Paint Ideas · Glossary

Glossary

Not sure what a certain term means? Find it here in our glossary. Simply browse through or navigate by choosing a letter.

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Raising the grain - A process of damping the surface of wood with water to bring up or lift small fibers for final smooth sanding.

Reaction test - A test used to predetermine the effect that an adhesive, cleaning solution or wallpaper-removing solution may or may not have on a specific wallpaper or wall surface.

Row running cutter - A knife for cutting carpeting. It follows the rows of pile.

Rag-rolling off - A technique in which paint or glaze is removed from a surface using a rolled-up piece of cloth that is lifted off in a rhythmic pattern.

Retarder additive - Used to lengthen the cure time of adhesives and grouts.

Rheology - Measurement of the viscosity of a fluid under different conditions.

Rough-surface painter - A combination brush and paint pad, this tool is useful for painting rough shingles and masonry. Short bristles resemble a scrub brush.

Reamalgamated finish - A previously alligatored or roughened finish that has been made level by rubbing the surface with solvent that melts the finish and allows it to dry smooth.

Refraction - The bending of light rays passing from one medium into another having a different index of refraction.

Recess - A shallow depression drilled in wood to allow the head or threaded end of a through-bolt to be flush with the wood surface.

Red label goods - Flammable or explosive materials with flash points below 100?F

Red ochre - One of the basic pigments, red ochre is a red tinged slightly with violet, made from clay containing iron oxide.

Roller - A paint application tool having a revolving cylinder covered with fabric, foamed plastic, or other materials.

Room continuity - The continuous flowing of wallpaper patterns and colors from one room to another.

Raw sienna - One of the native colors, raw sienna is an earthy yellow-brown made from clay containing iron and aluminum oxides, which is found in the area of Tuscany around Siena.

Roller coating - Method of applying coatings by means of rubber or steel rolls.

Ragging off - The technique in which paint is pulled from a surface with a bunched-up cloth. Sometimes called cheeseclothing.

Reducer strip - Trim used to make a smooth transition between varying floor heights or materials.

Rottenstone - A fine powder abrasive made by crushing decomposed limestone. Rottenstone and oil are used as a fine finishing polish.

Raw umber - One of the native colors, raw umber is a cool brown made from a clay containing iron oxides and manganese dioxide, originally from the Italian region of Umbria.

Registration marks - Small holes cut into a stencil with more than one layer, which allow you to match up the different layers.

Ragging on - The technique in which paint is applied to a surface using a bunched-up cloth.

Rosette - Circular or oval ornamental plaque that serves as a terminus for vertical casings.

Raised panel - A board with bevels on all four sides of one face so that stock is thicker in the center than at its perimeter.

Resin - A category of solid or semisolid, viscous substances, both natural (rosin, amber, copal) and synthetic (polyvinyl, polystyrene). Resins are important ingredients in varnishes used to finish wood surfaces.

Reducer - A fitting used to join two pipes of different diameters.

Ready-mix concrete - Wet concrete that is transported from a concrete supplier in a cement truck with a revolving drum. The concrete is ready to pour.

Refined white beeswax - Derived from natural beeswax, this product produces an elegant, lustrous finish that doesn't yellow.

Rubbing oil - A pale, medium heavy mineral oil used with pumice stone or other abrasives as a lubricant for rubbing the dried film of finishing materials.

Reflectance levels - Refers to the amount of light that is reflected from a colored surface, such as a tile wall or painted surface. Some colors reflect light, others absorb it.

Rust inhibitors - Chemicals added to special paints intended for metal surfaces that may corrode.

Recommended span - The distance a piece of lumber can safely traverse without being supported underneath.

Reflection - A process by which incident light leaves a surface or medium from the side on which it is incident.

Reach-in closet - The conventional bedroom clothes closet, measuring at least 24 inches deep and, for each person using it, a minimum of 60 inches wide.

Radius - The measurement from the center of a circle to the circumference; half the diameter.

Ragging - A painting technique that uses a crumbled piece of cloth to apply or remove small amounts of wet paint to create a pattern or texture.

Respirator - A filter device with a replaceable cartridge worn over the nose and mouth to remove irritants (dust and toxic pollutants) from the air.

Retreating colors - Generally cool, pale hues that seem to recede from the viewer. Retreating colors can foster spatial illusions and make objects less obtrusive.

Runs - Uneven flow or leveling of paint resulting in sags. Caused by applying too much paint at one spot or spray painting too close to surface.

Rust - A corrosion product consisting primarily of hydrated iron oxide.

Rag rolling - Process of rolling a loosely wound rag down a glazed surface in vertical columns. Creates a soft, repetitive pattern.

Receding colors - The cool colors. They make surfaces seem farther from the eye.

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