Abrasion Resistance – Resistance to being worn away by rubbing or friction; related to both toughness and gloss.
Abrasive – A material such as sandpaper, emery paper, powdered pumice, or rotten-stone that is used to wear away a surface by friction.
Absorption – Usually refers to resins penetrating (being absorbed by) a porous substance.
Accent Color – A contrasting hue used to add visual interest in a color scheme.
Acetone – A volatile, flammable, water-soluble solvent used for clean-up.
Acid Resistance – The ability of a dry film coat to maintain its integrity and not break down when exposed to acids.
Acid Stain – A liquid stain made from organic acids that are soluble in water.
Acrylic – A synthetic resin used in high-performance water-based coatings. A coating in which the binder contains acrylic resins.
Additives – Chemicals that are added to paint or stain formulations to impart various desirable characteristics, such as mildew resistance, low spatter and little or no foaming.
Adherence – See Adhesion.
Adhesion – The ability of dry paint to attach to and remain fixed on the surface without blistering, flaking, cracking, or being removed by tape. Adhesion is probably the single most important property of paint. Wet adhesion, the ability of dry paint to adhere to the surface in spite of wet conditions, is particularly important for exterior house paints. Other words for adhesion are Adherence and Bonding.
Advancing Colors – Warm colors – red, yellow and orange – that make surfaces appear closer or larger. Dark colors have a similar effect.
Aerosol – A product that uses compressed gas to spray the coating from its container.
Air Cure – One method by which liquid coatings cure to a dry film. Oxygen from the air enters the film and cross-links the resin molecules. Also called Air Dry or Oxidizing.
Air Dry – See Air Cure.
Air Entrapment – Air bubbles trapped in the paint film.
Airless Sprayer – Power spray equipment that uses a pump to atomize the liquid paint and force it on to a surface. Both electric- and gas-powered models are available. The small hand-held type is often called a Cup Sprayer.
Alcohol – A fast evaporating, flammable solvent. The most commonly used type is denatured alcohol.
Algae – Brownish or reddish aquatic plants, such as seaweed and pond scum.
Algaecide – A chemical that kills algae.
Alkali – A chemical (lye, soda, lime, etc.) that will neutralize an acid. Oil-based paint films can be destroyed by alkalies.
Alkali Resistance – The ability of a dry film coating to resist damage by alkalies. Especially important when coating masonry substrates.
Alkyd – Synthetic resin modified with oil. Coating that contains alkyd resins in the binder.
Alkyd-modified Urethane – See Urethane-modified Aklyd.
Alligatoring – Condition of paint film where the surface is cracked and develops an appearance similar to the hide of an alligator. Caused by incorrect paint application.
Alternate Complementary Color Scheme – A color scheme combining complements along with two alternate complements of one of those colors.
Aluminum Paint – A paint that includes aluminum particles and gives a metallic finish when dried.
Amalgamate – A chemical that reconditions old paint or lacquer. Also used to remove white rings from lacquer that were caused by heat, water or alcohol.
Ambient Temperature – Temperature of one’s surroundings.
Amide – A functional group which can act as an epoxy resin curing agent.
Analogous Colors – Colors that lie near each other on the color wheel.
Anatase Titanium – A pigment used in alkyd paints to produce self-cleaning films that renew themselves by chalking. Rarely used.
Anchoring – Mechanical bonding of a coating to a rough surface, as contrasted with adhesion (which is chemical bonding).
Aniline Dye – A dye, bluish in color, poisonous, made from aniline.
Anti-Corrosive Paint – Metal paint designated to inhibit corrosion. Applied directly to metal.
Anti-fouling Paint – Paints formulated especially for boat decks and hulls, docks and other water-line surfaces and structures. Contains additives which kill the marine plants and animals that attach to and “foul” marine structures.
Antimony Oxide – An ingredient in many fire-retardant paints.
Antique Finish – A finish usually applied to furniture or woodwork to give the appearance of age.
Arcing – Moving a spray gun in an arc rather than parallel to a surface.
Architrave – The molding around a doorway or window opening.
Asbestine – Trade name for a type of paint filler that is white in color. It is a natural fibrous magnesium silicate. Dangerous to health.
Aromatic Oils – Oils present in some woods, such as cypress, teak, and cedars (except western cedar) that can cause finishing problems. They can slow down drying of coatings, leaving them sticky, and often cause blistering, softening, wrinkling, and general disintegration.
Asphalt – Hydrocarbon product used as a protective coating, used for waterproofing road and roof surfaces. By-product of petroleum refining.
Asphaltum – Very thin asphalt.
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.