designed
and used like a standard paint roller. Often used to
apply clear, fine wood finishes.
FREE FLOWING
A material that levels itself, thereby eliminating
brush and roller marks. Also known as selfleveling.
FOGGING
Misting. A finely atomized spray.
FRENCH POLISHING
A fine wood finish, often used on hand-finished
furniture, achieved by the application of French
varnish or shellac with a soft pad lubricated with
an oil. Produces a high quality finish but is
easily marked by heat, water, solvents or even
using a coarse dusting cloth.
FOIL WALLPAPER
A wall covering that uses a thin flexible sheet of
reflective material bonded to a fabric or paper backing.
Patterns are printed in both opaque and semitransparent colors.
FOOTS
Insoluble particles commonly found in raw linseed oil.
FORCE DRY
Any method of speeding the drying of a coating using
heat or air.
FORD CUP
A viscosity measuring device often used for automotive
coatings and industrial enamels.
FOREIGN MATTER
Particles of dust, dirt, lint, etc. Surface contaminants.
Material that is not part of, or is inconsistent with, the
composition of the substrate.
FOREIGN THINNER
A thinner used in a coating, but not recommended by
the manufacturer.
FORM LACQUER
A thin, solvent-based material (often a hydrocarbon
resin) applied to forms, used for poured-in-place
concrete construction, to prevent bonding of the
concrete to the forms. Also known as bond breaker,
release agent.
FRENCH PROCESS
A process for manufacturing zinc oxide that
heats and oxidizes zinc metal. This produces a
very fine colloidal particle. French process zinc
oxide was widely used in interior alkyd and oil/
alkyd paints to reduce discoloration and afteryellowing. Excessive use of French process
zinc oxide in exterior paints can lead to early
checking and cracking.
FRESCO (ES)
From the Italian for ‘fresh’. Watercolors
(generally vivid, flat colors) painted on fresh
plaster (i.e before it dries) for a decorative or
artistic effect.
FRIEZE
An ornamental or decorative band applied to a
surface. Often painted or a wallpaper.
FROSTING
The appearance of a fine crystalline material on
the surface of a coating. Generally, this is
caused by exposure of the film to oxides of
nitrogen. See MPI’s Identifiers.
FSCT
Federation of Societies for Coating Technology.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 36
FSCT is a federation of coatings-related technical
organizations providing for the professional
development and education of its members and the
industry.
FUGITIVE DYE
Coloring matter that readily suffers partial or total loss of
its original color on exposure to light or weather.
FULL COAT
Applied coating at the specified film thickness or
spreading rate.
FULL DRYING
A material that has dried out with a full body or
thickness of film and great depth of finish.
FULL GLOSS
The film of a coating material that, when dry, has a
smooth almost mirror-like gloss finish surface.
FULLERS EARTH
A soft, impure, natural form of hydrous aluminum
silicate, clay.
FULLNESS
Denotes the amount or depth of film thickness.
FUNGICIDAL PAINT
A coating material that discourages the growth of
surface molds on the dry film. This property is normally
conferred by the use of special additives, although
certain pigments may themselves contribute to the
fungicidal property of the paint.
FUNGICIDE
A chemical material used in the manufacture of paint to
prevent the growth of mold or mildew on the dried paint
surface. See also Mildewcide.
FUNGUS
A subdivision of the Thallophyte family of non-flowering,
non-chlorophyll containing plants that includes the
molds, mildews, and mushrooms.
FURRING
A member, or means of, supporting a level surface
away from the structural wall or framing. Generally used
over uneven or damaged surfaces or to provide a space
between substrates.
G
GALLON, IMPERIAL
A unit of volume measure once used in the British
Commonwealth. It contains 277.42 cubic inches, 4.54
liters or 1.2004 U.S. gallons. One imperial gallon of
water weighs 10.0 pounds.
GALLON, U.S.
A unit of volume measure used in the United
States. It equals 231 cubic inches, 3.785 liters
or .833 imperial gallons.
GALVANIC CELL
Created when two dissimilar metals or alloys
are in contact with the same mass of an
electrolyte or conductive solution such as
seawater. The dissimilar metals become the
anode and cathode, and the solution allows a
current to pass between. The less noble of the
metals corrodes or decomposes preferentially
protecting the other metal.
GALVANIC CORROSION
The corrosion of a metal produced by a
galvanic cell (e.g. “battery”) effect from the
minute electrical charges created between
dissimilar metals.
GALVANIC PROTECTION
A method of protecting a metal from corrosion
by a current flow to it from a conductive solution
or by connecting it to the negative pole of a
current source. See also Galvanic Cell.
GALVANIZE
The application of a thin coating on a metal
(usually ferrous metals such as steel and iron)
by electrodeposition or dipping it into a molten
solution of a less noble metal such as zinc.
GALVANIZED STEEL
Steel that has been coated with zinc metal by
electrodeposition or dipped in molten zinc. The
zinc coating acts as a sacrificial metal that
corrodes or oxidizes in place of the steel. See
also Galvanic Cell.
GAMBOGE
A yellowish gum resin that is water soluble and
used in water colors as a binder.
GAP GRADED
Various types of concrete mixes in which
certain particle sizes of the aggregates are
omitted from the mix. Gap graded mixes are
used to obtain uniform textures in exposed
aggregate concrete and where architectural
abrasion blast finishes are required. A wrong
choice in the aggregate particle size omitted
can lead to segregation or honeycombing
unless vibration is used.
GAS BLACK
A type of carbon black pigment produced from
burning natural gas.
GAS CHECKING
A fine checking or wrinkling appearance on the
surface of a coating (usually a varnish) caused
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 37
by impurities in the air or rapid oxygen absorption.
GASSING
The production of a gas through a chemical reaction
(e.g. aluminum paints tend to gas from a reaction
between the aluminum pigments and moisture). In
some cases, this causes the sealed containers to burst
or leak.
GEL
Typically a semi-solid, colloidal dispersion of a solid in a
liquid. A thick or viscous material.
GELLING
The development of a paint into a gelled mass through
a reaction or age. See also Livering.
GENERIC
Belonging to a specific family or genus.
GHOSTING
The appearance of a light shadowing effect that often
appears on a touch-up application of paint, commonly
on flat or low sheen products. The ghosting often
appears as a light colored ring that defines the edge of
the touch-up. See MPI’s Identifiers.
GILDING
The decorative effect attained by bonding thin metallic
sheets, strips or leaves of gold, silver, brass, bronze,
etc. to a substrate for an authentic look. May also be
used as a base for other finishes like Tortoiseshell. See
also Dutch Metal and Gold Leaf.
GILP
The oil medium used for marbling.
GILSONITE GLASS BEADS
A natural asphalt material that is cooked with drying oils
to produce varnishes and japans. Small round glass
particles applied to the semi-dried surface of a coating
to reflectorize the dry finish. Often used on traffic paints
and reflective signs.
GLASS PAINT
A paint used specially for window panes, mirrors, glass
panels, etc.
GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
The temperature at which a polymer transforms from a
soft rubbery state to a hard, glass-like state. Symbol Tg.
See also Minimum Film Forming Temperature.
GLAZE (COAT)
Topcoat(s) (from clear to translucent to opaque) applied
over a painted surface to produce decorative, generally
broken color effects. Used to subdue strongly colored
base coats. See Scumble (Glaze). See also Graining.
GLAZED TILE
A clay masonry unit coated or fired to create a hard,
non-porous surface.
GLAZING
The application of a clear or semi-opaque
coating to a colored substrate for decorative or
protective purposes.
GLAZING & WIPING
Similar to ragging except the motion is wiping
as compared to rolling or patting. Also used to
obtain a broken color effect by applying
scumble and wiping the highlighted areas from
a textured base.
GLAZING COMPOUND
A sealant or putty that is used to seal a glass
pane into its frame. See also Putty and Sealant.
GLAZING LIQUID
A transparent finishing material with added
color to use for special decorative finishes, such
as graining, marbleizing, etc. See also Faux
Finish.
GLAZING PUTTY
See Glazing Compound.
GLAZING STAIN
A pigmented stain applied over a stained, filled
or painted surface to soften or blend the original
color without obscuring it.
GLOSS
The mirror-like reflectance of light from the
surface of a coating or substrate. The shine or
luster of a surface. The gloss of paint is
generally measured at various standard angles
such as 85, 60, 45 and 20 degrees from the
surface. The most widely used angle (for
architectural coatings) is 60 degrees and for low
sheen finishes, 85 degrees. Gloss readings at
20 degrees are used for high gloss coatings
such as automotive and specialty finishes. Flat
or matte (i.e. the absence of gloss) is practically
free from sheen even when viewed from
oblique angles. Full or High Gloss is smooth
and almost ‘mirror-like’ when viewed from all
angles. See also Specular Reflectance and
Gloss Levels.
GLOSS LEVELS [MPI]
G1
a traditional matte finish – flat
max. 5 units @60°
and max. 10 units @ 85°
G2
a high side sheen flat – ‘velvet-like’
max. 10 units @60°
and 10-35 units @ 85°
G3
a traditional eggshell-like finish
10-25 units @60°
and 10-35 units @ 85°
G4
a satin-like finish
20-35 units @60°
and min. 35 units @ 85°.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 38
G5
G6
G7
a traditional semi-gloss
35-70 units @60°.
a traditional gloss
70-85 units @60°.
a high gloss
more than 85 units @60°.
GRAFFITI RESISTANT COATING
Coating from which graffiti can be removed by
scrubbing, without damage to the surface. The
product resists hydrocarbon solvents typically
incorporated in paints, markers and other
coatings, allowing removal by use of similar
solvents or proprietary cleaners.
For levels of drywall finishing required for Gloss Levels
of Paint, See Levels – Drywall Finishes.
GLOSS METER
A reflectometer for the assessment of gloss or specular
reflectance of a surface at one or more angles. Usually
expressed in units of gloss with low numbers being the
flatter and the high numbers the more reflective.
GRAIN
1) The fibers of a wood surface forming a
distinct direction.
2) A small particle in paint caused by poor
filtration, dispersion or flocculation of
pigments or the polymer.
See also Graininess.
GLOSS OIL
A varnish composed of limed rosin dissolved in a
petroleum solvent such as mineral spirits.
GRAIN CHECKING
Checking of a paint coat parallel to the grain of
the wood. See also Cracking.
GLOSS RETENTION
The ability of paint to maintain its gloss during and after
exposure to environment, chemicals, water or any
aggressive material.
GRAIN CRACKING
Cracking of a coating, parallel to the grain of the
wood substance. These cracks typically
develop over time in wood substrates that
expand and contract when subjected to
repeated water absorption and evaporation.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
GLOSS WHITE
A pigment made, from 25% alumina hydrate and 75%
blanc fixe, used in the printing ink industry as an
extender.
GLYCERINE
A polyhydric alcohol used in the manufacture of some
alkyd resins, ester gum and various resins for varnish
manufacture.
GOLD LEAF
True gold leaf is thin, hammered out sheets or ‘leaves’
of gold used in gilding. Inexpensive gold leaf paints
generally contain a combination of aluminum, copper,
and bronze flakes to appear the color of gold. See also
Dutch Metal.
GOLDSIZE
A sizing material used in the gilding process.
GOOSEFLESH SURFACE
Small, slightly raised, circular elevations that appear all
over the surface of a dried film.
GRAIN RAISING
The lifting of individual fiber ends on a wood
surface after the application of a coating or dye,
or exposure to water & solvents.
GRAININESS
A rough appearance in a dried film. The paint
appears to have had a fine sand added.
GRAINING
The application of a semi-transparent or
opaque coating(s) to a surface, by special tools
or brushes, in a way that simulates the grain
effect of wood or marble (veining). This work
dates back to ancient Egypt. It requires highly
specialized artisans if the effect is to be a true
imitation of wood grain or marble, although
representations of both can be achieved by
artistic but less trained artisans. See also Wood
Graining and/or Marbling.
GOUACHE
A water-based paint that is opaque and matte, with
strong colors and a velvety finish. Usually made from
gum Arabic, a chalk-like filler, and pigment. Used for
posters on cardboard, art paper, etc., and on wood. The
term can refer to both the medium as well as to the
technique of using watercolors.
GRAINING COLOR
The colored medium applied to a ground coat to
imitate the graining pattern of wood.
GRAFFITI
The unwanted defacement of a surface with paint, felt
pen, crayon, etc. See MPI’s Identifiers.
GRAPHITE
A gray-black pigment obtained from natural
sources in a lamellar (flake) form containing
approximately 80 - 85% graphitic carbon, with
silicates, silica and iron oxide. Synthetic
GRAPHICS
Two or more colors decoratively applied to a
surface in a clearly defined pattern.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 39
graphite (a more uniform material containing 98%
graphitic carbon) is produced by an electronic process
that heats carbon to 3990 - 4350 degrees F. (2200 2400 degrees C.).
GRASSCLOTH
A wall covering often, used in Asia and Japan,
produced by gluing or stitching native grasses to the
surface of a handmade paper backing. Also machine
printed papers (and commercial vinyls) that simulate
grass cloth.
GREEN LUMBER
Wood that is unseasoned or not intentionally dried,
freshly sawn. Generally, this lumber has a moisture
content above the fiber saturation point (approximately
25 - 30%).
GREEN PLASTER
Wet or damp plaster – not yet cured.
GRIND
Expresses the fineness of the dispersed pigment
particles in a paint. Usually in units such as Hegman,
National Standard (NS) or microns.
GRIND GAUGE
Instrument used to measure the fineness of dispersed
pigment particles in paints. See also Grind.
GRINNING (SHOWING) THROUGH
The showing through of the substrate due to the
inadequate hiding power of the coating material.
GRISAILLE
Monochrome painting used to create special effects
using elaborate shading technique.
GRIT
1) A contaminant that appears as small hard particles.
2) An abrasive media.
GRIT BLASTING
Abrasive cleaning of a surface by blasting with an
irregular shaped abrasive material. The abrasive is
projected at the surface using compressed air or by
mechanical means. See also Abrasive Blast,
Centrifugal Blast Cleaning.
GRITTY
The appearance of sand-like particles in the dry film of
a coating. See also Graininess.
GROUND COAT
Applied under graining colors to give the undertone for
an imitation wood or marble effect, or under scumble
glaze.
GROUNDING
Dissipation of electric charge.
GUIDE COAT
A coat of paint, similar in color to the finish or
color coat that helps in obtaining complete
coverage and color uniformity.
GUM
A water soluble, amorphous substance exuded
from a plant that hardens upon exposure to the
air.
GUM ARABIC (ACACIA GUM)
A water-soluble gum obtained as exudates from
stems and branches of trees of the acacia
species.
GUM ROSIN
Rosin derived from gum turpentine obtained by
wounding live pine trees. Different from wood
rosin that is obtained from stumps and
branches of dead trees.
GUM TURPENTINE
The oleoresinous material obtained by
wounding the living pine tree and which, upon
distillation, yields (gum) rosin and (gum) spirits
of turpentine.
GUN METAL FINISH
A lacquer finish usually made by adding small
amounts of silver lining bronze powder to a
blue-black lacquer.
GURJUN BALSAM
An oleoresin obtained from various species of
the Dipterocarpus tree. Used as a plastisizer
and capable of resisting elevated temperatures.
Also known as wood oil or East India copaiba.
GYPSUM
A natural occurring calcium sulfate pigment, not
often used as a paint pigment other than in
cement water paints. Often dehydrated at high
temperatures to form the anhydrite version of
calcium sulfate used in conjunction with
titanium dioxide to produce titanium calcium
pigments, and as a base for venetian red
pigments. Also known as Terra Alba.
GYPSUM BOARD
Also known as gypsum wallboard. See also
Drywall.
H
HAIRLINES
Narrow cracks in a substrate or coating film.
Also known as hairline cracks. See also
Cracking.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 40
HALOGEN
Elements in the seventh group of the periodic table
such as iodine, chlorine and bromine. Halogens are
combined with various hydrocarbon and polymer
structures to form low or nonflammable solvents and
resins (see also Halogenated Solvent). Halogens can
also combine directly with metals, such as mercury,
tungsten and sodium, to form halides.
HALOGENATED SOLVENT
Solvents that contain a halogen, often chlorine. These
are commonly called Chlorinated solvents. With a few
exceptions, halogenated solvents are non-flammable,
and possess a sweet chloroform-like odor. The most
common type is Methylene Chloride which is used in
paint strippers.
HAMMERED FINISH
A coating or finish designed to appear like a hammered
metal surface. A hammered finish paint generally has a
combination of metallic flake and color pigments with a
silicone additive to create a hammered metal
appearance on the dry film. There is a slight surface
texture in the dried coating, but in most cases; this
enhances the hammered effect.
HAND TOOL CLEANING
Surface preparation using non-power hand tools such
as wire brushes, scrapers, etc. The specification SSPCSP 2, Hand Tool Cleaning, is a standard hand tool
cleaning of steel surfaces.
HAND PRINTS
Special wallpapers that have had the color and design
applied by hand.
HARD OIL FINISH
Originally, an oil varnish designed to dry to a hard finish
for subsequent rubbing to a satin or semi-gloss luster.
The term now includes alkyd and other types of
varnishes.
HARDBOARD
A smooth or textured grainless panel building material
produced from compressed wood fibers that are mixed
with a binding material then pressed into panels of
various thickness.
HARDENER
A material or resin added to a paint or adhesive to
initiate and promote the cross-linking of the binder. See
also Curing Agent.
HARDNESS
A property of a coating film that designates its
resistance to penetration or indentation. There are
various tests to assess hardness.
(softwood). The term does not refer to the
actual hardness of the wood.
HAZING
The appearance of a clouded or dull surface on
a paint or varnish.
HEPA VACUUM
High-efficiency particulate air-filtered vacuum
designed to remove lead- contaminated dust.
HEAT AGING
A test used to determine the package stability
of a coating in the wet state or the retention of
certain physical properties (flexibility, gloss,
etc.) of a dry film.
HEAT RESISTING
A characteristic of a coating or material that
shows no deleterious effects to the film when
subjected to continuous or intermittent
exposure to elevated temperatures.
HEAT STRIPPING
A technique using a heat gun to soften, then a
scraper to lift and remove, dry paint films.
HEAVY BODIED
A coating that has a thick consistency or high
viscosity.
HEAVY CENTERED PATTERN
A spray pattern that has most of the paint in the
center and little at the edges.
HEGMAN NUMBER
Measure of fineness of grind or dispersion of
pigment into vehicle.
HIDING PIGMENT
A white pigment that has a high refractive index
and produces an opaque film when used in
combination with a binder. Titanium dioxide,
white lead carbonate, zinc sulfide and
magnesium oxide are all hiding pigments. Also
known as prime pigments.
HIDING POWER
The degree or ability of an opaque coating,
applied in a uniform film, to cover, mask or
obscure the substrate to which it is applied, or
the colors underneath. Hiding power is provided
by the paint’s pigment. See also Contrast Ratio,
Coverage, Opacity.
HIGH BOILING
Liquids that boil at temperatures greater than
150 degrees C.
HARDWOOD
The wood obtained from broad-leafed trees
(angiosperms) in contrast to the wood from conifers
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 41
HIGH BUILD
A coating designed to be applied or that applies in a
thick film without sagging or running, but less than that
normally applied with a trowel.
HIGH EFFICIENCY PARTICULATE AIR FILTERS
(HEPA) Generally synthetic membranes with small
pores that allow air to pass but stops airborne particles
greater than 0.05 microns in diameter. Commonly used
in clean rooms for semi-conductor manufacture.
HIGH FLASH NAPHTHA
A cyclic hydrocarbon solvent with a high flash point,
greater than 113 degrees F. (45 degrees C.), and an
evaporation rate faster than mineral spirits.
HIGH GLOSS
A dry coating film showing a gloss level greater than 80
units at 60 degrees.
HIGH PERFORMANCE ARCHITECTURAL COATINGS
See HIPAC.
HIGH PRESSURE WASHING
See Water Blast.
HIGH-PRESSURE WATER CLEANING
See Water Blast.
HIGH-PRESSURE WATER JETTING
See Water Blast.
HIGH SOLIDS
A coating that has a greater solids level than a
conventional version of that type of coating. True high
solids coatings contain a level of 70% non-volatile
(solids), but some types are impractical due to the
viscosity of the binder (e.g. high solids lacquers are
produced at 30% solids).
HIGH SOLIDS LACQUER
A lacquer made at the maximum solids, which produces
great build on the surface. Generally the solids level is
above 30%.
HIGH SOLVENCY THINNER
A strong solvent used for reducing high molecular
weight polymers in viscosity without an excessive
reduction in solids.
HIGH VOLUME LOW PRESSURE (HVLP)
A type of paint spray equipment that uses low pot
pressure (5-10 psi.) combined with a controlled, high
volume stream of air (20 + cubic feet per minute) to
atomize and project the coating onto a surface.
Generally used in fine finishing or where high transfer
efficiency and low overspray is required.
HIGHLIGHTING
1) The area of a surface that is most visibly noticeable.
Often used in the description of a defect being
“highlighted” through an extraneous means
such as light.
2) The application of a lighter color to certain
areas of a surface to accent textures or
features of that surface.
HIPAC
High Performance Architectural Coatings. A
generic name for coatings that exhibit better
physical resistance properties than
conventional coatings, but are applied in a
similar manner. Included in this class are
various types of epoxies, polyurethanes,
polyesters, high performance architectural
latex, etc.
HOLD-OUT
The property (of a substrate or coating) that
provides a low porosity surface which reduces
the penetration of subsequently applied
coatings. This improves the gloss and color
uniformity of the finishing coats.
HOLD POINT
Critical point in an operation where it is stopped
until the work to date has been approved.
[SSPC]
HOLIDAY DETECTOR
An electro-conductive instrument used to detect
pinholes, scrapes or other inconsistencies (in a
paint applied to a metallic substrate) that are
not necessarily visible to the naked eye.
HOLIDAYS
Areas in a dry film where the coating is
discontinuous. Voids, pinholes and missed
areas are all considered holidays. Also known
as vacations.
HOMOPOLYMER
A polymer that consists of repeating units of the
same monomer or structure (e.g. vinyl acetate).
HONEYCOMB (HONEY COMBING)
Voids in concrete. Also see Bug Holes.
HOT LACQUER
A lacquer coating applied at an elevated
temperature, often a higher than normal solids
material.
HOT PLASTER
Plaster that has a large amount of free lime will
have a pH over 9. Such plaster will react with
alkali-sensitive paint, such as oil-based paint.
HOT ROLLED STEEL
The forming of steel while still hot. This can be
identified by the large amount of black mill scale
that forms on the surface.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 42
HOT SPOT
An area on a plaster surface where either improper
mixing or incompletely cured material causes a
chemical burning of the applied coating. Lime spots
which are not completely cured and bleed through the
coating on a plastered wall.
HOT SPRAY
A coating that is applied by heated spray. Some high
solids and thermoplastic materials are applied in this
manner.
HUE
The character of a chromatic color differentiating it from
another color (such as red, green, blue) whether light or
dark. The color whether tinted with white or shaded with
black is still the same hue.
HUMIDITY
The measure of moisture in air. Relative humidity is the
ratio of the quantity of water vapor in the air to the
greatest amount possible at a given temperature.
HUMP JOINT
A raised joint on a gypsum board application due to
excessive application of joint filler. Also known as a
crown joint.
HUNGRY SURFACE
An abnormally absorptive surface requiring an
excessive amount of paint to give a continuous film.
Napthenes (Cyclohexane) and various
blends of the former. Mineral spirits is a
widely used, blended aliphatic solvent found
in most trade sales alkyd paints. See also
Hydrocarbon, Alipthatic Solvent.
2) Aromatic types contain one or more
unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbon structures
which are a six sided carbon structure
(benzene ring) with three alternating (C=C)
double bonds. The common aromatic
hydrocarbons used for paints are the
solvents such as toluene, xylene and
benzene. See also Aromatic Solvent.
HYDROLYSIS
A decomposing chemical reaction between a
material and water.
HYDROPHILIC
A water loving material [from the Greek hydro
(water) philos (loving)]. Often used to describe
the solubility properties of a surfactant or a
water miscible material.
HYDROPHOBIC
A water hating material [from the Greek ‘hydro’
(water) ‘phobos’ (hating)]. Used to describe the
properties of a material that are immiscible with
water. A hydrophobic surfactant would
generally have greater oil solubility.
HVLP
See High Volume Low Pressure.
HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE
The pressure developed by water due to its
mass plus any pressure applied to it.
HYDRATION
The chemical reaction between a cementitious binder
and water causing it to harden.
HYDROUS
A material that contains water.
HYDRAULIC CEMENT
A cementitious binding material that can set and cure
underwater. Portland cement is a hydraulic cement.
HYDRO BLASTING (HYDROBLASTING)
A method of removing old paint and surface
contaminants by use of a high-pressure jet of water.
See also Water Blast.
HYDROCARBON
A large group of chemical compounds that contain a
combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms only. There
are many different types and classes that include the
aliphatic, aromatic, saturated and unsaturated
hydrocarbons.
HYDROCARBON SOLVENT
Hydrocarbon solvents are divided into two main
classes:
1) Aliphatic types are a linear carbon chain molecule,
with the exception of the cyclic napthenes. In
coatings, the term usually refers to solvents such as
the Parrafins (Hexane), Isoparrafins (Iso Octane),
HYGROSCOPIC
A material that has the ability to absorb or
condense moisture from the air.
HYPALON
A synthetic rubber resin used as a binder in
some coatings, often for roofs and flooring.
Produced by the Du Pont Company.
I
IDENTIFIERS DEFECTS / FAILURES
A technical publication detailing frequently seen
paint defects / failures. These are pictured and
described, as are possible causes. Published
by Master Painters Institute.
ILLUMINANT
The light that is emitted by a light source or that
falls on a surface.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 43
IMBEDDING
To set firmly in surrounding matter, embed. Commonly
used to describe the setting of a tape in filling
compound as the first step in joint and seam filling in
drywall construction.
INDUSTRIAL COATINGS
Coatings applied to factory-made articles
(before or after fabrication), usually by special
techniques or equipment for applying and
drying.
