AAA Painters

Glossary of Painting Terms

AAA Painters

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The  glossary of paint terms provides a quick reference to terms commonly used in painting applications.

EASE OF APPLICATION

Characteristics of a paint or caulk that facilitate its application, e.g., spatter resistance, lapping properties, and open time.

EFFLORESCENCE

Whitish powder (salt deposits) that sometimes appears on masonry surfaces; it is carried to the surface by moisture.

Click here for more information about efflorescence.

EGGSHELL

An interior paint that has a low lustre, satin-like appearance. Its gloss level is between flat and semigloss.

ELASTICITY

The ability of paint or caulk to expand and contract with the substrate without suffering damage or changes in its appearance. Expansion and contraction are usually caused by temperature and humidity fluctuations.

ELASTOMERIC COATING

A thick, flexible paint that bridges hairline cracks. It can be stretched repeatedly, and it immediately returns to approximatiely its original length. It is commonly used on masonry surfaces.

EMULSION

A mixture (usually milky-white) in which one liquid is dispersed (but not dissolved) in another. A latex paint or caulk binder is often referred to as an emulsion, even though it is a dispersion of solid polymer particles in a liquid (water). In Europe, latex paints are often referred to as “emulsion paints.”

ENAMEL

Technically, an enamel is a colored varnish, or high gloss paint. Generally, the term is used for high quality, dirt-resistant paints (generally for interior use) that may have a sheen level from satin to glossy. These coatings are used for more demanding applications as in kitchens, bathrooms, etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

An agency of the federal government that has the responsibility of protecting the environment.

EXTENDER PIGMENT

A low-hiding, inexpensive pigment that fills out and extends the high-hiding and colored pigments’ capabilities, provides bulk to the paint, and can positively or negatively have an impact on many properties. Some common extenders are clay, calcium carbonate, and silica.

EXTRACTIVES

A large number of different organic compounds which can be extracted from wood with polar or non-polar solvents.