GLOSSARY 

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C 

CAKING

Hard settling of pigment from paint in an unopened container during storage. 

CALCIMINE

A water-thinned paint composed essentially of calcium carbonate or clay, and glue. Sometimes spelled kalsomine. 

CATALYST

A reaction promoter. A substance that induces, alters, or accelerates a chemical reaction. A catalyst is unchanged by the reaction it creates. In the paint industry, catalysts accelerate the cure of paint films. A negative catalyst (inhibitor, retarder) slows down a chemical reaction. 

CATALYTIC CURING

Mechanism by which a coating is cross-linked by the action of a catalyst as opposed to oxidation, etc. Examples of such a system are two-part epoxies and polyurethane’s. 

CATALYZED EPOXY COATING

A coating based on an epoxy resin, e.g., epoxy/amine or epoxy/polyamide. 

CATHODIC PROTECTION

A technique to reduce the corrosion rate of a metal surface by making it a cathode of an electrochemical cell. 

CAULK

Flexible (semi-drying or slow-drying) compound used to seal joints or fill crevices around windows, chimneys, etc., before or after painting.  

CAULKING COMPOUND

Soft, plastic material, consisting of pigment and vehicle, used for sealing joints in buildings and other structures where normal structural movement may occur. 

CEILING JOIST

Wood or metal horizontal framing member used for hanging drywall panels on a ceiling. 

CEMENT-BASED PAINT

A paint composed of portland cement, lime, pigment, and other modifying ingredients. It is sold as dry powder and mixed with water for application.

CENTRIFUGAL BLAST CLEANING

A blast cleaning process (usually enclosed) that uses rotating, motor-driven, bladed wheels to hurl abrasive (usually steel shot, steel grit, or a shot/grit mixture) at the surface being cleaned.  

CFM (CUBIC FEET PER MINUTE)

A measurement of compressed air flow. 

CHAIR RAIL

A wooden moulding strip placed on the walls of a room at chair-back height as protection against damage when chairs are positioned against the walls. 

CHALKING

Formation of a friable powder on the surface of a paint film because of the disintegration of the binding medium due to weathering. 

CHALKING RESISTANCE

The ability of a pigmented coating to resist chalking. 

CHEMICAL STRIPPING

The use of paint remover or chemical stripping material to soften existing paint for removal by scraping and/or flushing. 

CHINTZ PAPER

In wallcovering, a paper reproducing a printed cotton drapery material. It usually is printed in brightly coloured designs. 

CHIPPING

Cleaning steel by removing paint or rust and scale, using a special "chipping" hammer. 

CHIPPING HAMMER

A hand tool used to remove layers of loose rust, loose paint, and loose mill scale from steel surfaces. 

CHIPPING RESISTANCE

The ability of a coating or layers of coatings to resist total or partial removal, usually in small pieces, resulting from impact by hard objects or from wear during service. 

CHLORINATED RUBBER RESIN

Synthetic resin made by chlorinating rubber or other polymers under specified conditions. Unlike rubber, the resulting product is readily soluble and yields solutions of low viscosity. 
 

CHLORINATED SOLVENT

Powerful organic solvent that contains chlorine atoms as part of the molecular structure. 

CHROMA

Intensity or depth of colour. The quality of a colour that relates to its concentration. 

CLEAR COATING

A transparent protective and/or decorative film; generally the final coat of sealer applied to automotive finishes. 

CLOTH RAG AND WIPER

Material used with water, detergent, or solvent before any other method of surface preparation to remove dirt, grease, oil, mud, markings, and other washable contaminants from all types of surfaces. 

CLOSE-GRAIN WOOD

Wood having narrow annual growth rings. This results in small, closely spaced pores and fibres (e.g. birch, maple, etc.).  

CLOSED ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING

Compressed air or centrifugal blast cleaning done within a localized containment or enclosure that surrounds the abrasive stream. The enclosure is held to the surface to create a seal and is equipped with a vacuum to remove spent abrasive and debris simultaneously with the blasting operation.

COAL TAR

A black or dark brown, solid or semisolid, cementitious material that gradually liquefies when heated. 

COAL TAR EPOXY COATING

Coating with both coal tar and epoxy resin in the binder orvehicle. 

COAL TAR URETHANE COATING

Coating with both coal tar and polyurethane resin in the binder or vehicle. 

COALESCENCE

The mechanism of film formation that occurs when water evaporates from an emulsion or latex coating and permits contact and fusion of adjacent emulsion or latex particles; joining of particles into a film as the water evaporates. 

COALESCING SOLVENT (OR AGENT)

A solvent with a high boiling point that aids in film formation by temporarily softening the vehicle when it is added to a latex or emulsion coating. The coalescing solvent softens and melds the individual pigmented resin particles during the final stages of drying, enabling a relatively continuous coating film to be formed. 

COATED ABRASIVE

Abrasive material bonded to a backing material. 

COATING

Generic term for paint, lacquer, enamel, etc. 

COATING SYSTEM

A protective film consisting of one or more coats. 

COATING WORK

An all-inclusive term to define operations required to accomplish a complete coating job; construed to include materials, equipment, labour, preparation of surfaces, control of ambient conditions, application of coating systems, and inspection. 

COBWEBBING

Production of fine filaments (cobwebs) instead of the normal atomized particles during the spray application of a coating. 

COHESION

The propensity of a substance to adhere to itself. The force holding a substance together. 

COLD CRACKING

The crazing and cracking of a coating or wallcovering at cold temperatures or after repeated cycling between room temperature and cold temperatures. 

COLOUR

A term used variously to designate the colours of the spectrum. 

COLOURANT

Concentrated colour (dyes or pigments) that can be added to paints to make specific colours. 

COLOUR CHIP

A colour sample of paint applied to a small card.  

