GLOSSARY 

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S 

SACRIFICIAL PIGMENT

Zinc dust, which is consumed by corrosion while it protects an underlying steel surface, is the only sacrificial pigment used in paints. 

SAFETY

An awareness of the risks and dangers and the precautions to minimize or eliminate materials, objects, or actions that may result in accidental injury or harm. Safety cannot be achieved unless workers and employers adopt strongly positive attitudes to support it. 

SAFETY BELT

A personal protection device worn around the waist and attached to a lanyard and lifeline or structure to arrest the fall of worker. 

SAFETY NET

A protective net suspended under a person working at a height. Safety nets are required in situations where the use of ladders, scaffolds, and fall protection equipment is impractical and the work area is more than 25 feet above the ground or surface. 

SAGGING (runs)

A coating irregularity caused by the downward flow of wet paint that produces an uneven film with a thick lower edge. 

SAND BLAST CLEANING

Blast cleaning a metal, masonry, or concrete surface with sand, flint, or other non-metallic abrasive to remove dirt, paint, rust, or mill scale, and to roughen or profile it in preparation for coating. 

SAND DOWN

Remove gloss of old finish prior to repainting. 

SANDPAPER

A strong paper coated with sand or an abrasive.

SANDING

Smoothing a rough surface by hand or machine to achieve a better finish. Also roughening a smooth surface to improve adhesion of a coating. 

SATIN FINISH

A dried paint film with a lustre resembling satin. 

SATURATED AIR

Air containing a maximum concentration of water vapour for the prevailing temperature and pressure. See also DRY AIR, WET AIR.  

SCAFFOLD

Equipment in a variety of types, sizes, and rigging configurations used to support workers at elevated or otherwise inaccessible work sites, and hold the materials and equipment needed for the job.   

TYPES: 

SCAFFOLD, BUILT-UP - A scaffold constructed from the ground up at the job site. There are two main types of build-up scaffolds made from tubular steel:

1. Tube and coupler scaffolding uses external couplers to clamp together  various lengths of tubes to form the posts, braces, runners, and bearers of  the scaffolding system; and

2. Tubular welded frame scaffolding has prefabricated welded panels of  various heights and widths that are joined together with horizontal,  diagonal, and cross-bracing supports secured with locking device.

  • SCAFFOLD, HORSE - This scaffold consists of a platform supported by two sawhorses. It is designed for light- or medium-duty use and is limited by regulations to two tiers or 10 feet in height.
  • SCAFFOLD, INTERIOR HUNG - A scaffold hung by ropes or cables from the ceiling or roof supports inside a building.
  • SCAFFOLD, LADDER - A scaffold that supports a plank or platform with two heavy-duty, self-supporting ladders.
  • SCAFFOLD, LADDER JACK - A light-duty scaffold with a platform supported by a pair of ladder jacks (braces) attached to heavy-duty ladders.
  • SCAFFOLD, MULTIPLE-LEVEL SUSPENSION - A scaffold with two or more levels of work platforms supported by the same suspension system.
  • SCAFFOLD, ROLLING - A rolling scaffold usually is a built-up tubular scaffold with casters on the bottom of the frame legs or posts. The height of a rolling scaffold tower must not exceed four times the minimum base dimension.
  • SCAFFOLD, SUSPENDED - A scaffold used on bridges and other steel structures where it can be suspended with rigging devices attached to the flanges of I-beams with various sizes of clamps or rollers.
  • SCAFFOLD, SWING - A scaffold with a platform or stage that is suspended from a structure by two ropes or cables so that it can be raised or lowered as needed either manually or with a hoist powered by electricity or compressed air.
  • SCAFFOLD, SWING STAGE - Similar to a swing scaffold, except that it has multiple platform sections and is suspended by four ropes or cables.
 

SCALING

Evidence of paint failure that is the last stage of cracking. Moisture entering the cracks in the paint film destroys its adhesive property and results in the flaking or scaling of the paint. 

