process used to clean a surface or create a profile with abrasive media such as sand, steel shot, beads, glass, soda or walnut shells
acclimatize
bringing a product to ambient temperature before use
acrylic latex paint
water-thinned paint which employs synthetic acrylic resin as the majority of the binder
airless spraying
process of atomization of paint by forcing it through an orifice at high pressure; the effect is often aided by the vaporization of the solvents, especially if the paint has been previously heated
alkyd paint
paint which contains a synthetic alcohol-based resin; alkyd paint must be thinned and cleaned with solvent or paint thinner; it can be used in place of oil-based paints
alligatoring
paint film cracking that makes the surface look like alligator skin
angled sash brush
angled brush used for cutting-in
back priming
applying a coat of paint to the back of woodwork or exterior siding to prevent moisture from entering the wood and causing the grain to swell or wood to warp
backing rod
foam plastic rod inserted in a joint to be sealed to regulate the depth of sealant
bleach
product creating a chemical process to lighten wood finishes and/or to create a uniform colour of wood
blistering
forming of bubbles or pimples on the painted surface; blistering is caused by moisture in the substrate, by paint having been applied before the previous coat was dry, and by excessive heat during or after application
blooming
a cloudy, waxy, powdery, or hazy deposit appearing on the surface of a dried enamel or varnish film immediately after the film has dried and affecting the gloss of the film
blushing
a defect that occurs during the drying or curing process because of condensation of moisture occurring on a coating surface and visible as water spot.
box
pouring two or more paints together to mix in order to achieve a consistent colour and viscosity
broad knife
flexible bladed knife used to apply fillers
catalyst
additive added to base to chemically activate the paint or coating for the purpose of curing
checking
kind of paint failure in which many small cracks appear on the surface of the paint
corner bead
metal, paper or plastic covering protecting and reinforcing corners of drywall
cracking
splitting of a dry paint or varnish film, usually a result of aging or movement of the substrate; different forms are hair-line cracking, checking, crazing, grain cracking, or alligatoring
doffing
taking off (an item of clothing or personal protective equipment [PPE]). When doffing PPE, it is important to protect self and others from contamination.
donning
putting on (an item of clothing or personal protective equipment (PPE)). When donning PPE, it is important to protect self and others from contamination.
draw down
sample panel created by applying paint being used in order to visualize finished product for comparison and approval
drier
paint ingredient that aids the drying or hardening of the film
efflorescence
deposit of salts that remains on the surface of masonry, brick or plaster when water has evaporated
eggshell
gloss range between flat and semi-gloss; sheen closely resembles the lustre of an eggshell; note that eggshell is a degree of gloss, not a colour
elastomeric
flexible high performance coating used to bridge fractures in concrete or stucco
electrostatic spraying
paint spraying process using electrically charged particles in the paint and a grounded substrate to significantly reduce overspray
emulsion
preparation where minute particles of one liquid such as oil are suspended in another such as water; used for poly-mix paint in spraying techniques
enamel
paint that forms an especially smooth, hard film; enamels may be obtained in a full range of glosses and can be either latex, alkyd or oil epoxy product made from synthetic resin derived from petroleum; epoxies, which are generally cured by catalysts, are perhaps the most durable of all coatings
etching
to wear away or roughen a substrate with an acid or other chemical agent or with a fine abrasive prior to painting to increase adhesion
faux finish
technique used to change surfaces into appearing to be of a different material; for instance, to make a wall look like granite, marble or a wood grain
feathering
process used to blend a small area into its surroundings after spot-priming, applying filler or sanding off edges of old paint
filler
ready-mixed paste or powder used for repairing small holes and cracks in the surface to be painted
film thickness
depth or thickness of the dry coating in millimetres
fire retardant
coating which will reduce flame spread, resist ignition when exposed to high temperature, or insulate the substrate and delay damage to the substrate
fish eyes
paint film defect caused by contaminants such as oil or water deposits
flash point
temperature at which a coating or solvent produces vapours that are capable of being ignited
flashing
paint film defect caused by inadequate coverage or uneven absorption
flat paint
paint with no gloss even when the surface is viewed from an angle; flat finish has even less gloss than an eggshell finish; flat paint is less durable than higher gloss paint
galvanic action
corrosion caused by dissimilar metals being in contact with each other
gilding
applying metal leaf (gold, palladium, brass, aluminum) for decorative effects
glaze
transparent or translucent coatings applied over a painted surface to produce blended effects of their colours
