SW Paint Terminology

Binder

Solid ingredients in a coating that hold the pigment particles in suspension and attach them to the substrate. Consists of resins (e.g. oils, alkyd, or latex). The nature and amount of binder determine many of the paint's performance properties, such as: washability, toughness, adhesion, color retention, etc.

Cracking

Splitting of a paint film usually as a result of aging. Fracture of a metal in a brittle manner along a single branched path. It can also be caused by subsurface expansion under a brittle topcoat.

Creeping

Spontaneous spreading of a liquid on a surface. In the case of applied paint, or other coating, it refers to the spread of the wet film beyond the area to which it was applied.

Cross Coat Spraying

Spraying the first pass in one direction and the second at a right angle to the first, providing more even film distribution.

Accelerated Weathering

Tests designed to simulate, but at the same time intensify and accelerate the destructive action of natural outdoor weathering.

Chromatic

That which is perceived as having a hue (not white, gray or black)

Cleanability

The ability of a dry film coat to maintain its original appearance after repeated washing with soap and water.

Bridging

The ability of a finishing material to cover a crack, void or small gap without a break in the film, usually resulting in an air pocket under the dried film.

Abrasion Resistance

The ability of a material to withstand mechanical action such as rubbing, scraping, or erosion that tends to progressively remove material from the surface.

Color Retention

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

Absorption

The act of taking up, or assimilation, of one substance by another.

CIE Tristimulus Values

The amounts of the three references or matching stimuli required to give a match the color stimulus considered in a given trichromatic system.

Bubbling

The appearance of bubbled in the film while a material is being applied. Caused by any condition that causes air, vapors, or gasses to be trapped in the film while it is soft but after it hardened sufficiently to prevent the gas from escaping.

Crazing

The appearance of minute, interlacing cracks or checks on the surface of a dried film or finishing materials, due to unequal contraction in drying or cooling.

Bonding

The attachment between a coating film and the underlying material to which it is applied.

Cohesion

The attractive force between like molecules. It is the force that holds the molecules of a paint film or other substance together.

Chipping

The breaking away of a small potion of the paint film due to its inability to flex under the impact of with thermal expansion and contraction of the substrate. It is usually caused by the use of too brittle a film or poor adhesion to base material.

Clarity

The characteristic of a transparent material whereby distinct images may be observed through it.

Chime

The chime is the area of the lip or rim of a paint can to which the lid seals.

Corrosion Fatigue

The combined action of corrosion and fatigue (cyclic stressing) in causing metal fracture.

Appearance

The complete impression conveyed to the observer when received at arm's length and before detailed examination.

Activator

The curing agent of a two compound coating system.

Corrosion

The decay, oxidation or deterioration of a substance due to interaction with the environment or chemical reaction.

Decay

The decomposition of wood substance by fungi.

Bleeding

The diffusion of color matter through a coating from underlying surfaces causing color change. When the color of a stain or other coating material works up into succeeding coats, imparting to them a certain amount of color. It occurs when the pigment is somewhat soluble in the vehicle of the topcoat.

Drag

The failure of a paint or coating to slide of a brush or roller evenly or smoothly.

Chalking

The formation of a loose, powdery material on the surface of a paint film, generally caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The degradation of a paint film by gradual erosion of the binder.

Blistering

The formation of blisters in paint films by the local loss of adhesion and lifting of the film from the underlying substrate, usually caused by the application of paint on a surface containing an excessive amount of water or other volatile material.

Coalescence

The formation of resinous or polymeric material when water evaporates from an emulsion or a latex system, permitting contact and fusion of adjacent particles. The fusing together of an emulsion film upon evaporation of water.

Crater

The formation of small bowl shape depressions in paint films.

Air Entrapment / atrapamiento de aire

The inclusion of air bubbles in liquid paint or a paint film/

Brushability

The level of ease of applying a coating by brush. Measured as ICI Viscocity.

Color Difference

The magnitude and character of the difference between two object colors under specific conditions.

Delta E / DE

The measure of a difference. For example; the difference between two gray colors can be exxpressed as a number of delta E's.

