Glossary of Refinishing Terms

Acrylic : A plastic like material used in the manufacturing of paint to increase gloss and durability.

Additive : Chemicals added to a paint to improve or create certain characteristics; i.e., flex agents.

Air Dry : The drying or solvent evaporation of a topcoat at room temperature.

Arcing (the gun) : The action of turning the wrist or elbow at the end of each pass of paint while doing blends or panel repair. This causes a lighter application of paint at each end of the pattern.

Atomize : The breaking - up of paint into fine particles or droplets by a paint gun.

Baking : The process of applying heat to a finish to speed the cure or dry time of the finish.

Bare Substrate : Any material (steel, aluminum, plastic, ect.) which dose not have a coating of paint or primer.

Basecoat : A highly pigmented color which requires a coating of clear for protection durability and gloss.

Basecoat / Clearcoat System : A two-stage finish consisting of a color and a clearcoat .

Bleeding : Soluble dyes or pigments in old finishes dissolved by solvents in a new color and bleed through to the new color.

Blending : The tapering of finishes or colors so slight differences cannot be distinguished. Merging one color into another. This is achieved by allowing some of the old finish show through the new color.

Blistering : Effect of pressure from either solvent or moisture under a coating causing a swelling or blister in the finish; i.e. water blister.

Blushing : A milky appearance of a topcoat caused by high humidity where water condenses on or in the wet coating. This can be eliminated by the use of heat or a slower solvent or a retarder

Bridging : Occurrence where a primer or surfacer does not totally fill a sandscratch or imperfection. Not usually apparent in undercoat, however, does show up in topcoat .

Brittle : A paint coating lacking flexibility

Bubbles : Air or solvent trapped in a paint film caused by poor atomization during spraying. Air trapped in body filler caused by excessive agitation.

Buffing/Compounding : Using a mild abrasive to bring out gloss and/or remove texture in a topcoat. This can be done by hand or machine.

Burn/Burn Through : Polishing or buffing of a color or clear too hard or too long causing the underlying coat(s) to be revealed.