Descriptive Terms and Language

Acrylic: A synthetic resin used in high-performance water-based coatings. A coating in

which the binder contains acrylic resins.
Adhesion: The ability of dry paint to attach to and remain fixed on the surface without
blistering, flaking, cracking or being removed by tape.
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" and "Oxidizing."
Binder: Solid ingredients in a coating that hold the pigment particles in suspension and
attach them to the substrate. Consists of resins (e.g., oils, alkyd, latex). The nature and
amount of binder determine many of the paint's performance properties--wash-fastness,
toughness, adhesion, color retention, etc.
Body: The thickness or viscosity of a fluid.
Catalyst: Substance whose presence increases the rate of a chemical reaction, e.g., acid
catalyst added to an epoxy resin system to accelerate drying time.
Chroma: A measurement of color. The degree of saturation of a hue. A color at its full
intensity has maximum chroma.
Clear Coating: A transparent protective and/or decorative film; generally the final coat of
sealer applied to automotive finishes.
Coalescent Aid: The small amount of solvent sometimes contained in latex coatings. Not
a true solvent since it does not actually dissolve the latex resins, the coalescent aid helps
the latex resins flow together, aiding in film formation.
Coating: A paint, varnish, lacquer or other finish used to create a protective and/or
decorative layer. Generally used to refer to paints and coatings applied in an industrial
setting as part of the original equipment manufacturer's (OEM) process.
Cohesion: A bonding together of a single substance to itself. Internal adhesion.
Colorant: Concentrated color (dyes or pigments) that can be added to paints to make
specific colors.
Colorfast: Non-fading in prolonged exposure to light.
Color Retention: The ability of paint to keep its original color. Major threats to color
retention are exposure to ultraviolet radiation and abrasion by weather or repeated
cleaning.
Cure, Curing: The process whereby a liquid coating becomes a hard film through
oxidation or mechanical change..
Diluent: A liquid used in coatings to reduce the consistency and make a coating flow
more easily. The water in latex coatings is a diluent. A diluent may also be called a
"Reducer," "Thinner," "Reducing Agent" or "Reducing Solvent."

Dry Colors: Powder-type colors to be mixed with water, alcohol or mineral spirits and
resin to form a paint or stain.
Earth Pigments: Those pigments that are obtained from the earth, including barytes,
ocher, chalk and graphite.
Emulsion: A mixture of solids suspended in a liquid.
Emulsion Paint: Coating in which resins are suspended in water, then flow together with
the aid of an emulsifier.
Enamel: Broad classification of paints that dry to a hard, usually glossy finish. Most
equipment-coating enamels require baking. Enamels for walls do not.
Epoxy: Extremely tough and durable synthetic resin used in some coatings. Epoxy
coatings are extremely tough, durable and highly resistant to chemicals, abrasion,
moisture and alcohol.
Extender: Ingredients added to paint to increase coverage, reduce cost, achieve
durability, alter appearance, control rheology and influence other desirable properties.
Less expensive than prime hiding pigments such as titanium dioxide.
Examples: barium sulphate, calcium carbonate, clay, gypsum, silica, talc. May also
improve coating performance or to reduce solids content where pigment is used. ExtendAir by E'TAC is used for also reducing solids for infinite transparencies and synergistic
change when mixed 50/50 with Reduce-Air which is an in-situ artist modification to adjust
the tackification and body of the paint.
Film Build: Amount of thickness produced in an application. Millimeters (mils) of dry film
per mils of applied wet film. Film builds that are higher than taped off areas will obviously
pull due to over-laying of a continuous film which incorporates into a single lattice
structure creating a bond to tape mechanism through thin film membrane.. Remember
do not over-lay your paint films or allow a continuous film to form over taped areas.
Remove all tapes low-tack to high tack at a 45 degree angle away from the painted
surface to reduce pulling of any paint. You can change this with E'TAC products simply by
adjusting the paint with Reduce-Air to reduce tackification based on how you choose to
work.
Flash Point: is a scientific attribute - the lowest temperature at which a liquid will ignite
when an ignition source is applied to it. Water evaporates under atmospheric conditions,
solvents gas or fume off under the same conditions and are ignitable as well as fume
formers that are flammable and create vapors. The boiling point is lower than water
based on type solvent involved and often adds to the burden and over-load of ozone
depleting chemicals in the atmosphere. See VOC volatile Organic Compounds by doing a
comprehensive search.
Forced Dry: A mechanical or natural means of removing remaining liquids from a coating
to produce a continuous dry film or finish.
Lacquer: A fast-drying usually clear coating that is highly flammable and dries by solvent
evaporation-flashing only. Can be reconstituted after drying by adding solvent.
Latex-based Paint: General term used for water-based emulsion paints made with
synthetic binders such as 100% acrylic, vinyl acrylic, terpolymer or styrene acrylic. A
stable emulsion of polymers and pigment in water. Latex paint is a carefully formulated