Coefficient of Friction

The measure of the relative difficulty with which the surface of one material will slide over and adjacent surface of another material.

Air Drying / secado al aire

The most common form of curing a coating in which drying takes place by oxidation or solvent evaporation by simple exposure to air without heat or catalyst.

Cathode

The negative terminal of an electrolytic cell, which in the corrosion process, is protected and not attacked.

Creosote

The oily distillate from wood, consisting chiefly of cresol, ocycresul, methycresol and other phenols. It is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, and choloroform. Used as a wood preservative and in shingle stains.

Coat

The paint applied to a surface in single application to form a film when dry

Anode

The positive terminal of an electical source. In a corrosion cell, the anode is the electrode that has the greater tendency to go into solution.

Corrosion Potential

The potential that a corroding metal exhibits under specific conditions of concentration, time, temperature, aeration, velocity, etc.

Dipping

The process of applying finishing materials by immersing the object to be coated into the liquid.

Baking

The process of drying a coating material by the application of artificial heat. A baking enamel is one which requires elevated temperatures of 300f to 400f in order to become hard and dry.

Back Prime

The process of painting the back or unexposed side of material.

Dilatency

The properties of some materials in which the resistance to flow increases with agitation.

Adhesion

The property that causes one substance to stick to another. The force acting within the molecules of unlike substance which holds the adjacent particles together. There are two types of adhesion in the case of paint. Mechanical Adhesion depends on the penetration of the paint into the pores of the surface, and therefore, on the degree of penetration of the vehicle. It decreases with increasing pigment content. It is also governed by the physical conditions of the surface to be coated. Molecular, chemical, or polar adhesion is observed on smooth, nonporous surfaces, for instance, vitreous enamels or polished metals. the adhesive power active on such surfaces strongly attracts polar groups in the vehicle, such as carboxyl or hydroxyl groups. Adhesion increases with closeness of contact. This explains why fine dust adheres more firmly than coarse sand.

Bounce Back

The rebound of atomized paint, especially when applied by conventional air spray methods.

Cathodic Protection

The reduction or prevention of corrosion of a metal surface caused by making it cathodic. This is accomplished by using a sacrificial anode (such as in zinc rich coatings or galvanizing) or by using impressed current.

Descaling

The removal of mill scale or rust from steel by mechanical means, sometimes assisted by flame cleaning.

Delamination

The separation between layers of coats due to very poor adhesion.

Crosslinking

The setting up of chemical links between molecular chains to form a three dimensional network of connected molecules.

Distinctness of Image

The sharpness with which image outlines are reflected by the surface of an object.

Coalescent Aid

The small amount of solvent contained in latex coatings. Not a true solvent since it does not actually dissolve the latex resins, the coalescent aid simply helps the latex resins to flow together (coalesce).

Corrosion Rate

The speed (usually an average) with which corrosion progresses; often expressed as though it was linear, in units of mdd (MILIGRAMS per SQUARE DECIMETER per DAY) for weight change, or mpy (mils per year) thickness changes. Corrosion rates may be reported as: 1). A weight loss per area divided by time. A miligram is 1/1000th of a gram; there are 453.6 grams per pound; and a decimeter is 3.937 inches, or 2). The depth of metal corroded, divided by the time. A mil is 1/1000th of an inch.

Dry Dust Free

The stage of drying when particles of dust that land on the surface do not stick to the film.

Air Cap (Air Nozzle) / boquilla de aire

The structure at the front of a spray nozzle that directs compressed air against the paint to form and shape an atomized cloud of droplets

Anchor Pattern

The surface profile generated by abrasive blasting or some power tool cleaning. The distance between peaks and valleys of the blast profile.

Dispersion

The suspension of tiny particles, usually pigments, in a liquid, usually resin. Any heterogeneous system of solids, gasses or liquids.

Dew Point

The temperature of a surface, at a given ambient temperature and relative humidity, at which condensation of moisture will occur.

Brittleness

The tendency of a dried film to crack or flake when bent, flexed, or scratched.