IMMERSION
Item that is submerged in another material, commonly a
liquid, such as water, solvent, etc., but can also be a
powder or gas.
INDUSTRIAL BLAST CLEANING
An industrial blast cleaning surface, free of all
visible oil, grease, dust, and dirt, but tightly
adherent mill scale, rust, and coating residues
are permitted to remain on 10% of each unit
area if they are evenly distributed. Industrial
blast cleaning provides a greater degree of
cleaning than brush-off blast cleaning (SSPCSP 7), but less than commercial blast cleaning
(SSPC-SP 6). For more information, see SSPC-SP 14.
IMMISCIBLE
Not capable of mixing. Physically incompatible (without
a chemical reaction). A property of any material that will
not mix with another specified material. In the case of
liquids, there can be the formation of separate layers,
cloudiness or turbidity.
IMPACT RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating or material to resist damage due
to an impactive force of an object striking that surface.
Coatings that have low impact resistance can crack or
chip when the impactive force is greater than the
resistance. Generally, coatings for metallic substrates,
such as automobiles, machinery housings, ship
components, etc. and certain types of floors, require
some degree of impact resistance. Ref. ASTM method
D2794. See also Reverse Impact.
IMPASTO
A thick application of paint to a surface to impart texture
or depth.
IMPERMEABLE
Restricting the passage of moisture, air or other
substance.
IMPREGNATED
Filled, saturated or permeated.
INCOMPATIBILITY
In liquid systems, the inability to mix with or form a
stable solution. Relative to coatings; the inability to coat
uniformly or adhere to another material.
INDICATOR (PH) PAPER
A vegetable dyed paper that changes color when
exposed to an aqueous mixture in response to the
degree of relative acidity or basicity (alkalinity).
INDIRECT COSTS
Costs such as drafting and engineering fees, capital
expenditures and depreciation.
INDUCTION TIME
The time interval required after mixing the components
of a multi-component paint, such as a two component
epoxy, before the application can begin. See also
Sweat-In.
INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT
Environments that include urban communities,
manufacturing centers, and industrial plants
(but not heavy-industrial environments, such as
coke plants, chemical processing and pulp
manufacturing, which are considered chemical
environments). Most industrial environments
contain a considerable amount of gasses and
pollutants, such as the oxides of nitrogen,
sulphur gasses and ozone, that can increase
the rate of corrosion of metals and the
degradation of organic coatings.
INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COATINGS
High performance coatings formulated to resist
heavy abrasion, water immersion, chemicals,
corrosion, temperature, etc. Generally these
types of coatings are used for substrates that
exist or are used within an industrial
environment. These coatings often have greater
chemical resistance and faster drying time.
INERT
A chemically inactive material. Non-reactive.
INERT PIGMENT
A pigment that is non-reactive.
INFLAMMABILITY
Easily set on fire, readily able to burn.
Combustible, flammable.
INFRA-RED SPECTROSCOPY
An analytical method that uses the infra-red
range of light (400 - 4000 millimicrons) to
identify organic materials. Grating and Fourier
Transform (FTIR) are the most commonly used
methods for paint binders.
INHIBITIVE PIGMENT
Pigment that assists in the prevention of
corrosion or other undesirable effects such as
staining.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 44
INHIBITOR
A chemical substance used as a component of a
coating to reduce the degrading effects of an
environment (such as a U.V. inhibitor, corrosion
inhibitor, mildew inhibitor, etc.) or a change in properties
due to undesired chemical change.
INLAY
Thin pieces of wood, mother of pearl or other decorative
materials that are shaped then inset into another
surface. Also known as marquetry.
INORGANIC
A compound that does not contain substantial amounts
of carbon.
INORGANIC PAINT
A coating based on an inorganic binder such as
silicates or phosphates. See also Cementitious Based
Paint, Inorganic Zinc Rich.
INORGANIC ZINC RICH
A coating containing a zinc powder pigment in an
inorganic silicate binder. Inorganic zinc rich paints are
used extensively as anti-corrosive primers for metal.
See also Zinc Rich Primer.
INSOLUBLE
The inability to be dissolved in a particular solvent (e.g.
insolvent in water).
INT
MPI short-term designation for an interior
coating system used in architectural painting
projects. See also RIN.
INTENSE COLOR
Describes bright, deep, or accent colors.
INTERCOAT
A layer of paint that is "sandwiched" between
two others. Also refers to something occurring
between coats, as in "intercoat adhesion."
INTERCOAT ADHESION
The adhesion between successive coats of
paint. See also Adhesion.
INTERCOAT CONTAMINATION
Presence of contaminants or foreign matter
between successive coats.
INTERIOR
The inside surfaces of a structure.
INTERIOR COATINGS
Products designed for interior use only. This
may be due to a lack of resistance to common
degrading sources such as U.V. light (sunlight),
temperature changes, rain, etc.
INSPECTION
The act of confirming adherence to specifications or
standards, and/or the reviewing of work or products with
the intent of discovering defects or of assuring the
absence of defects.
INTERMEDIATE COAT
Any coating applied between the primer and
finish coat. Often the intermediate coat is a
slightly different color to act as a guide coat to
assure complete coverage or that the full film
thickness of the next coat has been achieved.
See also Barrier Coat.
INSPECTION LIGHTING
Illumination of an installed surface from an angle at an
intensity sufficient to eliminate any shadowing that may
be caused by other illumination striking the surface at
any angle. Used to ascertain the source of a defect.
INTERNAL MIX (ATOMIZATION)
Fluid and air mixing together inside the air cap
of the spray gun.
INSPECTOR
A trained, qualified person who examines and
documents materials used and work performed to
confirm adherence to accepted trade practices,
standards and specifications.
INSULATING VARNISH
A varnish specifically designed for insulation of
electrical appliances. Formulated to have a high
resistance to electrical passage.
INSULATION
A substance used to separate two environments,
usually to protect one from the heat or cold present in
the other.
INTERNAL PHASE
The discontinuous phase. For example, in an
oil-in-water emulsion, the oil is the internal
phase.
INTERPARTICLE VOIDS
Empty spaces between individual particles in an
assembly of particles. See also microvoids.
INTUMESCE
To foam, swell, expand or bubble-up as the
result of heat or chemical reaction. Some
fire-retardant paints exhibit this property in
forming a heat insulating, foamy char that
keeps heat and flames away from the
substrate.
INTUMESCENT COATING
A coating designed to intumesce as
nonflammable gasses (such as carbon dioxide
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 45
and ammonia) are produced when exposed to flame or
heat. These gasses are trapped by the film converting it
to a thick insulating foam or char much thicker than the
original film thereby giving protection to the substrate.
See also Fire Retardant Coating.
IODINE VALUE
The amount of iodine which, when mixed with an oil
under specified conditions of test, will indicate the
degree of unsaturation and the oil’s potential air-drying
properties.
IRON
A common metal that oxidizes or rusts rapidly when
exposed to moist or salty air. It is the most common and
important of all metals, and its alloys, such as steel, are
extensively used because of their strength, durability
and workability.
IRON BLUE
Inorganic pigments originally made from potassium
ferriferrocyanide, then later from sodium and
ammonium ferriferrocyanides. For the most part, iron
blue pigments have been replaced by the organic
pthalocyanine blue pigments. Some iron blue pigments
are sensitive to alkalis and can bronze on exterior
exposure in mass tone. See also Prussian, Chinese,
Milori blue.
IRON FILLER
A heavy bodied material, containing large quantities of
pigment, which is capable of drying quickly to a hard,
tough, non-porous film. Used to fill imperfections in
metals prior to painting.
IRON OXIDE
Pigment available in various shades of red, brown,
black and yellow. It is used extensively in metal primers
and other paints. See also Ferric Oxide.
ISOCYANATE
A chemical compound characterized by the presence of
one or more of the reactive chemical group N=C=O.
Isocyanates can react with water, amines, carboxylic
acid, phenols and other hydroxyl bearing compounds.
When reacted with a hydroxyl-containing polymer, a
polyurethane resin is formed. Isocyanates are
commonly used in two forms for coatings: aromatic
(toluene di-isocyanate, TDI), which is for interior
products; and aliphatic (methylene di-isocyanate, MDI),
which is an exterior durable type. See also Urethane.
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
A thin, clear, highly flammable liquid used in some
solvent blends. Also known as rubbing alcohol,
isopropanol.
IVORY BLACK
A high grade drop black or bone black pigment,
formerly made by burning ivory.
J
JAMB
A side post or side of a door or window frame.
JAPAN
A varnish yielding a hard, glossy, dark colored
film. Japans are usually dried by baking at
relatively high temperatures.
JAPAN BLACK
An older type of black varnish containing
manjak or gilsonite pitches cooked in
combination with drying or semi-drying oils to
produce a semi-transparent black finish.
JAPAN COLOR
A paste containing pigment and a grinding
Japan vehicle.
JAPAN DRIERS
A resinate based mixture of liquid driers.
JAPAN VARNISH
A rapid, hard-drying varnish suitable for use as
a vehicle for japan colors.
JAPANESE
A glossy, black lacquer often used for wood
furnishings.
JET BLASTING
See Water Blast.
JOB SEQUENCING
An order of succession or continuity of
progression of work activities.
JOB STANDARD
Acceptable standard of quality established prior
to commencement of a project.
JOINT
The gap or space created when two building
materials come together.
JOINT CEMENT
A soft plaster-like compound used in drywall
construction, available as a powder that is
mixed with water or as a ready mixed paste.
Used as a bedding material for joint tape and as
a filler for fastener holes. Also known as joint
filler, drywall filler, drywall or joint compound.
Also see ASTM C 475 - Standard for Joint
Compound and Joint Tape for Finishing
Gypsum Board
JOINT MOLDING
A covering strip of wood, metal or vinyl used to
conceal untaped or unfilled drywall joints.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 46
JOINT RIDGING
The appearance of a ridge or bead at the connection
between two sheets of drywall in a single layer
application. Often, this is caused by insufficient drying
of successive applications of joint filler, lack of back
blocking or adverse weather conditions. Also known as
joint beading.
JOINT TAPE
A special paper, paper-faced cotton or fiber mesh tape
used in combination with a filling compound over joints
between wallboard panels to conceal the joint and
provide a smooth surface for finishing.
JOIST
A small beam that supports a part of a ceiling, roof or
floor of a structure.
JOURNEYMAN PAINTER
A person who has successfully completed an
apprenticeship in coatings application.
J - STRUTS
Metal edgings used in drywall applications for jamb
framing.
K
KALSOMINE
The trade name of dry, powdered water paints made
from sodium carbonate, lime, glue, whiting and colored
pigments.
KAOLIN
An extender pigment used in paints and fillers that is a
form of hydrated aluminum silicate. See also China
Clay, Clay.
KAURI GUM
A copal fossil resin originating in New Zealand and
available in three grades, pale, brown and bush. The
raw resins are thermally processed to improve
compatibility with oils and petroleum solvents. The
processed resins are used in varnishes, japans,
lacquers, paints and linoleum.
KAURI-BUTANOL VALUE
A measure of the strength of aromatic and aliphatic
hydrocarbon solvents performed by dissolving a
standard run kauri gum in normal butyl alcohol. The
stronger the solvent, the higher the KB value.
KB VALUE
See Kauri-Butanol Value.
KEROSENE
A hydrocarbon solvent once used in oleoresinous paints
and varnishes in small amounts to improve the brushing
and flow. Excessive amounts would cause slowing of
the dry due to the slow evaporation rate of the
kerosene.
KETONE SOLVENTS
Flammable organic solvents characterized by
the presence of a carbon-oxygen double bond
(carbonyl) with two alkyl groups attached.
Commonly used ketones are acetone, methyl
ethyl ketone (MEK), and methyl isobutyl ketone
(MIBK).
KETTLE BODIED OIL
A vegetable oil that has been thickened
(bodied) by cooking in an open kettle system.
Most often this is linseed oil.
KEYING
The roughening of a surface to improve
mechanical adhesion.
KILN DRIED
Drying of a material (often wood) in an
environment with controlled temperature and
humidity.
KNIFE COATING
An industrial method of applying coatings to
fabrics. Rollers apply the coating, then the
fabric is drawn under a V-shaped or
hemispherical knife to smooth and control film
thickness.
KNIFE GRADE
A product thickness greater than liquid thereby
requiring a knife or trowel for application e.g.
knife grade elastomeric or epoxy filler.
KNOCKDOWN
A texture usually obtained where a wide knife or
trowel is used to knock down and flatten the
peaks of the texture applied.
KNOT
A hard area on a wood surface caused by the
previous presence of a branch. Knots can be
prone to sap bleeding and shrinkage over time.
High wood density in a knot can lead to poor
penetration of an applied coating and heat
build-up (particularly in dark coatings) from the
sun, which can cause delamination of the paint
from the surface.
KNOT BLEEDING
A yellow to brown stain on cedar or redwood or
a yellow sticky material that darkens to brown in
sap-containing woods (like pine and fir) at the
hard, dense areas where there previously was
a branch. See MPI’s Identifiers.
KNOT PEELING
Lifting and peeling of a coating applied over
knots on a wood surface where there was not
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 47
good penetration or adhesion of the applied coating.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
K.U. (KREB UNIT)
A unit of measurement of viscosity or consistency for
liquid paint derived from tests using the Kreb-Stormer
viscometer.
L
LAC
Raw resin secreted by the scale insect (Laccifer lacca)
that lives on certain trees in eastern Asian countries.
Further processing yields the alcohol soluble film former
shellac. See also Shellac.
LACQUER
A fast-drying, often clear, highly flammable coating that
dries by solvent evaporation only and provides a depth
impression. Originally referred to coatings made from
film formers that dried by the evaporation of solvent
(thermoplastic) other than shellac. Then with the
commercial development of the cellulose polymers,
lacquers were coatings based on nitrocellulose resins.
Currently, the term is used for various types of polymers
such as thermoplastic acrylic, vinyl, etc.
LACQUER THINNER
A solvent blend used to reduce the viscosity or solids
level of lacquer coatings. Commonly a blend of alcohol,
acetate, ketone and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents.
LADDERING
A vertical and horizontal crack in masonry block at the
mortar joints, resembling a ladder (stairs) Also called
‘stairing’.
LAITANCE
A white, milky material found on newly placed concrete
surfaces. Laitance is distinguished from efflorescence,
as it is in a liquid form whereas the latter is the dry
crystalline material.
LAKE
Pigment consisting of an organic soluble coloring matter
combined with an inorganic base of fine particles of
inert or translucent pigment. It is characterized
generally by a bright color and a more or less
pronounced translucency when made into an oil paint.
LAMELLAR
Describes a flat, thin, plate-like particle. Aluminum
flakes and mica are examples of lamellar shaped
pigments.
LAMINATE
1) To bond a material to another by use of an adhesive.
2) A material bonded to a surface e.g. wood, “Formica”,
“Arborite”, etc.
LAMPBLACK
A pigment made by burning oils or tars with or
without gas, in such a manner as to form a
deposit of carbon or soot. See also Carbon
Black.
LANDING
A platform between a series of steps in a
staircase.
LAP
The edge where one brush stroke, spray pass
or roller track overlaps another (i.e. extends
over and covers the edge of a previous coat).
This ‘lap’ should not be visible when dry.
LAP MARKS
To lay or place one coat so its edge extends
over and covers the edge of a previous coat
(often already dry), causing an increased film
thickness appearing as a slightly different color
or gloss. See MPI’s Identifiers.
LATENT DAMAGE OR DEFECTS
Damage to surfaces by cause beyond the
control of the Painting & Decorating Contractor.
Examples of such include, but are not limited to,
building settlement, earthquake damage, and
nail and/or screw pops or expansion and/or
contraction of substrate.
LATEX
Latex is the milky emulsion generally composed
of a combination of starches, proteins,
alkaloids, resins, etc. extracted from plants. The
word latex has now been used interchangeably
with emulsion to describe aqueous polymeric
dispersions of film formers, such as acrylic,
polyvinyl acetate, styrene butadiene, etc., and
the paints made from them.
LAYING OFF
The final light strokes of the brush during a
painting operation.
LATEX PAINT
See Latex.
LEACHING
A process by which a material is dissolved and
carried away by a liquid such as water.
LEAD
In the past, compounds of lead were used as a
white pigment, and were used in primers to
prevent tannin bleed-through and corrosion.
Generally, its use was largely discontinued in
the late 1950’s although some use continued
until the late 1970’s.
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LEAD CARBONATE, (BASIC)
The oldest white pigment known. Used extensively as a
prime pigment for paints up until the late 1950’s.
Concerns about the toxicity of lead and the
development of titanium pigments restricted the use of
white lead to stain blocking and specialty coatings.
LEAD DRIERS
Compounds of lead and various organic acids used to
improve the through drying of oil and alkyd paints. They
are not as surface active as cobalt and manganese.
Lead is not generally used alone, but is used in
combination with cobalt or manganese. See also Driers.
LEAD OXIDE
(PbO) The intermediate product formed from heating
metallic lead in a furnace that is then oxidized to red
lead (Pb3O4) or trilead tetroxide (see also Red Lead).
Lead oxide is a reactive material that has been used to
modify the viscosity of high acid, polymerized oils
through the formation of lead soaps.
LEAD SULFATE, BASIC
White lead sulfate was developed in 1855 by E.O.
Bartlett in Birmingham, Pennsylvania. The cost of
manufacturing white lead sulfate was lower than the
carbonate type, but the physical properties of paints
made from it were very similar. Much of the white lead
sulfate was used in combination with zinc oxide to make
leaded zinc oxide. As with all lead based pigments,
toxicity and environmental impact is a concern and very
little is used in modern paints.
LEADED ZINC
Leaded zinc (oxide) can be produced by co-fuming lead
and zinc ores or by blending zinc oxide and basic lead
sulfate. Introduced to the paint industry around 1896.
Used little since the introduction of the titanium dioxide
pigments.
LEAFING
The overlapping orientation of lamellar (platy) pigment
particles in a plane horizontal to the surface plane.
Leafing aluminum, mica and micaceous iron oxide are
typical.
LEVELS OF FINISH - DRYWALL
LEVEL 0
No taping, finishing or corner beads
required.
LEVEL 1
All joints and interior angles have tape
embedded in compound. Tool marks and ridges are
acceptable. Use where no finish is required, for
example above ceilings, service corridors and areas not
open to public view. Also known as Fire-Taping.
LEVEL 2
All joints and interior angles have tape
embedded in compound and wiped with a joint knife or
trowel leaving a thin coating of compound over all joints
and interior angles, plus a coat of compound over
fastener heads and accessories. Tool marks and ridges
are acceptable. Use where no finish is required, for
example in garages, warehouse storage or
other similar areas where appearance is not of
primary concern.
LEVEL 3
All joints and interior angles have
tape embedded in compound and wiped with a
joint knife or trowel leaving a thin coating of
compound over all joints and interior angles,
plus one additional coat of compound over all
joints and interior angles. Fastener heads and
accessories have two separate coats of joint
compound. All joint compounds shall be smooth
and free of tool marks and ridges. Use in
appearance areas that are to receive texture
finishes before final painting. Not to be used
under smooth painted surfaces.
LEVEL 4
All joints and interior angles have
tape embedded in compound and wiped with a
joint knife or trowel leaving a thin coating of
compound over all joints and interior angles,
plus two separate coats of compound over all
flat joints, one separate coat over interior
angles, and three separate coats of compound
over fastener heads and accessories. All joint
compounds shall be smooth and free of tool
marks and ridges. Use where wallcoverings, flat
paints, or light textures are specified.
LEVEL 5
Level 4 plus, a skim coat of
compound, trowel-applied, over the entire
surface, with excess compound immediately
removed leaving a film of skim coating
compound completely covering the paper. All
joint compounds shall be smooth and free of
tool marks and ridges. Use where gloss, semigloss, or enamel paints are specified or where
critical lighting conditions occur.
Reference: ASTM C 840.
LEVELING
The ability of a newly applied paint or varnish
film to form a smooth surface free from brush
marks, roller stipple, etc.
LEVELS OF FINISH - GLOSS (MPI)
LEVEL G1
Requires properly prepared
Level 4 drywall finish, assuming no critical
lighting conditions. See Gloss Level G1.
LEVEL G2
Requires properly prepared
Level 4 drywall finish, assuming no critical
lighting conditions. See Gloss Level G2.
LEVEL G3
Requires properly prepared
Level 5 drywall finish. See Gloss Level G3.
LEVEL G4
Requires properly prepared
Level 5 drywall finish. See Gloss Level G4.
LEVEL G5
Requires properly prepared
Level 5 drywall finish. See Gloss Level G5.
LEVEL G6
Requires properly prepared
Level 5 drywall finish. See Gloss Level G6.
LEVEL G7
Requires properly prepared
Level 5 drywall finish. See Gloss Level G7.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
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LIFE
The durability or period of time that a coating film will
remain intact.
LIFTING
The wrinkling of an undercoat or previous coating
shortly after application of another coat of paint or
varnish. Most often caused by either too strong a
solvent in the topcoat or the undercoat not being cured
adequately prior to re-coating. See MPI’s Identifiers.
LIGHT REFLECTANCE VALUE
The amount of light reflected from a painted surface.
LIGHTFASTNESS
The ability to retain chemical and physical properties
after exposure to natural or artificial light of specific
characteristics and under specified conditions i.e. the
resistance to fading. Commonly describes the UV or
sunlight resistance of a color pigment.
LIGHTNESS
The attribute that permits an object color to be classified
as equivalent to some member of the series of grays
ranges between black and white.
LIMEWASHING
Coating originally used for plaster, made from hydrated
lime. See Whitewash.
LIMING
Lime was originally used as a protection against worm
and beetle attack but later became fashionable for the
way it showed off the grain especially in oak. It is now
currently back in fashion as a decorative effect.
LINING PAPER
Wallpaper with a neutral or complementary color, but no
pattern. Used mostly for wall conditioning to obtain a
smoother surface.
LINSEED OIL
A drying oil extracted from the seeds of the flax plant
(linum usitatissimum), and then refined by either acid or
alkali treatments that remove water and mucilaginous
material. Further processing produces bodied oil, blown
oil or stand oil.
LINSEED OIL PUTTY
See Putty.
LIQUEFY
To change phase from a solid to a liquid, as in melting.
LIQUID
An incompressible substance that is capable of flowing.
LIQUID DRIERS
Solution of soluble driers in organic solvents to facilitate
easy blending into paints and varnishes. See also
Driers.
LIQUID FILLER
A low viscosity material, often containing
various types of inert, non-opaque pigments,
used for filling pores in open grained woods
such as oak, mahogany, etc.
LIQUID MASK
A liquid material applied to a surface not to be
painted. After painting has been completed, the
mask is wiped or peeled off the surface.
LITER (LITRE)
A metric unit of liquid measure that is equal to
1000 cubic centimeters, 61.02 cubic inches, or
1.057 quarts U.S. measure.
LITHOPONE
A white pigment derived from barium sulfate
and zinc sulphide (sulfide). It was formerly use
as a primary substitute for lead carbonate or
"white lead" pigments as a hiding pigment,
however, is now seldom used as it has been
replaced by titanium dioxide.
LITMUS PAPER
A paper dyed with a material made from certain
powdered lichens that have been fermented to
form a blue dye. It turns red when exposed to
acid solutions and remains blue in alkali.
LIVERING
The irreversible thickening or gelling of an alkyd
or oil-based coating. Often caused by the
blending of incompatible components either at,
or after, the manufacturing point. May also
result from excess aging in the container.
LONG
A finishing material that is quite elastic.
LONG OIL ALKYD
An alkyd resin containing a large amount of oil,
generally 60% of the non-volatile or solids,
polymerized into the resin during manufacture.
The less oil used in an alkyd resin, the faster
the drying speed; in short oil types, heating or
baking is often required. In most cases,
coatings made from long oil alkyds are airdrying systems.
LONG OIL VARNISH
An old term for a varnish made with a relatively
high proportion of oil to resin, usually above 25
gal. of oil for each 100 lb. of resin.
LOOSE SCALE
Mill scale that has been loosened by rusting
and can be lifted from the steel surface by
means of a scraper.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
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LOT NUMBER
The lot or run number designates material produced in
a given production run. Wall coverings should be
installed from one lot number only in order to ensure
color and texture uniformity.
LOUVER
A slatted opening for ventilation in which the slats are
so placed as to exclude rain, light or vision.
LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT
(LEL) The percentage of a gas or vapor in air above
which, presents an explosive danger if ignited. Solvent
vapors are most dangerous when the concentration is
between the LEL and UEL. The Material Safety Data
Sheets for solvents and solvent containing paints list
both limits See also Upper Explosive Limit (UEL).
LOW-PRESSURE WATER CLEANING
See Water Blast.
LOW SOLVENT COATING
A coating that is being applied with a reduced amount
of solvent. Also known as coating with low VOC (volatile
organic compound).
LOW TEMPERATURE PAINT
Special paints formulated to be applied even at nearfreezing temperatures, although if the temperature
drops to freezing during the drying process, failure(s)
may result. The product’s low temperature limits are
critical to product performance (during both application
and curing).
LUMINOUS PAINTS
Coatings that emit steady diffused light rather than just
reflecting it. There are three classes: fluorescent, which
requires ultraviolet light to activate it; daylight
phosphorescent, which emits additional light from
absorbed solar radiation and phosphorescent, which
continues to glow for some time after the external
energy is removed.
LUSTER
The gloss or shine of a finished surface. See also
Gloss, Specular Reflectance.
M
MAGNESIUM OXIDE
(MgO) A reactive, non-opaque, white pigment used at
one time in small amounts in oil and alkyd paints to
impart a thickening effect and reduce penetration to
improve hold-out.
MAGNESIUM SILICATE
White, non-opaque extender pigment which adds
"fluffiness" to products in which it is used and is
available in platy and fibrous particles. Also known as
talc.
MAINTENANCE PAINTING (REPAINTING)
The selective repainting of surfaces on an
ongoing cyclic basis with the focus on
prevention of coating and subsequent substrate
failure.
