"A" Painting and Wallpapering Trade Definitions

Trade Definitions

Abrasive – A material used for wearing away a surface by rubbing.

Absorption – Process of soaking up, or assimilation of one substance by another.

Accelerator – Catalyst; a material which accelerates the hardening of certain coatings.

Accent Colors – Colors in contrast with surrounding colors, used to emphasize an object or surface.

Acetic Acid – A sour, colorless compound.

Acetone – A fast evaporating, highly flammable solvent.

Acoustic Paint – Paint which absorbs or deadens sound.

Acrylic Resin – Synthetic resins used in both emulsion and solvent-based paints.

Activator – A catalyst such as for epoxy resin.

Adhesion – Bonding strength, the attraction of a coating to the surface to which it is applied.

Adsorption – A process of absorption, on a particle’s surface only.

Advancing Colors – Colors that seem to move toward a viewer, or to make objects or surfaces seem closer.

Agitator – A stirring of mixing device.

Aerosol - A container (usually a hand-held size) of coating material that is pressurized for spray (atomized) applications. Enamels and varnishes are often sold in aerosol cans.

Air Drying – Drying by evaporation through simple exposure to air.

Airless Spraying – Spraying using hydraulic pressure to atomize the paint.

Air Volume – Quantity of air in cubic feet (usually per minute) at atmospheric pressure.

Alcohol – A flammable solvent; alcohols commonly used in painting are ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and methyl alcohol (methanol, wood alcohol).

Alipathic Hydrocarbons – Flammable solvents of low solvent power, usually derived from petroleum.

Alkali – Caustic, such as sodium hydroxide, lye, etc., which can be harmful to paint films.

Alkali Burn - A condition that occurs when the alkalinity in fresh masonry causes the breakdown of a paint’s binder, resulting in color loss and overall deterioration of the paint film. Most likely to occur with vinyl-acrylic latex and oil-based paints applied to masonry surfaces that are less than a year old.

Alkyd Resins – Resins prepared from poly hydric alcohol and poly basic acids, as oil based material.

Alligatoring – Surface imperfections off paint having the appearance of alligator hide.

Aluminum Paint - A paint, usually solvent-based, that contains aluminum particles and provides a metallic appearance.

Amides – Curing agent combined with epoxy resins.

Analine Colors – Coal tar dyes or derivatives.

Analogous Colors – Adjacent colors on the color wheel containing the same primary color.

Anhydrous – Dry, free of water in any form.

Anti-corrosive Paint - A paint designed to minimize rust or corrosion when applied directly to metal.

Anti-fouling Paint - Specially formulated paint for surfaces such as boat hulls and piers. It discourages attachment and growth of marine plants and animals.

Applied Hiding - Refers not only to the opacity of the paint film, but also to how it hides, depending on its thickness and how smoothly it flows out. Must take into account how the paint is applied (brush, roller, spray, etc.).

Appliqué – Design or ornament applied to another surface. In wall covering, cutouts applied to a background.

Aromatic Hydrocarbons – Strong solvents such as benzene, toluene, xylene.

Asphalt – Residue from petroleum refining.

Atomize – Break stream into small particles.