Crawling

The tendency of a liquid to draw up into drops or globules as a result of an abnormally high degree of surface tension.

Cobwebbing

The tendency of spray paint to form strings or strands rather then droplets as it leaves the gun, causing a spider web effect. May be caused by too volatile a solvent or too little air pressure.

Body

The thickness or viscosity of a fluid. A practical term used to give a qualitative picture of consistency.

Blocking

The undesirable condition where two materials adhere to each other. For instance, painting a door and a doorjamb with a typical latex coating may result in the 2 contact surfaces adhering to each other. Solvent based coating generally will not block.

Chromatic Rinse

The use of a chromatic acid solution after zinc or iron phosphating to passivate the metal at the base of cracks and pinholes in the phosphate. Chromatic rinsing will greatly increase corrosion resistance.

Bleaching

The use of oxalic acid or other agents to lighten or restore discolored or stained wood to its original color. The fading of a color toward white generally caused by exposure to chemicals or UV radiation.

Build

The wet or dry thickness of a coating or film.

Atomize

To break a liquid into a mist or droplets. Spray guns atomize paint by forcing the paint through a small orifice under high pressure and through air stream interaction.

Cure

To change the physical properties of a material by chemical reaction (oxidation, polymerization, condensation, or vulcanization) usually accomplished by the action of heat and/or pressure. This results in a loss of thermoplasticity and yields a cross-linked polymer.

Copper

Used as an additive in anti-fouling paints, copper kills marine animals and plants that attach to boat hulls, docks and other below water level objects.

Copper Staining

Usually caused by corrosion of copper screens, gutters or downspouts washing down on painted surfaces. Can be prevented by painting or varnishing the copper.

Deionized Water

Water which contains no ions. Usually produced through the use of ion exchange resins and used for rinsing parts after wet sanding or electro-deposition.

Distilled Water

Water which has been purified by vaporizing the liquid and collecting the vapor which is then condensed back to a liquid having, in the process, removed the contaminants.

Cloudy, Clouding

When a finishing material is turbid (cloudy), due to suspension of finely divided solid particles.

Color Float

When one or more colors, different from the original color, appear on the surface after the finishing material has been applied, it is said to have a color float. This is different from in-can float.

Caking

When pigment settles hard on the bottom of the paint can.

Bloom

A bluish cast which forms on the surface of some films, Blooming is caused by the deposition of a thin film of foreign materials such as smoke, dust or oil, or by the exudation of a component of the paint film.

Drier

A catalytic material which promotes oxidization and subsequent curing of a paint film. Primarily used in oil base paints. Driers are usually in the form of organic salts of lead, cobalt, manganese, and zinc, such as naphthenates, resinates, and linoleats.

Couple

A cell developed in an electrolyte resulting from electrical contact between two dissimilar metals.

Concentration Cell

A cell involving an electrolyte and two identical electrodes, with the potential resulting from differences in the chemistry of the environments adjacent to the two electrodes.

Copolymer

A chemical formed by interaction of two or more different types of molecules. Large molecules obtained by simultaneous polymerization of different monomers, as in vinyl copolymers.

Degreaser

A chemical solution or compound designed to remove grease, oils and similar contaminants.

Acid

A chemical solution which has a pH balance of between 0 and 7.

Catalyst

A chemical used to change the rate of a chemical reaction. Differs from a curing/hardener in that the catalyst is not itself chemically consumed in the reaction while a curing agent is.

Cell

A circuit consisting of an anode and a cathode in electrical contact in a solid or liquid electrolyte. Corrosion generally occurs only at anodic areas.

Aliphatic

A class of organic solvents which are composed of open chains of carbon atoms, derived from paraffin based crude oil. Aliphatics are relatively weak solvents. Among the typical aliphatic hydrocarbons are gasoline, mineral spirits, naphtha and kerosene.

Aromatic Hydrocarbons

A class of relatively strong organic solvents which contain an unsaturated ring of carbon atoms; derived from or characterized by the presence of benzene nucleus. Coal tar solvents, such as benzol (benzene), toluol, naphtha, and xylol, are aromatic solvents.

