From: Contemporary Relationships between Wood & Finish: A step-by-step guidebook and design planner for the layperson and professional
by Michael Fallarino
ISBN: 0-9700622-1-4
©Pan-Global Gumbo, Ltd.  

alligatoring: A crazing of surface finish involving many fine cracks. The cracks often follow the wood’s grain horizontally, and interconnect with small vertical cracks. It is most common on older oil finishes and thick accumulations of finish.  

backbrushing: Smoothing a finish with a brush to remove artifacts immediately after it has been applied by spray or roller.  

back-priming: The application of primer to the back side or underside of wood to retard or stop moisture transmission (see also Primed-on-six-sides).

batch lot: A production run which is identifiable by an identical serial number.  

binder: Nonvolatile ingredients in a finish, such as resins, that holds pigments in suspension and creates adhesion between the components in the finish and the substrate to which the finish is applied. Binders influence the long-term performance of finishes.  

biocide: A substance added to a finish to discourage the growth of fungi.  

blister: A loss of adhesion between finish and substrate resulting in a domed protrusion. Blisters can be caused by excess heat such as intense sun or hydrostatic pressure behind the film.  

bonding: The adhesion between finish and substrate.  

bosun’s chair: A one-person rigging system that provides working access to heights.  

bounce back: See overspray.   boxing: Pooling together cans of finish to assure consistency of sheen and color.  

build rate: The speed at which a finish accumulates DFT.  

chemical sensitivity: An adverse immune system reaction to a substance (toxic or non-toxic) that increases in severity with frequency of contact. Chemical sensitivity may be reversible, partly reversible, or irreversible.  

clad: An aluminum or vinyl film which encases wood on exterior millwork.

closed grain: A finely textured wood in which the pores are small and closely spaced. Maple is an example.  

coalescence: The formation of a latex film through the evaporation of water and volatiles in which particles join with each other and a substrate. colorant: A pigment that refracts specific light wavelengths, and that is added to a finish.

color retention: The ability of a finish to maintain its out-of-the-can color over time and despite exposure.  

crazing: A network of mostly interconnected finely textured cracks in a finish.  

cup gun: An air-powered spray gun with a fillable cup.  

Daoism, Taoism: A way of determining direction in life in which personal empiricism is balanced with a priori knowledge and the understanding of mind and body unfolds through the immanence of the moment.  

delamination: A process in which a layer of finish detaches from another underlying layer of finish, or from a substrate.

dew point: The intersection at which temperature and humidity converge and moisture condenses out of the air.  

dry film thickness (DFT): The surface dimension of a finish after it has dried into a film. It is normally measured in mils.  

dry-rot: A colloquial misnomer indicating that fungi have caused enough decay in moist wood so that it is crumbly and powdery.

emulsifier: An agent capable of causing two other normally incompatible substances to join together harmoniously and remain stable.  

end grain: A cross-section of wood primarily along a board’s width as opposed to its length in which the cell structure reaches maximum exposure. A 90-degree crosscut will expose more end grain inch-for-inch than a 45-degree miter.  

extractive bleeding: A normal process in resinous and tannin-containing woods such as redwood, cedar, and mahogany in which colored plant acids move to the surface of the wood or the finish.  

feathering: Tapering the perimeter of a substance to a much thinner dimension than the center.  

ferrule: The metal band that joins a brush’s bristles to its handle.  

flashing: (1) The tendency of finish to produce dull spots while brushing under adverse climate conditions. (2) Thin copper or aluminum sheeting sold in various widths by the foot or the roll and installed on a structure’s joints where water infiltration is likely.  

flatting paste: A liquid additive that can dull the sheen of a finish.  

flow dynamics: The interaction of air, heat, and moisture to produce a unique pattern that affects relationships.  

gable: Most commonly, a vertical triangular wall on a building.

glycol: A wetting agent found in latex finishes.  

