Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Redmond.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
Back Rolling is a painting method that uses a roller to work over freshly sprayed or brushed paint. The roller helps spread the coating evenly and press it into the surface texture. Painters use this method on walls, ceilings, and other broad areas when a consistent finish matters.
Also called: Backroll
Cabinet Grain is the visible pattern and texture formed by wood fibers on a cabinet surface. The grain may run straight, curve, or show open pores. It affects how paint, primer, and wood filler look after application. Oak, maple, birch, and engineered wood each create different grain patterns.
Caulking is a flexible sealant applied along joints, gaps, and cracks to block water and air. On painted surfaces, it creates a smooth transition between materials and helps protect exposed edges. Exterior caulking commonly seals trim, siding, window frames, doors, and other connections before paint is applied.
Also called: Caulk
Chalking is the release of fine, powdery material from an exterior paint film as the coating weathers. The residue may appear on siding, trim, or other painted surfaces. Light chalking can affect color and adhesion. Heavy chalking signals that the surface needs careful cleaning and preparation before new exterior paint is applied.
Color Matching is the process of finding or mixing paint that closely matches an existing color on a wall, trim, ceiling, or fixture. The process considers changes from fading, lighting, surface texture, and sheen. A close match helps new paint blend with surrounding areas during interior painting and touch-up work.
Also called: Paint Matching
Cutting in is the controlled process of painting clean edges where a wall meets a ceiling, trim, or another surface. A painter uses a brush to create a sharp boundary before rolling the larger area. The method helps cover corners and narrow edges without spreading paint onto nearby surfaces.
Also called: Cut In
A deck ledger is a board fastened to a building to support one side of an attached deck. It connects deck framing to the house and helps transfer deck loads into the structure. Proper placement, fasteners, flashing, and sound wood help keep water from entering the wall around the connection.
Also called: Ledger Board
Deck Sealer is a wood coating that helps limit water absorption and surface damage on outdoor decks. The coating may soak into the wood or form a thin protective film. Deck sealer can leave the wood clear or add color, depending on the product. It is applied after cleaning and surface preparation.
Also called: Deck Sealant
Drywall Compound is a gypsum-based paste used to fill joints, cover fasteners, and smooth damaged drywall. The material spreads over seams and repairs, then dries into a sandable surface. Painters and drywall finishers use it before primer and paint, especially when a wall needs a smooth base or a matched texture.
Also called: Joint Compound
Efflorescence is a white, powdery deposit left when water carries dissolved salts through masonry, concrete, stucco, or other porous surfaces. As the water reaches the surface and dries, the salts remain behind. The deposit usually signals moisture movement beneath or behind the painted surface, not a paint color defect.
An eggshell finish is a low-luster paint sheen with a soft, slightly reflective surface. It gives walls more depth than flat paint and less shine than satin paint. This finish helps hide minor surface texture while offering better wipeability than flat paint, so it suits many interior walls and living spaces.
Also called: Eggshell Sheen
Elastomeric Coating is a flexible exterior finish that stretches and contracts with small surface changes. The coating forms a thick, weather-resistant film over materials such as stucco, masonry, and some siding. It can bridge fine surface cracks, but it cannot repair structural movement, active leaks, or damaged building materials.
Also called: Elastomeric Paint
Fascia is a long, straight board or trim piece fixed along the lower edge of a roof. It covers the ends of roof rafters, supports gutter mounting, and helps keep water away from the roof edge. Fascia may be made from wood, fiber cement, engineered wood, vinyl, or metal.
Also called: Fascia Board
Feathering is a drywall finishing method that spreads joint compound outward until the edges become thin and smooth. The gradual edge helps hide seams, patches, and small surface repairs under paint or texture. Feathering gives the repaired area a softer transition into the surrounding wall, so the finished surface looks even.
Also called: Feather Edge
Grain Raising is the lifting of loose wood fibers after bare wood absorbs moisture. The raised fibers make a surface feel rough and look uneven under paint or clear finish. Painters control this texture through careful sanding and surface preparation before applying primer or cabinet paint.
Also called: Wood Grain Raising
An HVLP Sprayer is a paint sprayer that uses high air volume and low fluid pressure to apply a controlled coating. The tool turns paint into fine droplets and directs them onto a surface. HVLP spraying can create an even finish with less airborne mist than many other spray methods.
Also called: High-Volume Low-Pressure Sprayer
Lap marks are visible overlaps or darker bands that form when wet paint meets paint that has started to dry. The marks often appear when a painter works across a large exterior wall, pauses, and resumes later. Uneven spreading, hot surfaces, wind, or slow application can make the overlap easier to see.
Also called: Overlap Marks
Masking is the process of covering or sealing surfaces that should stay free of paint. Painters use tape, plastic, paper, or other protective materials around trim, floors, hardware, windows, and fixtures. Proper masking creates a clean boundary and helps prevent splatter, drips, and unwanted paint transfer during interior painting.