Conditioner

A coating additive that increases flow, adhesion and coverage without altering the color or durability of the coating. Used especially when spraying.

Acrylic

A coating based on a polymer containing short chain esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid. Their physical properties can be controlled in part by choice of the alcohol used in the ester. Thus, methyl esters give harder films then butyl esters.

Catalytic Coating

A coating that cures as the result of a chemical reaction. For example, a two-part epoxy where a hardener must be added to obtain the required results.

Dry Fall Coating

A coating that is designed to dry rapidly, so that the overspray can be easily removed from the surfaces below. The overspray must fall a certain distance at specified temperatures and humidities for it to be dry upon landing.

Barrier Coat

A coating used to isolate a paint system either from the surface to which it is applied or a previous coating for the purpose of increasing adhesion or ensuring compatibility.

Complementary Harmony

A color scheme produced by using complementary or contrasting colors, sometimes in combination with their tints and shades.

Caustic Soda

A common name for sodium hydroxide, a strong base or alkali.

Asphalt

A complex mixture of solid and semi-solid hydrocarbons. First applied to a natural mixture, or bitumen, or petroleum origin, now includes asphalt-like residues, or pitches from petroleum coal tar or lignate.

Blast Profile

A cross sectional view of an abrasive blasted surface.

Coal Tar

A dark brown to black bituminous material produced by the destructive distillation of coal.

Depth of Finish

A desirable visual impression which is illustrated by viewing a thick film of varnish of excellent smoothness or evenness.

Cleaners

A detergent, alkali, acid, or similar contamination removing material.

Blushing

A film defect which manifests itself as a milky appearance which is generally caused by rapid solvent evaporation or the presence of excessive moisture during the curing process. Fast evaporating solvents may cool the film enough to cause water condensation, precipitating solid materials.

Antique Finish

A finish usually applied to furniture to give the appearance of age. The purpose of applying an antique finish, therefore, is to make certain parts of the furniture appear to have greater wear, which naturally would be the case if it had been used extensively.

Alligatoring / cuarteado

A form of paint failure in which cracks form on the surface layer only. It is caused by the application of thick films, in which case the underlying surface remains relatively soft. It is also caused by application of paint over unseasoned wood, and by the use of thinners that evaporate too rapidly. As the name implies, an alligatored surface is one that resembles the hide of an alligator in that it is cracked in large segments.

Amide

A functional group which can act as an epoxy resin curing agent.

Color

A generic term used inclusively to visible light waves in the spectrum, and white and black. Color is described by 3 properties; 1). Hue: Color, character, dominant wavelength; blue, green, red, etc 2). Lightness (brightness, reflectance, value) position on the gray scale between pure black and pure white. 3). Saturation (purity, grayness, cleanliness, muddiness, chroma), purity or intensity of color.

Alcohol

A group of solvents of relatively high evaporation rate but with fairly low solvent strength. Menthol, ethanol, and isopropyl are common alcohols.

Curing Agent

A hardener or activator added to a synthetic resin to develop the proper film forming properties.

Deglosser

A liquid chemical used to remove the gloss from a coated surface and give it "tooth" so that a coating applied to it will adhere better. Also called Liquid Sander and Liquid Sandpaper.

Active Solvent

A liquid that can dissolve a paint binder when used alone.

Control

A material having a known history, the performance of which has been established previously, and which is used as a standard of comparison.

Antioxidant

A material which, when added to a varnish or an oil, retards or prevents oxidation and drying.

Contrast Ratio

A measure of opacity. The ratio of the luminous reflectance of a specimen backed with black material of specified reflectance to reflectance of the same specimen backed with white material of specified reflectance.

Conversion Coating

A metal surface layer intentionally developed by chemical reaction for the purpose of protection or looks.

Batch Code/Date

A method of identifying when and where a particular product was made.

Calcium Carbonate

A natural mineral used in lime, cement, and paints as a colorant and a pigment extender. Its common name is chalk.

Achromatic Color

A neutral color, such as white, grays, or black that has no hue. This color may also be termed nonchromatic.