SCARIFYING

A method of preparing concrete or other surfaces for coating by use of a scarifier, which has sharp, rotating knives in a self-contained unit resembling a plant sweeper.  

SCENIC

A hand-screened, machine-printed, or lithographed mural decoration with a pattern that continues over several strips of wallcovering; intended to cover one wall of a room or the greater part of a wall without a repeat. 

SCISSORS LIFT

An elevating device that raises a work enclosure vertically by means of crisscrossed supports similar to those on a scissors car jack. The work enclosure on a scissors lift may be larger than on a boom lift. 

SCRAPER

A hand tool used to scrape peeling, flaking, or blistering paint, rust, and other debris from surfaces before they are painted. 

SCRUB RESISTANCE

The ability of a coating or wallcovering to withstand being worn by repeated scrubbing with a brush, sponge, or cloth and a detergent solution. 

SCUFFED JOINT

Raising of face paper nap on drywall panels as a result of excessive sanding at the edges of a finished joint. 

SECONDARY COLOURS

The colours produced by mixing equal amounts of two primary colours. The secondary colours are orange (formed by red and yellow), green (yellow and blue), and purple (red and blue).  

SEALER

1. A coat of paint intended to prevent excessive absorption of finish coats  into porous surfaces (i.e., wood, plaster, concrete, etc.). (

2. A coat of paint used to prevent materials from bleeding through to a new  finish coat.

3. In wallcovering, a coating applied to a porous surface to prevent it from  absorbing moisture from the wallcovering adhesive. 

SEAM ROLLER

A narrow roller of wood or felt used for pressing down wallcovering seams. 

SELF-CURING

A coating that cures (cross-links) without any special after-application treatment. 

SELF-PRIMING

Use of the same coating for a primer and for subsequent coats. 

SELVAGE

Unprinted edge of a roll of wallcovering intended to protect the design and carry pertinent information. If not trimmed by the manufacturer, the selvage must be trimmed by hand before the wallcovering is installed. 

SEMI-GLOSS

Sheen on dry finish that is between dead flat and full gloss. 

SET-TO-TOUCH TIME

The time to reach an intermediate stage in the drying of a paint or varnish film when gentle pressure of a finger shows a tacky condition but none of the coating adheres to the finger. 

SETTLING

The dropping out of pigments and fillers to the bottom of the coating container. 

SHADE

The product of adding black to a colour. Example: gold is a shade of yellow. The opposite of tint. 

SHADOWING

When preceding coats show through the last coat, the finish is said to be "shadowing." 

SHELLAC

A lacquer made from the alcohol-soluble, orange-coloured natural resin that is refined from the secretions of the Lac insect. Shellacs generally are used as sealers to prevent subsequent coatings from being absorbed into the substrate and to prevent stains from bleeding through the topcoats. 

SHELF LIFE

The period of time in which a material normally may be stored and still be in usable condition.  

SHORT OIL ALKYD RESIN

Alkyd resin made with a relatively low oil-to-resin ratio. These resins contain less than 40 percent oil as a modifying agent. 

SHORT OIL VARNISH

An oleo-resinous varnish, other than alkyd, made with a relatively low oil-to-resin ratio. 

SHRINKAGE OF JOINT COMPOUND

Excessive shrinkage can occur when the drying time for drywall joint compound is prolonged by cold, damp, or humid conditions.  

SILICONE ALKYD RESIN

Alkyd resin system that has been modified with silicone. 

SILICONE

A resin used in the binders of coatings. Also used as an additive to provide specific properties, e.g., defoamer. Paints containing silicone are very slick and resist dirt, graffiti and bacterial growth, and are stable in high heat. 

SINGLE-PACKAGE COATING

A cross-linking coating that can be stored in a single container, as opposed to a multi-package coating.  

SINGLE ROLL

The standard unit of measure for wallcovering. 

SKIM COATING

Technique of applying a thin coat of finishing compound over the entire surface of gypsum wallboard panel. This provides for even sheen and absorption, sometimes called for under high sheen enamel paint systems. 