The process includes the identification of
defects / failures, then the assessment of the
degree of surface degradation (DSD). Evaluate
paint system options and establish surface
preparation and recoating requirements. See
MPI’s Identifiers
MAINTENANCE PAINTS
Coatings commonly used to maintain or repair
substrates and coatings in manufacturing sites,
offices, public buildings, schools, commercial
buildings, etc.
MALEIC ANHYDRIDE
A di-basic acid. Used primarily in alkyd resins to
produce paints and varnishes, but also in
various co-polymers, polyester resins, rosin and
terpene condensation resins.
MANDREL TEST
A test to determine the adhesion and flexibility
of a coating by bending a panel, with the
coating applied to it, over a conical or rod
shaped die (mandrel) of a specified diameter.
MANILA RESIN
Derived from the Agathis alba species of trees.
Manilas are a copal type of alcohol soluble
resins found in various tropical countries.
Thermal processing produces petroleum
soluble resins used in the manufacturing of
varnish.
MAR
A mark caused by abrasion that damages the
surface of a coating but does not remove
significant amounts of material or break the film.
Marring can appear as dulled gloss or as a
lighter color in the case of a dark colored paint.
MARBLEIZING
See Marbling.
MARBLING
Reproductions, imitations or simulations of
realistic, infinitely varied grain and appearance
of natural marble, rock limestone and other
decorative stone (with the exception of granite).
These are created with special colors of paint,
colored stain or scumble glaze and specialized
tools including artist’s, softening, marbling
brushes, feathers, other bristle brushes, and
combs. This effect seldom replicates very
specific stones, instead are representations of
the many varieties of marble. The layered look
of the natural marble is comes from the
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 51
repeated cycles of heating and cooling under pressures
of nature. The veins generally run somewhat parallel
although some diamond effects are common. Marbling
is normally at least three coats. The base coat(s) sets
the foundation. The next coat(s) generally implies the
texture, and then the veins are added in a semitransparent or opaque coat, darker than the base coat.
The edges are then often feathered and softened. The
topcoat(s) are generally clear, pigment-free coat(s) to
protect the artistic effect.
MARINE COATINGS
Paints and varnishes specifically designed to withstand
constant exposure (some to water immersion) to marine
environments. The exterior durability is generally quite
good although some resins, like the phenolics that are
used extensively for spar varnishes, tend to yellow or
darken. Other products included as marine coatings are
the anti-fouling (ship bottom) paints and topping paints.
See also Anti-Fouling.
MASONRY
1) The skill of the mason in building walls or
structures from stone, brick, building blocks,
mortar or similar materials.
2) The materials used by, or surfaces created
by, the mason.
MASS COLOR
The color, when viewed by reflected light, of a
pigment vehicle mixture of such thickness that
the background is completely obscured.
Sometimes called overtone or mass-tone.
MASSTONE
Color produced by a single color dispersed full
strength in a suitable vehicle.
MASTER PAINTER
A paint craftsman who has attained a level
exceeding that of journeyman.
MARINE ENVIRONMENT
An environment characterized by exposure to salt spray
or salt water. Considered aggressively corrosive. There
are protective coatings designed especially for these
conditions.
MASTER PAINTERS INSTITUTE®
An Institute dedicated to the establishment of
quality standards and quality assurance in the
painting and coating application industries in
the United States and Canada.
MARINE FINISHES
See Marine Coatings.
MASTIC
1) An aromatic resin from the Pistacia lentiscus
tree (cashew family) used to some extent in
the manufacture of varnish. Sometimes
called "gum mastic" and "tear gum".
2) A heavy bodied coating or adhesive of high
build or solids.
MARINE ORGANISMS
Organisms, such as barnacles and algae, which grow
on surfaces continuously or intermittently immersed in
seawater. These organisms can cause damage and, on
ship hulls, increase the drag or friction, reducing fuel
efficiency. Anti-fouling coatings are specifically
designed to inhibit the growth of these organisms on
immersed surfaces. See also Anti-Fouling Paint.
MARINE VARNISH
Varnishes especially designed for constant exposure in
a marine atmosphere. Also known as marine spar
varnish. See Spar Varnish.
MASK
A material, such as tape, paper or a strippable coating,
used to prevent the application of paint to certain areas
of, or around, a substrate.
MASKING
Application of a temporary covering (e.g. tape or paper)
to protect areas not to be painted.
MASKING PAPER
A kraft paper held in position by a strip of masking tape
and used to temporarily protect surfaces adjacent to
those being painted.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS)
A document that lists hazardous ingredients,
proper handling, storage, first aid, disposal and
other safety information related to all products
used in the workplace. Coating manufacturers
are obliged to provide copies to the point of
distribution who, in turn, are obliged to provide
same to the end user.
MATERIALS AND FINISHES SCHEDULE
See Room Finish Schedule.
MATTE (MATT) FINISH
A low gloss finish, lacking specular gloss, low
luster. A description of a painted surface that
absorbs light so as to be substantially free from
gloss or sheen when viewed at any angle.
See also Flat.
MATTING AGENT
A product when added to a paint reduces the
gloss without causing noticeable roughness of
the dried or cured film.
MASKING TAPE
An adhesive coated paper tape, of various widths, used
to cover\mask areas not to be painted.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 52
MECHANICAL ADHESION
An interlocking of two materials because of shape,
texture, etc. causing the two materials to remain affixed
one to the other.
MEDIUM OIL
Alkyd resin made with between 35 and 50 percent oil as
a modifier. The paints made from these resins range
from conventional interior sealers to fast dry coatings
and baking enamels depending on the specific structure
of the polymer. See also Long Oil Alkyd, Short Oil
Alkyd.
MEGILP
A medium added to graining color to provide separation
e.g. scumble added to oil graining color.
MELAMINE RESIN
Commonly used with medium and short oil alkyds to
produce highly durable baking enamels. Also used with
epoxy, polyester and acrylic for various other
applications. A synthetic amino resin often made from
the reaction of melamine (1,3,5,triamine 2,4,6,triazine)
and formaldehyde or by the etherification of
hexamethylol melamine with methanol.
METAL CONDITIONER
A solution that chemically reacts with the metal surface
to prepare it for subsequent painting. A wash primer is
considered a metal conditioner, as the phosphoric acid
component forms a chromic phosphate complex with
the polyvinyl butyral binder and bonds to the metal.
METAL PRIMER
A coating, often the anti-corrosive type, designed for
application to clean metallic surfaces to provide an
adhesive base coat for subsequently applied finishes.
See also Anti-Corrosive Primer.
METALIZING (METALLIZING)
The application of a coat of molten metal (usually
aluminum or zinc) onto a prepared surface (usually
abrasive blasted mild steel). The metal is melted by
passing it, in wire or powder form, through a flame or
electric arc pistol that sprays the metal onto the surface
with a jet of compressed air. Surfaces are metalized to
improve corrosion resistance. Also known as metal
spraying, plasma spraying.
METALLIC PAINT
A finish coating that normally has fine metallic pigments
such as aluminum or bronze, added to a colored paint
base. In most cases, the color used with metallic flake
pigments is semi-transparent to allow the metallic luster
to show through for decorative paints. Examples of
protective functions of metallic paints are aluminum
paint used to reflect light, retain heat, or resist moisture
intrusion and zinc primers which conduct electricity to
provide a degree of cathodic protection.
METALLIC PIGMENT
Particles of metals (aluminum, copper, bronze,
etc.) used as pigments to hide or modify color.
METALLIC SOAP
Compound of fatty acids and metals such as
cobalt, lead, calcium, iron, zirconium, etc. Driers
used in alkyd and oil based paints are
essentially metallic soaps.
METALLICS
See Metallic Paint.
METAMERIC MATCH
A match in color between paints under one light
source but not under others. See also Nonmetameric Match.
METAMERISM
The phenomena when two colors appear to
match under one light source, but do not under
another. This is caused, in part, from the use of
different colorants (pigments, dyes, etc.) to
arrive at the same color, and their differing
reactions to differing visible illuminant
wavelengths. These two colors are called a
metameric match, whereas if they appear to
match under all lighting conditions they would
be called a non-metameric match.
METHACRYLATE RESINS
High viscosity acrylic resins used for heat
resistance ad color retention.
METHYL ALCOHOL
Toxic alcohol obtained by the destructive
distillation of wood. Often used in glass
cleaners and occasionally in shellac. Also
known as methanol, methyl hydrate.
METHYL ETHYL KETONE
(MEK) A ketone solvent of great cutting power
commonly used in lacquers, lacquer thinner,
epoxies and other high molecular weight
polymers such as vinyl chloride and cellulose
acetate.
METHYL ISOBUTYL
(MIBK) A ketone solvent used in lacquers as a
solvent for nitrocellulose and high molecular
weight polymer resins, such as the vinyl types
and epoxies.
METRIC
A system of measurement characterized by
units and names that are powers of ten.
Developed in France, the system is used in
most countries in the world with the exception
of the U.S.A.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 53
MICA
Aluminum potassium silicate. A non-opaque pigment
principally obtained from the mineral Muscovite. The
particle shape of mica is lamellar (platy) and is used
extensively for film reinforcement to reduce permeability
and to improve cracking and checking resistance.
MICRON
A metric unit of measurement. Often used for the
thickness of paint films. Equal to one millionth of a
meter. Measured with a micrometer.
MICROVOIDS
Small holes or voids in a paint medium of such size that
when filled with air scatters the light.
MID-TONE BASE
Paint base used to develop colors darker than a pastel.
Tint strength of white has been reduced. Lighter than a
deep-tone base. See Tint Base.
MIL
A standard unit used in measuring the thickness of
paint films. Equal to one thousandth of an inch (0.001
inch). In metric, equal to 25.4 microns
MILDEW
A variety of fungal species of the family Erysiphaceae.
Commonly, mildews on painted surfaces are either
black or gray. Mildew can be seasonal, but is mostly
seen in damp humid environments that receive little or
no sunlight. See also Fungus. Also see MPI’s
Identifiers.
MILDEW RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating or material to resist or inhibit the
growth of mold and mildew on the surface or within the
film.
MILDEWCIDE
A chemical substance generally added to paint during
manufacture to inhibit or retard the growth of mildew on
the dry film. In the past, various metallic compounds,
such as phenyl mercuric oleate (and acetate), cuprous
oxide, mercury chloride, etc., were used. Newer
coatings use organic fungicides that are equally
poisonous to mildew but less damaging to the
environment.
MILEAGE
Painters' term for the coverage of paint. Expressed in
square feet per gallon or square meters per liter. See
also Coverage, Hiding Power.
MILKINESS
A whitish or translucent appearance in the normally
transparent film of a varnish.
MILL SCALE
The mixed oxide layer formed during hot fabrication or
heat-treatment of steel and iron metals. Appears as a
tightly bound black material that should be
removed prior to priming.
MINERAL BLACK
A natural black pigment based on graphite.
MINERAL OIL
The low volatility, liquid distilled fraction from
petroleum or coal between waxes and solvents.
MINERAL SPIRITS
A solvent originally used as a replacement for
turpentine. Generally applied to both petroleum
and coal distillates that are mainly aliphatic
hydrocarbons.
MINERAL STAINS
Greenish-black streaks in a wood generally
caused by a concentration of minerals.
MINIMUM CURING TEMPERATURE
The minimum temperature at which a coating
will cure and develop its full physical properties.
A coating cured at lower temperatures can
show a variety of defects.
MINIMUM FILM FORMING TEMPERATURE
The temperature, below which, the effective
coalescence of emulsion particles in a latex
paint cannot occur. Defects, such as poor water
resistance, high permeability, color and gloss
variations, poor washability, etc., can result in
latex paints cured below the MFFT. See also
Glass Transition Temperature.
MISCIBLE
Materials capable of uniformly mixing or
blending together without separation or
turbidity.
MISSES
Areas on a surface that have been incompletely
coated. See also Holidays, Skips.
MIST
A finely atomized suspension of particles of a
liquid in a gas, e.g. water mist in air, fog.
MIST COAT
A thin tack coat or thin adhesive coat applied by
spray.
MITER (MITRE) JOINT
The ends or edges of any two pieces of wood of
corresponding form cut off at an angle, often 45°.
MIXING LACQUER
A lacquer used for mixing or blending purposes
to impart certain additional desirable properties.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 54
MOBILE
An expression of low viscosity. A thin liquid is said to be
"mobile". Free flowing.
MOCK UP
A representative example of a paint system or wall
covering application used as a reference standard or
benchmark standard for the remainder of a project.
MOIRE’
A decorative effect simulating a moire’ silk with a very
fine wavy pattern. Achieves its look through judicious
use of strie’ and combing techniques as well as
softening and other specialized brushes.
MOISTURE CONTENT
The amount of water vapor or liquid water contained
within a substrate (e.g. wood, concrete, masonry,
wallboard, etc.).
MOISTURE CURED URETHANE
A polyurethane prepolymer resin or coating that cures
by the reaction between an isocyanate and moisture
from the air (ASTM type II). The isocyanate can be
either an aliphatic or aromatic type. The moisture cured
urethane resin properties can range from highly flexible
elastomers to hard glass-like finishes.
MOISTURE REPELLENT
A material or coating that sheds water from the surface.
See also Water Repellent.
MOISTURE RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating to resist swelling, blistering or
other damage caused by moisture.
MOISTURE VAPOUR TRANSMISSION (MVT)
The passage of water vapor through a specific
thickness and area of film or material over a defined
amount of time. See also Permeability.
MOISTURE-CURING COATING
A coating material in which the film cross links and
hardens when exposed to atmospheric moisture.
MOLD
See Mildew, Fungus.
MOLDING
A narrow, decorative strip (often, but not exclusively,
wood) applied to a surface.
MONKEY
A worthless mixture of resin and oil completely
polymerized in the kettle and solidified, so that it is
insoluble in molten resin, oil or thinner.
MONOCHROMATIC
A color scheme using various tints, shades, tones, or
values of one color.
MONOMER
An organic compound capable of polymerizing,
or linking together, with itself or with different
monomers. For example, the monomer vinyl
chloride polymerised with itself, forms the
homopolymer, polyvinyl chloride. On the other
hand, the monomer styrene polymerized in with
the monomer butadiene, results in the copolymer, styrene-butadiene.
MORTAR
A thick cementitious mixture used for binding
bricks, stones, blocks, etc.
MOTTLING
Random patterns on a painted surface due to
differences in color or gloss.
MPDA
Master Painters and Decorators Association.
An association, based in Vancouver, B.C.
Canada, formed in 1899 and incorporated as a
non-profit society in 1927. The original source
for, and publisher of, the CPCA Architectural
Specification Manual and the Maintenance
Repaint Manual.
MPI
See Master Painters Institute.
MPI APPROVED PRODUCTS LIST
Paint products approved by the Master Painters
Institute and published as the MPI Approved
Products List, an integral part of the MPI
Architectural Painting Specification Manual and
the MPI Maintenance Repainting Manual.
MPI GLOSS LEVELS
See Gloss Levels.
MSDS
See Material Safety Data Sheet.
MUD
A name often used for drywall filler and joint
compound.
MUD CRACKING
Irregular cracking of a coating usually
appearing during or shortly after drying. Often
seen in flat latex paints applied in a single thick
film. See also Cracking. Also see MPI’s
Identifiers.
MULLION
A vertical bar or divider in a window frame that
separates two or more panes.
MULTICOLOR (MULTI-COLOR) COATING
A water or solvent based, multicolored coating
that can use a variety of binder types. This
coating is most often sprayed (although some
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 55
formulations can be rolled) to deposit a film of dots (that
may include a number of different colors and dot sizes)
over properly prepared sealed or primed interior
surfaces to obtain a decorative polychromatic finish.
Used on primed interior wood, masonry, plaster, and
gypsum wallboard surfaces as a special effect creating
visually complex tone-on-tone patterns, which may
resemble stone or granite in appearance. A final clear
protective coating can be applied for greater protection.
Also known as a polychromatic coating.
MUNSELL COLOR ORDER SYSTEM
A system of specifying colors in surfaces illuminated by
daylight and viewed by daylight in terms of three
attributes: hue, value, and chroma using scales that are
perceptually approximately uniform. Ref. ASTM D 1535.
MUNTIN
A horizontal bar or divider in a window frame that
separates two or more panes.
MURAL
A picture (especially a large one) painted (commonly
with latex, tempera, or oil paint over a basecoat) or (in
the case of a photograph or poster) applied directly to
either an interior or exterior wall, or to a ceiling. See
also Scenic.
MURIATIC ACID
The commercial name for a dilute form of hydrochloric
acid that is used to neutralize alkaline surfaces or to
scarify (acid etch) concrete as a preparation.
N
NAIL POPPING
The slight protrusion of nail (fastener) heads that are
used to fasten drywall sheets. This can be caused by
the shrinkage of the supportive framing, structural
movement, or improper installation. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
NAILHEAD RUSTING
The appearance of rust stains from iron nails that
penetrates or bleeds through the coating or filler applied
over the nail and surrounding area. The use of coated
or galvanized nails is always recommended in areas
subjected to damp or humid conditions. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
NAP
A downy or fuzzy surface on a fabric or cloth. In paint,
used for the length of fibers or hair on a paint roller
cover or sleeve. Also known as pile.
NAPHTHA
Hydrocarbon solvent suitable for use as paint thinner
and for cleanup. The solvent is distilled from petroleum
or coal tar. See also VM&P Naptha.
NAPTHENATES
Combinations of naphthenic acid and lead,
cobalt, manganese, etc.
NAPTHOL RED
A group of bright organic red pigments used in
colorants and mass colored paints. These
pigments show good resistance to bleeding in
water and hydrocarbon solvents, good exterior
durability and excellent resistance to alkali.
NATURAL COLOR SYSTEM® (NCS)
The only color notation system known to be
utilized as a national color standard (e.g.
Sweden and a number of other European
countries).
The Scandinavian Colour Institute in
Stockholm, Swedan, developed it in the early
1900s, based upon a theory published in the
early 1600s in a book “Physica” by A.S.
Forsius. The NCS System is based on the
‘opponent’ color theories (which are
today accepted as the best model of human
color vision) of the German physiologist Hering
of the late nineteenth century. The color
notation system is used by many large
international corporations to designate color.
NATURAL FINISH
A finish (generally on wood) that imparts no
gloss and appears as there is no coating
applied. In many cases, a penetrating stain is
used to achieve this effect.
NATURAL GUM
Fossilized or annual gum resins that are natural
products. See Natural Resin.
NATURAL RESIN
A broad class of organic film-forming materials
that exude from many different species of trees,
plants, fish and insects. Various forms were
used as the basic binders in varnishes and
coatings as far back as ancient Egypt.
Examples include: batu, congo, dammars,
copals, kauri, manilas, etc.
NCS
See Natural Color System.
NEAR-WHITE BLAST CLEANING
A degree of abrasive blast cleaning slightly less
than white metal blast cleaning. It requires at
least 95% of the surface be free of all visible
residues with only staining permitted on the
remainder. This process is further defined in
SSPC Specification No. 10, (SSPC-SP 10).
NEOPRENE
A rubber-like film former; a type of elastomer
based on the polymerization of chloroprene.
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NONFLAMMABLE
Incombustible. A material that will not burn
under normal conditions.
NEUTRAL BASE
See Tint Base
NEUTRAL COLORS
White, off-white, light beige and gray colors that
generally go well with all other colors.
NEUTRAL OIL
A light gravity mineral oil, derived from petroleum, used
as a lubricant in rubbing finishes.
NEUTRAL TONER
A stain of yellow-orange used to blend colored wood
streaks in wood finishing.
NEUTRALIZATION
The process of reducing excess acidity or alkalinity from
a material or substrate such as concrete, masonry, or
plaster. To bring the pH balance to neutral (7.0).
NITANILINE ORANGE
A series of organic orange pigments that show good
lightfastness in mass but are poor in tints and have
good resistance to acid and alkali but only moderate
bleed resistance. The colors are bright and clean and
are used as replacements for lead molybdate orange
pigments.
NON-GRAIN RAISING STAIN (NGR)
A stain for wood that does not raise the fine,
fibrous grain ends produced by sanding. Often,
the solvent is an alcohol type.
NONIONIC
A material with no electrical charge. Describes
the types of surfactants that have no charge.
NON-METAMERIC MATCH
A pair of colors that do not appear to change,
relative to each other, when viewed under a
number of different light sources. See also
Metameric Match and Metamerism.
NON-SLIP
A paint or coating system that contains an
aggregate or has an aggregate added during
application. Used for application to walking
surfaces to reduce the coefficient of friction
(slip).
NONTOXIC
A substance that is not poisonous.
NITROCELLULOSE
Cellulose extracted from wood or cotton that is used as
a binder for lacquers. A thermoplastic material soluble
in strong solvents such as ketones, acetates, etc. Often,
lacquer’s main ingredient. A very flammable material
that has a tendency to yellow with exposure to
ultraviolet rays.
NONVOLATILE
The portion of any paint or coating left after
curing i.e. after the solvent evaporates (also
commonly designated as the solids of the
coating). Includes the binder and pigments.
NONAQUEOUS DISPERSION
A dispersion of polymer particles in a non-solvent or
diluent. In most cases, the polymer is partially
solubilized in a compatible solvent or a plastisizer to
affect the film forming properties.
NONVOLATILE CONTENT
The portion of a coating that does not
evaporate during drying or curing under
specified conditions, comprising the binder and,
if present, the pigment. The percent volatile
content is obtained by subtracting the
nonvolatile content from 100. [ASTM D 16]
NON-COMBUSTIBLE
A material that has the property of being relatively
resistant or inert to rapid oxidization (burning) when
compared to substances such as oil and gasoline.
NONCOMPLIANT
Deficiency in characteristic, specification, regulation,
documentation or procedure.
NON-DRYING OIL
An oil (generally a vegetable oil) which does not oxidize
in a manner that would allow it to form a cohesive film.
The degree of saturation is an indication of the drying
properties of an oil.
NONVOLATILE VEHICLE
Describes the resin or binder portion of a
coating and excludes the pigment.
NORMAL VIEWING POSITION
For the purpose of inspection, a normal viewing
position shall be at eye level at a minimum of
39” (1 meter) from the wall or ceiling.
NPCA
National Paint & Coatings Association.
NPCA is a trade association representing some
350 paint and coatings manufacturers, raw
materials suppliers and distributors in the U.S.
NONFERROUS
A material that contains no iron. Generally designates
substrates such as aluminum, copper, etc., but is also
used for wood, plastic etc.
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O
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)
An agency of the U.S. federal government that sets
workplace health and safety standards for U.S.
employees.
OCHRE
A natural yellow iron oxide mixed with siliceous matter,
occurring in certain parts of the earth.
ODORLESS SOLVENT
A low strength hydrocarbon solvent containing mainly
iso-paraffinic napthas. Has a low odor that mildly smells
of paraffin (wax).
OFF-COLOR
A color that does not match the standard (often a color
chip) with which it is being compared. Also known as
mistint.
OFFGASSING
The ongoing release of volatile chemical, non-metallic
materials from a wide variety of sources (from fabric
dyes to building construction materials to furniture to
compost to landfills) into the air.
OFF-WHITE
Any of a number of light colors that are nearly white, but
contain minute amounts of color or toner. Off-white
colors are used as base colors in interior paints for
large surfaces such as walls.
OGEE
A curved section of a molding that is partly concave and
partly convex.
OIL
A liquid obtained from various mineral, vegetable and
animal sources. Generally a slippery, thick liquid or is
liquefiable at room temperature. Most oils are
combustible (with such exceptions as pure silicone oil)
and are soluble in alcohols or various organic solvents,
but not in water. The oils used in paints and varnishes
are generally the vegetable types with the ability to
oxidize or solidify through the use of metallic catalysts
(e.g. Linseed, Soya, Oiticica, etc.).
OIL BASED PAINT
Originally invented in the eighth century. Paint that
contains drying oils as the basic film forming
ingredients, the drying process being achieved by
oxidation. Minor alkyd modifications are sometimes
made to speed up the characteristically slow dry of true
oil based paints.
The term is commonly and incorrectly used to refer to
any paint soluble by organic solvents.
OIL COLOR
A colorant containing a high concentration of
colored pigments ground in an oil and used for
tinting oil based paints. Most often used for
artist’s paints.
OIL LENGTH
Used to classify alkyd resins by the proportional
content of oil to synthetic polymer:
Short Oil
20 - 35% oil
Medium Oil
35 - 55% oil
Long Oil
greater than
55% oil
OIL MODIFIED URETHANE
A urethane polymer that has been modified by
polymerzation into an alkyd co-polymer. The
addition of the urethane improves the
toughness and durability of the alkyd and
retains the alkyd’s ability to cure by oxidation
through the addition of metallic driers. Oil
modified urethane resins are one-component
products handled in a manner like conventional
alkyd paints.
OIL PAINT
See Oil Based Paint.
OIL RUBBING
Process of rubbing dried film of finishing
material with oil and an abrasive agent.
OIL STAIN
Solutions of dyes or dispersions of pigments in
blends of oil, alkyd or varnish and solvents,
penetrating and non-penetrating.
• The dye types are used for penetrating
wood stains for interior applications such as
furniture, trim, doors and baseboards.
• The pigmented types are used for interior
or exterior surfaces where surface coloring
and resistance to fading are required.
See also Semi-Transparent Stain and Solid
Color Stain.
OIL VARNISH
A varnish that contains resin and drying oil as
the basic film-forming ingredients and is
converted to a solid film primarily by chemical
reaction.
OITICICA
Oil extracted from the oiticica nut that is similar
in properties to tung oil.
OLEOPHILLIC
A material that has an affinity for, or is miscible
with, oils.
OLEORESINOUS
Made of, or containing both, drying oil and
resin, usually cooked to form a varnish.
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ONE-COMPONENT
A paint or coating packaged in one container. Includes
conventional alkyds, latexes, etc. A coating that does
not require the addition of a second component to effect
curing or drying.
OPACITY
The opaqueness of a coating. The ability to hide, mask
or obscure the substrate or previous coating color. See
also Contrast Ratio, Hiding Power.