HEPA filter: An acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting air filters. They are used in various applications such as hospital operating rooms, home air filtration devices, and vacuum cleaners. HEPA filters are capable of capturing a wide range of minute particles such as spores and formaldehyde.  

hue: The recognizable attributes of a color dependent upon wavelength rather than lightness or intensity.  

hydrostatic pressure: Continuous pressure exerted by water or water vapor which may have a deleterious effect on wood or its finish.

HVLP: An acronym for High-Volume Low-Pressure sprayers powered with a small turbine engine and capable of an expedient build rate.  

intercoat peeling: Delamination between finishes due to poor adhesion, the presence of foreign matter, or excessive thickness.   jamb: The two side pieces, and top or head piece, that form the enclosure for doors and windows.  

Japan drier: An additive that speeds and insures the drying of oil-based finishes.  

keyed plaster: Plaster that is tightly and securely interlocked with its substrate.  

kiln-dried: Wood that has been placed in a heated and climate-controlled chamber for the purpose of lowering the moisture content to a specific point.  

lamb’s wool applicator: A piece of lamb’s wool used for padding-on floor finishes and typically installed on a wooden block and extension pole.

lignin: An incompletely understood substance that comprises about 25 percent of wood and which helps fortify and stiffen the structure of its cell walls.

long oil: An oil finish with a comparatively high oil-to-resin ratio that causes it to dry slowly and result in a tough, elastic finish.  

MDF (medium density fiberboard): A laminationless, grainless, commonly used material in cabinet construction made from wood by-products and glue.

medium oil: An oil finish with a moderate oil-to-resin ratio that causes it to dry faster than a long oil but that results in a less elastic finish.

mil: A common unit of measurement for thickness: one-thousandth of an inch.  

mildewcide: A chemical agent that prevents, retards, or destroys mildew growth. It is found in many exterior finishes and is purchasable as an additive.

milk paint: A traditional paint made from milk protein, lime, clay, and earth pigments. It was commonly used by the Shakers.  

mill glaze: The shiny, burnished surface on wood that can be resistant to penetration by finish. It is created by the high-speed shaping equipment that machines the wood.

mullion: The vertical bar in a window frame that holds more than one window.  

muntin: A small dividing member in a sash or door which separates panes of glass.

naphtha: A petroleum-based thinner that has the capacity to speed drying.  

negative pressurization: A condition in a structure in which the ambient pressure is lower than the pressure of outside air, creating a vacuum.

open grain: A coarsely textured wood in which the pores are larger and the wood has wide, conspicuous growth rings. Oak is an example.   orifice: The size of the opening where finish exits a spray gun tip, normally measured in millimeters.  

overprint: Clear finish with a slight amber tint which simulates the effect of light on photoreactive wood.  

overspray: During spray application, wasted finish that blows around the substrate, collects on surfaces not aimed at, or bounces back after striking the surface.  

ozone: An unstable and sharply odoriferous form of oxygen (O₃), that is a bluish, toxic gas which can contribute to photochemical smog. In very small concentrations it acts as a surface disinfectant

pigment: An insoluble material (in paint, chiefly titanium dioxide) that when mixed into finish is responsible in part for color, opacity (hiding power), hardness, durability, and corrosion resistance.  

polymerization: A chemical process in which small molecules interlock to form long chains of large molecules.  

positive pressurization: A condition in a structure in which the ambient pressure is higher than the pressure of outside air, inducing air to flow outside where possible.

pound/cut: The amount of shellac flakes, in pounds, dissolved into one gallon of alcohol. Four pounds of shellac flakes dissolved into one gallon of alcohol is a four-pound cut.  

powdering: The ability of a finish to smooth when sanded, without gumming the paper. Some opaque latex finishes do not powder.

pressure pot sprayer: Conventional spray equipment powered by a compressor and air tank.  

pressure washer (or power washer): A cleaning machine available in various powers, normally gasoline powered, that connects to a spigot, pressurizes water, and channels it through a long wand.  

preweathering: The exposure of unfinished wood to the elements.  