polyvinyl material with acrylic resin and has never contained natural rubber; it is natural
rubber that causes an allergic reaction, so people who have sensitivity to latex products
are in no danger of having a reaction to latex paint. In other areas, some gums and
natural rubbers exists that are used in art products. Always read the directives and follow
instructions for safe handling where applicable.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): Information sheet(s) that lists any hazardous
substance that comprises one percent or more of the product's total volume. Also lists
procedures to follow in the event of fire, explosion, leak or exposure to hazardous
substance by inhalation, ingestion or contact with skin or eyes. Coatings manufacturers
are required to provide retailers with an MSDS for every product they sell to the retailer.
Sales clerks should make MSDSs available to retail customers upon request.
Nonvolatile: The portion of a coating left after the solvent evaporates; sometimes called
the solids content.
Oil Paint: A paint that contains drying oil, oil varnish or oil-modified resin as the filmforming ingredient. The term is commonly and incorrectly used to refer to any paint
soluble by organic solvents.
Oxidation: Chemical reaction upon exposure to oxygen. Some coatings cure by oxidation,
when oxygen enters the liquid coating and cross-links the resin molecules. This filmforming method is also called "Air Cure" and "Air Dry." (Oxidation also causes rust on
bare metals.)
Paint: A coating including resin, a solvent, additives, pigments, pigmented ink (see
pigment) and, in some products, a diluent. Paints are generally opaque, and commonly
represent the portion of the industry known as "architectural coatings." Specialized paint
is produced for various other industries where some paint works as a color coating,
others are used as protective coatings.
Pigment: Insoluble, finely ground materials that give paint its properties of color and
hide. Titanium dioxide is the most important pigment used to provide hiding or blocking
properties.
Polymer: Substance, the molecules of which consist of one or more structural units
repeated any number of times; vinyl resins are examples of true polymers.
Polymerization: The interlocking of molecules by chemical reaction to produce very large
molecules. The process of making plastics and plastic-based resins.
Primer: First complete coat of paint of a painting system applied to a surface. Such paints
are designed to provide adequate adhesion to new surfaces or are formulated to meet
the special requirements of the surfaces.
Solids: The part of the coating that remains on a surface after the vehicle has
evaporated. The dried paint film. Also called Nonvolatile.
Solvent: Any liquid which can dissolve a resin. Generally refers to the liquid portion of
paints and coatings that evaporates as the coating dries.
Spray Paint: Spray or aerosol paints are paints formulated for spraying from a hand-held
pressurized can for the finishing and touch-up of cars, machinery, metal furniture,
appliances, and other unlimited items. Approximately 80 percent of aerosol paints are
sold to consumers for do-it-yourself paint jobs with the remainder sold for industrial or

construction applications. Additional applications include construction-related markings,

parking lots, and athletic fields, as well as arts and crafts.
Substrate: Any surface to which a coating is applied.
Titanium Dioxide: White pigment in virtually all white paints. Prime hiding pigment in
premium paints..
Tackification: All paint has a degree of tack be it water-based, water-born or solvents. If
not, these products cannot hold onto the surface they are used on. This process can be
altered in water based products as well as solvent based systems for performance
geared use according to surface or substrate application affinity, based on how you work,
what modifications you need that take surface type and end-use into account. Does it
bend, is it solid will it be washed or will it be exposed to exterior or interior only
conditions etc.
Detackification: Sometimes paints can contain agents for re-release such as waxes or oils
in regards to water-borne or water-based,, similar to adhesives that are adjusted based
on amount of desired tack or lack of tack or stickiness. This is very simple to comprehend
as it includes most all products made to include shampoo's, paints, cosmetics, medicines,
syrups and glues or similar substances, its either very sticky or less sticky. Nothing more
to remember.
Urethane: An important resin in the coatings industry. A true urethane coating is a twocomponent product that cures when an isocyanate (the catalyst) prompts a chemical
reaction that unites the components. Search polyurethane polyol for additional
comprehensive information on how these actions work. Often urethane's are used for
their protective coating abilities but are often used as well for the decorative value in a
controlled method where complete self contained respirators, paint booths and protective
gear are used to protect the user from air-born toxins such as diisocyanates among other
noxious chemicals used in these type solvent systems.
Vaporization: of an element or compound is from the liquid phase to gas phase. There are
two types of vaporization: evaporation and boiling. Evaporation is a phase transition from
the liquid phase to gas phase that occurs at temperatures below the boiling temperature
at a given pressure. Boiling is a phase transition from the liquid phase to gas phase that
occurs at or above the temperature the boiling temperature.
Vehicle: Portion of a coating that includes all liquids and the binder. The vehicle and the
pigment are the two basic components of paint.
Volatility: The defining quality of a liquid that evaporates quickly when exposed to air.
Volatile Organic Compound: Organic chemicals and petrochemicals that emit vapors
while evaporating. In paints, VOC generally refers to the solvent portion of the paint
which, when it evaporates, results in the formation of paint film on the substrate to which
it was applied.
Water-based: Coatings in which the majority of the liquid content is water. Often used for
non-toxic consumer products or products produced under specific labeling rules where
each component is considered for both acute and chronic toxicity via route of in-take or
potential for abuse or accidental ingestion, (delivery) is evaluated and certified by
licensed toxicological examinations accredited in this field of study..

Water-born: Coatings that reduce VOC by replacing in-part some of the solvent that are
high VOC with solvent of lower VOC's total hydro-carbon component (Volatile Organic
Compounds) in water.