OPALESCENCE
The visual appearance of a material or surface that
displays an opal-like variance in colors that is enhanced
by the angle and type of lighting. Having the
appearance of the gem stone opal.
OPALESCENT LACQUER
Commonly, nitrocellulose basic lacquers containing
pigments, which yield an opalescence or opal-like color
and sheen.
OPAQUE
A film or material that is not transparent or has hiding or
color to it.
OPAQUE COATING
A coating that hides the previous surface or coating.
OPAQUE STAIN
See Solid Color Stain.
OPEN CUP
A test method for determining the flash point of a
solvent or liquid coating. The method is performed in
various equipment such as the Tag Open Cup, Pensky
Martins Open Cup or Cleveland Open Cup apparatus.
OPEN GRAIN WOOD
Woods of loose, open formation with minute openings
between the fibers, like oak or walnut.
OPEN TIME
1) Describes the time in which the coating is workable,
so that it can be brushed to facilitate smoothing of the
film and that excessive build can be avoided in laps.
2) The length of time an adhesive is tacky and readily
bondable.
ORANGE COLOR
Pigment of animal, vegetable, or dyestuff origin.
ORANGE MINERAL
A red lead pigment (Pb3O4) that is higher in trilead
tetraoxide than the conventional material used as an
anti-corrosive pigment. Used in the past as a coloring
pigment in coatings and printing inks but has been in
large replaced by Nitaniline orange. Orange mineral is
prepared by roasting basic carbonate white lead.
ORANGE PEEL
The irregular surface of a film, resembling the
dimpled skin of an orange, caused by a nonuniform release of solvents in a coating or by a
failure of the film to flow out to a smooth level
surface after application by spray. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
ORANGE SHELLAC
Shellac having a reddish-brown to orange color.
ORGANIC COATING
Coating with organic binder, generally of
petroleum or vegetable origin.
ORGANIC COMPOUND
Chemicals based on carbon and hydrogen in
combination with a restricted number of other
elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, etc.
ORGANIC PIGMENTS
Pigments obtained from natural and synthetic
sources that are organic in nature. These are
differentiated from the inorganic pigments that
contain some form of metal (i.e. lead chromate,
cadmium selenide, etc.). The organic pigments
can vary widely from type to type in their
resistance to bleeding, fading, chemicals etc.,
but are generally considered low or non-toxic.
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
Organic liquids used as solvents, thinners,
viscosity reducers and cleaning agents.
Includes the hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones,
acetates, etc. used in paints and lacquers.
ORGANIC ZINC RICH
An anti-corrosive primer used for iron and steel
that incorporates a large amount of ground
metallic zinc dust pigment in an organic vehicle.
The most common types of binders used are
epoxy, polyurethane and vinyl. Organic zincrich coatings will perform satisfactorily over a
lower level of abrasive blast cleaning, have less
abrasion resistance and generally have lower
heat resistance than inorganic zinc-rich
coatings. See also Inorganic Zinc Rich.
ORGANOSOL
Resin and sometimes a plasticizer dispersed in
a mixture of organic solvents. Vinyl resins are
the most widely used.
ORIFICE
Opening; hole designed to allow the controlled
passage of liquid or gas.
OSMOSIS
Transfer of liquid through a paint film or other
permeable membrane.
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OTC
See Ozone Transport Commission.
OVER PAINTING
Covering one color with another.
OVERCOAT
Topcoat; final coat.
OVERLAP
The extent that a second pass of a roller, spray or brush
covers the previous pass. See also Lap.
OVERSPRAY
The paint that did not hit the intended surface during a
spray application. This can appear as small, raised
specks around the area sprayed and can give a halo
effect on smooth surfaces. See MPI’s Identifiers.
OXALIC ACID
An acidic type of wood bleach used to remove stains
such as cedar bleed (tannins), rust, etc.
OXIDATION
1) The process of combining with oxygen. The curing
mechanism for air-dry alkyds. When oxygen enters
the liquid coating, it cross links the resin molecules.
2) Degradation of a material by oxygen (e.g. the rusting
of iron, forming ferric oxide).
OXIDE
The product formed by the reaction of oxygen and
metal, such as zinc oxide and iron oxide.
OXIDIZER
A material that contains oxygen and accelerates the
oxidization of another material. Also known as an
oxidant.
OZONE (O3)
A pungent toxic gas with an odor similar to chlorine that
contributes to smog. A powerful oxidizer due to its
unstable nature. Used as a bleaching agent and for
sterilizing water.
OZONE TRANSPORT COMMISSION (OTC)
A multi-state organization (from Virginia to Maine)
whose main focus is to develop regional solutions to the
ground-level ozone problem in the Mid-Atlantic and
Northeast region of the U.S. Regulations affecting
architectural coatings (somewhat based on CARB
regulations) are to be introduced January 1st, 2005.
P
PACKAGE STABILITY
The ability of a paint or varnish to retain its original
physical condition and not show excessive settling,
viscosity loss, formation of grit or lose its drying
properties after prolonged storage.
PAINT
A mixture or dispersion of opaque pigments or
powders in a liquid or vehicle. Now used in the
general sense, which includes all organic and
inorganic coatings such as enamels, varnishes,
emulsions, bituminous coatings, etc. See also
Emulsion, Latex, Oil, Water Paint .
PAINT CONTRACTOR
An individual or firm whose primary business is
providing surface preparation and coating
application service.
PAINT DEFECT / FAILURE
An inconsistency in appearance or a breach of
the film’s integrity that diminishes the film’s
function of protection and/or appearance.
These defects/failures can be divided into at
least three categories:
1) “Normal wear and tear” brought about by
normal environmental and/or contact
conditions over the duty cycle of the paint or
coating system.
2) Appearance. Visual, cosmetic or aesthetic
defects often brought about by improper
application of previous systems or products.
3) Physical. These are coating integrity failures
where the coating has ceased to provide
protection to the substrate, thereby allowing it
to suffer damage.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
PAINT FAILURE
The loss of usefulness of the paint coating. The
point at which the decorative and/or protective
qualities of a coating have ended.
PAINT GAUGE
Different instruments used for measuring the
thickness of paint film in either wet or dry
states. See Wet Film Thickness Gauge and Dry
Film Thickness Gauge.
PAINT HEATER
Device for lowering viscosity of paint by
heating.
PAINT INDUSTRY COUNCIL
An informal coordinating group formed by MPI,
NPCA, PDCA, PDRA, AND SSPC.
PAINT PROGRAM
A comprehensive paint plan including regular
maintenance and inspection.
PAINT QUALITY ASSURANCE™
A program whereby intermittent site inspection
by specially trained professionals is designed to
provide additional assurance to the facility
owner that proper specifications, preparation,
application and products are being applied to
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Page 60
industry quality standards. See also Quality Assurance.
PAINT REMOVER
A product designed to soften or lift old paint and varnish
films and facilitate their easy removal by use of
scrapers, brush, steel wool or rinsing. Common
removers contain a solvent such as methylene chloride,
wax, surfactants, etc. Newer removers are non-chloride
and use a combination of surfactants and in some
cases low volatility solvents. Also known as strippers.
PAINT ROLLER
See Roller.
PAINT SCHEDULE
See Room Finish Schedule.
PAINT STROKE
A single movement of a paintbrush.
PAINT SYSTEM
A succession of selected coats of materials applied in a
prescribed order to protect a surface and provide a
decorative finish.
See also INT, EXT, RIN, REX.
PAINT THINNER
See Mineral Spirits.
PAINTBRUSH
A tool manufactured with natural or synthetic bristles
designed to hold and apply paint. Natural bristle
brushes apply more smoothly. Synthetic bristle brushes
works best with latex and water-based paints because
the filaments do not absorb water as easily. See also
Brush.
PAINTING
The series of operations that includes surface
preparation, pretreatment, and application of paints to
surfaces, whether in the shop or in the field. Includes
the labor, material and equipment; the drying and
protection of the painted surfaces and the protection of
property and traffic.
PAINTING & DECORATING CONTRACTOR
An individual or firm whose primary business is
providing surface preparation, and wallcovering and
coating application service.
PAINTING DEFICIENCIES
Painting work that does not comply with either the
contract or specification requirements or the definition
of a Properly Painted Surface.
See Properly Painted Surface. See also Deficiencies
and Defective Work.
PAINTING SYSTEM
The procedures required to apply a coating. This
generally includes the preparation, types of coatings,
number of coats, film thickness and application
methods.
PANTONE
A color specification system widely used in the
printing ink industry.
PARACOUMARONE
A synthetic gum resin produced by polymerizing
coumarone resin with sulphuric acid. When
combined with other ingredients, it imparts acid
and alkali-resistant qualities to coatings.
PARAFFIN
The group of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon
compounds, ranging from waxy solids (wax) to
clear, low power solvents (paraffinic napthas),
used in interior low odor alkyd paints. Can be
obtained from soft coal and shale, but most are
produced from petroleum sources.
PARAFFIN OIL
A mineral oil of light specific gravity used as a
lubricant while rubbing and sanding finishing
materials.
PARAPET (WALL)
The extension of an exterior wall above and/or
through the roof of the structure.
PARQUET
Small pieces of wood arranged in geometric
patterns on a floor. The type most often seen is
the standard thatch style that uses four sets of
seven strips that measure 6 in. x 6 in. and are
laid at 90 degree angles to make a 12 in. x 12
in. tile.
PARTICLE BOARD
A paneling material produced from finely
ground particles of various types of wood, or
other cellulosic-based materials, bonded
together with a resinous adhesive under
pressure and controlled heat. This material can
be prone to water absorption and extractive
staining unless properly sealed.
PARTICULATES
Fine liquid or solid particles (dust, atomized
paint, etc.) found in the air or in emissions.
PARTS PER BILLION
A measure of the volume concentration of a
substance in a billion volume units of another
medium such as air or water.
PARTS PER MILLION
A measure of the volume concentration of a
substance in a million volume units of another
medium such as air or water.
PASS (SPRAY)
Motion of spray gun in one direction.
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PASSIVATION
The act of making a surface or material inert or nonreactive to the environment around it. For example, zinc
rich primers can passivate a steel surface from
corrosion by acting as a sacrificial metal and
preferentially corroding in place of the steel.
PEELING
Detachment of a paint film from the substrate or
underlying coating in ribbons or sheets
(relatively large pieces) generally accompanied
by curling at the edges. Also known as tissue
paper peeling. See MPI’s Identifiers.
PASSIVE
Chemically inactive.
PENCIL HARDNESS TEST
A method for assessing the hardness of the dry
film of a coating material in which pencils of
increasing hardness from 4B to 6H are pushed
in turn across the surface until an indentation is
obtained.
PASTE
A stiff plastic mixture of pigment and vehicle.
PASTE FILLER
A material of paste or semi-paste consistency used to
smooth cast iron or fill the pores of wood.
PASTE PAINT
A paint in which a pigment is sufficiently concentrated to
permit a substantial reduction with vehicle or solvent
before use.
PASTEL
A soft, pale shade of any color.
PATINA
1) Color and texture added to a surface by corrosion, or
artificial means, to resemble a naturally oxidized
green or brown product e.g. weathered copper. Can
also be a greenish blue-gray as a ‘patina of verdigris’.
2) Any thin coating or color change resulting from age,
as on old wood or silver.
PATTERN REPEAT
In wall coverings, the distance at which point the pattern
starts over again.
PDCA
Painting & Decorating Contractors of America.
PDCA serves to educate and inform painting
contractors in the U.S. and Canada about business
management, technical information, and other industryrelated topics.
PDRA
Paint & Decorating Retailers Association.
PDRA is a trade association serving thousands of
independent paint and decorating retailers in the United
States, Canada and around the world.
PEARL LACQUER
Formerly lacquer in which multi-colored scales of
sardine, herring etc. had been suspended. Pearl
pigments have now replaced the use of scales.
PEARL PIGMENT
A lamellar pigment (mica) to which combinations of
white (titanium dioxide) and colored pigments have
been chemically attached to the surface. Gives the
color and appearance of natural pearl or a rainbow
effect.
PENETRATING STAIN
Oil-soluble dyes dissolved in solvents such as
benzol, mineral spirits, etc.
PENETRATING COATING
A coating that is absorbed into the substrate,
rather than forming a film on its surface.
PENTA RESIN
An ester gum made from rosin and
pentaerythritol.
PENTAERYTHRITOL
A tetrahydric primary alcohol produced by the
condensation of formaldehyde and
acetaldehyde. It will combine with various fatty
acids in a condensation polymerization reaction
to form esters that are the basis for polyesters
and when combined with the fatty acids of oils,
alkyd resins.
PERCENT VOLUME SOLIDS
The volume of the non-volatile portion of a
coating expressed as a percentage of the total
volume. Also known as volume solids, volume
non-volatile.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD
A standard for a product or process based on
quality, not chemical content. Coating
performance standards use a series of
reproducible tests that evaluate the coating
against a benchmark standard. For example,
MPI Performance Standards are such
standards for paint and coatings.
PERILLA OIL
Yellow oil obtained from the seed of a plant and
used as a substitute for linseed oil in varnishes.
It dries to a harder, tougher and glossier film
than linseed oil.
PERISHING
Loss of paint film integrity, thereby no longer
giving surface protection.
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PERM.
Unit of permeance; grains of water vapor per hour per
square foot per inch of mercury-water vapor pressure
difference.
PERMEABILITY
The ability of a surface or coating to allow passage of a
gas, liquid or vapor. In coatings, usually measured in
volume/area/time. See also Moisture Vapor
Transmission.
PETROLEUM DISTILLATE(SOLVENTS)
The liquid fractions of crude petroleum oil. These
include naphtha, gasoline, kerosene, rubber solvent,
mineral spirits, etc. Sometimes referred to as petroleum
hydrocarbons or petroleum thinners. See also
Hydrocarbon Solvents, Alipthatic Solvents, Aromatic
Solvents.
pH
The measurement of the hydrogen ion activity in an
aqueous solution. A measure of acidity or alkalinity. A
pH of 7 is considered neutral, below 7 is acidic, above 7
is alkaline. The mathematical scale used is a
logarithmic one, so a change of one pH unit represents
a ten-fold change in hydrogen ion activity.
PHENOLIC PRIMER-SEALER
A coating made from a phenolic alkyd binder. Often
used on softwood to penetrate and seal the pores. Also
used on masonry surfaces due to their high resistance
to alkali and water.
PHENOLIC RESIN
One of the first commercially available synthetic resins
used in coatings. Made by reacting phenols and
aldehydes (often formaldehyde) in the presence of
acids and bases. Phenolic resins generally have good
exterior durability and are chemical and solvent
resistant but have a slight tendency to yellow. Widely
used as adhesive binders and in combination (copolymerized) with other film formers for water and alkali
resistant coatings.
PHOSPHATIZE
To form a thin, corrosion resistant, phosphate coating
on a metallic surface usually by treatment with
phosphoric acid or other metal phosphate compounds.
This improves the adhesion of subsequently applied
primers and coatings and enhances the overall
resistance to corrosion.
PHOSPHORESCENT PAINT
A luminous paint that continues to glow or emit certain
colors of light ranging from light yellow to blue after the
activating light has been turned off. Various forms of
zinc sulfide are often used as the glowing pigment.
PHOSPHORIC ACID
An inorganic acid often used to remove light rust from
steel and to assist in phosphatizing or passivating the
steel surface.
PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE
One of the most important polybasic acids used
in the manufacture of alkyd resin. When
polymerized with a polyhydric alcohol and oils
(or fatty acids from oils such as linseed), an
alkyd resin is formed. These resins make up the
largest category of paints and varnishes.
PICKLE (PICKLING)
A process used to loosen or remove corrosion
products such as scale and tarnish, from a
metal by immersion in a chemical bath
generally containing an acid and, often,
corrosion inhibitors, followed by thorough
rinsing and drying before painting. This process
is further defined in SSPC Specification No. 8,
Pickling (SSPC-SP 8).
PICTURE FRAMING
The appearance of color or sheen differences
between brushed and rolled areas adjacent to
one another, such as cut-in areas around doors
and the rolled areas of surrounding walls. Also
called ‘hatbanding’. See MPI’s Identifiers.
PIGMENT
Small solid particles of natural or synthetic,
inorganic or organic, generally insoluble
material that, when dispersed in a liquid vehicle
to make a paint, provide such properties as
color, opacity, hardness, sanding properties,
gloss control, and corrosion resistance.
Titanium dioxide is the most important pigment
used to provide hiding power, but others include
burnt or raw sienna, burnt or raw umber,
carbon black, tuscan red, zinc compounds
(oxide, phosphate, sulfide), etc.
PIGMENT BINDER RATIO (P/B)
The ratio of total pigments to non-volatile
vehicle, generally expressed by volume and
occasionally by weight.
PIGMENT COMPATIBLE
Resins that are compatible with pigments.
Some are not, due to high acidity that can react
with alkali pigments or have poor wetting
properties.
PIGMENT GRIND
A measure of the degree of dispersion of
pigments in a liquid vehicle. See also Grind.
PIGMENT OVERLOAD
Too much pigment in a paint. See also CPVC.
PIGMENT STAIN
Stains which obtain their color primarily from
the use of dispersed pigments in the solution
instead of dye or dye/pigment blends.
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PIGMENT VOLUME CONCENTRATION (PVC)
The ratio of the volume of pigment to the volume of total
non-volatile material (i.e. pigment and binder) in a
coating. PVC = Pv/Pv + Nvv, where Pv is pigment
volume and Nvv is non-volatile volume. The figure is
expressed as a percentage.
PIGMENTED VOLUME (PV)
The percentage by volume of pigment in the nonvolatile
portion of paint, as calculated from building value and
composition data.
PILASTER
A square or rectangular column that projects from or
forms part of a wall.
PILING
The inability of paint to level and flow-out smooth after
application.
PILLAR
A column or shaft used in the support of a structure or
as an ornament.
PIN HOLE (PINHOLE)
A minute hole in a paint film that resembles a pore or
pinprick, often due to improper solvent release during
drying or the trapping of air or gas in the film during
setting. See MPI’s Identifiers.
PINE OIL
Oil obtained from long leaf pine in the steam extraction
of wood turpentine. It is used as a cold solvent for
varnish gums and nitrocellulose lacquers. It aids
dispersion of metallic pigments and improves the flow of
paints and varnishes.
PINPOINT RUSTING
Small points of rust appearing on a primed or painted
steel substrate. Most often pinpoint rusting appears at
pinholes or areas where the coating is thin. Can appear
on freshly painted steel surfaces where the peaks of the
blast cleaning profile are not completely coated. See
MPI’s Identifiers.
PIT
A small hole in the surface of a material (often metal)
that is generally deeper than its diameter.
PITCH
A yellow to brown colored, resinous, sap material found
in softwoods, particularly pine and fir. Pitch can bleed
through or lift an applied coating if not properly treated.
PITCH / SAP BLEEDING
Initially appears as a yellow, sticky material that
darkens to brown over time when exposed to the sun
and water. See Knot Bleeding. Also see MPI’s
Identifiers.
PITTING
Formation of small, usually shallow depressions
or cavities in a metallic surface that are
generally caused by localized corrosion.
PLASMA SPRAYING
A spray application using a stream of gas to
carry metallic or thermoplastic powders through
a plasma arc cavity that melts the material and
distributes it onto a substrate to cool and
harden.
PLASTER
A thick, paste-like material, usually a mixture of
portland cement, lime or gypsum with water,
sand and often a fiber for re-enforcement (base
coat, ground coat) or a smooth finishing
material composed of lime and gypsum (finish
coat). A heavy layer of base or ground coat is
applied to a wood or metal lathing for support,
then a thinner finish coat is applied over top.
PLASTER BOARD
A finished sheet of plaster with a stiff paper
covering on either side of the board, and can be
used without further treatment. See also Wall
Board.
PLASTER OF PARIS
A white, powdery substance predominantly
containing calcined gypsum. When mixed with
water, it forms a paste that sets quickly. Also
known as quick setting gypsum plaster.
PLASTER PRIMER
A primer, with resistance to alkali, which is used
for priming plaster, cement and renderings.
PLASTIC
Any of a number of polymeric materials (usually
synthetic) that can be formed by heat, pressure
or molded into various shapes. Most plastics
are combined with other ingredients, such as
fillers, reinforcing agents, plasticizers, etc., for
specific properties.
PLASTIC LUMBER (TRIM)
Structural or trim material manufactured from
plastic and other man-made or recycled
components as opposed to products made from
natural wood.
PLASTIC WOOD
A wood filler composed of extender pigments
and, in some cases, ground wood fibers, mixed
with a resin, and is used for filling nail holes,
cracks and other surface defects in wood
substrates that are to be stained or varnished.
PLASTICIZER
A non-drying substance added to paint, varnish
or lacquer to impart flexibility. Most plasticizers
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are polymeric materials that have little or no function for
oxidizing or cross-linking.
PLASTISOL
A coating that contains resin (with or without pigments)
dispersed in a plasticizer with no solvent. Vinyl acetate
co-polymers are widely used for both plastisols. See
also Organosol.
PLYWOOD
A material made of thin layers of wood bonded together
using an adhesive. The direction of the grain of the
layers is alternated in order to increase the strength of
the finished product.
POCK-MARKING
The formation of irregular and unsightly depressions
that form during the drying of a coating material.
POINTING
The shaping of joints between bricks or blocks by using
a shaping tool on the wet mortar.
POLISHING
Shiny spots or surfaces resulting from washing or
wiping paints.
POLYAMIDE RESINS
Condensation resins of an amine and an acid that
contain free amine groups for subsequent reaction with
epoxy resins. Polyamide resins are slower to react than
the polyamine types which allows a longer working time
and pot life of the coating and the ability to cure at lower
temperatures. The toxicity and irritant properties are
lower than the amine and polyamine types.
POLYAMINE
An amine containing two or more free amine groups
that is used to cure epoxy resins and coatings [i.e.
diethylene triamine (DETA), diethylamino propylamine
(DEAPA)]. The polyamines are fast reacting materials
that often create heat (ie. exotherm) in a high solids
epoxy base. Polyamine curing agents are toxic and
corrosive to the skin and must be handled carefully.
POLYCHROMATIC PAINT
See Multicolor Coating.
POLYCHROME
The blending together of a number of colors to produce
a finishing material. Used on picture frames and
furniture. Also known as multicolor.
POLYESTER
A synthetic binder made from the condensation reaction
of a polyhydric alcohol and a polybasic acid. Polyester
resins are very versatile and are used for purposes
ranging from glass re-enforced composites to coatings.
Alkyds are polyesters that have been formed using oilderived fatty acids during the polymerization step.
POLYMER
A material composed of a large number of
repeating units (monomers) chemically linked
together. In the coating industry, a plastic-like
material produced from chemical "monomers"
which in turn have been produced from alcohols
and petrochemicals. Certain polymers produced
as an emulsion are used as latex paint and
caulk binders. The binder's polymer particles
are small and carried in water.
Typical types of polymers are:
1) Homopolymer
A single type of monomer linked with itself. A
common example is polyethylene, where
ethylene is the repeating unit.
2) Copolymer
Two different monomers linked alternately or
spaced according to varying quantities used.
3) Terpolymer
Three monomers polymerized together.
POLYMERIZATION
The uniting of two or more molecules (mers) to
form one larger molecule. The types of
polymerization used in the manufacture of
coating resins are commonly:
1) Condensation
A by-product (usually water or carbon
dioxide) is produced.
2) Addition
A polymer chain is grown without the
formation of a by-product.
3) Emulsion
Polymerization takes place in an aqueous
solution.
POLYSTYRENE FOAM
An expanded (air entrained) insulation material
produced from polystyrene that is very solvent
sensitive. Coatings applied should be water
based to avoid dissolving the foam. This
insulation is available in a wide variety of
densities and thickness.
POLYURETHANE
A film forming material produced when an
isocyanate reacts with hydroxy functional polyol
to produce an organic compound known as a
urethane. Shows excellent chemical and
solvent resistance, toughness, and good
adhesion, although proper surface preparation
is critical. The two main types are aromatic
(interior) and aliphatic (exterior durable).
Polyurethane coatings can be obtained as airdrying (oil modified), thermoset, moisture-cured,
water dispersible or two component types. The
film properties can range from soft elastomers
to hard, glossy automotive quality finishes. Also
known as Urethane. See also Isocyanate.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
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Type 30
Type 40
Type 50
POLYURETHANE VARNISH
A clear coating that is based on polyurethane modified
alkyd resin.
POLYVINYL ACETATE (PVA)
A synthetically produced polymer that is widely used as
a co-polymer for vinyl chloride to improve solubility in
organic solvents. PVA is commonly emulsion
polymerized and used for interior water based latex
paints.
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)
A synthetic resin used in solvent type coatings
produced by the polymerization of vinyl chloride. It
tends to discolor under exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
PVC is also used in emulsion (water) paints.
PONDING
The accumulation of a liquid or paint in a shallow
depression. Some paints are prone to softening when
applied in areas where water ponds. Oil based paints
applied to a horizontal surface with a negative (reverse)
slope can flow back into a thick film (i.e. ponding) that
will stay soft for an extended time or dry to a wrinkled
film.
POOR HIDING
A coating that shows the color of the previous coating
or substrate through the dry film. See MPI’s Identifiers.
POPPING
The appearance of craters or pinholes in a coating of
paint or varnish often caused by air or solvent trapped
in the film while it is partially set. See also Cratering,
Pinhole.
POPPYSEED OIL
Poppyseed oil has an iodine number of about 140 and
is similar to, but has better drying characteristics than
Soya oil. It is non-yellowing.
PORCELAIN
A hard, vitreous, nonporous ceramic material made of
clay, feldspar, and quartz or flint.
POROSITY
A measure of the degree of voidage in an object
expressed as a fraction of the total object’s volume. The
major consideration in the absorption of a paint, liquid,
vapor, or gas by the surface.
POROUS
Material or surface full of minute holes or openings
through which gas, liquid or light may pass.
