Paint Terminology
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The following
is a list of paint related terms that are commonly used in
our industry. If you know of a description I missed, please
let me know. Send additional painting terms via e-mail to:
info@sharpe1.com
Alpha
List for Definitions
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L M
N O
P Q R
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U V
W X Y Z |
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A
ACCELERATOR:
- Additive
to paint to speed the cure of a coating.
ACRYLIC:
- A plastic
like material used in the manufacturing of paint to increase gloss
and durability.
ACTIVATOR:
ADDITIVE:
- Chemicals
added to a paint to improve or create certain specific characteristics:
i.e., flex agents.
ADHESION
PROMOTER:
- Material
used over an O.E.M. or cured insoluble finish to increase the
adhesion of the topcoat.
AIR DRY:
- The drying
or solvent evaporation of a topcoat at room temperature.
ALTERNATE
COLOR:
- A color matched
to a verifiable O.E.M. color shift.
ALUMINUM
PIGMENT:
- Small aluminum
particles used in paint to reflect light. These flakes vary in
size and polish to give a look of glamour and luster.
ARCING
(the gun):
- The action
of turning the wrist or elbow at the end of each pass of paint
while doing blends or panel repair. This causes a lighter application
of paint at each end of the pattern.
ATOMIZE:
- The breaking-up
of paint into fine particles or droplets by a paint gun.
B
BAKING:
- The process
of applying heat to a finish to speed the cure or dry time of
the finish.
BARE
SUBSTRATE:
- Any material
(steel, aluminum, plastic, etc.) which does not have a coating
of paint or primer.
BASECOAT:
- A highly
pigmented color which requires a coating of clear for protection,
durability and gloss.
BASECOAT/CLEARCOAT
SYSTEM:
- A two-stage
finish consisting of a color coat and a clearcoat.
BLEEDING:
- Soluble dyes
or pigments in old finishes dissolved by solvents in new color
and bleed through to the new finish color.
BLENDING:
- The tapering
of finishes or colors so slight differences cannot be distinguished.
Merging one color into another. This is achieved by allowing some
of the old finish to show through the new color.
BLISTERING:
- Effect of
pressure from either solvent or moisture under a coating causing
a swelling or blister in the finish; i.e. water blister.
BLUSHING:
- A milky appearance
of a topcoat caused by high humidity where water condenses on
or in the wet coating. This can be eliminated by use of heat or
a slower solvent or retarder.
BODY FILLER:
- An activated
polyester type material used on bare substrate to fill dents in
damaged auto body parts.
BRIDGING:
- Occurrence
where a primer or surfacer does not totally fill a sandscratch
or imperfection. Not usually apparent in undercoat, however, does
show up in topcoat.
BRITTLE:
- A paint coating
lacking flexibility.
BUBBLES:
- Air or solvent
trapped in a paint film caused by poor atomization during spraying.
Air trapped in body filler caused by excessive agitation.
BUFFING/COMPOUNDING:
- Using a mild
abrasive to bring out gloss and/or remove texture in a topcoat.
This can be done by hand or machine.
BURN/BURN
THROUGH:
- Polishing
or buffing of a color or clear too hard or long causing the underlying
coat(s) to be revealed.
C
CAST:
- A variation
of a color; example, a red shade blue.
CATALYST:
- Additive
for paint to speed the cure, give better recoatability, better
durability to weather and provides gloss.
CELLULOSE:
- Natural polymer
or resin from cottonseed oil to make paint coatings.
CHALKING:
- The result
of weathering of a paint film resulting in a white powdery appearance.
CHECKING/CROWFOOT:
- Tiny cracks
or splitting in the surface of a paint film usually seen in a
lacquer. Caused by improper film formation or excessive film build.
CHEMICAL
STAIN/SPOTTING:
- Circular,
oblong or irregular spots or discoloration on areas of finish
caused by reactive chemicals coming into contact with air pollution
(coal and high sulfur emissions), acid rain and snow.
CHIPPING:
- Removal of
finish usually due to the impact of rocks and stones.
COAT/SINGLE:
- Applying
of undercoat or topcoat over the surface using a 50% overlap of
spray.
COAT/DOUBLE:
- Two single
coats with longer flash time.
COLORANT:
- Made with
ground pigments, solvent and resin. Used in the intermix system
to produce colors.
COLOR BLIND:
- A handicap
in a personās color vision; incapable of distinguishing or perceiving
certain colors or any color.
COLOR COAT:
- The application
of color to a prepared finish.
COLOR DEFICIENCY:
- A handicap
in color vision, incapable of distinguishing or perceiving some
colors or levels of any color.
COLOR FAST:
COLOR
MATCH:
- Two colors
exhibiting no perceptible difference when viewed under the same
conditions.
COLOR
RETENTION:
- The ability
of a color to retain its true shade over an extended period of
time. A color that is color fast.
COLOR STANDARD:
- A small sprayed-out
sample of OEM color. This is the established requirement for a
given color code. This is the color the car is supposed to be
from the factory.
COLOR VERSION:
- A color matched
in a different quality finish, to match the same OEM standard;
i.e., a color matched to an acrylic enamel in lacquer.
