Common Coating Terms
Abrasion Resistance
The ability of a coating to resist degradation due to mechanical wear.
Abrasive Media
The material used in abrasive blasting to remove surface contaminants and create the necessary surface profile for enhanced coating adhesion. Examples of abrasive media are sand, iron shot, crushed iron slag, glass beads, or ground nutshells.
Accelerated Weathering
A test designed to simulate but simultaneously intensify and accelerate the destructive action of natural outdoor weathering such as wind, rain, salt spray, and UV exposure.
Accelerator
A substance used in small proportions to increase the speed of a chemical reaction. Accelerators are often used in the paint industry to hasten the curing of a coating system.
Acrylic Latex
An aqueous dispersion of acrylic resins.
Acrylic Resin
A clear resin attained by polymerizing various acrylic monomers either alone or in combination.
Activator
The curing agent of a two component coating system.
Adhesion
The degree of attachment between a paint film and the underlying material to which it is in contact. See: Intercoat Adhesion.
Adsorption
Process of attraction or attachment to a surface. The retention of foreign molecules on the surface of a substance.
Air Cap (Air Nozzle)
Perforated housing for directing the atomizing air at the head of an air spray gun.
Air Drying
The most common form of curing a coating in which drying takes place by oxidation or solvent evaporation by simple exposure to air without heat or catalyst.
Air Entrapment
The inclusion of air bubbles in liquid paint or a paint film.
Airless Spray
A spraying system in which paint is atomized using high hydraulic pressure rather than compressed air.
Alcohol
A group of solvents of relatively high evaporation rate but with reasonably low solvent strength. Methanol, ethanol, and isopropyl are common alcohols.
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons
A class of organic solvents which are composed of open chains of carbon atoms. Aliphatics are relatively weak solvents. Mineral spirits and VM & P Naphtha are aliphatic solvents.
Aliphatic Polyurethanes
Polyurethane coatings classified by their excellent color and gloss retention. They often get used as the finish coat in a coating system.
Alkali
An aqueous liquid that has a pH value of between 7 and 14. A base or caustic material.
Alkyd Resin
Resins prepared by reacting alcohols and fatty acids. Widely used in general purpose coatings.
Alligatoring
Surface imperfections of a coating film having the wrinkled appearance of alligator skin.
Ambient Temperature
Room temperature or the existing temperature of the surroundings.
Amine
Materials often used as curing agents for epoxy coatings. See: Amine Blushing: How to Identify, Prevent & Remediate This Common Issue for more about the common coating failure associated with these materials.
Anchor Pattern
The surface profile generated by abrasive blasting or some power tool cleaning. The distance between peaks and valleys of the blast profile.
Anode
The positive terminal of an electrical source. In a corrosion cell, the anode is the electrode that has the greater tendency to go into solution of the point at which corrosion occurs.
Aromatic Hydrocarbons
A class of relatively strong organic solvents which contain an unsaturated ring of carbon atoms. Examples are benzene, toluene, and xylene.
Aromatic Polyurethanes
Polyurethane coatings that often get used in lining (immersion) applications. These coatings exhibit excellent chemical resistance and some flexibility. However, they have poor color and gloss retention.
Asphalt
A black resinous material of petroleum origin.
ASTM B117
Salt Fog Spray - Atomized 5% sodium chloride solution at 95°F (35°C). See: CTSP Episode 099 - Testing, ASTM B117, Steve Liebhart.
ASTM D4258
Standard practice for surface cleaning concrete for coating. This practice includes surface cleaning of concrete to remove grease, dirt, and loose material before the application of coatings. Procedures include broom cleaning, vacuum cleaning, air blast cleaning, water cleaning, detergent water cleaning, and steam cleaning.
ASTM D4259
Standard practice for abrading concrete. This practice includes surface preparation of concrete to prepare the surface before the application of coatings. This practice is intended to alter the surface profile of the concrete.
ASTM D4260
Standard practice for acid etching concrete. This practice includes surface preparation of concrete to prepare the surface before the application of coatings. This practice is intended to alter the surface profile of the concrete.
ASTM D4261
Standard practice for surface cleaning concrete unit masonry for coating. This practice covers surface cleaning of concrete unit masonry to remove dust, dirt, mortar spatter, oil, and grease before the application of coatings. Procedures include vacuum cleaning, air blast cleaning, water cleaning, detergent water wash, steam cleaning, and mechanical cleaning.
ASTM D4262
Standard test method for pH of chemically cleaned or etched concrete surfaces. This test method covers the procedure for determining the acidity or alkalinity of concrete surfaces prepared by chemical cleaning or etching before coatings.
ASTM D4263
Standard test method for indication of moisture in concrete by the plastic sheet method. This test method is used to indicate the presence of capillary moisture in concrete.
AWWA C210
A standard used in the water-supply industry for steel water pipelines installed underground or underwater under normal construction conditions. It describes the material and application for shop- and field-applied, liquid-epoxy interior linings and exterior coatings.
AWWA C222
A standard that provides the minimum requirements for polyurethane coating and lining systems for steel water pipes and fittings.
AWWA D102
A standard that provides the minimum requirements for coating steel water-storage tanks, including materials, coating systems, surface preparation, application, inspection, and testing.
