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Paint:

A mixture or dispersion of opaque pigments or powders in a liquid or vehicle. Now used in the general sense, which includes all organic and inorganic coatings such as enamels, varnishes, emulsions, bituminous coatings, etc.

Paint Contractor:

An individual or firm whose primary business is providing surface preparation and coating application service.

Paint Failure:

The loss usefulness of the paint coating. The point at which the decorative and /or protective qualities of a coating have ended.

Paint Remover:

A compound that softens old paint or varnish and allows scraping off the loosened material. Common removers contain a solvent such as methylene chloride, wax, surfactants, etc. Newer removers are non-chloride and use a combination of surfactants and in some cases low volatility solvents. Also known as strippers.

Paintbrush:

A tool manufactured with natural or synthetic bristles designed to hole and apply paint. Natural bristle brushed apply more smoothly. Synthetic bristle brushes works best with latex and water-based paints because the filaments do not absorb water as easily. See also brush.

Painting:

The series of operations that includes surface preparation, pretreatment, and application of paints to surfaces, whether in the shop or in the field. Includes the labor, material and equipment; the drying and protection of the painted surfaces and the protection of property and traffic.

PDCA:

Painting & Decorating Contractors or America. The PDCA serves to educate and inform painting contractors in the U.S and Canada about business management, technical information, and other industry-related topics.

Peeling:

Detachment of a paint film from the substrate or underlying coating in ribbons or sheets (relatively large specs) usually accompanies by curling at the edges. Also known as tissue paper peeling.

Permeability:

The ability of a surface or coating to allow passage of gas, liquid or vapor. In coatings, usually measured in volume/area/time.

Picture Framing:

The appearance of color or sheen differences between brushed and rolled areas adjacent to one another, such as cut-in areas around doors and the rolled areas around surrounding walls.

Pigment:

Small solid particles of natural or synthetic, inorganic or organic, generally insoluble material that, when dispersed in a liquid vehicle to make a paint, provide such properties as color, opacity, hardness, sanding properties, gloss control, and corrosion resistance. Titanium dioxide is the most important pigment used to provide hiding power, but others include burnt or raw sienna, burnt or raw umber, carbon black, tuscan red, zinc compounds (oxide, phosphate, sulfide), etc.

Pin Hole (Pinhole):

A minute hole in a paint film that resembles a pore or pinprick, often due to improper solvent release during drying or the trapping of air or gas in the film during setting.

Polyurethane:

A film forming material produced when an isocyanate reacts with hydroxy functional polyol to produce an organic compound known as a urethane. Shows excellent chemical and solvent resistance, toughness, and good adhesion, although proper surface preparation is critical. The two main types are aromatic (interior) and aliphatic (exterior durable).

Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA):

A synthetically produces polymer that is widely used as a co-polymer for vinyl chloride to improve solubility in organic solvents. PVA is commonly emulsion polymerized and used for interior water based latex paints.

Poor Hiding:

A coating that shows the color of the previous coating or substrate through the dry film.

Power Wash:

The cleaning of a surface using pressurized water.

Prefinished:

An inappropriate term sometimes used to define Factory Finished.

Pressure Washing:

See Water Blast.

Primer:

The first of two or more coats or paint, varnish or lacquer. It is applied to improve adhesion of the succeeding coat and/or provide passive corrosion resistance to a metal surface.

Production Rate:

The amount of work done in a preset time period.

Profile:

The surface roughness of an abrasive blast-cleaned surface, as viewed from the edge; a cross section of the surface.

Punch List:

A list, made at or near the completion of work, indicating items to be furnished or work to be performed by the contractor or subcontractor in order to complete the work as specified in the contract documents. Also called a Deficiency List.

Putty Knife:

A flat-bladed tool for applying putty.

PVA:

See Polyvinyl Acetate.





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