gloss
ability of the finished surface to reflect light in a mirror-like manner; the higher the gloss, the more scrubbable and durable the finish; degrees of gloss include flat, velvet, eggshell, low lustre, semi-gloss and high gloss
graining
simulating the grain of wood by means of specially prepared colours or stains and the use of graining tools or special brushing techniques
grout
fluid mortar mixture consisting of cement and water with or without aggregate
hoarding
tall screen or fence used to screen off and contain a construction site or work area
holiday tester
specialty tool used to detect pinholes and flaws in coatings on conductive substrates
honeycomb (bug holes)
concrete that, due to lack of the proper amount of fines or vibration, contains abundant interconnected voids or cavities
hot spots
incompletely cured lime spots that bleed through the coating on a plastered wall
induction time
time interval that must elapse after mixing the components of a multi-component paint before application can begin; also known as sweat-in time
intumescent coating
fire retardant coating which, when heated, becomes plastic and produces non-flammable gasses, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia; the gasses are trapped by the film, converting it to an expanding foam; at this stage, the film solidifies, resulting in a thick, highly insulating layer of carbon, which effectively protects the substrate from fire
knock-down
a technique used to flatten the top of textured finishes for a unique look
lacquer
clear or pigmented coating that dries quickly by evaporation of solvent; transparent protective film; can be matte, eggshell or gloss
latex
water-based paint product; latex has more permeability than oils and it eliminates odour and dangers associated with organic solvents; latex is fast-drying, has good colour retention, is more resistant to blistering and cleans up easily
lifting
raising and lifting of the surface as a result of the softening and penetration of a previous film by solvents in the paint being applied over it
marbling
technique used on surfaces to give appearance of marble
“maintain a wet edge”
process of stroking or rolling the paint from dry areas back into wet areas to ensure a coat of paint always blends back into itself
masonry
mineral-based building material such as cement, mortar, stone, brick and stucco
mildewcide
chemical agent, often included in exterior paints and caulks, that discourages mildew growth on the paint surface
mill scale
coating on new steel created by the hot roll process; after weathering, it appears flaky and scaly; must be removed before applying coating
muriatic acid
chemical used to etch and neutralize concrete substrates prior to applying paints and coatings; it is a diluted solution of hydrochloric acid
oil paint
paint which is oil-based and can be diluted with solvent; paint that contains drying oil, oil varnish or oil-modified resin as the film-forming ingredient
orange peel
film having the texture of an orange
peeling
detachment of paint from the surface in ribbons or sheets; like flaking, it is the result of loss of adhesion and film integrity; peeling can be intercoat, or down to the substrate
pigment
finely ground, natural or synthetic, inorganic or organic, insoluble dispersed particles (powder) which, when dispersed in a liquid vehicle to make paint, may provide, in addition to colour, many of the essential properties of the paint : opacity, hardness, durability, and corrosion resistance; the term is used to include extenders, as well as white or colour pigments; the distinction between powders which are pigments and those which are dyes is generally considered to be on the basis of solubility: pigments being insoluble and dispersed in the material, dyes being soluble or in solution when used
plural component coating
coating that is applied using a method that proportions and mixes two or more components of a paint material in the process of delivering them to a spray gun
polyurethane
coatings ranging from hard glossy enamels to soft, flexible coatings; with thorough surface preparation, polyurethanes provide good to very good adhesion, hardness, flexibility and resistance to UV damage
pot life
period during which a catalyzed paint can be applied after it has been mixed
primer
coating applied to a substrate for the purpose of sealing, adhesion of subsequent coats, and corrosion control
primer sealer
priming system that minimizes or prevents the penetration of coats into the substrate
putty knife
flat-bladed, narrow metal tool for filling cracks and holes
rag-rolling
method of producing decorative, broken-colour effects by rolling a piece of crumpled fabric or paper over the wet surface
recoat time
minimum and/or maximum period of time between applications of coats of paint
reinforcing mesh
mesh used to reinforce surface by being embedded in paint or coatings
resin
natural or synthetic material that is the main ingredient of paint; it binds the ingredients together and improves the coat’s adhesion to the surface
runs and sags
blemishes on the film caused by excessive flow of the coating, applying too heavy a coat of paint or thinning the paint too much
saponification
a type of paint failure caused by the breakdown of the bonds within a paint due to alkaline conditions and moisture resulting in weakness and uncovering of the paint, exposing the underlying material.