Casein

A non-crystalline solid having a light straw color and a very faint, pleasant odor. Casein is the protein obtained from milk.

Diluent

A non-solvent liquid which is blended with an active solvent to obtain certain properties in a finishing material. A portion of the volatile components of a coating which is not a true solvent and has minimal effect on the viscosity. A liquid which is blended with an active solvent to reduce cost.

Crackle Finish

A novelty finish, usually produced by applying a heavily pigmented, intensely shrinking top coat or lacquer over a longer, more elastic bottom coat of lacquer, by which the top cracks and pulls apart in a more or less definite pattern to expose the underlying coat in the cracks.

Coating System

A number of coats separately applied, in a predetermined order, at suitable intervals to allow for drying and curing, resulting in a completed job.

Corrosion Resistant

A paint or primer that aids in the prevention of corrosion. Commonly applied to metals. An insulator against water vapor and airborne contaminants such as chloride compounds.

Barium Metaborate

A pigment commonly used in corrosive-inhibative coating. Pigment particles plug the small pores in the dry film and absorb any moisture that enters the film, preventing it from reaching the metal substrate. Barium metaborate is also a mildewcide.

Caulk

A pliable and elastic material that can withstand expansion and contraction. Used to fill voids, cracks, and seams to prevent air or water infiltration. May be called a sealant. May or may not be paintable.

Conventional Sprayer

A power paint sprayer which uses compressed air (produced by an air compressor) to force paint onto a surface.

Defoamer

A product used for controlling undesirable foam.

Bitumastic

A protective coating made primarily for waterproofing. A coal tar or asphalt based coating material usually used in thick films.

Corrosion - Filiform

A special type of corrosion that occurs under coatings on metal substrates and is characterized by a definite thread-like structure and directional growth.

Acoustic Paint

A specially prepared coating with non-bridging characteristics, used on walls and surfaces of acoustical material. The most efficient acoustical paints do not materially reduce the effectiveness of the unpainted acoustic material by changing its sound absorbing ability.

Downdraft Booth

A spray booth in which the air movement is from the ceiling through the floor.

Active / activo

A state in which a metal tends to corrode; opposite of passive.

Caustic

A strong base or alkaline material with a pH of 7 to 14.

Additive

A substance added in a small amount, usually to a fluid, for a special purpose - such as to reduce friction, corrosion, etc.

Abrasive

A substance used for wearing away a surface by friction. Powdered pumice, rottenstone, sandpaper steel wool, and rubbing compound are some of the abrasives used for rubbing enamel, varnish and lacquer surfaces.

Accelerator

A substance used in small proportions to increase the speed of a chemical reaction. Accelerators are used in paint to hasten the curing of a coating system.

Chlorinated Rubber

A synthetic resin made by chlorinating rubber under specified conditions . It is characterized by a neutral acidity, resistance to acids and alkalis, and its solubility in aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons and turpentine. It is insoluble in lacquer solvents and alcohol.

Alkyd

A synthetic resin which is made by the reaction od a drying oil acid, such as phthalic, maleic or succinic acid, with polyhydric alcohol such as glycerine. Vegetable oils, fatty acids and other resins are often used as modifying agents. Drying occurs by the evaporation of a solvent; curing of the resin occurs by oxidation. The more oil there is in the formula, the longer it takes to dry, the better the wetting properties, and better the elasticity.

Air Spray (Conventional Spray)

A system of applying paint in the form of tiny droplets in air. The paint is broken into droplets (atomized) by a spray gun as a result of being forced into a high velocity air stream. The shape and paint density of the resulting droplet cloud can be controlled by air pressure, paint viscosity, and gun tip geometry.

Airless Spray / sin aire

A system of applying paint in which the paint, under high pressure, is passed through a nozzle and is broken into droplets (atomized) when it enters the lower pressure region outside the gun tip. A much smaller volume of air is used than in conventional air spraying so that the quantity of paint applied per unit time is greatly increased, and problems of dry spray and paint bounce-back are reduced.

Anti-Skinning Agent

A type of antioxidant, usually volatile, which when added to a varnish or an oil, will tend to prevent a skin of partially oxidized material from forming on the surface of the liquid while in the container or before being applied to the work.

