Glossary

D

Degreaser
A chemical solution or compound designed to remove grease, oils and similar contaminants.

Deionized Water
Water which has been purified to remove mineral salts.

Delamination
The separation between layers of coats due to very poor adhesion.

Density
Mass per unit volume, usually expressed as grams per milliliter or pounds per gallon.

Descaling
The removal of mill scale or rust from steel by mechanical means, sometimes assisted by flame cleaning.

Detergent Scrubbing
Chemical removal of oil, grease, and other deposits on concrete surfaces by scrubbing with a detergent solution. Detergent scrubbing is frequently used to prepare concrete for acid etching.

Dew Point
The temperature of a surface, at a given ambient temperature and relative humidity, at which condensation of moisture will occur.

DFT
Dry film thickness.

Diluent
A portion of the volatile components of a coating which is not a true solvent and has minimal affect on the viscosity.

Dispersion
The suspension of tiny particles, usually pigments, in a liquid, usually resin.

Distilled Water
Water which has been purified by vaporizing the liquid and collecting the vapor which is then condensed back to a liquid having, in the process, removed the contaminants.

Drier
A chemical which promotes oxidation and subsequent drying of a paint film. Primarily used in oil base paints.

Dry Fall
A coating which is designed to dry rapidly so that the overspray can be easily removed from the surfaces below.

Dry Spray
Overspray or bounce back producing a sandy finish due to the sprayed particles having partially dried before reaching the surface.

Dry Time
Time allotted for an applied coating film to reach a set stage of cure or hardness.

Dry to Handle
The degree of cure at which a film will resist deformation due to handling.

Dry to Recoat
The time required for a cured film to dry prior to the application of a second coat.

Dry to Tack Free
A stage at which a coating film will form a skin to which dust will not adhere.

Dry to Touch
The state of dry at which a coating film will not transfer onto an item touched lightly against it.

Drying Oil
An oil having the property of hardening by oxidation to a tough film when exposed to air in the form a thin film.

Dulling
A loss of gloss or sheen.