Glosary

Abrasion Resistance: 
That property of a surface that resists being worn away by a rubbing or friction process. Abrasion resistance isn’t necessarily related to hardness, as believed by some, but is more closely comparable to, or can be correlated with, toughness.

Adhesion
The property that causes one material to stick to another. Adhesion is affected by the condition of the surface to be coated and by the closeness of contact.

Bond 
The adhesion between two dissimilar materials.

Conversion Varnish 

 A solvent-based floor finish that is pre-catalyzed (one-component) or post-catalyzed (two-component). (Sometimes referred to as “Swedish finish” or “acid-cure.”)

Cure 

 To change the properties of an adhesive or coating by chemical reaction and thereby develop maximum strength.

Drying 

The act of changing from a liquid film to a solid film by the evaporation of solvents, oxidation, polymerization or by a combination of these phenomena.

Dry Tack-Free

The stage of solidification of a film of finishing material when it doesn’t feel sticky or tacky when a finger is drawn lightly across it in a quick, continuous motion.

Durability 

 The ability of a finishing material to withstand the conditions or destructive agents with which it comes in contact in actual usage, without an appreciable change in appearance or other important properties.

Fading 

The loss of color due to exposure to light, heat or other destructive agents.

Gloss 

 The luster, shininess or reflecting ability of a surface.

Hardness 

That property of a dried film of finishing material that causes it to withstand denting or being marked when pressure is exerted on its surface by an outside object or force.

HVAC 

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning.

Moisture-Cure Urethane 

A solvent-based polyurethane that dries by solvent evaporation and cures by a reaction of the polyurethane with atmospheric moisture.

Oil Finish, Hard Wax 

Oils (natural vegetable-based) with wax. The wax is normally “natural-based wax,” i.e., carnauba wax.

Oil Finish, Hybrid 

A wide range of oil finishes typi-cally based on vegetable oil that is often combined with alkyd resins for better drying and durability.

Oil Finish, Natural-Based 

The main ingredient in these finishes is the binder, which is a natural-based oil (e.g. sunflower oil, saflor oil, soja oil). These oils have a small amount of non-natural dry-ers so they will dry. Tung oils are included in this group.

Oil-Modified Urethane 

A solvent-based polyurethane that dries by solvent evaporation and cures by a reaction of the polyurethane with driers and air.

Peeling 

A defect in a dried film manifested by large pieces becoming detached from the under surface and coming loose in sheets or large flakes.

Scratches

Slight incisions, breaks, tears or indentations on the surface caused by abrasive friction.

Sheen 

The degree of luster of the dried film of a finishing material. It is usually used to describe the luster of rubbed surfaces or of flat-drying materials.

Solvent A liquid that can dissolve another substance.

Staining 

The act of changing the color of wood without disturbing the texture or markings, through the application of transparent or semitransparent liquids made from dyes, finely divided pigments or chemicals.

Urethane 

A synthetic chemical structure formed by one of three specific chemical reactions.

UV-Cured Coating 

A type of coating that is cured by subjecting it to a specific dosage of ultraviolet light.

Water-Based Urethane 

A waterborne urethane that is fully cured and dries by water evaporation.

Wax: 

Any of a number of resinous, pliable substances of plant or animal origin that are insoluble in water, partially soluble in alcohol, ether, etc., and miscible in all proportions with oils. It is used for making polishes and other products.

Wet-Mop

Mopping a floor using a mop dripping with water. Hardwood floors should never be wet-mopped.

Yellowing 

The tendency of a dried film to take on a yellowish cast with age.