PORTLAND CEMENT
A mixture of hydraulic calcium silicates and calcium
sulfate, used as a binding material that cures by
hydration when mixed with water. The most common
types of cement are;
Type 10
Normal
Type 20
Moderate
High Early Strength
Low Heat of Hydration
Sulfate Resistant
POSTER PAINT
Water-based; sometimes incorrectly called
tempera. Fast-drying matte finish, excellent for
paper crafts.
POT LIFE
The period after mixing during which the
mixture of material and activator or hardener of
a two-pack paint remains usable with no
decrease in desirable properties.
POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH
(PSI) A measurement of the pressure of a gas,
liquid or solid measured in weight/unit area.
Commonly used to gauge air pressure in
abrasive blasting and spray application of paint.
POWDER COATING
A 100% solids coating generally applied by
electrostatic process as a fine, dry powder.
Subsequently formed with heat into a
continuous film.
POWDER STAINS
Dry powder forms of various colored dyes that
are mixed with a solvent or water then applied.
POWDERING
A gradual crumbling of a coating into dust.
Same as "flouring".
POWER ROLLER
A self-feeding painting system whereby paint is
fed from a container through a hose to a paint
roller for application to a surface.
POWER TOOL CLEANING
Use of pneumatic and electric portable tools to
remove surface contaminants and to prepare a
substrate for coating. The specification SSPCSP 3 is a standard for the power tool cleaning
of steel surfaces. It requires the removal of
loosely adherent materials and does not require
obtaining a surface profile. Some tools are
capable of removing all paint, rust, and mill
scale, and can produce a surface profile in
accordance with SSPC-SP 11, Power Tool
Cleaning to Bare Metal.
POWER TOOL CLEANING TO BARE METAL
This requires complete removal of all rust,
scale, and paint by power tools, with resultant
surface profile. The specification SSPC-SP 11,
Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal, is the
industry standard.
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POWER WASH
The cleaning of a surface using pressurized water. Ref.
MPI Hydro-Cleaning Standards.
before deterioration starts. See also
Maintenance Painting. See MPI’s Identifiers.
POWER WASHING
See Water Blast.
PRIMARY COLOR
Any color (hue) that cannot be produced by
mixing any other colors (i.e. red, yellow and
blue).
PRACTICAL COVERAGE
The spreading rate of a paint calculated at the
recommended dry film thickness and assuming a
natural loss factor. See also Theoretical Coverage.
PRIME COAT
The first coat on a substrate.
PRECIPITATE
The solid substance separated from a solution by heat,
cooling, or chemical reaction.
PRIMER
The first of two or more coats of paint, varnish
or lacquer. It is applied to improve adhesion of
the succeeding coat and/or provide passive
corrosion resistance to a metal surface.
PREFINISHED
An inappropriate term sometimes used to define
‘Factory Finished’.
PREPARATION
Performance of the specified procedures prior to the
application of paint, coating, wall covering or other
decorative finish.
PREPOLYMER
A term commonly associated with pre-reacted
polyurethane resins, such as moisture cured urethanes,
where the isocyanate is incorporated into the polymer
prior to packaging.
PREPRIMED
Commonly, but erroneously, used to describe the
priming of a substrate prior to installation.
PRESERVATIVE
A chemical substance added to a paint to prevent the
growth of microorganisms both in the can (biocide) and
on the applied paint film (fungicide, mildewcide).
PRIMER / SEALER
A coating (usually pigmented) that minimizes or
prevents the penetration of the topcoat(s) into
the substrate. It provides adhesion to the
substrate for subsequently applied coatings.
PRIMER SURFACER
A highly pigmented material designed for
smoothing slightly uneven substrates in
preparation for the subsequent application of a
coating system.
PRINTING
The marking or marring of a painted or
varnished surface by the pressure or weight of
an object placed on that surface.
PRINT RESISTANCE
The capability of a coating to not retain
pressed-in markings from an object placed on
it.
PRESSURE WASHING
See Water Blast.
PRECAT (PRE-CATALIZED)
A finish that arrives already catalyzed from the
manufacturer.
PRESTAIN
An inappropriate term sometimes used to define
staining done off-site or ‘Factory Finished’.
PRODUCTION RATE
The amount of work done in a preset time
period.
PRETREATMENT
Chemical treatment of a surface to make it suitable for
painting.
PROFILE
The surface roughness of an abrasive blastcleaned surface, as viewed from the edge; a
cross section of the surface. See also Anchor.
PRE-TREATMENT PRIMER
See Wash Primer.
PRE-TRIMMED
Wall coverings that have been previously trimmed (i.e.
selvedges removed) at the factory, and are suitable for
installation without further trimming.
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PAINTING
A scheduled or periodic program of cleaning, repair,
touch-up painting, or application of full coats of paint,
PROFILE COMPARATOR
A set of metal coupons that are abraded to a
range of standard profile depths and are used
to determine the surface profile of a similar
surface by visual comparison.
PROFILE DEPTH
Average distance between the top of the 'peaks'
and the bottom of the 'valleys' on the surface of
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a substrate. Most often evaluated on metallic surfaces
prepared with an abrasive technique.
surface. Used for general preparation work and
paint stripping.
PROFILE TAPE
See Replicating Tape.
PULLING
See Dragging.
PROPELLANT
The gas used to expel material from an aerosol
container.
PUMICE STONE
A soft volcanic stone ground to a fine powder.
Used as an abrasive in cut polishes and buffing
compounds.
PROPERLY PAINTED SURFACE
A surface uniform in appearance, color, texture, hiding
and sheen that complies with the contract documents. It
is also free of foreign material, lumps, skins, runs, sags,
holidays, misses, drips, spatters, spills, or over spray or
insufficient coverage.
PROPRIETARY
Available on the open market under a brand name.
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
Clothing or equipment designed to protect its wearer
from injury by physical and chemical materials. Included
in the list are: gloves, goggles, reinforced shoes, fire
resistant coveralls, etc.
PROTECTIVE COATING
A material, such as paint or metal, applied to a surface
for protection, distinct from a decorative coating that is
applied for aesthetic reasons.
PROTECTIVE LIFE
Interval of time during which a paint system protects the
substrate from deterioration.
PRUSSIAN BLUE
A form of iron blue pigment. See also Chinese Blue,
Iron Blue, Milori Blue.
PSYCHROMETER
A testing instrument that uses wet and dry bulb
thermometers to determine the relative humidity of air
from which the dew point can be calculated.
PUDDING
A finishing material that gels and has the appearance of
pudding.
PUDDLING
A condition in mechanical dash texture application that
results in discoloration, glazing or a texture deviation
often caused by holding the plastering machine nozzle
too long in one area.
PUFFING AGENT
A chemical ingredient used to add a thixotropic
rheology (viscosity) to a paint or varnish. See also
Thixotropic, Thixotropic Paint.
PULL SCRAPER
A tool designed to be pulled across (as opposed to
pushed) to remove paint film and foreign matter from a
PUNCH LIST
A list, made at or near the completion of work,
indicating items to be furnished or work to be
performed by the contractor or subcontractor in
order to complete the work as specified in the
contract documents. Also called a Deficiency
List.
PUTTY
A thick, mastic type material, often made from
calcium carbonate and a linseed oil, used for
setting glass in wood frames and filling cracks,
holes, etc.
PUTTY COAT
A smooth, troweled coat of lime putty or Keenes
cement.
PUTTY KNIFE
A flat-bladed tool for applying putty.
PVA
See Polyvinyl Acetate.
PVC
1) Pigment Volume Concentration
The volume of pigment in a coating
expressed as a percentage of the total nonvolatile. See also Pigment Volume
Concentration.
2) Polyvinyl Chloride
A synthetic resin used in emulsion and
solvent type coatings. See also Polyvinyl
Chloride.
Q
QUALIFIED PRODUCT LIST (QPL)
See Approved Products List.
QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA)
The verification of the conformance of materials
and methods of application to the governing
specification in order to achieve a desired
result. Also see Paint Quality Assurance.
QUALITY CONTROL
Ensuring materials, methods, workmanship and
the final product meet a given standard.
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QUART
A unit of measure used for liquid volume of the U.S. and
Imperial systems. The Imperial quart is 69.35 cubic
inches or 40 fl.oz.; the U.S. quart is 57.75 cubic inches,
32 fl.oz. or 1.057 liters.
QUICK DRYING
A general term for a coating that dries or cures in a
short period of time.
QUV
A testing device designed to evaluate the weathering
and fading properties of a coating by exposure to high
intensity ultraviolet light provided by fluorescent lamps
and condensing moisture. Ref. ASTM Method G-53.
R
RADIATION CURING
The drying and hardening of coating materials by
exposure to radiant energy. Specifically the term implies
activation of a chemical cure by ultraviolet radiation or
electron beams.
RADIOACTIVE PAINT
A luminous paint containing radioactive materials that
cause the phosphors to emit light.
RAG ROLLING
Except for using a rolled rag, See Ragging On/Off.
RAGGING ON / OFF
A decorative technique to either add (ragging on), or
remove (ragging off), either scumble glaze or diluted
paint from a painted base by using a rolled lint-free
cloth rag (washleather or even paper) to obtain a
broken color effect. Also used to refer to wiping off
(ragging off) excess stain with a rag to obtain a uniform
color and appearance.
RAIL
1) A horizontal bar extending from one post to another.
2) The cross or horizontal member of a sash door or
any paneled assembly.
RAILROADING
The application of a wall covering in a horizontal
direction as opposed to vertical.
RAISED GRAIN
The lifting of the fiber ends of a wood grain. See also
Grain Raising.
RAW OIL
A vegetable oil as received from the press or separated
in the solvent extraction process.
RAW SIENNA
A color pigment obtained from limonite ores that contain
hydrated iron oxides, silicates and aluminates.
Originally, the name sienna came from the province of
Siena in Italy, where the ores were mined. Raw
sienna is closely related to ocher but has a
higher iron content and is darker in color.
Calcining the raw sienna creates burnt sienna
that is brownish-red in color.
RAW UMBER
A brown-green pigment containing varying
amounts of ferric oxide and manganese dioxide
with clay minerals. Calcining the raw umber
creates burnt umber that has a characteristic
deep brown color that can vary depending on
the ratio of iron and manganese.
REACTIVE DILUENT
A liquid material that acts as a viscosity reducer
and becomes a permanent part of the coating
through chemical reaction. In many cases, it is
a low volatility material that replaces the use of
volatile solvents (to lower VOCs) and can act as
a plasticizer. Styrene is a reactive diluent used
in many polyester coatings.
REACTIVE PIGMENTS
Pigments that can react with the vehicle to
perform specific functions in the finished
coating or on the substrate. E.g. magnesium
oxide reduces the penetration of oil/alkyd
coatings into porous substrates and zinc
chromate or zinc phosphate reduces the
corrosion of steel.
REBOUND
The atomized spray that bounces back from the
surface during spray painting. Often this is
caused by excessive pressure or airflow. See
also Overspray, Bounce Back.
RECEDING COLORS
Colors which give an illusion of withdrawing into
distance such as cool colors in which blue
predominates.
RECOAT TIME
The time interval needed between the
application of successive coats. In most cases,
this is the minimum recoat time, where
application of another coat or paint could
restrict the proper curing, or possibly cause
lifting, of the first. With HIPAC and industrial
coatings, a maximum recoat time is reported,
as these coatings can become too hard and
chemically resistant to allow good inter-coat
adhesion. See also Dry Time.
RED LEAD
(Pb3O4) A bright red to orange-red pigment with
excellent opacity and good properties as a
primary constituent of anti-corrosive primers for
iron and steel.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
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REDUCER
A volatile ingredient (most often solvent) used to
decrease the viscosity or thin the consistency of a
coating. See also Solvent, Thinner.
REDUCING
Thinning or adding a solvent to a coating to reduce
viscosity or solids content.
REFINED SHELLAC
Shellac that has been de-waxed then further processed
to remove small contaminants.
REFLECTANCE
The property of an opaque coating film or surface to
reflect visible light. Rated on a scale from 0 (black) to
100 (bright white being freshly prepared magnesium
oxide).
REFLECTANCE, SPECULAR
The directional reflectance measured at an angle equal
to the angle of incidence. Also known as Gloss.
REFRACTIVE INDEX
(RI) A scale used to rate the ability of materials to
refract or bend light. The refractive index of air is taken
as 1.00, and all materials are rated relative to it. A
mixture of two materials with differing refractive indexes
will distort the light passage through it and create
opacity.
RELATED COLORS
Two colors that are next to each other on the color
wheel.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
The percentage of moisture or water vapor in the air
relative to the maximum attainable at the same
temperature.
RELIEF
A style of decoration in which a design is raised from
the base surface either by building it up or by cutting
away the background of the material. High relief
indicates a greatly raised design; low relief means a
slightly raised one. Extremely low relief is called
stiacciato.
REMOVERS
See Paint Removers.
REPAINTING
Painting a previously painted surface either for
aesthetics or protection, on an “as needed” basis. See
also Maintenance Painting.
REPEAT
The distance from the center of one motif or pattern on
a wall covering to the center of the next. See also
Pattern Repeat.
REPLICA TAPE
See Replicating Tape.
REPLICATING TAPE
An especially manufactured composite plastic
tape used to reproduce the profile of a surface
so that the maximum peak to valley distance
can be measured with a micrometer. ASTM D
4417, Method C. details a test method for its
use.
REPOINTING
The repairing of damaged or missing mortar
between individual bricks or blocks by removing
loose material and the applying an appropriate
filling compound. See also Pointing.
RESIN
A solid or semi-solid organic film-forming
material that is chiefly of vegetable or synthetic
origin and usually transparent or translucent
amber to dark brown in color. The term resin
has come to include most organic film formers,
regardless of the type or form (e.g. latex resin,
Acrylic resin, Thermoset resin).
1) NATURAL - A solid organic substance,
originating from the secretion of certain
plants or insects, which is thermoplastic,
flammable and non-conductive; breaks with a
conchoidal fracture (when hard); and
dissolves in certain specific organic solvents
but not water. Congo, rosin, and damar are
natural source resins. Natural resins may be
divided into two classes, namely fossil resin
and recent resin.
2) SYNTHETIC - Any of a number of synthetic
film forming materials used as binding agents
for coatings and adhesives. These include
acrylic, polyester, urethane, epoxy, alkyd,
phenolics, etc.
RESIN EMULSION PAINT
An older type of emulsion paint made from oil
and resin combinations emulsified into water
using shear. Resin emulsion paints generally
show poor stability.
RESPIRATOR
A protective device worn by an individual to
reduce or prevent inhalation of a foreign
material.
RETARDER
A chemical used to slow a chemical reaction
(e.g. sodium or calcium triethanolamine salts of
hydrogenated adipic or gluconic acids are used
as set retarders for concrete).
RETARDER SOLVENT
Combination of liquid solvents added to a
coating to slow or retard evaporation. Often
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these are used to reduce blushing of nitrocellulose
lacquers at high humidity or low temperatures or to
improve the flow of fast dry enamels.
RETICULATION
A surface defect that creates a net-like appearance in
the coating surface.
RETURN
A corner or turn and continuation of any cornice, wall or
molding in a different direction.
REVEAL
The area on the side of a door or window frame,
between the line where the frame stops and the outside
edge of the opening begins.
REVERSE IMPACT
The second impact performed on a substrate from the
opposite (reverse) side of the original impact. A test
method is used to determine the reverse impact
resistance of a coating applied to a metallic substrate.
The rapid deformation created in this test can indicate
the degree of flexibility and adhesion of the coating.
See also Impact Resistance.
REX
MPI short-term designation for an exterior coating
system used in repainting projects or over existing
coating systems. See also EXT.
RHEOLOGY
The science of characterizing the flow or fluid
deformation.
RIDE THE BRUSH
To apply such excessive pressure to a paintbrush
during an application, that the paint is applied with the
sides of the bristles.
RIN
MPI short-term designation for an interior coating
system used in repainting projects or over existing
coating systems. See also INT.
RINSING
Washing a substrate with a liquid to remove residues
and/or contaminants.
RISER
The vertical part of a step on a staircase.
ROCKER
A graining tool usually rubber.
ROLLER
A paint application tool consisting of a revolving cylinder
covered with a sleeve of various materials. See Roller
Sleeve.
ROLLER COATING
1) The application of paint to a surface by use
of a hand-held paint roller consisting of a
frame and a fabric or foam covered sleeve.
2) An automatic process where a coating is
applied by a large rubber roller to either a
continuous sheet of material or individual
units (such as door skins).
ROLLER SLEEVE
The normally absorbent tubular component
(fitted over a paint roller) designed to apply
paint by saturating with paint and rolling across
the surface.
Made of a wide variety of natural and synthetic
materials e.g. fabric(s), lamb’s wool, polyester
foam, foamed plastic, etc. and other specialty
materials. Sleeves are manufactured in a wide
variety of lengths and types of nap.
ROLLER STIPPLE
A texture of small peaks or bumps in a dry
coating film applied by roller. The texture is
affected by the nap size of the roller and
product viscosity.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
ROLLER TRACKING
Vertical lines on a surface caused by excess
pressure on the roller resulting in paint build-up
at the roller edges.
ROOF COATING
A coating designed for use on exterior roof
surfaces for waterproofing. Asphalt based
materials are the most common types, but
elastomeric latex coatings are used as lower
VOC alternatives.
ROOM FINISH SCHEDULE
A table or chart showing individual rooms as to
which surfaces are to receive what level of
finish, what paint system (or wall covering),
what color(s), and what gloss levels. Some
specifiers call this a Finish Schedule, some call
it a Color Schedule, some split it into a
Materials and Finishes Schedule (Chart,
Legend), a Paint Schedule, etc.
For the painting contractor, it (i.e. the schedule,
chart, legend, etc.) is a critical component of a
proper specification in that the information
contained therein is essential to preparing a
proper price (i.e. estimate, quotation, bid, etc.)
and to undertaking the project with adequate
information.
ROPEY
A coating material that does not flow out and
level down, leaving heavy brush marks.
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Page 71
ROPINESS
A stringy look to the paint film. Ropiness is a result of
the paint not flowing evenly onto the surface.
ROSIN
A natural resin obtained from pine oleoresin (after
removal of the volatile fractions). The main kinds are
gum rosin from living trees and wood rosin from dead
wood such as stumps or knots.
ROTTENSTONE
A siliceous powder used as an abrasive. Similar in
nature to pumice stone, though generally finer and
softer in texture.
ROUGHENED SURFACE
A surface that is given a profile (generally by an
abrasive method) in order to promote mechanical
adhesion between the coating and the surface. See
also Keying.
ROUND PATTERN
Circular spray pattern.
RUBBER
Natural rubber is rarely used in coatings although,
certain specialized types, such as Neoprene, appear
occasionally. Certain processed rubbers (chlorinated,
cyclized, etc.) are used in specialty masonry and
industrial maintenance products.
been both amended repeatedly and challenged
repeatedly since its adoption. Pertaining to
architectural coatings, it is considered perhaps
the most stringent regulation in North America.
RUNS
Irregularities on a surface due to uneven or
excessive flow, frequently due to a coat that
was too heavy and not brushed out well. The
result of narrow sagging. See also Sags or
Curtaining.
RUST
The coating of red or yellow oxides of iron
produced when iron or steel is exposed to a
humid or corrosive atmosphere. Not to be
confused with "white rust", a term loosely used
to describe corrosion products of certain
non-ferrous metals such as aluminum and zinc.
See also Corrosion.
RUST BLOOM
A discoloration on the surface of cleaned
ferrous metals that indicates the beginning of
rusting.
RUST GRADE
A scale used to numerically rate the degree of
corrosion on ferrous metals by visual
comparison. Ref. SSPC Vis 2; ASTM-D 610.
RUBBING
1) The process of leveling a painted surface by rubbing
it, while either wet or dry, with such abrasives as
pumice or abrasive paper.
2) The description of a coating material that, after
application and drying, is suitable for rubbing or
flatting down (e.g. "rubbing" varnish).
RUST STAIN
A discoloration caused by the migration of
soluble ferric oxide in water, often damaging
adjacent substrates. On metal, this can make
the degree of corrosion of a substrate and
degradation of its coating appear much worse
than it is. See MPI’s Identifiers.
RUBBING COMPOUND
A paste-type material containing a fine abrasive used to
smooth lacquered, varnished and painted surfaces.
RUSTING
The corrosion of ferrous metals resulting in the
formation of oxides on the surface that appear
as yellow to dark reddish-brown depending on
the number of oxygen atoms attached to the
iron.
RUBBING IN
The process of applying a thin, well-rubbed, coat of
graining color or colored scumble to a dried base or
ground coat.
RUBBING VARNISH
A varnish, often used on fine furniture, that is rubbed
with a fine or soft abrasive with water or oil as a
lubricant to attain a uniform appearance.
RULE 66
A model regulation designed, in part, to control air
pollution from paint solvents. Developed in Los Angeles
in 1966, it defined photochemically reactive emissions.
RUST-INHIBITIVE WASH
A treatment for cleaned metals where the object
is dipped or sprayed with a solution of etching
and inhibiting chemicals. This produces a fine
textured, stable surface for subsequent priming
and painting. Also known as conversion bath,
pre-treatment.
RUTILE
One of the two main crystalline forms of
titanium dioxide. See Titanium Dioxide.
RULE 1113 (SCAQMD)
A rule adopted in 1977 by California’s South Coast Air
Quality Management District to limit the VOC content of
architectural coatings used in the District. This rule has
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S
constant or cycled spray of a synthetic
seawater solution in a controlled environment.
SABLE BRUSH
Very high quality brush. Often used in sign writing and
fine detailed work.
SACKING
A finish for formed concrete surfaces designed to
produce even texture and fill all voids and air holes (bug
holes). After dampening the surface, the mortar is
rubbed over surface, and before it dries, a mixture of
dry cement and sand (or a barely moist mortar mix) is
rubbed over it with a wad of burlap or a sponge-rubber
float to remove surplus mortar and fill voids.
SACRIFICIAL COATING
Designed to react or decompose instead of the surface
to which it is applied. Most common are zinc rich
primers applied to steel, where the zinc metal corrodes
in place of the steel substrate.
SACRIFICIAL PIGMENT
Describes the property of a pigment that is consumed
or otherwise reduced in place of the substrate it is
applied to. The most widely used sacrificial pigment in
paints is ground zinc dust, which is consumed by
corrosion, while protecting the steel surface to which it
is applied.
SACRIFICIAL PROTECTION
The protection of a metallic substrate by a layer of a
less noble metal that will preferentially oxidize or
corrode in place of the substrate.
SAFETY VALVE
Pressure release valve preset to be released when
pressure exceeds a safe operating limit.
SAG RESISTANCE
The ability of a paint to be applied at a proper film
thickness without sagging.
SAGGING
A downward movement of a wet film between
application and the setting, resulting in an uneven
coating having a thick lower edge. These are usually
restricted to local areas of vertical surfaces and may
have the characteristic appearance of a draped curtain.
See also Curtaining, Runs. Also see MPI’s Identifiers.
SAGS
Singular runs in a painted film that are the result of
localized sagging. A result of excessive flow during
application. Usually caused by applying too heavy a
coat of paint or thinning excessively.
Also see MPI’s Identifiers.
SALT SPRAY TEST
A method used to determine the relative resistance to
corrosion of coatings on metal substrates using a
SAND
Small grains, essentially silica from natural
sources such as quartz, feldspar etc., often
used as aggregates in textured coatings, nonslip additives for floor paints and abrasive blast
media. The use of silica is declining as a “dry”
abrasive due to the creation (through fracturing)
of respirable particles that can cause silicosis.
SAND BLAST CLEANING
See Sweep Blast Cleaning, Abrasive Blast
Cleaning and Sandblast.
SAND DOWN
To dull or abrade the surface by the use of
sandpaper.
SAND FINISH
Rough finish plaster or stucco, or an applied
paint that has been texturized with sand.
SAND FLOAT FINISH
A plaster finish that uses a floating technique to
bring the fine sand aggregate to the surface.
SANDBLAST
Abrasive blast cleaning technique using various
sizes of silica sand as the abrasive. Not widely
used due to health risks. See also Abrasive
Blast Cleaning, Sweep Blast Cleaning.
SANDING
The act of abrading a surface (painted or bare)
with an abrasive coated paper or cloth, by hand
or machine, to smooth or remove surface
defects or to improve the mechanical adhesion
of a coating.
SANDING SEALER
A clear or pigmented lacquer or alkyd used to
seal a porous wood substrate or an applied
wood filler. Designed to be easily sanded prior
to application of finishing lacquer or varnish.
SANDING SURFACER
A coating designed to function as a surface
filler, but at a paint-like consistency. Generally
contains a large amount of filler pigments to
improve sanding properties, as it is sanded
after drying. See also Primer Surfacer.
SANDPAPER
An abrasive (e.g. garnet, flint, aluminum oxide,
silicon carbide, etc.) is bonded to one side of a
sheet of paper to form various graded sizes.
Sandpaper is used for smoothing rough
surfaces or abrading to provide ‘tooth’.
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Page 73
SANDY FINISH
Overspray adhered to a nearby surface that has dried
to produce a sandpaper-like finish.
SAPONIFICATION
The reaction of basic materials, such as metal oxides or
hydroxides, with organic acids (as in oils and fats) to
form soaps.
SAPONIFICATION NUMBER
A measure of the total fatty acids of an oil, both free and
combined.
SAP-STREAK
Pockets of pitch found in coniferous tress, often
exposed in sanding and planing. See also Pitch.
SASH BRUSH
An angled brush used for cutting-in.
SATIN FINISH
A dried film that does not have a full luster but rather
one resembling satin.
SATURATED AIR
Air containing the maximum level of water vapor for the
current temperature and pressure.
SATURATION
The intensity of color; formally, how much it departs
from white or grey. Chromatic purity: freedom from
dilution with white and hence vividness of hue. Also
called chroma.
SCALE
The dark oxide layer that forms on heated steel (mill
scale). The encrustation of corrosion that occurs on
immersed metals or boiler linings. Rust occurring in thin
layers.
SCALING
Flaking in an aggravated form. Where large pieces of
the coating are delaminating and dropping off, exposing
the bare surface or previous coating. See also
Delamination, Peeling
SCARIFY
1) To abrade, roughen or create a profile on a surface.
