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Paint- A pigmented liquid that dries to form an opaque, solid film and provide decoration and protection.

Paint Remover- A compound that softens old paint or varnish, permitting loosened material to be scraped off.

Patina- A thin greenish layer that forms on copper, or bronze as a result of exposure to to the elements.

Peeling- Detaching of a dried paint film in large pieces. Peeling is usually caused by moisture or grease under the painted surface.

Pigments- Paint ingredients that are used mainly to provide color and opacity.

Phthalic Resins- A particular group of film formers; alkyds.

Pinhole- Very small holes in paint film, usually not deep enough to show the undercoat.

Polyurethane- Coatings ranging from hard glossy enamels to soft, flexible coatings. With thorough surface preparation, polyurethanes provide good to very good adhesion, hardness, flexibility and resistance.

Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA)- A synthetic resin largely used as a vehicle for many latex paints.

Pot Life- The period during which a two-part paint can be applied after it has been mixed.

Prime Coat- First coat.

Primer-The base coat, or first complete coat, of a paint system that is applied to an uncoated surface. Primer can be latex or alkyd (oil) paint.

Propellant- The gas used to expel materials from an aerosol container.

Putty Knife-A flat-bladed tool for filling cracks and holes with spackling compound.

Oil Paint- Oil-based paint that contains oil as the basic vehicle ingredient. Oil paint can be designed for interior or exterior use. It must be thinned and cleaned up with solvent. Pure oil-based paints have largely been replaced by alkyd paints.

Oleoresinous- Film former containing oil and resin.

Opacity- The ability of a paint to hide the previous surface.

Opaque Coating- A coating that hides the previous surface.

Open-Time- The amount of time a glaze or paint stays wet and workable for desired finish.

Orange Peel- Film having the roughness of an orange due to poor roller or spray application.

Organic- Containing carbon.

Organosol- Film former containing resin plasticizer and solvent; colloidal dispersion of a resin in plasticizer containing more than five% volatile content.

Orifice- Opening; hole.

Osmosis- Transfer of liquid through a paint film or other membrane.

Osmotic Blistering- Formation of blisters containing liquid.

Overcoat- Second coat; top coat.

Oxidation- Combination with oxygen; drying; burning; rusting.

Nailhead Rusting- Rust from iron nails that bleeds through the coating and stains the surrounding area.

Nap- The length of fibres in a paint roller cover.

Naphtha- An aliphatic solvent cut; hydrocarbons of the CnH2n+ series.

Nonvolatile- A paint’s solids content the solids left over after the solvent evaporates.

Marblezing- The application of a finish process used to make it have the appearance of marble. 

Marine Varnish- Varnish that is specially designed for immersion in water and exposure to the elements, including the marine atmosphere. It is often called spar varnish.

Masking Paper-A paper that is held in position by a strip of masking tape and used to temporarily protect surfaces adjacent to those being painted.

Masking Tape- Easily removable tape used to temporarily cover bands or small areas next to the area to be painted. It is important to remove masking tape promptly, because it is likely to dry out and leave a troublesome residue if left for more than two days or exposed to sunlight and heat.

Masking- Temporary covering of areas not to be painted.

Mastic-A heavy-bodied paste-like coating of high build. Mastic is often applied with a trowel.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) A document that lists hazardous ingredients and safety information related to products used in the workplace.

Metallics- Paints that include metal flakes.

Mildew Resistance- The ability of a coating to resist the growth of molds and mildew. Mildew is particularly prevalent in warm, humid climates.

Mildewcide- An agent that helps prevent mold or mildew growth on paint.

Mil- One one-thousand of an inch.

Mill White- One coat high hiding for interior paint.

Mineral spirits- Petroleum solvent for paint thinning and clean-up.

Mottling- An uneven layer of paint,speckling.

Multicolor Finishes- Paints containing flecks of colors different from the base color.

Lacquer- A clear or pigmented coating that dries quickly by evaporation of solvent.

Lacquer Thinner-Solvent such as ethyl alcohol, ethyl acetate and toluene that is used for thinning or cleaning up lacquer.

Lap- To lay or place one coat so it extends over and covers the edge of the previous coat.

Latex-A water-thinned paint such as polyvinyl acetate, styrene butadiene or acrylic.

Leveling- Ability of a film to flow out free from ripples, pockmarks and brush marks after application.

Lifting- Raising and lifting of the undercoat as a result of the top coat.

Linseed Oil-A drying oil used in paint, varnish and lacquer.

Lint-free Roller- A fabric roller, designed not to shed.

Ketones- Organic solvents containing CO grouping: commonly used ketones are Acetone, MEK methyl ethyl ketone and MIBK-methyl isobutyl ketone.

Japan Drier- Mild mixture of driers, used to increase dry time. 

Joint Cement- Cement used in dry wall construction as a bedding compound for joint tape and as a filler for nail holes.

Joint Tape- Special paper tape or paper-faced cotton tape used over joints between panels of wallboard to conceal the joint and provide a smooth surface for painting.

Industrial Paint- Paint that would normally be used to paint industrial items such as structural steel, chemical plants, and pulp and paper mills. It usually has greater chemical resistance and a faster drying time than regular house paint.

Inhibitive Pigment- One which retards corrosion process.

Inhibitor- Primer or other material used to retard rusting or corrosion.

Inlay- Decorative ornamentation set into the surface of a particular space.

Inorganic- Containing no carbon.

Intercoat adhesion- The adhesion between two coats of paint.

Interior- The inside surface of a structure.

Intumesce- To form a voluminous char on ignition; foaming or swelling when exposed to a flame.

Hardener- Curing agent; catalyst.

Hardboard- Reconstituted natural wood that is fabricated by reducing natural wood to fibres and then pressing the fibres together into panels of various thicknesses.

Hiding Power- The ability of a coating to obliterate the surface below it.

Hold-Out- The ability of a paint film to dry to its normal finish on a somewhat absorptive surface.

Holidays- Voids in the dried paint film.

Honeycombing- Lack of vertical film integrity; voids.

Hot Spots- Incompletely cured lime spots that bleed through the coating on a plastered wall.

Galvanized- Protected from rust by a thin coat of zinc (on iron or steel).

Gilding- The application of metal in any form (gold or metallic leaf, metallic foil, metallic paint, etc.). Used to complement a decorative finish.

Glaze- A term used to described several types of finishing materials.

Glazing- Application of transparent or translucent pigment on a painted surface to produce blended effect.

Gloss Meter- An instrument using a standard scale to measure the amount of light reflected by paint.

Gloss-The ability of the finished surface to reflect light in a mirrorlike manner. The higher the gloss, the more scrubbable and durable the finish. Degrees of gloss include flat, velvet, eggshell, low lustre, semi-gloss and high gloss.

Grain Raising- Swelling and standing up of the wood grain caused by absorbed water or solvents.

Graining-Simulating the grain of wood by means of specially prepared colors or stains and the use of graining tools or special brushing techniques.

Ground Coat-The base coat in an antiquing system. It is applied before the graining colors, glazing or other finish coat