Construction Painting NC II key terms
Construction Painting NC II · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Related: Respirator Fit Test, Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
The set of wearable items such as respirators, goggles, gloves, coveralls, and safety shoes worn to protect the painter from chemical, physical, and health hazards on the job site.
- Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- Related: Volatile Organic Compound (VOC), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
A standardized document supplied by the manufacturer that lists a product's hazards, safe handling procedures, required protective equipment, first-aid measures, and spill response instructions.
- Respirator Fit Test
- Related: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Spray Booth
A procedure that checks whether a respirator seals properly against the wearer's face, confirming that airborne paint mist, solvent vapor, or dust will not leak into the mask.
- Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
- Related: Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS), Solvent
Solvent or other organic substance that evaporates readily from paint and contributes to air pollution and health effects; regulations limit the VOC content of coatings.
- Confined Space Entry
- Related: Ventilation, Hazard Identification
Entering an enclosed area such as a tank, pit, or silo with limited openings and poor ventilation, requiring an entry permit, atmospheric testing, a standby attendant, and rescue arrangements.
- Hazard Identification
- Related: Confined Space Entry, Fire Extinguisher Class
The process of recognizing conditions that could cause injury or illness, such as unstable scaffolding, electrical sources, flammable vapors, or sharp edges, before work begins.
- Fire Extinguisher Class
- Related: Hazard Identification, Solvent
A rating that indicates which types of fire an extinguisher can fight, such as Class A for ordinary combustibles, Class B for flammable liquids, and Class C for energized electrical equipment.
- Ventilation
- Related: Spray Booth, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
The controlled supply and removal of air in a work area to reduce solvent vapor, paint mist, and dust below harmful and flammable levels during surface preparation and coating application.
- Spray Booth
- Related: Ventilation, Overspray
An enclosed, ventilated room designed for spray painting that captures overspray, filters exhaust air, and protects the surrounding area from contamination and fire.
- Airless Sprayer
- Related: Spray Tip, Overspray
A spray unit that forces coating through a small tip at very high hydraulic pressure without compressed air, giving a fast, high-build application with little overspray.
- Conventional Spray Gun
- Related: Spray Tip, Fluid Viscosity
A gun that atomizes coating by mixing a low-pressure fluid stream with compressed air at the nozzle, producing a fine finish that suits thin lacquers and enamels.
- Spray Tip
- Related: Airless Sprayer, Fan Pattern
The interchangeable nozzle component of an airless sprayer that controls the fan pattern width and coating flow rate, identified by a number and a size code.
- Fan Pattern
- Related: Spray Tip, Overspray
The shape and width of the spray cloud delivered by a gun, which the painter overlaps in consistent passes to lay down an even, uniform coating film.
- Overspray
- Related: Spray Booth, Masking
Paint mist that misses the intended surface and settles on surrounding objects, floors, or the painter, causing contamination and waste if not controlled.
- Brush Ferrule
- Related: Brush Bristle Type, Brush Cleaning
The metal band that binds the bristles to the handle of a paint brush; a loose or corroded ferrule lets bristles fall out and ruins the finish.
- Brush Bristle Type
- Related: Brush Ferrule, Brush Cleaning
The material of a brush's filaments, such as natural hog bristle for solvent coatings or synthetic polyester and nylon for water-based paints, chosen to suit the coating chemistry.
- Brush Cleaning
- Related: Brush Ferrule, Solvent
The routine of removing paint from bristles with the correct thinner, washing with soap and water where suitable, combing straight, and storing flat or hanging to keep the shape.
- Roller Cover Nap
- Related: Roller Frame, Drywall Joint Compound
The length of a roller cover's pile, ranging from short for smooth surfaces to long for rough masonry, which controls how much paint the cover holds and releases.
- Roller Frame
- Related: Roller Cover Nap
The cage and handle that holds a roller cover; the cage must spin freely and the handle must stay secure so the cover tracks evenly without skipping.
- Surface Preparation
- Related: Abrasive Blasting, Sanding Grit
All cleaning, repairing, sanding, and treating done before coating so that paint bonds firmly and the finished film looks smooth and lasts.
- Sanding Grit
- Related: Surface Preparation, Feather Edge
The number that rates abrasive particle size on sandpaper or discs; lower numbers cut faster and coarser, higher numbers smooth finer between coats.
- Feather Edge
- Related: Drywall Joint Compound, Sanding Grit
A tapered, gradually thinned edge produced by sanding around a repaired area so the patch blends invisibly into the surrounding surface beneath the new coating.
- Drywall Joint Compound
- Related: Feather Edge, Primer
A gypsum-based paste used to fill seams, corners, and fastener holes in plasterboard; it is sanded smooth and primed before finish paint is applied.
- Abrasive Blasting
- Related: Surface Profile, Surface Preparation
A surface preparation method that propels sand, grit, or other media at high speed to strip rust, scale, and old coatings and to create a profile for adhesion.
- Surface Profile
- Related: Abrasive Blasting, Adhesion
The microscopic roughness or anchor pattern created on a substrate by abrasion or blasting, which gives the coating a mechanical key to grip.
- Efflorescence
- Related: Moisture Meter, Alkali Resistance
A white, powdery salt deposit that appears on masonry and concrete when moisture migrates through the material; it must be removed and the source of damp corrected before painting.
- Moisture Meter
- Related: Efflorescence
An instrument that measures the water content of concrete, masonry, or wood so the painter can confirm the substrate is dry enough for coating application.
- Primer
- Related: Sealer, Undercoat
The first coat applied to a prepared surface to seal it, improve adhesion, block stains, and provide a uniform base for the finish coats.
