GLOSSARY 

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T 

TACK

The stickiness of a paint or varnish film during the drying period. Oil paints and spar varnishes may retain an after-tack for several weeks after they are considered dry. 

TACK-FREE

Absence of tack or stickiness in an applied coating. 

TACK CLOTH

A clean, soft, lint-free cloth that has been soaked in varnish diluted with turpentine and then wrung out. The varnish makes the cloth tacky or sticky. It is used to wipe a surface to remove small particles of dust. 

TAPE

See JOINT TAPE. 

TAPE BLISTER

A blister that is an indication of insufficient joint compound under joint tape. 

TAPERED JOINT

A joint where tapered edges of gypsum drywall panels join. 

TEAR RESISTANCE

The ability of a wallcovering to resist additional tearing once an initial tear or rupture occurs. 

TENSILE STRENGTH

Resistance to elongation; the greatest longitudinal stress a substance can bear without rupturing or remaining permanently elongated. 

TEXTURE

Roughness or pattern worked into texture coating material before it dries with one or more special texturing tools to create regular or irregular designs. 

TEXTURE COATING

Thick, highly pigmented, viscous material formulated mainly from acrylic latex emulsion resins, although oil-based texture coatings are also available. 

THERMAL SPRAYING

A process for applying metallic wire, metallic powder, and thermoplastic powder. The material is melted and sprayed onto a surface to produce a uniform coating. Gas wire guns and electric arc guns are used for spraying metallic wire; plasma guns are used for spraying metallic and thermoplastic powders. 

THERMOPLASTIC

A material capable of being softened repeatedly by heat and then formed and hardened by cooling without chemical change. 

THERMOPLASTIC COATING

A coating that forms a film by solvent evaporation is called a thermoplastic coating because it can be softened and reformed by heating.

THERMOSET

A material that undergoes an irreversible chemical reaction (oxidation, polymerisation, etc.) by the action of heat, catalyst, ultraviolet light, etc., leading to a relatively infusible state. Once applied, formed, or moulded, it cannot be reheated and reshaped. 

THERMOSET COATING

A coating that forms a film as a result of chemically cross-linking reaction (oxidation, polymerisation) is called a thermoset coating because it is not softened or deformed by heating. 

THICKENER

An additive used to increase the viscosity (thicken), or modify the rheology of a coating. 

THIMBLE

An oval metal ring used along with J-clamps to clamp a loop of wire rope when connecting it to rigging devices 

THINNER

A volatile liquid used to lower or otherwise regulate the consistency of paint and varnish at the time of application and that evaporates before or during the drying process. 

THIXOTROPE

An additive that makes paint thixotropic. 

THIXOTROPIC

A term to describe a material that undergoes a viscosity reduction when shaken, stirred, or otherwise mechanically disturbed, and that readily recovers its original condition when allowed to stand. 

THIXOTROPIC PAINT

Paint that is free-flowing and easy to manipulate while being applied, but that sets to a gel within a short time when it is allowed to remain at rest. Because of these qualities, a thixotropic paint is less likely to drip from a brush than other types and can be applied in thicker films without running or sagging. 

THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE (TLV)

The air concentration of chemical substances to which it is believed workers may be exposed daily without adverse effect. 

TIE COAT

A paint that is formulated specifically for specific situations and conditions to provide a transition from a primer or undercoat to a finish coat. Tie coats are used to seal the surface of a zinc-rich primer, to bond generically different types of coatings, or to improve the adhesion of a succeeding coating.  

TINT

The product of adding white to a colour. For example, pink is a tint of red. The opposite of shade.  

TINTING

Adjusting the colour of paint to a wide range of tints, shades, or tones. 

TINTING STRENGTH

The effectiveness of a colour pigment, when mixed with other pigments, to impart colour to a paint. More precisely, it is the relative ability of a unit quantity of a colorant to alter the colour of another colorant to which it is added. 

TITANIUM DIOXIDE

White pigment in virtually all white paints. Prime hiding pigment in most paints. 

TLV

See THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE. 

TONE

The result of adding both black and white to a colour. 

TONAL VALUE

Relative strength of a colour in reference to black and white. Colour of light tonal value contains much white; colour of dark tonal value contains much black; midtone has equal amounts of black and white. 

TOOTH

Anchoring profile of a substrate that enhances adhesion of a coating; roughness inherent in the surface or coating or created mechanically or by etching. 

TOP COLOUR

Colour forming a design against ground colour. 

TOPCOAT

The last coat applied in a coating system, specifically formulated for environmental resistance and usually applied over a primer, undercoaters, or surfacers. 

TOUCH-UP PAINTING

Application of paint on small areas of painted surfaces to repair mars, scratches, and spots where the coating has deteriorated or been damaged. 

TRIMMER

Machine or device that removes selvage from wallcovering.

TSP - TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE

An alkaline cleaner used for cleaning and degreasing surfaces prior to painting. 

TURPENTINE

A colourless, volatile liquid obtained by distilling oleo-resinous secretions from pine trees. It is no longer in widespread use for paint formulation, but still is sold and used as a thinner for oil paints and varnishes.