Also called: Paint Masking
Mildew-Resistant Paint is a coating made with additives that help slow mildew growth on painted surfaces. The coating works best on clean, dry areas with good drainage and airflow. It does not remove existing mildew or fix moisture problems. Exterior versions are often used on siding, trim, soffits, and other damp-prone surfaces.
Also called: Mildew-Proof Paint
Orange Peel Texture is a light wall and ceiling finish with small, raised bumps that resemble an orange peel. A sprayer applies diluted drywall compound or texture material, then the surface dries before painting. The pattern hides minor surface marks and adds a consistent look without the deep ridges found in heavier textures.
Also called: Orange Peel Finish
Overspray is paint or coating that travels beyond the intended surface during spraying. Air movement, spray pressure, nozzle choice, and nearby surfaces can affect where droplets land. The material may settle as a fine mist on floors, windows, equipment, walls, or finished surfaces that were not meant to receive paint.
Paint Adhesion is the bond that holds a coating to a surface after the paint dries. Strong adhesion helps paint stay attached through normal weather, cleaning, and surface movement. Poor adhesion can lead to peeling, blistering, flaking, or early failure, especially when dirt, moisture, chalk, or loose old paint remains underneath.
Also called: Coating Adhesion
A paint conditioner is an additive mixed into paint to improve flow, leveling, and working time. It helps reduce brush drag and visible brush marks during application. Paint conditioner is chosen for the paint type and surface, and it is not the same as primer, thinner, or a coating that seals the surface.
Also called: Paint Additive
Paint sheen is the level of light reflection a dried coating shows. Sheen ranges from flat, which reflects little light, to high gloss, which reflects much more. The chosen sheen affects a room’s look, surface feel, cleanability, and ability to hide small wall flaws. Different surfaces may need different sheen levels.
Also called: Paint Finish
Peeling paint is a coating that has lost its bond with the surface beneath it and is lifting, cracking, or coming away in flakes. Moisture, poor surface preparation, aging, and incompatible coatings can weaken that bond. The problem may affect a small patch or spread across siding, trim, doors, or other painted surfaces.
Also called: Flaking Paint
Primer is a preparatory coating applied before paint to help create an even, stable surface. It can improve paint adhesion, reduce uneven absorption, and hide certain stains or color changes. Interior primers are chosen for the surface condition, such as new drywall, patched areas, bare wood, or previously painted walls.
Also called: Undercoat
Recoat Window is the period when a fresh coat of paint can receive another coat and still bond well. The window begins after the first coat has dried enough for recoating. It ends when the surface becomes too hard, contaminated, or damaged for reliable adhesion without extra preparation.
Also called: Recoat Time
Sanding is surface preparation that uses abrasive material to remove loose paint, smooth rough areas, and create a cleaner surface for the next coating. The process may expose sound material, soften sharp edges, or remove residue after paint stripping. Proper sanding helps new primer or paint bond evenly.
Also called: Surface Sanding
A stain blocker is a primer or coating that seals discoloration so it does not show through new paint. It helps cover marks from water, smoke, grease, crayon, and wood tannins. Painters apply it to affected areas after cleaning and drying the surface, then apply the finish paint after the blocker cures.
Also called: Stain-Blocking Primer
Surface Preparation is the cleaning, repair, and conditioning done before painting. The process removes dirt, loose paint, mildew, and other barriers that can weaken adhesion. It may also include sanding, scraping, caulking, filling, and priming. Good preparation gives exterior paint a sound, even surface and helps the finished coating perform as intended.
Also called: Surface Prep
Tannin Bleed is a wood stain that rises through paint and leaves yellow, brown, or reddish marks on the surface. The discoloration often appears over knots, raw wood, or joints. Moisture can draw tannins toward the coating, so regular paint may not hide the marks for long without the right primer.
Also called: Tannin Staining
Texture Matching is the process of recreating an existing wall or ceiling texture on a repaired area. The goal is to make the new surface blend with the surrounding finish in pattern, depth, and coverage. Common examples include matching orange peel or knockdown texture after drywall damage or access work.
Also called: Wall Texture Matching
Touch-Up Paint is a small amount of matching paint used to cover minor marks, scratches, scuffs, or thin spots on a painted surface. The goal is to restore the damaged area without repainting the entire wall. A good touch-up matches the original color, sheen, texture, and application method as closely as possible.
Also called: Touch-Up Coating
Wood Filler is a repair compound that fills small holes, cracks, dents, and gaps in wood surfaces. It creates a smoother base for sanding, priming, and painting. Wood filler works on trim, doors, cabinets, and other painted woodwork. The repaired area usually needs sanding before the finish coat is applied.
Also called: Wood Putty
Wood Rot is the decay of wood caused by fungi that grow when wood stays damp. The decay weakens fibers and can leave boards soft, cracked, hollow, or crumbly. On painted siding, wood rot often starts where water enters joints, trim edges, fastener holes, or damaged coatings.
Also called: Dry Rot