SKIN

1. A dry or semidry layer that forms on the surface of paint or varnish in a  partially filled container or when a full container is exposed to air for some  time.

2. An ungrounded, non-washable type of wallpaper. 

SKIPPY

A term describing paint that is so heavy-bodied that it causes the brush to skip on the surface, leaving some spots with too thin and others with too heavy a coating. 

SKIP

A place where paint has failed to cover. It may result if the brush is too dry to apply the proper thickness of film.

SLOW DRYING

A paint that requires 24 hours or longer before recoating. 

SLOW SOLVENT

Solvent that evaporates slowly at application conditions (ambient temperature). 

SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION

Bleach solution. 

SOIL

Disfiguring foreign materials such as dirt, soot, or stain, other than micro-organisms, deposited on or embedded in a surface or a dried film of applied coating material; also called dirt. 

SOLIDS

None volatile matter in a coating composition (i.e., the ingredients of a coating composition that, after drying, are left behind and form the dry film). 

SOLIDS BY VOLUME

The volume of the none volatile portion of a coating composition divided by the total volume, expressed as a percent. 

SOLIDS BY WEIGHT

The weight of the none volatile portion of a coating composition divided by the total weight of the liquid coating, expressed as a percent. 

SOLVENT

Liquid, usually volatile, used in the manufacture of paint to dissolve or disperse the film-forming constituents. Since they evaporate during drying, solvents do not become part of the dried film. Solvents are used to control the consistency and character of the liquid paint material and to regulate its application properties. 

SOLVENT CLEANING

The use of organic solvents, detergents, alkaline cleaners, and steam cleaning to remove oil, grease, dirt, soil, and other similar organic compounds from a surface. 

SOLVENT CUT-BACK

An asphalt or coal tar bitumen that is dissolved in a suitable aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon solvent to lower its viscosity for application at ambient temperatures. 

SOLVENT ENTRAPMENT

The encapsulation of solvent within a dried paint film due to improper drying conditions or recoating too soon. Entrapped solvent can cause blistering or pinholes, sometimes called solvent pop.

SOLVENT RELEASE

A coating that allows solvents to evaporate easily during the curing process is said to have good solvent release properties.  

SOLVENT-BORNE COATING

Coating formulated with only organic solvents. If water is present, it is only in trace quantities. 

SOLVENTLESS COATING

A paint formulation with no materials that evaporate during application and curing; 100 percent solids coatings. 

SPACKLING COMPOUND

Material used to fill cracks, nail holes, dents, and depressions in order to provide a smooth surface for subsequent painting, wallcovering, or other finishing operation. The most desirable quality of spackling compound is that it be non-shrinking. 

SPALLING

The chipping or fragmenting of a concrete surface or surface coating often caused by differential thermal expansion and contraction. 

SPAR VARNISH

A varnish for exterior wood surfaces. The name originates from its use on spars of ships in order to resist weather and moisture. Spar varnishes usually are not used indoors because they become tacky in warm weather. 

SPECULAR-GLOSS

Mirror-like finish (usually 60 degrees on a 60-degree meter). 

SPOT PRIMING

A method for protecting localized spots that require additional protection due to rusting or peeling of the former coat or that are newly patched plaster. 

SPRAY GUN

A tool designed for the spray application of paint. 

SPRAY HEAD

The needle, tip, and air cap of an air spray gun.  

SPRAY NOZZLE

The fluid orifice of an airless spray gun. 

SPRAY PATTERN

The shape of the area covered by the paint spray from a spray gun. 

SPRAY POT

1. A pressurized tank used for supplying paint to a spray gun. A spray pot  often is equipped with an air-driven agitator to prevent settling of the  pigment components of the paint.

2. The small paint reservoir that is attached to light-duty, suction-fed spray  guns. 

SPREADING RATE

The area of surface covered per coat of paint at a specified dry film thickness per unit volume of coating material. Spreading rate generally is indicated by square feet covered per gallon of paint required to produce the dry film thickness. 

