Wood Finishings

Toner	A pigmented sealer or topcoat reduction that is used to color certain areas of the wood over the existing stain, giving a uniform look to the stain
Checking	Small cracks or lines in the finish. Also known as alligatoring
Cold Checks	The cracking of a finish due to exposure to cold temperatures.Usually exposure happens before the finish has completely cured
Alkyd	A family of synthetic resins made from organic acids, combined with oils and alcohols
Water White	A high grade of lacquer that shows very little amber tone when applied
Zahn Cup	A brand of viscosity cup
Bleeding	A reaction in the stain or dye that causes the pigment to rise to the surface of the wood
Nitrocellulose	Lacquer's main ingredient. A very flammable material that has a tendency to yellow with exposure to sunlight
Opaque	The opposite of transparent. The hiding quality of a pigmented coating
HAPS	(Hazardous Air Pollutants Incompatibility) - The inability of one finish product to work with another product
Ford Cup	A brand of viscosity cup
Precats	A finish that arrives already catalyzed from the manufacturer
Catalyst	An agent that is added to finish that causes a reaction in the coating. This reaction causes the finish to be more durable than without the catalyst
Bubbles	The formation of air bubbles in the top of the finish
Flash Point	The temperature at which a finish will ignite when exposed to a flame
Gloss	The sheen or reflectivity of a coating
Flow	Out - The ability of a liquid to level itself as it dries
Viscosity Cup	A small cup used to measure the thickness of a coating
Binder	An ingredient or blend of ingredients in stain that holds the pigment particles together
Adhesion	The ability of one material to stick to another
VHAPS	Volatile Hazardous Air Pollutants
Viscosity	The thickness of a coating in its liquid state