2) A method of preparing horizontal concrete surfaces
which removes the top layer of the concrete. This
method provides a uniformly roughened surface.
SCENICS
A hand-screened, machine-printed, or lithographed
decoration with a pattern that continues over several
strips of paper intended to cover one wall of a room, or
the greater part of the wall, without a repeat. See also
Mural.
SCOPE OF WORK
An overview or abstract outlining the work to be
performed within a specification.
SCRAPER
A stiff bladed knife, usually between 1 to 4
inches wide, used for general preparation work
and paint stripping.
SCRAPING
Operation to remove loose material, bubbles,
peeling, flaking, defective paint film, mill scale
and other surface contaminants. It is usually
more effective when carried out dry with
appropriate tools.
SCRUB RESISTANCE
The property of a coating film to resist a form of
abrasion. A test to measure the abrasion
resistance of a coating. A machine passes a 1
lb. (454-gram) stiff bristle brush over the
surface of a coating that has been prepared
and cured in a specified manner. The rating is
usually expressed in the number of cycles
(double passes) it takes to break through the
film. Ref. ASTM D 2486. Also known as
Scrubbability.
SCRUBBABILITY
The ability of a paint film to withstand scrubbing
and cleaning with water, soap and other
household and commercial cleaning agents.
See Scrub Resistance.
SCUFFING
1) Excessive sanding can cause scuffing of
either the wallboard panel surface paper or
the joint tape itself. These scuff marks should
be covered with further treatments of
compound, or the rough paper will absorb
paint differently than smoother surfaces and
leave a "fuzzy" finish.
2) The localized damage to the gloss or surface
of a floor coating from abrasion.
SCUMBLE (GLAZE)
Originally oil-based (although common use now
includes water-based) thin coats of transparent,
semi-transparent, opaque and semi-opaque
coating material applied over a painted base to
produce a wide variety of decorative effects.
Non-flowing properties aid in its use to soften,
and in producing broken color effects.
See also Glaze.
SEAL COATING
Coating used to prevent excessive absorption
of the first coat of paint by the substrate; a
sealer.
SEALANT
Often used as a synonym for "caulk." The word
"sealant" usually means a compound that has
greater performance than a caulk, i.e. it can
accommodate movement in a joint or crack.
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Page 74
The binder type used dictates the use and resistance
properties. Examples are: latex, acrylic,
epoxy/urethane, silicone, butyl.
See also Caulking Compound.
SEMI-TRANSPARENT
Describes the degree of hiding or opaqueness
of a coating or color. It is more than
transparent, but not opaque.
SEALER
1) A liquid composition that prevents excessive
absorption of finish coats into porous surfaces thus
helping to even the gloss of subsequently applied
coatings. See also Size or Sizing.
2) A composition that prevents the bleeding of stains
through subsequent finish coats.
SEMI-TRANSPARENT STAIN
Stain that changes the natural color of the
wood, but allows the grain and texture to show
through.
SEAM
See Wall Covering Seam.
SECONDARY COLORS
Colors that are the result of combining primary colors
(i.e. orange, green, violet). See also Primary Colors.
SEEDINESS
Undissolved gum resembling small grains in lacquer
and similar material. Also known as seeds.
SELF-CLEANING
Controlled chalking of a paint film so dirt does not
adhere well to the surface, and a bright, white surface is
maintained. Also known as self-chalking.
SELF CURING
A material or coating that does not require the addition
of a second component or the use of heat or another
extraneous energy source (such as UV) to affect crosslinking or curing.
SELF PRIMING
A coating material designed to be used as a primer and
finish coating on a substrate.
SELVAGES
Edges of wallpaper without printing. If not trimmed by
the manufacturer, the selvages must be trimmed by
hand, before the wall covering is installed. Also known
as selvedges.
SEMI-DRYING OIL
An oil (usually of vegetable origin) used in the
manufacture of alkyd resins. For example, soybean oil
is a semi-drying oil and is widely used in the paint
industry in alkyd paints. These oils possess an iodine
value between 120 and 160.
SEMI-FLAT LACQUER
Type of lacquer finish having the appearance of a satin
or rubbed varnish.
SEMI-GLOSS
A finish between flat and gloss. See Gloss Levels.
SET
1) The conversion of a liquid coating into a
hardened state by chemical or physical
action such as polymerization, oxidation,
vulcanization, or evaporation of the volatile
components.
2) The state of a paint, varnish or adhesive
where it has dried to a point, where it ceases
to flow or be workable.
SET TO TOUCH
An intermediate stage in the drying of a paint or
varnish film that is reached when gentle
pressure of the finger shows a tacky condition
but none of the coating adheres to the finger.
See also Dry Time.
SET UP
Drying (e.g. latexes, alkyds) or reacting (e.g.
two component epoxies, urethanes) to the
stage where the material no longer flows or is
workable.
SETTLING
Pigments, extenders etc. in coatings that will
consequently settle on the bottom of the
container. Often settling is either described as
soft (which is readily mixable), or hard (which
can be difficult to remix uniformly). See also
Caking.
SEQUENCE NUMBER
Indicates the exact order in which the material
was packaged from the production run. Wall
covering should be installed following the
sequence numbers.
SHADE
The addition of black or complimentary colors to
lower reflectance without changing in hue.
SHADING
1) Color variance from one strip of wall covering
to another.
2) A technique used in Faux Moldings and other
decorative finishes to give depth. The
opposite of highlighting.
3) A graduated tone effect where colors are
virtually imperceptibly graduated, usually up
a wall or across a ceiling (most often from
darker to lighter) for an imitative decorative
finish.
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Page 75
SHADOWING
1) Being able to see the preceding coats through the
last coat. Often related to opacity or the hiding
properties of the last coat.
2) An effect used in graphic arts to create the
appearance of depth or profile.
SHARP DRYER
A finishing material that quickly dries completely and
thoroughly through the film without adverse effect.
SHARP LUSTER
A finishing material having a very high gloss after
drying.
SHEAR RATE
The rate of shear experienced by a body undergoing
deformation.
SHEAR STRESS
This is the stress experienced by a body as a
consequence of a shearing action.
SHEATHING
Sheets of material, such as plywood, oriented strand
board (OSB), composition board, gypsum, etc., that
encase walls, floors, roofs and ceilings of framed
buildings.
SHEEN
The low angle gloss of a surface measured at 85
degrees. Ref. ASTM D523.
SHEEN UNIFORMITY
Describes the even distribution of sheen over the entire
surface of an applied finish.
SHEET ROCK
See Drywall, Wallboard.
SHELF-LIFE
The time span that a material may be stored in an
unopened container before physical or chemical
changes may take place that could make the material
unusable.
SHELLAC
Made from Lac, a hard resinous secretion of the scale
insect Laccifer lacca (lac beetle), found in Southeast
Asia and in parts of India. Separated through various
heat, solvent, and filtering methods, dried into sheets,
and pulverized into flakes. A thermoplastic material
generally dissolved in an alcohol and ranges in color
from a light yellow, which is preferred, to a deep orange
although often bleached white. Used for sealing knots
and in ‘alcohol-based’ primers. It is thinned with
denatured alcohol.
SHELLAC VARNISH
A varnish made by reducing shellac with denatured
alcohol.
SHIELDING
Protecting a surface from overspray, roller
splatter, paint drips, etc. See also Masking.
SHINER
A spot glossier than the rest of the area.
Sometimes caused by spot sealing patched
areas before applying finish and also by the
lapping of paints not having proper wet edge.
See also Wet Edge.
SHIP BOTTOM PAINT
A coating designed for use on areas below the
water line on ships and boats to prevent the
growth of barnacles, algae and other marine
life. See also Anti-Fouling Paint.
SHOP COAT
A primer or coating applied in a fabrication shop
or plant prior to shipping to the site of erection
or assembly, where the field or finishing coat (s)
will be applied.
SHOP PAINTING
Surface preparation and the application of coats
of paint in a shop or plant before shipment to
the site of erection.
SHOP PRIMED
A temporary (or permanent) prime coat applied
at a factory, plant, or other off-site location.
SHORT OIL ALKYD
An alkyd resin, containing less than 35% oil as
a modifier, based on weight - not volume.
SHORT OIL VARNISH
A varnish manufactured with only a small
amount of oil in comparison to the amount of
resin used. This type of varnish is quick drying.
SHORT TERM EXPOSURE LEVEL (STEL)
Calculated as the maximum level of exposure
(in parts per million, ppm or milligrams per
meter cubed, [mg/m3 ]) for a 15 minute period
unless otherwise noted.
SHOT BLASTING
A blast cleaning technique that uses steel shot
as the abrasive to remove contamination or to
create a surface profile to improve the adhesion
of subsequently applied primers or coatings.
SHRINKAGE
The reduction in volume of an applied coating
or filler due to the loss of volatile material. The
degree of shrinkage is generally dependent on
the total volume solids of the material.
SIENNA
A family of earth tone pigments. See Burnt
Sienna, Raw Sienna.
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Page 76
SILICA
An low refractive, inert pigment used in paints, fillers
and primers. Also known as silica flour.
Crystalline silica is from quartz sand that has been
crushed or ground, whereas amorphous silica is
naturally occurring and characterized by the absence of
the sharp edges i.e not crystallized.
SILICA SAND
See Sand.
SILICATE PAINTS
Paints employing silicate compounds as the binder.
Also called inorganic paints (e.g. inorganic zinc rich
primers).
SILICONE
Inorganic compounds containing a chain of alternating
silicon and oxygen atoms. Hybrid polymers, that contain
various organic groups attached to the chain, are used
for specialty applications in the coatings industry and
caulking compounds. These compounds are usually
characterized by resistance to chemicals, heat, water,
and exterior durability. Monomeric silicones are widely
used as high temperature lubricants and surface
tension modifiers for coatings and water repellents. A
resin used in the binders of coatings, as well as an
additive to provide specific properties e.g. defoamer.
SILKING
The appearance of fine, thread-like, parallel lines in the
surface of a paint or varnish.
SILL
The lower horizontal member forming the bottom of an
opening of a door or window.
SINGLE-COLOR SCHEME
Utilization of different values of a single color in a
decorating scheme. Also called Monochromatic.
SINKING IN
The absorption of a considerable amount of the
finishing material by the undercoat.
SILVERING
Applying silver-leaf to the prepared surface as
compared to gilding, which uses gold leaf.
SIZE or SIZING
A solution used to prepare or seal porous surfaces
before applying wall coverings.
SKIM COATING
Technique of applying a thin coat of finishing compound
over the entire surface of a gypsum wallboard panel.
This knocks down the nap of the paper and provides
even sheen and absorption that is sometimes called for
under high sheen enamel paint systems or for
uniformity on smooth ceiling surfaces.
SKIN
See Skinning.
SKINNING
The formation of a dry or semi-dry layer of paint
or resin on the surface of a paint or varnish in a
partially filled container or when exposed to the
air for some time.
SKIPPY
A paint that has excessive brush drag causing it
to skip on the surface during application. This
can cause misses and leave thick and thin
areas in the dry film.
SKIPS
Places where the painter has failed to cover
with paint, or the brush has been too dry to
apply the proper film thickness.
SLING PSYCHROMETER
An instrument used in determining relative
humidity of air.
SLIP
Describes the brushing properties of a paint.
Said of a paint easily applied.
SLOW DRYING
A relative term generally referring to a coating
requiring longer than normal for that type of
coating to dry or be recoatable.
SLOW EVAPORATING
High boiling point solvents often used in
coatings to increase the flow. See also Slow
Solvent.
SLOW SOLVENT
A solvent that has a slow evaporation rate.
Often used as a “tailing” solvent to improve the
flow or leveling of a fast drying coating or to
improve brushing properties.
SLURRY
A mixture of water and finely divided insoluble
material such as clay or Portland cement.
SMALT
A blue pigment prepared from potassium
silicate glass that has been colored with cobalt
oxide then ground to a powder. Sometimes
applied to freshly coated surfaces to provide an
unusual decorating effect.
SMOKE STAINS
Dark carbon accumulations on surfaces
resulting from exhaust, smoke or fire and/or
brownish-yellow smoke residues of cigarettes
and other tobacco products. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 77
SOFFIT
The underside of a cornice, projection, opening or roof
overhang between the fascia and the outside of the
building. In woodworking, the underside of a stair, floor
or lintel.
SOFTWOOD
Wood obtained from a tree in the family of
Gymnosperms, the most common of which are the
conifers such as pine, fir, spruce and cedar. Softwoods
are non-porous woods that lack vessels or pores, unlike
hardwoods. The designation is not a true indication of
the actual hardness of the wood, as some softwoods
(e.g. southern pine) are harder than some hardwoods
(e.g. aspen).
SOLID COLOR STAIN
Exterior stain that obscures the natural color and grain
of the wood, but still allows the texture to show through.
Sometimes called Solid Hide Stain or Opaque Stain.
SOLID HIDE
Having the ability to obscure a surface or previous
coating. Opaque.
SOLIDS
Nonvolatile portion of paint including the binder and
pigments.
and are not part of the dry film. Various types of
solvents are also used as cleaning agents,
often in combination with surfactants. See also
Thinner, Diluent, VOCs.
SOLVENT BALANCE
The ratio of different solvents in a mixture of
solvents.
SOLVENT BASED PAINTS
A general term for paints and coatings that use
any of the organic solvents as the primary
volatile thinner. Also known as solvent borne or
solventborne paints.
SOLVENT CLEANING
The use of organic solvents, with or without
added surfactants, to remove oil, grease, and
other similar compounds from a substrate. The
specification SSPC-SP 1, Solvent Cleaning, is a
standard covering the procedures for solvent
cleaning of steel surfaces.
SOLVENT CUT-BACK
An asphalt or coal tar bitumen resin that has
been cut (dissolved) in a compatible solvent to
lower its viscosity for application at ambient
temperatures.
SOLIDS BY VOLUME
The total volume percentage of non-volatile material.
Also known as volume solids. The solids by volume is
used to calculate the dry film thickness (DFT) of a
coating from wet film measurements taken during
application, (i.e. where WFT = wet film thickness, VS =
percent volume solids, DFT = WFT X VS).
SOLVENT ENTRAPMENT
The encapsulation of solvent within a dried
paint film due to improper drying conditions.
SOLIDS BY WEIGHT
The percentage of the total weight of a coating
occupied by nonvolatile compounds.
SOLVENT POWER
See Solvency.
SOLUBILITY
Degree to which a substance may be dissolved by a
solvent. See also Miscible.
SOLUTION
A liquid in which a substance has been dissolved.
SOLVENCY
The ability of a solvent to dissolve, or bring into solution,
a substance (generally a solid).
SOLVENT
A volatile organic liquid in which another solid or semisolid substance (such as a resin or polymer) may be
dissolved. The most common solvents used for paints
include aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols,
esters, ketones, acetates and ethers. Solvents are used
to control the consistency, drying properties, and in
part, the stability of the liquid paint material and to
regulate its application properties. Under normal
ambient conditions, solvents evaporate from the coating
SOLVENT POP
The blistering caused by entrapped solvent in a
coating film.
SOLVENT RELEASE
The ability of a film to release its solvent by
evaporation.
SOLVENT WASH
The cleaning of a surface with solvent or a
solvent blend. See also Solvent Cleaning.
SOLVENTBORNE MATERIAL
See Solvent Based Paints.
SOLVENTLESS COATING
A paint or coating that contains no volatile
solvents. Typical examples are powder coatings
and liquid epoxy resins. Also known as 100%
solids coatings.
SOYBEAN OIL
Semi-drying oil, extracted from soybeans,
widely used in the manufacture of alkyd resins.
The Master Painter’s Glossary
Page 78
SPACKLING COMPOUND
A thick, paste material used to fill such surface defects
as small cracks, shallow hammer marks, gouges, holes,
nail sets and depressions in various substrates in
preparation for painting. Spackling compounds are
made in interior and exterior types.
SPALLING
The chipping or fragmenting of surface or surface
coating caused, for example, by differential thermal
expansion or contraction. Spalling, in concrete
substrates, is generally attributed to the absorption of
water with subsequent freezing, although also occurs
due to the rusting and subsequent expansion of
reinforcing bar (rebar) close to the surface.
SPAR VARNISH
A very durable tung oil, phenolic varnish designed for
severe service on exterior surfaces. Named from its
original use on spars of ships. Also known as a marine
varnish.
SPARK-PROOF TOOLS
1) Non-ferrous tools often made from plastic, wood,
aluminum, bronze or beryllium metals.
2) Doubly insulated and sealed electrical tools
(explosion proof).
SPATTER
Small particles or drips of liquid paint thrown or expelled
by centrifugal force when applying paint with a roller.
SPATTER COATING
A coating designed to be applied to a surface in various
sized droplets to create a random textured effect.
SPATTER FINISH
A finish that is speckled or has a raised texture (spatter)
resulting from both the material used and the
application technique.
SPATTER RESISTANT LATEX
A water based latex paint in which the high shear
rheology has been increased to reduce or eliminate
spatter caused by roller application.
SPATTERING
As implied by the term, a decorative effect of dots,
specks and flecks in a fine colored array over a base
coat. The effect is achieved utilizing a brush or other
tools, or by spray (See Multicolor Finish). The range of
both textures and patterns is unlimited.
SPECIAL EFFECT FINISHES
These are a myriad of imaginative decorative finishes
obtained by application of special effects that appear
limited only by the imagination and artistic ability of the
applicator(s), as opposed to those which imitate
accepted products of nature. Also known as Special
Effect Finishes. Also known as Fantasy Finishes.
SPECIAL FINISHES
Paints and coatings requiring special tools or
techniques for application i.e.: Decorative
Finishes, Faux Finishes, Special Effect
Finishes, Graphics, Multi-Color or Murals.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
The ratio of weight of a given volume of a
material to the weight of an equal volume of
water at the same temperature. The specific
gravity of water at 4 degrees F is 1.00. See also
Density.
SPECIFICATION
1) A set of instructions detailing the method of
surface preparation and coating application,
the coating to be used for completion of a
project.
2) A series of tests used to determine or confirm
the quality of a coating. See also Standard.
3) In construction, a clear accurate description
of the technical requirement (for contract
purposes) for materials, products, or
services. This description specifies the
minimum requirements for quality and
construction of materials, equipment, and
required workmanship for an acceptable
product, as shown by the related drawings.
In general, specifications are in the form of
written descriptions, drawings, prints,
commercial designations, industry standards
and other descriptive references.
SPECIFYING AUTHORITY
The designer, architect, engineer, owner, owner
representative, etc., responsible for the
specifications used on a construction project.
See also Contracting Entity.
SPECULAR GLOSS
The mirror-like shine of light from a surface.
Gloss is distinguished from reflectance by the
example of clear glass having a gloss but no
true reflectance like that which is seen in a
white coating. See also Gloss.
SPINDLE
The narrow posts supporting the handrail on a
staircase.
SPIRIT STAIN
A stain made by dissolving soluble dye matter
in alcohol solvents.
SPIRIT VARNISH
Originally, spirit varnishes were composed of
alcohol soluble film formers such as sandarac
and shellac and alcohol solvents. Later, the
addition of newer gums and resins made it
necessary to use a mixture of alcohol and
benzol or petroleum hydrocarbons. The term is
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now used for any cold-cut solutions of solvent, resin,
plastisizer and stabilizers. These coatings dry primarily
by evaporation rather than oxidation.
SPIRITS
In the paint industry, this term is used somewhat loosely
but generally refers to commercial ethyl alcohol
normally sold as denatured alcohol, methylated spirit or
2D ethanol.
SPIRITS OF TURPENTINE
Although this term is technically correct, it is being
replaced by the term ‘turpentine’.
SPONGING ON/OFF
A decorative technique to either add (sponging on), or
remove (sponging off), either irregular patches of
scumble glaze or diluted paint (often with colors that are
tonally similar) from a painted base by using a natural
sea sponge to blot or dab in order to obtain a broken
color effect.
SPOT PRIMING
A method for protecting localized spots. The areas spot
primed are those that require additional protection due
to rusting or peeling of the former coat or newly patched
or repaired substrates requiring a primer/sealer.
SPOTTING
The appearance of discolored spots on a painted or
varnished surface.
SPRAY (ING)
A method of application in which the coating material is
broken-up into fine mist and directed onto the surface to
be coated. Atomization is generally created by
compressed air, but other methods are direct pressure
(airless spray, piston pump) and centrifugal force.
SPRAY PATTERN
The shape of a spray fan as it strikes a surface. Spray
guns are often configured for either round or flat
patterns.
SPREADING RATE
The area covered by a unit volume of coating material,
frequently expressed as square feet per gallon.
Spreading rate will vary with the operator, the method of
application, and the nature of the surface being coated.
See also Coverage.
SSPC
SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings. (Formerly,
the Steel Structures Painting Council) An association
that publishes standards for cleaning and coating steel
and concrete to protect steel and concrete in industrial
environments.
STABILIZER
A substance added, usually in small proportions, to
retard undesirable chemical or physical changes.
STAIN
1) A solution or suspension of coloring matter in
a vehicle designed to color a surface by
penetration without hiding it or leaving a
continuous film. True stains are classified as
water stains, nongrain-raising stains, oil
stains, or spirit stains, according to the nature
of the vehicle.
2) A discoloration of the surface of a material or
paint by a contaminant or chemical.
STAIN BLEED-THROUGH
The discoloration caused when soluble stains
migrate through a porous paint film. See
Bleeding Stain and See Cedar / Redwood
Staining.
STAIN RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating or wall covering to show
little change in appearance, after a material
capable of staining has been applied and
removed.
STAINLESS STEEL
A hard, high carbon, alloy of iron that is
particularly resistant to corrosion.
STANDARD
A reference point established by general
agreement. A standard is used as a basis for
comparing or measuring quality, quantity,
performance etc.
STANDARD CONDITIONS
The environmental conditions used when paints
are cured and tested in the laboratory. Standard
conditions are: 25 degrees C. (+/- 3), and 50%
relative humidity (+/- 5%).
STARCH COATING
Generally, a clear protective coating made from
laundry starch dissolved in water.
STEAM CLEAN
A cleaning process using live steam to remove
oils and greases.
STEARATE
A manufacturing additive to the coating (e.g.
sanding sealer) or to sandpaper that makes it
sand easier.
STEEL
A tough metal composed of iron that can be
alloyed with various percentages of carbon and
other metals, such as nickel, chromium, etc., to
produce hardness, resistance to rusting, etc.
STENCIL PAPER
Oil treated, heavy paper used for cutting
stencils.
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STENCILING
An effect, often in accordance with mathematical rules,
obtained when paint is applied with a sponge, brush or
spray over a cutout design in acetate, cardboard or
stencil paper. It produces a clearly defined shape(s)
that may be repeated with the same color, or with
multiple colors if additional stencils are used.
STILE
A vertical edge or side framing component of a panel,
sash or paneled door.
STILL
Finishing material with a high viscosity making it difficult
to work with the brush.
STIMULATOR
Pigments that help to promote rust due to their chemical
or electrical properties.
STIPPLING
1) A finish made by using a stippling brush or roller
stippler on a newly painted surface before the paint is
dry.
2) Stippling is also used to soften brush marks, etc.
3) A decorative spatter texture (from fine through
coarse) applied by spray to walls and ceilings.
STIPPLING ON/OFF
A decorative technique using a brush, stippling brush or
rubber stippler whereby a dabbing action is employed to
either apply (stippling on) or remove (stippling off) glaze
or paint in a dotted pattern to produce an irregular
stippled effect. Also used in Stenciling, Verdigris and
other decorative finishes.
STOP
A narrow strip of wood or metal that is part of, or
fastened to, the jambs and head of a door or window
frame, against which the door or window closes.
STORAGE STABILITY
See Package Stability.
STOVING
See Baking.
STRAIGHT EDGE
A long measuring device with a true edge to be used as
a guide.
STRAIN
To filter; to sieve.
STREAKED FINISH
An undesirable finish usually caused by improper
adjustment of the spray gun.
STREAKING
The irregular occurrence of lines of various lengths and
colors in an applied film usually caused by some form of
contaminant during application.
STREAKS
A surface defect characterized by essentially
parallel lines of different colors or shades.
STRESS CORROSION CRACKING
Cracking produced by the combined action of
corrosion and static stress.
STRETCH
Describes the width of a section of wall that is
painted before moving the ladders or
scaffolding.
STRIE’
Strie' is a French term, meaning to comb
through the glaze mixture with dry dragging
tools such as a flogging or strie’ brush, in order
to create fine lines and to reveal the base coat
color underneath. The technique was
developed from Wood Graining. See also
Dragging, Combing.
STRIKE-OFF
A proof of a design, before actual production, to
check quality of reproduction, colors etc.
STRIKING IN
A finishing material that softens the undercoats
or sinks into them slightly.
STRING
A partially hardened material that strings out to
a thin thread instead of snapping off short.
STRINGERS
The side boards used to support the steps on a
staircase.
STRIP
1) The complete removal of an old finish or wall
covering.
2) A length of wall covering cut to fit the height
of a wall; in scenics or murals, a single
section of the design.
STRIPPABLE
1) A type of wall covering that can be drystripped leaving a minimal amount of residue
and the substrate damage free.
2) A type of paint with lower adhesive strength
than cohesive, that can be removed easily
from a surface. Strippable paints are often
applied to metal surfaces for temporary
corrosion protection during transport or
storage and used on clear plastic items to
reduce scratching.
STRONTIUM CHROMATE
(SrCrO3 ) A low tinting strength, yellow pigment
most often used in corrosion-resistant primers
and paints.
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STUCCO
1) An exterior finish composed of Portland cement, lime,
and sand (a coarse aggregate can be added for
texture) which is mixed with water and applied by
trowel. See also Acrylic Stucco.
2) A fine plaster used for decorative work or moldings.
STUD
A vertical, wood or metal framing member that may be
load or non-load bearing.
STYRENATED ALKYD
A copolymer, or ester of alkyd and styrene, used for
making fast dry coatings, primers and sealers. The
coating is applied and cures through oxidization like a
conventional alkyd.