STAIN

1. A transparent or semitransparent coating that colours a substrate, usually wood, without obscuring the grain or other texture. Opaque stains do not penetrate into a substrate like true stains, but instead leave a thin coloured coating on the surface.

2. An undesirable discolouration. 

STAIN RESISTANCE

The ability of a coating or wallcovering to show no real change in appearance after a material capable of staining has been applied and removed.  

STAND-OFF DISTANCE

The distance from a blasting nozzle to the surface being cleaned. Stand-off distance determines both the cleaning power and the size of the blast pattern. For example, the closer the nozzle, the smaller the blast pattern and the stronger the abrading action. 

STANDARD

An established practice or reference used as a basis for comparing or measuring quality, quantity, performance, etc., determined by general or consensus agreement.  

STEAM CLEANING

A cleaning process using low pressure live steam. 

STEEL WOOL

Steel in fine strands used for cleaning and abrading surfaces. 

STENCILING

A method of applying a design onto a wall or other surface by brushing ink or paint through a cut-out pattern or template. 

STIPPLING

A decorative finish made by using a stippling brush or roller stippler to apply paint in a random pattern to a surface with a base coat of a different colour. 

STRAIGHT EDGE

A ruler or strip used to trim selvage off wallcovering. 

STRAINING

The process of removing any large particles from mixed paint by pouring it through a wire screen, cheese cloth, or other straining device. 

STRETCH

A term used to describe the width of a section of wall that is painted before moving a ladder or scaffolding. 

STRIP

A length of wallcovering cut to fit the height of a wall; in scenics, a single section of the design. 

STRIPING

Edge painting prior to priming. 

STRIPPABLE

1. A strippable wallcovering can be dry-stripped and leave a minimal amount of residue on the wall and not damage the surface. 

2. A strippable paint is one that has minimal adhesion and can be removed easily from the surface. Strippable paints often are applied to metal surfaces for temporary corrosion protection or short-term protection from deterioration. 

STRIPPING

Complete removal of an old finish with heat or chemicals. See CHEMICAL STRIPPING, HEAT STRIPPING, PAINT REMOVER.  

STUD

Wood or metal vertical framing member. 

SUBSTRATE

Any surface to be painted, including wood, concrete, masonry, steel, other metals, and various other materials. 

SUCTION

A force that draws a coating into the pores of a surface. 

SURFACE DRYING

The drying of the surface of a coating film before the body of the coating film is dry 
 

SURFACE PREPARATION

Any method of treating a surface in preparation for coating, including washing with water, detergent solution, or solvent; cleaning with hand or power tools; water washing or jetting with or without abrasive; or abrasive blast cleaning.  

SURFACE PROFILE

1. The roughened surface that results from abrasive blast cleaning of metal. Surface profile is a measurement of the average peak-to-valley height of the roughness, which typically ranges from less than one mil up to five mils.

2. For wood and concrete, surface profile is simply the texture of the cleaned surface. 

SURFACER

A paint used for filling minor irregularities in order to provide a uniform surface thick enough to permit some sanding to smooth the surface before finish coats are applied. 

SURFACTANT

A term contracted from "surface-active agents." Surfactants are additives that reduce surface tension and improve wetting (wetting agents), help disperse pigments (dispersion agents), inhibit foam formation (anti-foaming agents), or improve emulsions (emulsifying agents). 

SUSPENDED SCAFFOLD

Type of scaffold. 

SWEEP BLAST CLEANING

A fast pass of the abrasive blasting pattern over a surface to remove a thin layer of material and to roughen the surface sufficiently to successfully accept a coat of paint.  

SWING SCAFFOLD

Type of scaffold. 

SYNTHETIC RESIN

Originally, a synthetic substance that resembled and shared some of the properties of natural resins, but now used for material that bears little resemblance to natural resins.