satin finish
gloss range between eggshell and semi-gloss
sealer
coating used to prevent excessive absorption of subsequent coats into a porous surface or to prevent stains from bleeding out of the substrate
seam roller
small wooden or plastic roller for use on wallpaper edges
semi-gloss
degree of gloss that is glossier than low lustre but not as glossy as high gloss
shellac
natural resin, usually in the form of thin flakes, derived from a resinous substance called lac; shellac is used to seal and finish floors, knots, etc.
size
liquid composition that prevents excessive absorption of paint or wallpaper adhesive into plaster, wallboard, or a similar porous interior surface
sling psychrometer
a device used with standardized tables and charts to measure physical and thermal properties of moist air.
solvent
any liquid that can dissolve a resin; generally refers to the liquid portion of paints and coatings that lowers the viscosity of paints and coatings and evaporates as the paint and coating dries
spackling compound
powder mixed with water or ready-mix compound that is primarily used to fill large cracks in walls; it dries hard and can be sanded and painted, but does not tolerate much movement in the substrate
spalling
cracking, breaking or splintering of concrete and masonry surfaces usually due to heat
spot-priming
application of primer to spots that require additional protection or repair
stain coating
solution designed to colour a surface (wood or concrete) without hiding it; solid colour and latex stains are available; stains may be latex or oil-based
stripper
chemical compound in gel or liquid form used to remove old or damaged paint
substrate
surface that is being painted, coated, blasted, etc.
synthetic brush
paint brush with filaments that are made from a non-absorbent plastic material such as polyester or nylon, rather than animal hair; synthetic brushes are usually used for latex paint
thinner
liquid used to adjust viscosity or to modify other properties of paint, varnish and lacquer; thinner is used to thin and clean up paint
trisodium phosphate (TSP)
cleaning agent; after the TSP has been dissolved in water, the solution is used in surface preparation; TSP is used to remove gloss, dirt and grease from surfaces
undercoat
coat of paint applied beneath the topcoat
urethane
product resulting in a tough, chemical-resistant finish
varnish
clear finish in either matte, gloss or satin finish; broadly speaking, a translucent liquid which, when applied to a surface in a thin film, dries to a hard and more or less transparent finish
viscosity
degree of resistance to flow of paint, varnish, or other liquids; viscosity is often referred to as consistency; the higher the viscosity, the thicker the fluid; the lower the viscosity, the thinner the fluid
volatile organic compound (VOC)
hazardous additive in paint; any carbon compound that evaporates under standard test conditions; essentially, all paint solvents except water are VOCs
wet edge time
length of time during which a paint can be brushed before it becomes too dry to flow out and blend together
wood filler
filler for wood repairs
wood graining
paint effect used to imitate the grain of real wood
wood veneer
very thin sheet of finely grained or coloured woods used to decorate panels on doors and wainscoting, and to form bands or other patterns, which is a form of inlay, and also for covering the whole surface of more common or stronger woods