- Undercoat
- Related: Primer, Topcoat
A coat applied over the primer and beneath the topcoat to build film thickness, hide the substrate color, and give the finish coat a smooth, even base.
- Topcoat
- Related: Undercoat, Sheen
The final coat of a paint system that provides the visible color, sheen, and weather resistance of the finished surface.
- Sealer
- Related: Primer, Alkali Resistance
A coating that penetrates or films a porous surface to reduce absorption, so subsequent coats do not sink in and dry unevenly.
- Fluid Viscosity
- Related: Thinner Ratio, Conventional Spray Gun
A measure of a coating's resistance to flow; it determines whether the paint brushes, rolls, or sprays properly and is adjusted with thinner or water.
- Thinner Ratio
- Related: Fluid Viscosity, Pot Life
The proportion of solvent or water added to a coating to reach the working viscosity recommended by the manufacturer, often stated on the product label.
- Pot Life
- Related: Thinner Ratio, Catalyst
The usable working time of a mixed coating, especially two-component products, before it thickens or cures beyond the point where it can be applied.
- Catalyst
- Related: Pot Life
The reactive component added to a two-pack coating that starts the chemical cure; the correct ratio and thorough mixing are essential for proper film performance.
- Sheen
- Related: Topcoat, Orange Peel
The degree of light reflection from a dried coating, ranging from flat and matte to satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss, chosen for appearance and cleanability.
- Orange Peel
- Related: Sheen, Sagging
A defect in which the dried film has a dimpled, citrus-like texture caused by poor atomization, incorrect viscosity, or too little thinner in spray application.
- Sagging
- Related: Orange Peel, Fluid Viscosity
A defect where excess wet paint runs downward in curtains or drips, usually from over-thick application, too much thinner, or spraying too close to the surface.
- Masking
- Related: Overspray
Temporarily covering glass, trim, hardware, and adjacent surfaces with tape, paper, or film to protect them from paint and overspray.
- Cutting In
- Related: Masking, Lap Mark
Brushing a narrow, controlled band of paint along edges, corners, and trim before rolling the open field, so the two areas blend without a visible line.
- Lap Mark
- Related: Cutting In, Sagging
A visible line left where a wet edge has dried before the next pass of paint overlaps it, caused by painting too slowly or in hot, drying conditions.
- Faux Finish
- Related: Glaze, Base Coat
A decorative technique such as ragging, sponging, or marbling that imitates natural materials or adds texture, applied over a properly prepared base coat.
- Glaze
- Related: Faux Finish
A translucent or semi-transparent coating used in decorative work to create depth, highlights, and blended effects; it stays workable long enough to be manipulated.
- Base Coat
- Related: Faux Finish, Glaze
The foundation coat in a decorative or multi-layer system that establishes color and a uniform surface for the glaze or effect applied on top.
- Adhesion
- Related: Surface Profile, Surface Preparation
The bond between a coating and the substrate or between successive coats; it depends on proper surface preparation, cleanliness, and correct application.
- Touch-Up
- Related: Adhesion, Lap Mark
The localized repair of small damaged, thin, or missed areas using the same coating and technique so the patch blends with the surrounding finish.
- Wet Film Thickness (WFT)
- Related: Dry Film Thickness (DFT), Sagging
The thickness of a coating measured while still wet, checked with a comb gauge to confirm the correct amount is being applied for the required dry film.
- Dry Film Thickness (DFT)
- Related: Wet Film Thickness (WFT)
The thickness of the cured coating film, measured with a magnetic or ultrasonic gauge and compared against the specification to confirm coverage and durability.
- Alkali Resistance
- Related: Efflorescence, Primer
The ability of a coating to withstand the alkaline nature of new concrete or masonry without losing color or adhesion; alkali-resistant primers are used for this purpose.
- Solvent
- Related: Thinner Ratio, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
A liquid that dissolves or thins a coating and evaporates after application; it affects drying time, flow, and the health and fire hazards of the product.
- Waste Segregation
- Related: Solvent, Housekeeping
The practice of separating hazardous painting waste, such as solvent, leftover paint, and contaminated rags, from ordinary refuse for proper disposal or recycling.
- Housekeeping
- Related: Waste Segregation, Brush Cleaning
Keeping the work area clean and orderly by clearing debris, storing materials safely, and cleaning tools, which prevents accidents and protects the quality of the finish.
- Inspection Checklist
- Related: Dry Film Thickness (DFT), Punch List
A written list of quality points, such as surface preparation, film thickness, coverage, and defects, used to verify that completed work meets the specification before sign-off.
- Punch List
- Related: Inspection Checklist, Touch-Up
A compiled record of incomplete or defective items found during final inspection that the crew must correct and close out before the work is accepted.
- Toolbox Meeting
- Related: Hazard Identification, Work Instruction
A short, informal briefing held at the start of a shift to review the day's tasks, safety hazards, and coordination among crew members.
- Work Instruction
- Related: Toolbox Meeting, Inspection Checklist
A clear, step-by-step written or verbal direction describing how a task must be carried out, including materials, sequence, and quality requirements.
- Material Take-Off
- Related: Coverage Rate, Work Instruction
A calculated list of the quantities of paint, primer, and consumables needed for a job, based on measured areas and the coverage rate of each product.
- Coverage Rate
- Related: Material Take-Off, Dry Film Thickness (DFT)
The area that a given volume of coating will cover at the specified film thickness, usually stated in square meters per liter on the product data sheet.
- Professional Work Ethics
- Related: Toolbox Meeting, Work Instruction
The standards of honesty, reliability, respect, and responsibility a painter shows on site, including punctuality, safe conduct, and reporting defects truthfully.