Binder - The part of a paint that h olds the pigment particles together, forms a film, and imparts certain properties to the paint. It is part of the solids and is also known as vehicle solids.

Bleed - Color penetrates up through another coat of paint.

Calcium carbonate - An exterior pigment.

Coalescence - The merging into a single mass.

Crown molding - The uppermost moulding next to the ceiling.

Faux - French for fake or false. These include marbling or other imitation finishes.

Flagged bristles -Split ends.

Flatting - Lowering of the gloss.

Flexibility - Ability of paint film to withstand dimensional changes.

Gel Coat - A thin, outer layer or resin, sometimes containing pigment, applied to a reinforced plastic moulding to improve its appearance.

Gloss - Luster. The ability of a surface to reflect light. Measured by determining the percentage of light reflected from a surface at certain angles.

Gum - A solid resinous material that can be dissolved and that will form a film when the solution is spread on a surface and the solvent is allowed to evaporate. Usually a yellow, amber, or clear solid.

Gypsum Board - Thin slabs of plaster covered with a heavyweight 100 percent recycled paper covering.

Hiding power - The ability of paint film to obscure the substrate to which it is applied. Measured by determining the minimum thickness at which film will completely obscure a black and white pattern.

Humidity - The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.

Mill scale - An almost invisible surface scale of oxide formed when iron is heated.

Mils - Measurement of thickness of film. One-thousandth of an inch. One mil equals 25.4 microns (micrometers).

Reduction - Lowering the viscosity of a paint by the addition of solvent or thinner.

Resin - A solid or semisolid material that deposits a film and is the actual film-forming ingredient in paint. May be natural or synthetic. See Gum.

Solvent - A liquid that will dissolve something, commonly resins or gums, or other binder constituents and evaporates in drying. Commonly an organic liquid.

Strike-off - A small sample run off for color or pattern.

Substrate - The piece or object that is to be painted.

Titanium dioxide - A white pigment providing the greatest hiding power of all white pigments. Non-toxic and nonreactive.

Tooth - The slight texture of a surface that provides good adhesion for subsequent coats of paint.

Vehicle - All of paint except the pigment; the liquid portion of a paint.

Viscosity - The resistance to flow in a liquid. The fluidity of a liquid, i.e., water, has a low viscosity and molasses a very high viscosity.