GLOSSARY 

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A 

ABATEMENT

Involves either removal of the painted surface, covering the painted surface with an impermeable surface, or covering surface with heavy-duty coating (encapsulant). 

ABRASION

The process by which coating surfaces are worn away by rubbing, scraping, or erosion. 

ABRASION RESISTANCE

The ability of a coating to resist being worn away and to maintain its original appearance and structure when subjected to rubbing, scraping, or erosion. This property is related more to the toughness of the coating than to its hardness. 

ABRASIVE

A material used for wearing away a surface by rubbing. Examples of abrasives are: powdered pumice, rottenstone, sandpaper, steel wool. These materials are used for smoothing rough surfaces before painting. 

ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING

Abrasive blast cleaning uses an abrasive propelled by air pressure, centrifugal force, or water pressure to clean and usually to profile a surface. Stand-off distance, angle of attack, and dwell time are the three most important variables under the control of the operator that can affect the quality and effectiveness of the blast cleaning. 

ABRASIVE BREAKDOWN RATE

The rate at which abrasive particles become too small to be reused after a certain number of impacts (blasting cycles). 

ABRASIVE PAD

A web of nylon fibres imbedded with abrasive material in different sizes and densities. These pads can be used to remove dried soil, debris, and loose paint from all types of surfaces, as well as loose rust and loose mill scale from steel. 

ABRASIVE, BLAST CLEANING

Blast cleaning abrasives are particles of controlled mesh sizes propelled by compressed air, water, or centrifugal force to clean and roughen a surface.  

ABSTRACT

A pattern or motif not based on natural forms, such as an abstract pattern of wall covering.

ACCENT

Any bright object or colour that draws attention. Accents often are used in decorating. 

ACID ETCHING

A method of preparing concrete floors for painting. An acid etching solution usually is made up of diluted hydrochloric acid (5 to 10 percent), diluted phosphoric acid (20 to 25 percent), or citric acid. These solutions can clean and remove dirt and other impurities from the concrete as well as provide a surface texture to improve the coating adhesion. 

ACRYLIC RESIN

A synthetic resin, made from derivatives of acrylic acid and related compounds, with excellent colour and clarity. Widely used in latex and solvent-thinned coatings. 

ADDITIVE

A substance added in very small quantities to a coating formulation. Additives are used to adjust, enhance, and improve the emulsion, suspension, drying, application, weathering, or other properties of a coating. 

ADHESION

The degree of attraction between a coating and a substrate or between two coats of paint that are held together by interfacial forces consisting of chemical and/or mechanical action.  

ADVANCING COLOUR

A colour that gives an illusion of being close or advancing to the observer. Warm colours such as red or orange are considered advancing colours. 

AERIAL LIFT

An aerial lift is used to raise a worker from the ground to an elevated job site. 

AEROSOL

A product that uses compressed gas to spray the coating from its container. Note: Aerosol paint products have not contained chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) since 1978. 

AGITATOR

Mechanical device used for mixing or stirring. 

AGRICULTURAL VARNISH

Varnish designed especially to protect and beautify farm implements and machinery. Such materials are exposed to severe conditions and must be highly resistant to moisture, dust, friction, intense sunlight, and high temperature. 

AIR ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING

A process that uses compressed air to propel abrasive particles against the surface to be cleaned. The term "open blast cleaning" indicates that a localized containment does not surround the blast stream. 

AIR-ASSISTED AIRLESS SPRAYING

This paint application system is a modification of the airless spraying system. It uses pressurized air at the edges of the airless spray pattern to more fully atomise paint spray. Consequently, a lower airless spray pressure can be used to achieve proper paint atomisation. 

AIR DRY (CURE)

The process of curing or drying a coating at ordinary room conditions. 

AIR ENTRAPMENT

Inclusion of air bubbles in wet or dry paint film. 

AIR SPRAYING

A coating application method using a nozzle to direct compressed air to atomize the liquid paint stream. 

AIR VOLUME

Quantity of air measured in cubic feet (usually per minute) at normal atmospheric pressure. 

AIRLESS SPRAYING

A coating application system that uses hydraulic pressure instead of air to atomise the paint. Atomisation is achieved by forcing the paint at high pressure (2,000 to 3,000 p.s.i.) through a spray nozzle with a small orifice (opening). 

ALCOHOL SOLVENT

A solvent with high polarity and a strong affinity for water. Alcohol solvents used in paints include ethanol, isopropanol, and n-butanol.  Methanol is used mainly in paint removers. 

ALIPHATIC SOLVENT

Hydrocarbon solvent composed primarily of open chain hydrocarbons derived from paraffin-based crude oil. These solvents have poor to moderate solvency for all but oil-based coatings. Among the typical aliphatic solvents are mineral spirits, naphtha, hexane, and heptane.  