primed-on-six-sides: The application of primer to every surface of a board (the front and back, the two edges, and the two ends) to minimize moisture permeability.

pumice stone: Powdered volcanic glass available as a finishing sundry and used with water for polishing finish or for creating antique faux finishes.

pump-up sprayer: A plastic or metal canister, hose, and wand that is pumped by hand to pressurize the tank for spraying.   rail: A horizontal member in a paneled assembly.  

recoat interval: A minimum and maximum window of time in which a finish should be coated to prevent a defect in bonding or curing.

reveal: The amount of space that a piece of wood is set back from an adjacent parallel piece.  

release: A bond failure in which finish detaches from an underlying layer of finish or from the wood/paint interface.  

resin: A natural or synthetic, transparent or translucent material in finish responsible for film formation.  

Rockwell C scale, Rockwell hardness: A standardized numerical scale of measurement used to ascribe the relative hardness of a surface or substance. The name derives from Stanley P. Rockwell, a 20th century American metallurgist.  

rottenstone: Powdered limestone available as a finishing sundry and used with water for polishing finish and for creating antique faux finishes.

sheen: The capacity of a finish to reflect light and create luster. Sheen is normally described in words, but is sometimes represented in numbers. 

short oil: An oil finish with a comparatively low oil-to-resin ratio that permits faster drying, but creates a less elastic finish than a medium or long oil.

silicone: A temperature-stable and elastic polymerized organic compound used in caulks, finishes, lubricants, gaskets, and elsewhere.

sill: (1) The lowest exterior horizontal member of a window frame or door frame assembly. The corresponding interior member of a window frame is the stool. (2) The lowest framing member of a structure, normally resting on the foundation.  

soffit: Most commonly, the horizontal, level underside of a roof where it returns to the side of the structure, but also the underside of a staircase, cornice, beam, arch, or similar architectural detail.  

solids: The non-volatile portion of a finish that dries into a protective film.

solvent: The liquid portion of a finish that dissolves its resins and evaporates as the coating forms a dry film.  

stile: A vertical member in a paneled assembly.  

substrate: Any surface or material to which any finish is applied.  

tannin: A yellowish or brownish astringent, acidic compound in many plant tissues. When it moves to the surface of a finish on siding, the movement is commonly called extractive bleeding.  

tint: The intensity with which a pigment is added to a finish to produce hue.   tone: The luminosity of a color.  

tongue and groove: A style of fabrication in which boards have a tongue on one side and a corresponding groove on the other so that their mated junction produces a common plane and eliminates gaps between courses.  

universal tinting colors: Pigments available as sundries that can be put into any type of finish.  

vehicle: The liquid portion of finish composed of binder and thinner. Along with pigment it is one of the two basic components of paint.

viscosity: The capacity of a liquid to resist motion. Varnish is less viscous than exterior paint. For spray application, the viscosity of most finishes must be reduced by thinning. This is sometimes done in a viscosity cup, also known as a Zahn cup. These standardized cups are sized by number and have a small hole at the bottom. For optimal spray results, manufacturers sometimes specify a time range in seconds in which all the finish in the cup should exit the hole.  

VOC (volatile organic compound or content): Organic chemicals that evaporate from finish while it is drying and which can form ozone upon uniting with nitrogen oxide. Some municipalities have VOC restrictions to help limit pollution.  

weathering: The deterioration and discoloration of a finish in response to exposure.  

wet edge: The totally fluid, leading edge of a finish that is being applied.  

wet film thickness (WFT): The surface dimension of a finish immediately upon application. It is normally measured in mils.  

wet-on-wet: An application process in which an additional coat is applied to a preceding coat before that coat is dry, so that the composite dries homogeneously. Some proprietary finishes require wet-on-wet application.  

wire lath: Metal lath that is manufactured and sold in sheets. It is fastened to wall framing to receive scratch coat plaster (the initial layer).  

wood brightener: A cleansing agent that can remove stains from finish and restore its original color.  

wood/paint interface: The thin, delicate interface where a finish bonds to wood.