COMPLEMENTARY
COLORS:
- Colors that
are opposite each other on the color wheel.
COMPOUNDING:
CONCENTRATION:
- The ratio
of pigment in paint to resins in paint.
COVERAGE:
- The ability
of a pigmented color to conceal or cover a surface.
CRATERING:
- The forming
of holes in a film due to contamination.
CRAZING:
- Fine line
cracks in the surface of the paint finish; see CROWSFOOT.
CROSSCOAT:
- Applying
paint in a crisscross pattern. Single coat applied in one direction
with a second single coat applied at 90” to the first.
CROWSFOOT:
- Tiny cracks
in the surface of a paint film usually seen in a lacquer; also
see CHECKING.
CURE:
- The chemical
reaction of a coating during the drying process, leaving it insoluble.
CURDLING:
- The gelling
or partial cure of paint due to incompatible materials.
CURTAINS:
- Large sagging
or runs of paint due to improper application.
"CUT-IN":
- Painting
of the edges of parts before installation.
D
DEFINED
ORIENTATION:
- The dispersion
of metallic or mica flake with a definite pattern.
DELAMINATION:
- The peeling
of a finish having improper adhesion.
DEPTH:
- Lighter or
darker in comparing two colors. The first adjustment in color
matching.
DIE-BACK:
- The gradual
loss of gloss due to continued evaporation of solvent after polishing.
DIRECT (FACE):
- The color
viewed from head-on (90”).
DISPERSION
LACQUER:
- Particles
of lacquer paint suspended or dispersed in a solvent which is
not strong enough for total solution.
D.O.I. (DISTINCTNESS
OF IMAGE):
- How clear
a finish reflects an image.
DOUBLE COAT:
- One single
coat of paint followed immediately by another.
DRIER:
- A material
used in a paint which enables it to cure.
DRY:
- The evaporation
of solvent from a paint film.
DRY
FILM THICKNESS (D.F.T.):
- The thickness
of a paint after it has dried and/or cured. Measured in mils.
DRY
SPRAY:
- The process
of applying paint in a lighter or not as wet application.
DURABILITY:
- How well
a film weathers and lasts.
E
ELECTROSTATIC
PAINT APPLICATION:
- Process of
applying paint by having the surface electrically charged positive
or negative and the application equipment on opposite electric
charge.
E.P.A. (ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY):
- Government
agency established to administer federal environmental legislation.
ETCH:
- The process
of chemically treating a material for corrosion resistance and
adhesion of a primer, or to remove rust.
ETCHING PRIMER:
- A primer
which contains an acid which etches the substrate as well as applying
a primer. To protect against corrosion.
F
FACTORY PACKAGE
COLOR (F.P.C.):
- Car colors
that are matched, produced and packaged by paint companies for
specific car color codes for use at the refinish level.
FADING:
- A gradual
change of color or gloss in a finish.
FEATHEREDGE:
- A sanding
process of tapering a broken paint edge to a smooth finish.
FEATHERING:
- Slang term
for blending or slowly moving the edge of one color into a second
color.
FILM
BUILD:
- The wet or
dry thickness of applied coating measured in mils; also see DRY
FILM THICKNESS.
FISHEYE:
- Round ring-like
craters caused by contamination.
FLAKE-OFF:
- Large pieces
of paint or undercoat falling off of substrate; also called delamination.
FLASH/TIME:
- The time
needed to allow solvents to evaporate from a freshly painted surface
before applying another coat or heat.
FLATTING
AGENT:
- Material
used in paint to dull or eliminate gloss.
FLEX AGENT:
- Material
added to paint for additional flexibility, usually used for rubber
or plastic flexible parts.
FLOATING:
- Characteristics
or some pigments to separate from solution and migrate to the
surface of paint film while still wet.
FLOP (SIDE
TONE):
- The color
of a finish when viewed from a side angle, other than direct.
FLUORESCENT
LIGHT:
- Light emitted
from a standard fluorescent fixture.
FLOW:
- The leveling
properties of a wet paint film.
FOGCOAT:
- A final atomized
coat of paint, usually applied at higher air pressure and at greater
distance than normal.
FORCE DRY:
- Speed of
dry due to application of heat. See BAKING.
G
GLAZE:
- A very fine
polishing material used to gain gloss and shine.
GLOSS:
- Reflectance
of light from a painted surface. Measured at different degrees
by instruments known as gloss meters.
GRAYNESS:
- The amount
of black or white in a specific color.
GRINDING:
- Using a coarse
abrasive, usually a spinning disc to remove paint, undercoat,
rust, etc. before applying body filler.
GROUND COAT:
- Highly pigmented
coat of paint applied before a transparent color to speed hiding.
GUIDE COAT:
- A mist coat
of a different color, usually primer, to aid in getting a panel
sanded straight. A dry contrasting color applied to prime prior
to sanding. This coat remains in the low areas and imperfections
during the sanding process. When removed, imperfections are eliminated.
Alpha
List for Definitions
A B C
D E F
G H I
J K L
M N O
P Q R
S T U
V W X
Y Z