Checking

A type of failure in which cracks in the film begin at the surface and progress downward, the result is usually a straight V-shaped crack which is narrower at the bottom than the top. Checking is a method for reliving surface stresses. If the underlying surface is exposed, the failure is called cracking.

Corrosion Inhibitive

A type of metal paint or primer that prevents rust by preventing moisture from reaching the metal. Zinc phosphate, barium metaborate and strontium chromate (all pigments) are common ingredients in corrosion-inhibitive coatings. These pigments absorb any moisture that enters the paint film.

Calcimine

A water-thinned paint composed essentially of calcium-carbonate (chalk) and glue.

Compatibility

Ability of two or more materials to mix with each other without separation or to adhere properly to other surfaces without detriment.

Adsorption

Adsorption is considered a type of adhesion that occurs at the surface of either a solid or liquid, which is in contact with another medium. This results in an accumulation of an increased number of molecules from the medium in the adjacent area of the surface. Adsorption may also be considered as the adhesion of molecules of gases or dissolved substances to the surface of solid bodies resulting in a relatively high concentration of the gas or solution at the place of contact.

Aging / envejecimiento

Allowing to stand undisturbed for a period in order to develop certain characteristics. Some materials improve upon aging, others have a tendency to lose their value.

Anaerobic

An absence of unreacted or free oxygen.

Corrosive

An acidic material with a pH of 0 to 7.

Biocide

An additive to coatings that kills plants (e.g., algae, fungus, mildew, mold) growing in or on the surface of the coating.

Anoidic Protection

An appreciable reduction in corrosion by making a metal an anode an maintaining this highly polarized condition with very little current flow.

Acrylic Resin

An aqueous dispersion of acrylic resins, water-white in color, very transparent, and resistant to discoloration, moisture, alcohol acids, alkalis and mineral oils. Usually made by polymerization of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

Alkali/ álcali

An aqueous liquid that has a pH value between 7 and 14. A base caustic material.

Conical Mandrel

An instrument used to evaluate a coating's resistance to cracking when bent over a specific radius.

Anion

An ion or radical which is attracted to the anode because of the negative charge on the ion or radical.

Blemish

An irregularity obviously not caused by weathering, marring the appearance of the surface of a specimen.

Defect

An irregularity occurring in or on a material.

Brightness

An optics and appearance attribute of visual sensation by which an observer is aware of the differences in luminescence or lightness and saturation.

Aeration Cell

An oxygen concentration cell; an electrolytic cell resulting from differences in dissolved oxygen at two points.

Angle of Incidence

Angle between the axis of an impinging light beam and a line perpendicular to the specimen surface.

Angle of View

Angle between the axis of observation and perpendicular to the specimen surface,

Adulteration

Any admixture of less value than the accepted standard, or the partial substitution of one substance for another without acknowledgement.

Discoloration

Any departure from the appearance of the original color.

Cat's Eye

Any discontinuities, bare or thin spots in a painted area. Also called "cat face".

Algae / algas

Any group of aquatic plants with chlorophyll being the basis of their green color.

Combustible Liquid

Any liquid having a flash point between 100f and 180f.

Bleaching Agent

Any material which, when properly used, makes the color of an object permanently brighter.

Cutting In

Carefully painting an edge or border, such as where a wall meets the ceiling or at the edge of woodwork.

Cold Checking

Checks or cracks that appear in a dry film when it is subjected to repeated, sudden and appreciable reductions in temperature.

Agglomerate

Clumps of pigment crystals that have formed loose clusters containing entrapped air. Usually undesirable in paint, as they tend to settle out and have poor optical qualities.

Cementitious Coatings

Coating containing cement as a component held on the surface by a binder.

Chroma

Color intensity or purity of tone, being the degree of freedom from grey.

Aniline Colors

Colors made from aniline oil or coal tar derivatives, used in the manufacture of wood stains.

Analogous Colors

Colors that lie near each other on the color wheel.