STYRENE ACRYLIC
A copolymer used in solvent-based coatings (often
clear sealers for masonry and concrete water retainers)
and as water-based emulsion for pigmented primers,
coatings and clear varnishes.
STYRENE BUTADIENE
A type of copolymer. By varying the amounts of styrene
and butadiene, a wide range of physical properties from
rubbery to hard finishes can be attained. Styrene
butadiene emulsions are often used for vapor sealers
on interior surfaces, but can yellow on exterior
exposure.
SUBSTRATE (SUBSTRAT)
A variant of substratum. In painting, any surface to be
painted, including wood, concrete, masonry, steel, other
metals, and various other materials or previous paints.
A substrate can therefore be bare or covered. A
previously unpainted surface sometimes is called the
“original substrate”.
See Substratum.
SUBSTRATE DEFICIENCIES
In painting, deficiencies in the construction or
manufacture of the substrate such that a Properly
Painted Surface cannot be achieved e.g. improperly
finished drywall, improperly specified level of drywall
finish, improperly prepared or factory primed steel,
improperly removed concrete form release agent, etc.
Also see Latent Damage or Defects.
SUBSTRATUM
That which is spread or laid under something else; a
layer, or stratum, lying under another. Something that
underlies or serves as a basis or foundation.
SUCTION
The suction of a surface to be painted is due to its
porosity, which causes it to rapidly absorb newly
applied paint. See also Porosity.
SUCTION SPOTTING
Generally caused by poor holdout of the sealer
allowing the finish coat to absorb into the
substrate. This can appear as gloss or color
variances on the surface.
SULFATE
A chemical compound in which sulphur and
oxygen are combined with a metal or other
substance in a certain ratio, such as lead
sulfate.
SUNLIGHT
The energy emitted by the sun that reaches the
earth. This radiation contains wave lengths
ranging from 300 millimicrons (ultraviolet) to
beyond 800 millimicrons (infra-red). The most
destructive of these to organic polymers are the
ultra violet (UV) rays which can degrade the
color and gloss and alter the chemical
composition.
SURFACE
1) An area, or substrate, to which paints,
coatings, or wall coverings are applied,
2) The character of the area.
SURFACE AREA
A measurement of the area usually in square
feet or square meters of a surface
SURFACE CONDITIONER
Preparatory coating applied to chalked, painted
masonry surfaces for bonding chalk and
improving the adhesion of subsequently applied
coatings.
SURFACE DRYING
The drying of a coating on the top surface, but
not uniformly through the film. Often this can
lead to wrinkling or cracking when the film fully
dries.
SURFACE HARDENERS
Products added to a concrete mix or applied to
the surface in order to increase the hardness of
the surface of the concrete.
SURFACE PREPARATION
The most important step in a painting operation.
Any of a number of methods of treating a
surface in preparation for painting. The process
of ensuring that the surface of a substrate is
clean; free of oil, grease, dust, dirt, loose rust,
loose paint, mill scale and all foreign matter;
and has a roughness appropriate for the type of
coating that will be applied. See also Profile.
SURFACE PROFILE
See Profile.
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SURFACE TENSION
The surface phenomenon exhibited in varying degree
by all materials. Where the surface tension of a material
is lower than a liquid, the liquid will not spread out over
that surface. Where the surface tension of a liquid is
lower than that of the surface, the liquid will spread out.
SURFACE SEALER
A sealer applied to gypsum wallboard surface, prior to a
spray texture application or ceramic tile application on
moisture resistant gypsum wallboard panels.
SURFACER
A pigment composition for filling minor irregularities to
obtain a smooth, uniform surface preparatory to
applying finish coats.
SURFACTANT
An acronym for Surface Active Agent. Used to break
down the surface tension of liquids to make them more
miscible, such as in oil and water emulsions.
Surfactants are divided into smaller classes that are
relative to their functionality such as dispersants,
emulsifiers, detergents, defoamers, etc. Surfactants
have a electrochemical charge associated with them
and can be classified by the polarity of the charge:
anionic - negative, cationic - positive, nonionic - no
charge and amphoteric - positive or negative depending
on certain conditions (pH, phase etc.).
cleaning steel, although the process is also
used for cleaning concrete.
SWELLING
An increase in volume of a material due to
absorption.
SYNERESIS
The clear liquid layer that may occur when paint
stands undisturbed; the gel.
SYNERGISTIC
The cooperative action of two or more materials
in such a manner that their combined effect is
greater than the sum of the effects of the
individual materials.
SYNTHETIC
Man-made, rather than occurring naturally.
SYNTHETIC BRUSH
A paint brush made with a non-absorbent
material such as polyester or nylon, rather than
animal hair, for the bristles. Used for latex
paints, where the water would swell natural
fiber bristles.
SYNTHETIC RESIN
See Resin, Synthetic.
T
SURFACTANT LEACHING
See Surfactant Staining.
SURFACTANT STAINING
The appearance of yellow to brown colored spots
(horizontal) or streaks (vertical) on the surface of a
recently applied latex coating. Commonly seen on latex
semi-gloss paints applied to the ceiling of a bathroom
where water condenses, and on some highly tinted
exterior latex coatings when exposed to moisture after
recent application. See MPI’s Identifiers.
SUSPENDING AGENT
A material used in a paint to reduce the settling of
pigments. In some cases, this is a surfactant, a
thickener or a functional pigment.
SWEAT IN
The time recommended for induction of a catalyst
blend. Commonly used for epoxy coatings.
SWEATING
The reappearance of spots of luster on a varnished
surface, which was rubbed to a dull finish.
SWEEP BLAST CLEANING
A surface cleaning and/or preparation technique using a
light pass of abrasive blast to remove loose material
and to abrade, or roughen, the surface to improve the
adhesion of a coating. Refer to SSPC-SP 7 Brush-Off
Blast Cleaning for more detailed information on
TACK
The degree of stickiness of a paint or varnish
during the drying period. Oil paints and
varnishes may retain an after-tack for several
weeks after they are considered dry. Also called
tacky, tackiness.
TACK FREE
A finished surface which is no longer sticky.
See also Dry Time.
TACK RAG
A piece of loosely woven cloth dipped into a
varnish oil and wrung out. When it becomes
tacky or sticky, it is used to wipe a surface to
remove small particles of dust.
TACKCOAT
A thin mist-like initial coat still soft enough to
accept remainder of the coat as part of the
same coat application and done in order to
avoid sags and runs. Often used in automotive
refinishing.
TACKINESS
The slight stickiness of a surface of an
incompletely dried coating film. See also Tack.
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Page 83
TALC
A non-opaque pigment, essentially magnesium silicate.
Generally in two forms: platy (lamellar) often used in
primers, sealers and fillers for improving hold-out and
bridging properties; and rod or needle-like (acicular) to
enhance soft settling and provide some film
reinforcement.
TALL OIL
A by-product of the sulfate process for the manufacture
of paper in which the fatty acids are used in the
production of alkyd resins.
TANK WHITE
Good hiding, self-cleaning white paint for exterior metal
surfaces.
TANNIN
A water soluble, natural stain in woods, such as cedar
and redwood, which is usually composed of various
phenol compounds.
TANNIN BLEED
A water or solvent soluble extractive in a wood
substrate (cedar, redwood etc.) that will migrate through
a porous paint film and deposit a yellow to reddish
brown stain on the surface.
TANNIN BLOCKING
The process of making tannin stains insoluble by
means of a chemically active or moisture impermeable
primer so they cannot bleed through to the topcoat.
TAPE BLISTER
A blister that appears in a freshly dried, paper taped
joint on wallboard construction. This is generally an
indication of insufficient joint compound under the tape.
TAPE TEST
An adhesion test using a series of intersecting cuts
(cross hatch) or an X cut through the surface of a
coating or coating system that extends to the substrate.
A special pressure sensitive, one inch wide tape with an
adhesive bonding strength of 36 +/- 2.5 oz./in. (40 +/2.8 g/mm) is applied to the cut surface, then pulled back
smoothly at an angle of 180 degrees. The cut area of
the film is then examined and rated relative to the
coating remaining. Ref. ASTM D 3359 Method A.
(Method A is intended for use at job sites, whereas
Method B is more suitable for use in the laboratory.)
See also Cross Hatch Adhesion.
TAPE TIME
The drying time of a coating required prior to masking.
TAPERED JOINT
The joint where the tapered edges of gypsum drywall
panels connect. The taper is pre-formed by the drywall
manufacturer to reduce humping or crowning, when the
joint is taped and filled.
TAR
A thick, brown or black mixture of high
molecular weight hydrocarbons and phenols
produced from the dry distillation of resinous
woods, coal etc. See also Asphalt, Coal Tar.
TARNISH
Discoloration of a metal surface caused by the
formation of a thin film of oxidation or corrosion.
TEAR STRENGTH
1) The ability of a wall covering to resist further
tearing once it has ruptured.
2) Tear strength is a measure of the resistance
of a test specimen to tearing when it is
stretched. Refer to ASTM D624 for additional
information.
TEFLON
A common name used for
polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) a fluorinated
ethylene polymer. PTFE is not often used in
coatings, other than as a ground pigment-like
material to impart mar and abrasion resistance
in place of a high molecular weight wax-like
polyethylene. The surface of PTFE polymers
has a low surface tension and is widely used for
non-stick cookware.
TELEGRAPHING
Physical marks or textures on a substrate that
show through an applied film.
TEMPERA
A water-thinned paint that uses egg white, egg
yolk, (or both) as the primary binder, or glue
tempera made from gum Arabic. After drying,
tempera paint resembles the color of their
original dry state. Poster paints are a type of
‘tempera’.
TENSILE STRENGTH
The maximum force of tension i.e. stretching
(often measured in pounds per square inch)
that a material will tolerate without damage.
Refer to ASTM D 412 and other test methods to
measure the force required to break a test
specimen when it is stretched.
TERTIARY COLORS
Colors, which result from mixing a secondary
color (obtained from two primary colors) and a
primary color. Examples are red-orange, bluegreen, etc.
TEST FENCE
A testing apparatus that consists of a fence is
either locally placed (e.g. near a paint
manufacturer’s sales region) or located in a part
of the country where specific weather
conditions prevail. Commonly, test fences are
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Page 84
faced at a 45 degree angle towards the south to
maximize sunlight exposure. The test fence has a
series of exposure racks on which various types of
paints applied to test panels are exposed. Ref. ASTM
D1006.
TEST METHOD
A defined, standardized set of instructions for the
identification, measurement, or evaluation of one or
more qualities, characteristics or properties of a
material. Scientifically recognized test methods are
reproducible and repeatable with a relatively high
degree of certainty. ASTM publishes widely recognized
test methods, which are used extensively in the paint
industry.
TEST PANELS
Small pieces of material, usually wood, asbestos
cement or metal, on which surface coatings are applied
for various testing purposes.
TEST PATCH
A small representative area to which a coating is
applied in order to test its compatibility, appearance or
adhesion properties. When choosing a coating for a
substrate or situation in which there is some element of
uncertainty, a test patch can provide useful information
required to ensure a correct decision.
TEXTURE
The general physical appearance, or the impression
caused by a surface structure.
TEXTURED
Textured generally infers an uneven, irregular, or rough
surface.
TEXTURE PAINT
A thick, heavy bodied coating which generally contains
some form of aggregate and can be manipulated by
brush, trowel or other tool to produce various finishing
effects.
THEORETICAL COVERAGE
The coverage of paint calculated from volume solids
and recommended dry film thickness. The theoretical
calculation does not consider losses due to overspray,
spillage or other losses.
THERMAL SPRAYING
A process that heats a thermoplastic material to its
melting point, and then sprays the liquid onto a surface
to produce a coating. Metals are often applied this way
using high temperature electric arc guns and gas wire
guns. Also known as flame spraying, metalizing, plasma
spraying.
THERMOPLASTIC
A resin that dries by the evaporation of solvent, softens
when heat is applied and gets hard again by cooling.
Also, it will redissolve if exposed to the solvents it
originally contained. Lacquers and shellac are
good examples of such materials.
THERMOSET
A material that will undergo or has undergone a
chemical reaction by the action of heat,
catalysts, ultraviolet light etc. leading to a
densely cross-linked structure. Thermoset
coatings are generally very solvent and
chemical resistant.
THICK
Having a heavy consistency or viscosity.
THICK EDGE
An accumulation of a coating material in the
form of a ridge at the end of a coated surface
that may arise during drainage.
THICKENER
A chemical additive to increase the viscosity or
modify the rheology of a coating. See also
Thixotropic, Viscosity, Consistency.
THINNER
A compatible, volatile liquid used to modify the
solids content, drying speed, consistency or
other rheological property of a paint, varnish or
lacquer. Also used for cleanup of oil or alkyd
paints and application tools. See also Solvent.
THINNING RATIO
The recommended proportion of thinner to be
added to a coating material to render it suitable
for a particular method of application.
THIXOTROPIC
Describes a particular liquid flow behavior
characterized by a viscosity reduction when
subjected to shearing (shaken, stirred or
otherwise mechanically disturbed) and recovery
at a slightly slower rate (the thixotropic loop).
This influences the leveling and sagging
properties of a coating.
THRESHHOLD
The tread member of an entranceway, door sill.
THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE
(TLV) The maximum air concentration of a
chemical substance, at which, it is believed
workers may be safely exposed to in an 8 hour
day without an adverse health effect. TLVs are
recommended exposure limits and are not
required by law to be met. The TLV of a
substance is determined by the American
Conference of Government and Industrial
Hygienists (ACGIH).
THROUGH DRYING
The complete drying of a paint or varnish film.
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Page 85
TIE COAT
A primer or intermediate coating is used to bond to a
particular type of surface or between different types of
paint coatings that are not normally compatible to
improve adhesion. See also Bond Coat, Transition
Coat.
TIFFANY
Broken color glazing effects.
TILE-LIKE FINISH
A generic description of a coating designed and used
for abrasion resistance, durability, etc. Typical
examples are epoxies, polyurethanes, polyesters. See
also HIPAC.
TINGE
A slight trace of added color.
TINT
A color produced by mixing white pigment or paint in
predominating amounts with a non-white colored
pigment or paint. The tint of the color, therefore, is
much lighter and much less saturated than the color
itself.
TINT BASE
A paint designed to have a colorant added before use
i.e. the basic paint in a custom coloring system. In most
tint bases, a known level of prime or base pigment is
included at the point of manufacture to maximize the
efficiency of the added colorant or purity of the color
produced.
High strength tint bases have more opaque pigments
than medium strength tint bases, while low strength tint
bases generally have little or no opaque pigments. High
strength tint bases are also known as White Base,
Tinting White, Pastel Base, Opaque Base and Light
Base. Medium strength tint bases are also known as
Medium Base and Mid-Tone Base. Low strength bases
are also known as Deep Base, Ultra-Deep Base,
Accent Base, Clear Base and Neutral Base.
TINTING COLORS
Colored pigments ground in a media compatible with
paint vehicles and added in relatively small proportions
to already prepared paints to modify their color. They
have been developed to be used with organic solvent
thinned paints and water thinned paints. Such dualpurpose tinters are known as universal colorants. Used
with tint bases in a custom color system.
TINTING STRENGTH
The coloring power of a standard paint or pigment.
TiO2
See Titanium Dioxide.
TIPPING OFF
Brushing technique involving the use of the tips of the
bristles to smooth the applied finish.
TITANIUM DIOXIDE (TiO2)
The most widely used prime white hiding
pigment in paints. An expensive, high opacity,
bright white pigment that is used as a prime
pigment in paints, both latex- and solventbased.Titanium dioxide is available in two main
forms - anatase and rutile.
Anatase (TiO2) - One of the two main
crystalline forms of titanium dioxide, mainly
available in synthetic form. It is a high opacity,
bright white pigment of the chalking type, used
as a prime pigment in paints, rubber, plastics. It
is mainly used
for interior coatings and for self-cleaning
exterior white paints, as it is prone to chalking.
Rutile (TiO2) - One of the two main crystalline
forms of titanium dioxide; it can be obtained
synthetically, but is also found naturally; as a
natural product, its purity is much lower, and is
often pale brown in color; when incorporated
into an aerogel, it can significantly reduce the
amount of radiative heat transfer. It is prepared
from the mineral ilmenite, or rutile ore.It is a
high opacity, highly durable, bright white
pigment of the non-chalking type, used as a
prime pigment in paints, rubber, plastics. It is
mainly used for exterior coatings where it acts
as a UV inhibitor by virtue of its strong
reflectance properties.
TOLUOL
A clear, strong-odored, aromatic hydrocarbon
solvent usually obtained as a by-product from
coke ovens and from coal tar. Used in fast dry
enamels, primers, epoxy coatings and as a
diluent for lacquers and lacquer thinners. Also
known as methyl benzene and toluene.
TONE
A shade, hue, tint, degree or slight modification
of a color.
TONE DOWN
The process of reducing visual prominence of
an installation by the application of external
coatings; blending of overall color scheme with
the surrounding environment.
TONED WHITE
A white paint that is slightly tinted with a small
amount of color, such as black, blue or a
combination of colors, to improve the hiding
power or opacity. Toned whites appear white
unless compared with un-toned white paint or
“tinting white”.
TONER
1) A material added at the manufacturing point
to give a subtle change in color. Excessive
amounts of toner will preclude the ability to
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obtain a “clean” color when subsequently adding
tinting colors.
2) A pigmented sealer or topcoat reduction that is used
to color certain areas of wood to provide a more
uniform appearance.
TONGUE & GROOVE (TONGUE-IN-GROOVE)
A joint formed by lumber machined to have a groove on
one side and and a protruding tongue on the other side
so that pieces fit snugly together, with the tongue of one
fitting into the corresponding groove of the other.
TOOKE GAUGE
A device that cuts through the surface, in order to
measure the thickness of a coating and to examine the
cross section of the coating.
TOOTH
The property, which aids in adhesion of a subsequently
applied coating.
• surface roughness, characteristic of a good primer
• profile or mechanical anchorage
TOPCOAT
The coating intended to be the last coat (or finish coat)
in a coating system. Usually applied over a primer,
undercoater, surfacer, or intermediate coat.
TOP-DRYING
The drying of a coating film on the top only. In most
alkyd coatings, this can cause wrinkling of the surface,
or cracking in thermoplastic coatings applied in thick
films.
TORTOISESHELL
A generally golden and reddish brown imitation of the
shell of a sea tortoise (and also of some butterfly’s
wings) that is luminous and translucent. The effect
originated in the Orient centuries ago and was
transported to Europe. It is often suggested that, like
marble, it be used only in those areas where the original
might have been used (e.g. furniture inlays or the
embellishment of small objects).
TOTAL VOLUME SOLIDS
The total solid film-forming portion of the package of
paint, expressed as percent by volume or in mil-square
feet per gallon. One gallon volume is equal to 1600 milsquare feet.
TOUCH-UP (TOUCH-UP PAINTING)
The act of repainting, by application of similar coating
(i.e. from the uppermost coat e.g. primer or topcoat (or
finish coat - preferably from the same batch), to restore
small areas of a painted surface to an integral or
unbroken condition (to meet the definition of a Properly
Painted Surface) by the application of paint or coating.
The appearance of a Touch-Up should not be
noticeable because of application method, color, sheen,
or texture differences from the adjacent area not
Touched-Up. If noticeable, corner-to-corner or
break-to-break repainting is necessary.
Touch-Up should not be confused with
Deficiency Correction, Damage By Others
repair and correction, or Latent Damage repair
and correction. (See these definitions
elsewhere in this glossary.)
TOXICITY
The capacity of a substance to injure by
chemical means. The quality of being
poisonous.
TRADE SALES PAINT
Coatings designed primarily for general
consumer sale and use.
TRAFFIC PAINT
A quick drying paint that has abrasion and
water resistance and is mainly used for road
and parking stall line marking.
TRANSITION PRIMER
A coating that is compatible with both the
primer (or substrate) and the finish coating
where the primer (or substrate) and finish
coating are not compatible. See also Tie Coat,
Bond Coat.
TRANSPARENT
Having the property of allowing light to
permeate without diffusion or scattering; clear.
TRANSPARENT IRON OXIDE
A pigment that colors a coating material with
minimal effect on its transparency.
TREAD
The horizontal part of a step or stair.
TRIADIC COLOR SCHEME
A color scheme using three colors that are
equidistant on the color wheel.
TRIGGERING
Intermittent squeezing and releasing of spray
gun trigger.
TRIM
Finishing components used in construction,
such as moldings, chair rails, base boards etc.
TRIM ENAMEL
A coating used for exterior trim that has good
color and gloss retention.
TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE (TSP)
A strong alkaline chemical used for cleaning,
degreasing and dulling surfaces prior to
painting.
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TROMPE L’OEIL
In French “Trick Of The Eye” - that which creates such
a strong illusion that it is difficult to ascertain whether it
is real or a representation. The two-dimensional finish
uses shading, perspective, and realism to create the
illusion of a three dimensional object or scene with
texture and space. This mural technique was used by
the ancient Greeks in 400 B.C., and then reappeared in
the middle ages when popularized by its use on church
walls and ceilings. It may also use Faux Molding as well
as a variety of other decorative finish techniques.
TSP
See Trisodium Phosphate.
TSP SUBSTITUTE
A biodegradable cleaning agent that can be used
instead of TSP.
TUNG OIL
A drying oil extracted from nuts of the Aleurites fordii
tree, native to China. Varnishes made from tung oil
have fast dry, water resistance and exterior durability.
See also China Wood Oil.
TURPENTINE
A colorless liquid once used as the principle thinner for
oil paints and varnishes. It is distilled from old or fresh
stumps and branches of pine trees. Its use has been
largely replaced by mineral spirits. See also Solvent,
Mineral Spirits.
TWO COMPONENT COATING
A coating supplied in two separate parts (one, often a
catalyst), which must be mixed in the correct
proportions before use (e.g. epoxy/polyamide paint).
The mixture will then remain in a usable condition for a
limited time (known as the pot life). Also known as two
pack.
TWO-PACK PAINT
A coating material supplied in two parts that have to be
mixed in the correct proportions before use. The
mixture will then remain in a usable condition for a
limited time. Also called two-component.
U
U.S. GALLON
See Gallon, U.S.
ULTRA-DEEP BASE
Paint base used to develop deep intense colors with no
apparent white. (Deeper than a mid-tone or a deep
base.) See Tint Base.
ULTRAHIGH-PRESSURE WATER JETTING
See Water Blast.
ULTRAMARINE BLUE
A clean color pigment ranging from a reddishblue to greenish-blue in shade that is composed
of silicone dioxide, aluminum silicate, sodium
and sulphur. Ultramarine pigments are sensitive
to acids but fairly resistant to alkalis and
bleeding in water, organic solvents or oils.
ULTRAVIOLET (UV)
Light of short wave length (generally below 360
millimicrons) which is invisible but has a
destructive effect on the chemical components
of substrates and finishing materials.
ULTRAVIOLET ABSORBER
A substance in some exterior coatings that
absorbs UV radiation, and reduces or delays
the damage to the coating or substrate from the
UV effects from sunshine.
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
The portion of the radiant energy of the sun’s
spectrum that causes damage to coatings and
to the surface of unprotected wood.
ULTRAVIOLET RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating to remain undamaged
when subjected to UV as from direct sunlight.
UMBER
A hydrated iron manganese ore varying from
olive shades in raw condition to dark rich brown
shades in the burnt state. Used extensively as a
pigment. See also Raw Umber, Burnt Umber.
UNDER BAKED
Baked for an insufficient time or at too low a
temperature to give a hard film.
UNDERCOAT (ER)
The coat or coats applied to a surface after
priming, filling, etc. or after the preparation of a
previously painted surface and before the
application of a finishing coat. An undercoat
should be highly pigmented to fill surface pores
and wood grain, possess good hiding power
and a color leading up to that of the finishing
coat, and should be suitable for use with the
other paints in the system.
UNDERCURED
A condition or degree of cure less than optimum
for that coating. In most cases, this term is used
for heat-cured systems when insufficient time or
temperature has been allowed for adequate
cure or cross-linking. Undercured coatings often
show tackiness or inferior physical resistance
properties.
UNDERCUTTING
The penetration of a coating and the spread of
corrosion; the onset of delamination caused by
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a break or pinhole in the film or from unprotected
edges. See MPI’s Identifiers.
UNDERFILM CORROSION
Corrosion that occurs on the metal surface below a
coating film without a break or damage in the coating
layer.
UNDERTONE
The color of a thin layer of pigment-vehicle mixture
applied on a white background.
UNIFORMITY
Not varying in gloss, sheen, color, hiding or other
property.
flexibility and chemical resistance. A resin that
is the reaction product of an isocyanate with a
hydroxyl functional material such as polyesters,
polyethers, phenols etc. See also Polyurethane,
Isocyanate.
USEFUL LIFE
See Duty Cycle.
U.S. GALLON
A unit of volume equal to 4 liquid quarts, eight
liquid pints, or 3.785 liters.
U V ABSORBER
A particular material added to paint to absorb
UV light and increase the life of the paint film.
UNIT COST
Cost per given area.
V
UNIVERSAL COLORANT
Tinting color that is universally compatible with alkyd
and water based types of paint vehicles. See also
Colorants and Tinting Colors.
VACOULE
A void in a film containing trapped gas or liquid;
a minute bubble surrounded by the coating.
UNTRIMMED WALL COVERING
Wall covering where the selvages must be hand
trimmed before installation.
VACUUM BLASTING
A method of abrasive blast cleaning using
special equipment that recovers the abrasive.
UPPER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT
(UEL) The volume percent concentration of a gas or
vapor in air, at normal ambient temperature, above
which an explosion will not occur if the mixture is
ignited. When concentrations of a gas or vapor in air
are below the upper explosive limit and above the lower
explosive limit (LEL), the mixture can explode. See also
Lower Explosive Limit.
VALANCE
A short drapery or a built-out frame or board,
attached across the top of a window or glass
door, used to cover the curtain rods or track.
UREA FORMALDEHYDE
A film forming resin produced by the chemical reaction
between urea and formaldehyde in the presence of acid
or alkaline catalysts. These resins are commonly used
in baking enamels with alkyd resins to improve
weatherability, gloss retention and chemical resistance.
