Tack Rag- A loosely woven woolen cloth that is treated (dipped into a varnish oil and wrung out) to remain tacky. It picks up dust when it is used to wipe a surface.
Tackiness-Slight stickiness of the surface of an incompletely dried film when pressed with the finger.
Tack- The sticky condition of coating during drying at a stage between the wet and dry-to-touch stages.
Tannin blocking- The process of making tannin stains insoluble so they cannot stain the topcoat; e.g., by means of a primer before the topcoat on cedar siding.
Tannin- Soluble natural stain in woods such as cedar.
Texture- The roughness or irregularity of a surface.
Thickener- A substance added to a liquid to increase its viscosity.
Thinner- Volatile liquid used to adjust consistency or to modify other properties of paint, varnish and lacquer. Thinner is used to thin and clean up paint.
Thixotropy- The property of a material that causes it to change from a thick, pasty consistency to a fluid consistency upon agitation, brushing or rolling.
Tint Base- In a custom color system, the basic paint to which colorants are added; i.e., white or accent base.
Tinting- The final adjusting of a color of paint to the exact shade required. Tinting is achieved by adding small portions of colorant to a tint base of prepared paint.
Toner- A color modifier.
Topcoat- A coat designed to provide a “finish” capable of providing protection and color. (Previous coats are referred to as primers and undercoats.)
Touch-Up- Improving imperfect spots in a paint job.
Trompe L’oeil- French expression meaning, “To deceive the eye” A painting technique creating reality.
TSP-Tri-sodium phosphate, a cleaning agent. After the TSP has been dissolved in water, the solution is used in surface preparation. (After cleaning with TSP, the surface should be rinsed.)
TSP Substitute- A biodegradable cleaning agent that can be used instead of TSP.
Tubercule- Nodule; pimple.
Turpentine- A paint thinner (now replaced by mineral spirits) obtained by distilling pine tree secretions.