CIE

Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (International Commission on Illumination). A key international organization concerned with the problems of lighting and color measurement.

Colorant

Concentrated color that can be added to paints to make a specific color.

Anhydrous

Containing no water.

Complementary Colors

Contrasting or opposite colors. The mixture of any two primary colors is the complement of the remaining primary. For example, if pigments crimson-red and blue, which produce violet, is the complement of the remaining primary yellow... wait what. Look this up.

Bimetallic Corrosion

Corrosion resulting from dissimilar metal contact.

Corrosion - Erosion

Corrosion which is increased because of the abrasive action of a moving stream; the presence of suspended particles greatly accelerates abrasive action.

Caustic Embrittlement

Cracking as a result of the combined action of tensile stresses and corrosion in alkaline solutions (as at riveted joints in boilers)

Burnishing

Damaging a coating (generally flats or low sheens) by abrading the surface. This usually shows as an area of higher sheen.

DFT

Dry film thickness

Close Grain Wood

Hardwoods that when fully dry do not show pores. Cherry, birch, and maple fall into this group.

Coverage

Hiding power of paint usually expressed in square feet per gallon.

Chromatic Attributes

Hue and chroma (saturation)

Boiled Oil

Linseed oil which will dry faster. Formerly it was heated to make it a drying oil. Today it has chemical driers added to it.

Crevice Corrosion

Localized corrosion resulting from the formation of a concentration cell in a crevice formed between a metal and a nonmetal, or between two metal surfaces.

Curtains

Long horizontal runs in a coating film that occur on vertical surfaces when a coating is applied too heavily.

Cold Rolled Steel

Low carbon, cold-reduced, sheet steel. Differs from hot rolled steel by the absence of mill scale.

Density

Mass per unit volume, usually expressed as grams per milliliter or pounds per gallon. The comparative weight of a unit volume of matter to that of an equal volume of a standard material, usually chemically pure water. Density is also used to denote strength of color, freedom from voids or to express solidity.

Colloid

Material composed of ultra-microscopic particles of a solid, liquid, or gas dispersed in a different medium, which can be solid, liquid, or gas.

Amine

Materials often used as curing agents for epoxy coatings.

Anchoring

Mechanical bonding of a coating to a rough surface, as contrasted with adhesion, which is chemical bonding.

Boxing

Mixing of coatings by pouring from one container to another. This ensures a consistent mix of vehicle and pigments.

Bright Rubbed Effect

Mostly a furniture finish, where gloss is rubbed to a mar-free finish with approximately 50-60 units of gloss at 60f, with sandpaper, pumice, or steel wool and either oil or water.

Color Fast

Non-fading in prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Centipoise

One hundreth of a poise which is a unit of measurement for viscosity. Water at room temperature has a viscosity of 1.0 centipoise.

Anionic Surfacant

One that has a negative charge an migrates toward the anode or positive pole while in solution.

Dry Spray

Overspray or bounce back producing a sandy finish due to the sprayed particles having partially dried before reaching the surface. Dry spray has a lower gloss than the normal surface.

Anti-Corrosive Coating

Paint made with neutral or slightly alkaline pigments ad a water-resisting vehicle to be used as a primer on steel and other metals to prevent or retard corrosion.

Aqueous

Pertaining to water; an aqueous solution is a water solution.

Concentration Polorization

Polarization of an electrode caused by concentration changes in the environment adjacent to the metal surface.

Amphoteric

Possessing both basic and acidic properties.

Dry Colors

Powder-type colors to be mixed with water, alcohol, or mineral spirits and resin to form a paint or stain.

Anti-Fouling

Refers to the prevention of marine organism's attachment or growth on a submerged metal surface, generally through chemical toxicity caused by the composition of the metal or coating layer. An anti-fouling paint is one that contains toxic or poisonous substances to prevent growth of barnacles on the hull of ships or other objects submerged in water.

Consistency

Relative stiffness, body, or resistance to agitation or deformation of a coating composition in bulk; the property may be a composite of plasticity, viscosity, yield value, and thixotropy.

Ambient Temperature

Room temperature or the existing temperature of the surroundings.