URETHANE
See Polyurethane.
URETHANE FOAM
A self-foaming material used for filling and insulating
purposes. These materials can oxidize and deteriorate
quickly, if exposed to UV light and made from aromatic
isocyanates. Exposed urethane foam should be coated
within two days of installation to prevent discoloration.
URETHANE MODIFIED ALKYD
An alkyd that has been chemically modified for
improved hardness and chemical resistance. A binder
used in ‘polyurethane’ varnishes.
URETHANE RESIN
Range in physical properties from hard finishes to soft
foams. Urethane coatings exhibit excellent toughness,
VALUE
The lightness or darkness of a color, e.g. light
blue, medium blue and dark blue have different
values.
VAN DYKE BROWN
A natural brown pigment formed by the
decomposition of organic matter that has
almost reached the coal state. The composition
contains small amounts of iron oxide, clay and
alkali salts and a large amount of organic
material. Commonly used in artists paints.
VAPOR BARRIER
A material or coating that prevents the passage
of vapors into a substrate. In residential
construction, this generally refers to water
vapors.
VAPOR DEGREASING
A cleaning process that utilizes a vaporous
condensing solvent as a cleaning agent to
remove oils, fats and grease from the surface of
a material.
VAPOR TRANSMISSION RATE
The rate at which moisture vapors pass through
a coating or membrane. See also Moisture
Vapor Transmission, Permeability.
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VAPORIZATION
The conversion of a solid or liquid into a gaseous or
vaporous state - a phase change.
VARNISH
A liquid, film forming material based on drying oils and
resins that dries to a transparent or translucent film after
application as a thin layer.
1) Bituminous Varnish - A dark colored varnish
containing bituminous ingredients. The varnish may
be either of the oil or spirit type.
2) Oil Varnish - Contains resin and drying oil as basic
film forming ingredients and is converted to a solid
film primarily by chemical reactions.
3) Spar Varnish - A varnish for exterior surfaces. The
name originated from its use on the wooden spars of
ships.
4) Spirit Varnish - A varnish resin dissolved in an
alcohol solvent that converts back to a solid film
primarily by evaporation, e.g. manila, shellac.
VARNISH SKIN
A film which forms over varnish left exposed to the air
or stored in partially filled containers.
VARNISH STAIN
Varnishes colored with a dye or pigments. These do not
have the same power of penetration as true stains and
leave a colored coating on the surface, which, in some
cases, can appear muddy.
VARSOL
Mineral spirits.
VEGETABLE OILS
Extracted from seeds of various vegetables such as
soya, linseed (flax), oiticica, castor and safflower. Oils
used for paints generally are the drying oil types that
can be catalyzed with metallic driers to form a film.
VEHICLE
Liquid portion of paint including the binder and solvents.
The vehicle and the pigment are the two basic
components of paint.
VEILING
1) Applying a very diluted color (color washing) over a
previously decorated surface
2) Formation of a cobweb surface usually by spray,
usually deliberate, and often with lacquer (veiling
lacquer).
3) A paint defect. See also Curtaining, Sagging.
VEINING
A technique used in faux finishing or marbling to create
random patterns resembling the contrasting veins in
natural marble, etc.
VELVET
A gloss range between flat and eggshell.
VENEER
A thin layer of a surfacing material, such as
wood or plastic, adhered to a substrate by the
use of an adhesive. See also Laminate.
VENETIAN PLASTER
A ‘faux plaster’ originally done centuries ago in
Venice, Italy to imitate the look of marble,
without the weight, through the use of slaked
lime, lime putty and marble dust. Today, a
decorative finish most often applied over Level
5 finished, and primed gypsum board.
VENETIAN RED
Pigments produced by the calcining of ferrous
sulfate and lime to form a range of red pigments
that are essentially ferric oxide and calcium
sulfate.
VENTILATION
The circulation of fresh air to remove vapors
and gases.
1) General ventilation refers to an appropriate
sized area with reasonable airflow to reduce
vapors to levels below the Personal
Exposure Limit (PEL).
2) Local ventilation refers to a mechanical
method of vapor removal or air make-up.
VENTURI
Short internal restriction at the center of an
abrasive blast nozzle that will increase the
speed of sand and air.
VERDIGRIS
Dibasic acetate of copper, a corrosion product
resulting from the weathering and aging
process of brass, bronze, or copper. Forms like
a greenish blue-gray rust. Can also be an
imitated effect for decorative purposes to form a
patina.
VERMICULITE
A lightweight, porous, silicate material that is
often used as an aggregate for textured
coatings.
VERMILION
A bright red pigment primarily composed of
mercuric sulfide. Also known as English
vermilion, Chinese vermilion, cinnabar.
VINE PENETRATION
The attachment or penetration of plant material
(like ivy) onto a substrate or previous coating.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
VINYL
A chemical compound containing the chemical
composition R-CH=CHX in the molecule, e.g.
Vinyl Chloride CH2=CHCL Vinyl acetate is
commonly used in an emulsified form as a
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binder for latex paints. Polyvinyl chloride is used in
some solvent-thinned coatings, where high chemical
resistance is called for. Many vinyl derivatives appear in
various specialized solvent and water based coatings.
Vinyl resin has poor adhesion but good hardness,
flexibility, and resistance.
VOLATILE
1) Having the ability to evaporate to form a
vapor or gas in ambient conditions.
2) The components of a coating that evaporate
in contrast to the solid or non-volatile
materials such as binder and pigments.
VINYL ALKYD
Alkyd resin system modified with vinyl. This modification
can enhance the speed of dry, recoatability, moisture
and chemical resistance of the alkyd resin.
VOLATILE CONTENT
The amount of materials that evaporate from a
coating. Often expressed as a weight or volume
percentage of the total coating.
VINYL COATING
Coating in which the major portion of the binder is a
vinyl copolymer resin. Vinyl coatings can range from
tough, chemical resistant finishes to soft, leather-like
coatings for fabrics.
VOLATILE MATTER
See Volatile.
VINYL COPOLYMER
A group of resins produced by copolymizing a vinyl
based monomer (such as vinyl acetate) with any of a
number of other monomers such as acrylic,
methacrylate, ethylene etc.
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND (VOC)
The organic (carbon based) compounds
(including additives, solvents, free monomers
etc., but not water) that evaporate from an
applied and drying coating (resulting in the
formation of paint film on the surface to which it
was applied).
Reference: EPA Test Method 24.
VINYL FABRIC
A prefabricated wall covering made from a vinyl resin
applied to a fabric or paper backing. Available in roll
form in a variety of textures and patterns.
VOLATILE VEHICLE
The portion of the liquid paint vehicle, often
called solvent, which evaporates from the
coating. See also Solvent, Thinner.
VISCOSITY
The internal resistance to flow in a liquid. A measure of
thickness or thinness. It is determined by measuring the
force required to shear the liquid without turbulence at a
defined rate. Also known as consistency. See also
Consistency, Dilatancy, Thixotropic.
VOLUME SOLIDS
The volume of the non-volatile portion of a
composition divided by the total volume of the
coating and expressed as a percent. The
volume solids can be used to calculate dry film
thickness at a defined spreading rate or
spreading rate at a defined thickness. High
volume solids mean a thicker dry film with
improved durability and lower VOCs.
VISCOSITY CUP
A device for measuring the viscosity of a liquid. See
also Ford Cup, Zahn Cup.
VISUAL STANDARD
An industry accepted photographic or other visual
representation that shows a specific or range of
degrees of surface preparation or deterioration used to
rate the condition of a substrate or paint film. Many
organizations issue such standards including ASTM,
MPI, SSPC.
VITREOUS
A hard surface or coating likened to fired ceramic.
V.M. & P. NAPTHA
Varnish Maker's and Painter's Naptha; a low power,
flammable hydrocarbon solvent.
V.O.C. (VOC)
See Volatile Organic Compound.
VOIDS
Holidays or holes in a coating or surface.
W
WAINSCOT
A paneling or wall covering applied to the lower
section of a wall surface generally three to four
feet from the floor and bordered on top with a
chair rail.
WALLPAPER SIZE
A solution, such as glue, starch, casein, or an
emulsion polymer, used to seal or fill pores of a
wall surface to reduce the penetration of the
adhesive when wall coverings are applied.
WALLBOARD
A general term for panel boards, such as
pressed cellulose fiberboard, plywood, gypsum
board, drywall etc., used in place of plaster on
interior surfaces.
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WALL COVERING (WALLCOVERING)
A surfacing material, made from paper, vinyl, foil,
natural fibers, cork, fabric etc. adhered to an interior
wall or ceiling surface to impart color, texture or
patterns. Also known as wallpaper. Wall coverings
come in a wide array of colors, patterns, textures and
performance characteristics, such as washability and
abrasion resistance.
WALL COVERING SEAM
The area where two succeeding strips of a wall
covering meet. The most common types used to obtain
a uniform appearance are:
1) Butt Seam
The alignment of the edge of one wall covering strip
tightly against the next strip without any overlap.
2) Double Cut Seam
Made by overlapping two strips of wall covering, then
cutting through both strips at the same time and
removing the excess overlap and underlap pieces.
3) Wire Seam
Overlapping of the previous strip with a slight edge
(1/16th inch).
4) Overlap Seam
Overlapping of one strip over the next strip by 1/2
inch or more. The overlap seam is usually used for
corners, archways and similar areas.
WALNUT SHELLS
Crushed and graded walnut shells are a biodegradable
media used for abrasive blast cleaning and are less
abrasive than silica or steel grit. Walnut shells are also
used in some non-slip, textured coatings instead of
silica sand.
WARM COLORS
Colors associated with light, heat and fire (e.g. yellow,
orange).
WASH COAT (WASHCOAT)
1) Describes a light or thin application of a coating to a
surface.
2) A reduced finish that is applied over raw wood to
reduce stain penetration, or over stains and fillers to
promote adhesion of the next coat.
WASH PRIMER
A thin inhibiting paint used on metal surfaces that
usually contains a polyvinyl butyral binder that is
pigmented with basic zinc chromate. Wash primers are
mixed with an acid (phosphoric), prior to application, to
provide surface etching and to insolubilize the binder.
The film thickness is critical to the adhesion of the
primer and subsequently applied coatings. See also
Etch Primer.
WASHABILITY
The ability of a paint to be easily cleaned without
wearing away. See also Cleansability.
WASHING
Rapid dissolution or emulsification of a paint
film when wet with water.
WATER BLAST (ING)
Methods using pressurized water to remove
surface contaminants from a substrate in
preparation for painting or coating.
Standards for wood, masonry, concrete, metal,
etc. for Architectural projects are included in
MPI
RSP-5 and are published by MPI. Included are:
Power Washing
Pressure Washing
High Pressuring Washing
12”
Hydro Blasting
Jet Blasting
100 – 600 psi @ 6”
600 – 1500 psi @ 6”
1500–4000 psi @ 6–
4000 – 10,000 psi
10,000+ psi
Standards for steel and other hard materials for
Industrial projects are included in SSPC SP-12
and are published by SSPC. Included are:
<5000 psi
Low-Pressure Water Cleaning
5-10,000
High-Pressure Water Cleaning
psi
High-Pressure Water Jetting
10-25,000
psi
Ultrahigh-Pressure Water Jetting >25,000 psi
WATER COLORS
Colors mixed with or ground in water.
WATER DISPERSIBLE
A material that is not soluble in, but can be
dispersed to a stable condition in water.
Includes latex emulsions which are truly
dispersions, water reducible alkyds etc.
WATER EMULSIONS
See Emulsion Paint.
WATER IMMERSION
An exposure condition in which the coating is in
direct contact with water, such as a tank lining
coating, boat hull coating etc.
WATER PAINT
Any paint or coating of which the binder is a
water-soluble, film forming material.
WATER REDUCIBLE ALKYD
A modified alkyd using water as a large portion
of the volatile phase. The dry film properties are
somewhat similar to standard alkyd coatings,
but there is a reduction in the release of
V.O.C.s.
WATER REPELLANT
A material that forms a barrier or lowers the
surface tension of a substrate for the purpose of
reducing water penetration. Most water
repellents are low solids materials unable to fill
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the surfaces they are applied to and can fail due to
hydrostatic pressure or wind driven rain.
WATER SOLUBLE RESIN
True water-soluble resins are in limited use in coatings
other than the cellulose ethers that are used as
thickening agents in latex emulsion coatings.
WATER SPOTTING
Spotty changes in the color or gloss of a paint film
caused by the contact of drops, condensation etc. of
water on the surface. Depending on the coating type,
water spotting can take place anytime during the cure
and will likely be permanent if occurring in the early
stages of drying. See MPI’s Identifiers.
WATER STAIN
1) Coloring matter dissolved in water used in staining
woods.
2) A water soluble discoloration extracted (by water)
from or through a surface.
WATER WHITE
A liquid or material that has a transparent appearance
with no tone or color. A high grade of lacquer that
shows little amber tone.
WATER-BASED PAINT
Paint made with acrylic, vinyl or other latex resin types,
and thinned with water.
1) Emulsion Paint – a paint whose vehicle is a stable
emulsion of binder in water. The binder may be oil,
oleoresinous varnish, resin or other emulsifiable
binder.
2) Latex Paint – a paint whose vehicle is a stable
aqueous dispersion of a solid, high molecular weight
resin produced by emulsion polymerization.
WATERBORNE COATING
Coating containing water-soluble emulsified or
dispersed binders. Also known as water based coatings
and water reducible coatings.
WATERCOLOR
A water-based paint that is a transparent, or
translucent, wash of pigment. Usually made from colors
suspended in gum Arabic and usually used on a light
colored basecoat. Highlights may be attained by
thinning the paint with water so the ground coat shows
through.
WAX
Any of a group of substances from various sources
consisting essentially of high molecular weight
hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that is generally
solid at room temperature. Wax is insoluble in water but
soluble in organic solvents and is used in coatings for
mar resistance and improving sanding and water
repellency.
WAX BLEEDING
Randomly distributed blotches or spots from
wax used in the manufacturing process,
causing discoloration and/or gloss variance.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
WEATHER ETCH
A method of improving the adhesion to a
galvanized metal substrate by allowing it to
weather naturally before painting.
WEATHER RESISTANCE
The ability of a coating to withstand the effects
of wind, rain, sun and temperature fluctuation,
and retain its appearance and integrity.
WEATHERING
The physical response of paint films when
exposed to natural or accelerated weathering.
Characterized by changes in color, gloss,
flexibility, chemical composition or other
properties.
WEATHERING TESTING
See also Accelerated Weathering.
WEEP HOLE
A small opening at the base of an exterior,
hollow wall designed to allow the draining of
accumulated moisture from condensation or
leakage.
WELD SLAG
Amorphous deposits formed during welding.
WELD SPLATTER
Beads of metal left adjoining a weld.
WELDABLE PRIMER
A coating material that is applied to an
unpainted metal substrate for temporary
protection against corrosion and that does not
have to be removed prior to welding.
WELDING PRIMER
See Weldable Primer.
WET ABRASIVE BLASTING
A surface preparation method where water is
injected into the abrasion flow through a wet
blast head attached to the sandblasting nozzle
or applied externally to the abrasive stream as it
exits the blast nozzle. Wet abrasive blasting is
used where it is desirable to create less dust
than abrasive blast cleaning. On metal,
corrosion inhibitors may be added to the water
or used in a follow-up rinse solution to prevent
the formation of flash rust.
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Page 93
WET ADHESION
The ability of dry paint to adhere to the surface, in spite
of wet conditions that occur after application.
WHITE COAT
A gauged, lime putty or Keenes cement trowel
coat that may contain a fine aggregate.
WET EDGE
The boundary of an applied paint to which further paint
can be added without visible lapping.
WHITE LEAD
Compounds of lead once used as white
pigments in many types of paint. See also Lead
Carbonate, Lead Sulfate.
WET FILM THICKNESS (WFT)
The thickness of a liquid film immediately after
application.
WET FILM THICKNESS GAUGE
A measuring device used to determine the thickness of
a wet film of paint. Two main types are the flat stepped
gap type for general use and the roller type used on
smooth, flat surfaces. See also Film Thickness Gauge.
WET ON WET
A technique whereby the second application is applied
before the first is dry, and the composite film dries as a
whole. Often used in automotive and furniture finishing
where greater film build is desired using low solids
coatings. Seldom used in architectural coatings.
WET STORAGE STAIN
White corrosion products that form on zinc coated
articles. See White Rust.
WET-EDGE TIME
The period of time during which the physical condition
at the boundary of the wet edge film of a coating
material allows the same product to be applied to an
adjacent live edge area and to be blended imperceptibly
with the existing film. The time that an applied coating
remains “open” in order to avoid visible lapping.
WETTING
The ability of a vehicle to spread uniformly and rapidly
over the surface of pigment particles and penetrate and
separate pigment clusters. This assists in the grinding
or dispersion of pigments. Paint with good wetting
properties provides better surface wetting and therefore
better adhesion.
WETTING AGENT
Chemical compounds used in solutions, emulsions or
mixtures to reduce the surface tension and give greater
ease of dispersion and stability to the solution or to
improve the wetting of the substrate to which it is
applied.
WETTING OILS
Products promoting adhesion of applied coatings when
all mill scale and/or rust is not removed.
WHITE LIGHT
Describes all the various wavelengths on the
electromagnetic spectrum between 400 and
700 millimicrons, that compose visible light.
WHITE METAL BLAST CLEANING
Removal of all visible rust, mill scale, paint, and
foreign matter by abrasive blast cleaning by
wheel or nozzle (dry or wet). This standard
provides a greater degree of cleaning than
Near-White Blast Cleaning. For detailed
information, see SSPC-SP 5 White Metal Blast
Cleaning.
WHITE RUST
The white corrosion products found on zinc
coated or galvanized surfaces that are
predominantly zinc hydroxide and zinc oxide.
The white oxide deposits on aluminum are
sometimes also referred to as ‘White Rust’.
Also known as Wet Storage Stain. See MPI’s
Identifiers.
WHITENING
A change in the appearance of dried varnish,
lacquer or enamel film upon exposure to water,
ranging from a bloom or blush-like effect to a
chalky or milk-like appearance. This condition
may or may not be permanent.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
WHITES
Painter’s white overalls. Now either overalls or
a combination of a white shirt and white pants.
Traditionally, the working apparel of choice for
doctors, nurses, barbers, painters, etc. as a
symbol of purity (i.e. cleanliness).
WHITEWASH
Cheap type of flat-water paint based on lime, or
whiting, loosely bound with casein, or like
water-dispersible, binder. See also Tom
Sawyer.
WFT
See Wet Film Thickness.
WHITING
An inert, white amorphous pigment composed
principally of calcium carbonate. Used
extensively for making putty, and as an
extender in paints.
WHEEL ABRADING (WHEEL BLAST CLEANING)
See Centrifugal Blast.
WICKING
The absorption of a liquid by capillary action.
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WIND BREAK
Roughness formed in the surface of a coating by
currents of air blowing over it while drying.
WIPED FINISH
A decorative effect obtained by wiping a wet coat of
glaze, scumble, or paint from the raised portions of a
surface, exposing the ground color in these areas and
leaving the glaze, etc., in the hollows and recessed
parts.
WIPING STAIN
Pigmented oil stain applied then wiped with a soft cloth
to remove the excess before drying.
WIRE BRUSH CLEANING
Cleaning a surf ace with a wire brush, including both
hand wire brushing (SSPC SP-2) and power wire
brushing (SSPC SP-3).
WIRE EDGE JOINT
A wallpaper joint made by trimming both selvages of
consecutive pieces and lapping one slightly over the
other. See also Wall Covering Seam.
WITHERING
A loss of gloss often caused by varnishing open-pore
woods without filling pores, use of improper
undercoating and applying topcoat before undercoat
has dried.
WOOD ALCOHOL
An alcohol produced from the destructive distillation of
wood waste. Wood alcohol is very toxic through
inhalation of the fumes, ingestion or absorption through
the skin. Also known as methanol, methyl hydrate and
methyl alcohol.
WOOD FILLERS
Manufactured in two types: paste and liquid.
1) Paste fillers are very thick and composed of a solid
powdered substance like silica or powdered quartz,
and a large amount of pigment mixed with a binder,
and thinned with solvent. Paste fillers are applied by
knife or trowel to fill cracks, holes, etc.
2) Liquid fillers are lower solids materials that are
flowable and can be applied by brush or spray to fill
pores in open grain woods.
WOOD GRAINING
Reproductions, imitations or simulations of realistic,
infinitely-varied wood grain created with special colors
of paint, colored stain or scumble glaze and specialized
tools including bristle brushes, graining combs and
graining rollers (originally made of wood, although now
metal and even plastic. This warm effect is normally
replicated of very specific woods, although sometimes
are just representations of wood grain. Unlike marble,
wood results from nature’s pattern of growth where the
rings of the natural tree become the grain that generally
runs somewhat parallel (although some opposing
checked effects run across the grain in some woods).
Graining is normally at least three coats. The
base coat(s) is a usually flat and wood-toned.
The grain coat is without flow, and is semitransparent or opaque and darker than the base
coat – this is where the grain pattern is
established. The topcoat(s) are generally clear,
pigment-free coat(s) to protect the artistic effect.
WOOD TURPENTINE
Turpentine made by steam distilling pine chips
and stumps rather than distilling gum from live
trees. See also Gum Turpentine.
WORKABILITY
The characteristic of a paint, varnish or lacquer
of being easily applied to a surface.
WRAPPING
The effect of an electrostatic coating applied to
a conductive substrate that causes the coating
to cover all exposed areas, including edges and
sides. Also known as the wrap around effect.
WRINKLE FINISH
A coating designed to produce a controlled
wrinkled or ridged effect.
WRINKLING
A painted surface which seems to have a
leather-like texture. The development of
wrinkles in a film during drying is often due to
the initial formation of a surface skin because of
excessive surface drier or film thickness or from
painting over an insufficiently dried first coat.
See MPI’s Identifiers.
WRIST ACTION
Moving the wrist without arcing the forearm.
X
XENON
A light source used in the coatings industry for
testing the UV (or sunlight) resistance of
exterior paints and varnishes. A light source
used in a xenon accelerated weathering device.
XYLENE (XYLOL)
A thin, clear, aromatic hydrocarbon solvent
used in fast dry coatings, baking enamels,
machinery enamels and primers and as a
diluent for lacquers. Xylene has a higher boiling
point and a slower evaporation rate than
toluene or benzene. Also known as xylol,
dimethyl benzene.
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Y
imparts some opacity to films but not as much
as titanium dioxide and is often used as an
auxiliary mildewcide in exterior paints.
YACHT VARNISH
An extremely durable exterior varnish. See Marine
Varnish.
YELLOW IRON OXIDE
A group of earthy yellow, inorganic pigments with high
hiding, excellent color fastness and good chemical
resistance, but can show poor gloss retention in certain
binders. Yellow oxide pigments are available in
synthetic and natural grades of varying purity and
shade.
YELLOWING
The development of a yellow color or cast in paints,
lacquers or varnishes. Oil and oil/alkyd based coatings
are known to yellow over time. This can be from aging
(even if unexposed to ultraviolet rays) or oxidative
attack on the organic binder or smoke / fumes.
Yellowing can also occur when alkyds are applied in
areas where they are exposed to ammonium or chlorine
fumes (e.g. where latexes containing ammonium
hydroxide are also being applied). See MPI’s
Identifiers.
Z
ZAHN CUP
A series of specific volume cups, with a calibrated hole
on the bottom of each, that are used to determine the
flowing viscosity of liquid paints. The cup is dipped or
filled with the test paint then drained through the orifice.
The time to empty the cup is used to rate the viscosity.
ZINC CHROMATE
There are two types of zinc chromate pigments: zinc
chromate (4ZnO 4CrO3 K2O 3H2O) and basic zinc
chromate (ZnCrO4 4Zn(OH)2). Both types have been
widely used as anti-corrosive pigments in primers for
steel and aluminum. Also known as zinc yellow.
ZINC DUST
Finely divided zinc metal, gray in color. Used chiefly in
organic and inorganic based zinc rich metal primers.
These types of primers use a sacrificial passivation
effect on the surface of clean ferrous metals and are
widely used in corrosive environments.
ZINC PHOSPHATE PRIMER
A coating material containing zinc phosphate
pigment for application to steel to inhibit
corrosion.
ZINC PHOSPHATE TREATMENT
A treatment using phosphoric acid, saturated
with zinc phosphate, to etch and then deposit a
tight coating of zinc phosphate crystals onto the
surface of steel. This treatment improves the
corrosion resistance and the adhesion of
coatings. Also known as zinc phosphatizing.
ZINC RICH PRIMER
An anti-corrosive primer for iron and steel
incorporating zinc dust in a concentration
sufficient to give electrical conductivity in the
dried film, thus enabling the zinc metal to corrode
preferentially to the substrate, giving cathodic
protection.
ZINC SILICATE PRIMER
An inorganic zinc-rich primer that contains a
silicate binder.
ZINC STEARATE
A non-opaque pigment used as a sanding aid in
sandable sealers. Oil modified urethane
coatings should not be used over sealers or
primers containing zinc stearate, as the
adhesion can be poor.
ZINC SULPHIDE
(ZnS) A white pigment used prior to the
development of titanium dioxide as an
opacifying pigment in paint. Zinc sulfate is now
most often used in combination with barium
sulfide. This combination is called lithopone and
is widely used in paints in Europe and Latin
America.
ZINC YELLOW
See Zinc Chromate.
ZIRCONIUM NAPTHENATE
A zirconium based drier used to replace lead in
oil and alkyd based paints and varnishes.
ZINC NAPTHENATE
A zinc metal complex sometimes used as a drier
catalyst in oil or oil/alkyd paints, though mostly as a
fungicidal and insecticidal treatment for wood.
ZINC OXIDE
(ZnO) A white pigment composed of oxidized zinc metal
produced in two forms: the French Process from the
oxidation of vaporized zinc metal and the American
Process from the oxidation of zinc ore. Zinc oxide
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