COLOURFASTNESS

The ability of a film of paint or varnish to show little change in original colour after being exposed to the weather. 

COLOUR PIGMENT

An inorganic or organic pigment that provides colour to a paint. 

COLOUR RETENTION

The ability of paint to keep its original colour. Major threats to colour retention are exposure to ultraviolet radiation and abrasion by weather or repeated cleaning. 

COLOUR RUN

The amount of rolls of wallcovering produced at any one time. A repeat run at another time probably will not exactly match the colours of the original run so it is given another run number.  

COMMERCIAL BLAST CLEANING

Moderate grade of blast cleaning. 

COMPANION WALLCOVERING

A set of two wallcoverings usually designed and coloured for use in the decoration of the same or adjoining rooms. The one may consist of a large bold pattern, the other a stripe or other semi-plain effect, both containing the same scheme of colouring; sometimes referred to as ensembles. 

COMPATIBLE

Paints are compatible when they are capable of being used together without detrimental effects.  

COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS

Two contrasting or opposite colours on the colour wheel that combine the use of the three primary colours.  

COMPLIANCE COATING

A coating whose volatile organic compound content does not exceed that allowed by regulation. 

CONCRETE

An homogeneous mixture of portland cement, aggregates, and water that may contain admixtures. 

CONSOLIDANT

A liquid wood epoxy that reinforces or restores damaged or disintegrated wood. 

CONSTRUCTION ADHESIVE

An adhesive used to form a strong bond between drywall panels and framing and to reduce the number of fasteners needed. 

CONTAINMENT

A method to limit dust, debris, paint chips, paint dust, spent abrasives, and over-spray from contaminating the environment. 
 

CONTAINMENT SYSTEM

A system that includes the containment structure, ventilation system, and, in some cases, dust collection equipment. 

COPAL

A natural resinous substance exuded from various tropical plants. Copals are collected from living trees and dug from ground deposits. 

CORE BOARD

A gypsum wallboard panel usually 1 inch thick covered with gray liner paper, designed to receive one or more successive layers of regular gypsum wallboard. 

CORNER BEAD

An angled metal strip with a slight protrusion, or bead, along the outside corner. The strip fits over the drywall corner where it is nailed into place and finished with joint compound. 

CORNICE HOOK

A steel device shaped like the top of a large question mark that hooks to a roof, parapet, or other structural support. Cornice hooks are used for rigging scaffolding.  

CORRELATED

Different types of merchandise systematically related in colour and design, as wallcovering with fabric or a series of wallcoverings designed to be used together. 

CORROSION

Deterioration of metal, concrete, or other materials by chemical or electrochemical reaction resulting from exposure to weather, oxygen, moisture, chemicals, or other agents in the environment in which it is placed. 

CORROSION-INHIBITIVE PIGMENT

A pigment that when made into a paint has the property of reducing the rate of corrosion of the substrate to which it is applied. 

COUPLINGS, AIR HOSE

Devices used to join hoses used in abrasive blasting. 

COVE CEILING

A ceiling that is rounded at the ceiling angle. 

COVERAGE

Ambiguous term used in some instances to refer to "hiding power" and in other cases to mean "spreading rate." 

CRACKING

In protective coatings, the formation of breaks in a coating film that extend through to the underlying surface.  More generally, the splitting of a dry paint film, usually as a result of aging or using a paint that, because of its composition, becomes hard and brittle. 

CRACKING RESISTANCE

The ability to resist cracks that extend through at least one coat of paint. 

CRACKLE

The formation of pronounced fissures in the topcoat of finishing material, showing the undercoat through the cracks; caused by the topcoat drying hard before the undercoat is thoroughly dry; very similar to alligatoring. 

CRACKLE FINISH

A finish in which alligatoring is produced by applying a topcoat designed to shrink and crack and expose a more flexible, slow-drying undercoat, usually of a different colour. 

CRATERING

The formation of small, round depressions that resemble meteor craters in a coating film but that do not expose the previous coat or the substrate. 

CRAWLING

A defect in which a wet coating recedes or "crawls" from part of the surface, leaving an uneven and sometimes uncoated area shortly after application.  

CRAZING

The formation of a crisscross pattern of minute cracks on the surface of a coating film. 

CREVICE CORROSION

Corrosion that occurs within or adjacent to a crevice formed by contact with two pieces of the same metal or another metal or with a non-metallic material. 

CREOSOTE

A liquid coating made from coal tar once used as a wood preservative. It has been banned for consumer use because of potential health risks. 

CROCKING

Removal of colour upon abrasion or rubbing. Staining of a white cloth by rubbing lightly over a coloured surface. 

CROCKING RESISTANCE

The ability of wallcovering or coating not to transfer colour when rubbed or abraded.

CROSS-LINKING

A particular method by which chemicals unite to form polymer films. 

CROSS-SPRAY APPLICATION

A two-pass spray operation where an area first is covered by a series of parallel spray passes in one direction; then, while the coating is still wet, the area is covered again with a second series of parallel spray passes made at a right angle to the first. 

CROW’S FOOTING

A film defect in which small wrinkles occur in a pattern resembling that of a crow’s foot. 

CURING

The process of changing the properties of a paint from its liquid state into a final, more stable, solid, protective film by chemical reaction with oxygen, moisture, or chemical additives, or by application of heat or radiation.  

CURING AGENT

An additive, sometimes called a hardener or promoter, that helps a coating film cure. 

CURING COMPOUND

Waxy material applied to concrete to prevent moisture from evaporating rapidly during the curing process. 

CUTTING IN

The process of painting corners and the perimeter of windows and doors with a brush prior to roller application of paint to the walls and ceiling; an operation calling for most careful workmanship to keep a clean edge, such as "cutting in" on a window sash with a sash tool.