Paintucation Glossary

Glossary

This is a list of some of the terms that are used in the repair/refinish industry.

Substrate - The surface requiring repair. ( metal, fiberglass, etc)

HVLP - High volume low pressure, usually used in describing spray gun Technology or style.

Primer - metal coating

Primer surfacer - High-build coating used for leveling and blocking minor
Imperfections in substrate.

Primer sealer - A primer that is applied in a wet-on-wet application of
Topcoats.

VOC's - Volatile Organic Compound Solvents that are released during the painting process and go into the atmosphere, reacting with various pollutants causing "Photochemical Smog"

Corrosion - any process where a material disintigrates as a result of contact with its environment.

Bondo - Brand name for plastic based body filler. probably the first major marketing campaign that everyone remembers. Now a nick-name for all plastic fillers.

Basecoat - Color coat only, no UV screeners or strength. Must be used under a clearcoat

Clearcoat - Shiny, outer layer of a two part system containing all the UV screeners and weather resistance.

Thermoset - Catalyzed coating that can't be re-flowed by solvents

Thermoplastic - non-catalyzed coating that CAN be re-flowed by solvents (lacquer)

SSU - Single stage urethane coating. Single component paint system that has pigment, UV screeners, and strength in one application.

Tri-coat - Three stage paintsystem consisting of a base color, a transparent mid-coating, and a clearcoat for gloss and strength.

OEM - Original equipment manufacturer

NOS - New old stock usually referring to vintage parts that have never been used.

Colorsanding - The procedure of defect correction in a topcoat system through sanding with ultrafine paper, followed by compounding and polishing the scratches out to a high gloss.

DOI - Distinctness of image, referring to the quality of reflection in a painted or polished surface.

Acid rain - Industrial fallout mixed with rain to create an acidic residue that can be corrosive to a vehicles finish.

Overspray - Paint materials from another unit falling on adjacent surfaces.

Orange peel - film that has the surface appearance of an orange peel.

Dry spray - A rough textured surface often confined to a small area.

Sags - curtains of excessive paint that appear on a vertical or inclined area.

Fisheyes - small rounded indentations in the paint caused by contamination of substrate.

Trash - small pieces of debris trapped in new paint film.

Delamination - Layers of paint separating from the substrate thay were sprayed onto.

Die-back - Loss of gloss after application.

Solvent trapping - a "volcano" that appears in fresh paint film, usually caused by premature "flashing" of painted surfaces.

Mottling - blotchy appearance in metallic paints.

Scratch swelling - Sanding scratches made in undercoats that "swell" when covered by topcoats and solvents.