ALKALI

A substance that neutralizes acids, such as lye, soda, lime, etc. Alkali’s or strong alkaline solutions are highly destructive to oil paint films. 
 

ALKALINE CLEANER

A cleaner that saponifies certain oils and greases and their surface-active constituents and washes away other types of contaminants. Trisodium phosphate is a commonly used alkaline cleaner. 

ALKALINE PAINT STRIPPER

A paint stripper comprised of relatively diluted concentrations of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), potassium hydroxide, and other highly alkaline materials, often in combination with solvents and detergents to aid in removing paint. These strippers are effective only on oleo-resinous-type coatings. It can take several hours for the alkali to attack and break down the paint resin. 

ALKYD RESIN

Synthetic resin made from polyhydric alcohols and polybasic acids; generally modified with other resins, fatty oils, or fatty acids. Alkyd resins are a specific type of polyester resins and may be regarded as complex esters. These resins are used in paints, varnishes, and lacquers.  

ALL-OVER DESIGN

Floral, foliage, or scroll patterns, as distinguished from stripes and textures that cover an entire wallcovering without any particular feature standing out prominently. 

ALLIGATORING

A paint surface defect that forms cracks resembling the hide of an alligator. 

ALUMINUM LEAF

Aluminum in very thin sheets or flakes. 

ALUMINUM PAINT

A coating consisting of a mixture of metallic aluminum pigment in powder or paste form, dispersed in a suitable vehicle. 

ALUMINUM PASTE

Metallic aluminum flake pigment in paste form, consisting of aluminum, solvent, and various additives. The metallic aluminum pigment can be in the form of very small, coated leaves or amorphous powder, known by the respective designations of "leafing" and "nonleafing."  

AMBIENT TEMPERATURE

The temperature of the surrounding area or environment. 

AMIDE

Compound containing oxygen and amino (NH2) groupings that is used as a curing agent for epoxy resins. 

AMINE

Organic substituted ammonia; an organic compound having an NH3 group thet is used as a curing agent for epoxy resins. 

ANALOGOUS

Similar or comparable in many respects; adjacent colours on a colour wheel. 

ANCHORAGE

The mechanical effect of paint "keying" itself into the surface to which it has been applied. 

ANGLE BLASTING

Blast cleaning with the angle between the blast stream and the surface being significantly less than 90 degrees. 

ANGLE OF ATTACK

The angle of the blast stream to the surface. For general blast cleaning, 60 to 70 degrees is a good angle of attack. Rust, mill scale, and heavily pitted surfaces require a head-on (80- to 90-degree) angle of attack. Old paint will peel away at a 45- to 60-degree angle of attack. 

ANTI-CORROSIVE PAINT

Metal paint designed to inhibit corrosion and rusting of iron and steel. 

ANTI-FOAMING AGENT

Additive used to control or prevent formation of foams during the manufacture or application of coatings. 

ANTI-FOULING PAINT

The final coat of paint applied to the hull of a ship below the water line. The paint usually is formulated to release noxious or poisonous substances at a controlled rate to prevent the growth of barnacles, algae, and other organisms on ships’ bottoms. 

ANTIQUE FINISH

A finish or finishing technique that gives furniture, walls, and exterior surfaces the appearance of age or wear. 

ANTI-SKINNING AGENT

Any material added to a coating to prevent or retard the processes of oxidation or polymerisation that result in the formation of an insoluble skin on the surface of the coating in a container. 

APPLICATION

Any process by which a coating is applied to a surface. 

APPLICATOR

A tool for applying coatings. 

APPRENTICE PAINTER

One engaged in learning the painting trade. 

ARCHITECTURAL COATING

Protective and decorative finish intended for on-site application at ambient temperatures. 

ARCHITECTURAL ENAMEL

Enamel designed for use on interior trim; may be gloss or semi-gloss. 

ARCING

Swinging a spray gun away from perpendicular to the surface being coated. This causes the coating to be applied thinner at the end of a spray pass than at the centre. 

AROMATIC SOLVENT

Hydrocarbon solvent made of a compound that contains an unsaturated ring of carbon atoms, typified by the benzene ring structure. These solvents have a greater solvency than aliphatic solvents. Xylene (xylol), toluene (toluol), and high flash naphtha are aromatic solvents used in coatings. 

ASPHALT MASTIC

A mixture of sand, crushed limestone, and fibre bound with asphalt that produces a thick film coating. 

ASPHALT VARNISH

Asphalt varnish is composed of asphalt pitch that is heat-treated with Gilsonite and thinned with mineral spirits or naphtha. Varying degrees of flexibility and toughness are obtained by varying the ratio of pitch to Gilsonite. 

ATOMIZE

Break a stream of liquid into small particles, such as a spray nozzle does to paint during application.