Plain definitions of 34 terms we use on the job in Issaquah.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
Acrylic Paint is a water-based coating made with acrylic resin, color pigments, and other additives. It dries as water leaves the coating and the resin forms a durable film. Interior painters use acrylic paint on drywall, wood trim, doors, and other prepared surfaces because it offers flexible color and easy cleanup.
Back brushing is a staining method that works wet stain into wood pores, grain lines, and small surface gaps with a brush. A painter applies stain by another method, then brushes across the coated area to spread the material evenly. This technique helps deck stain reach textured boards and reduces excess material on the surface.
Backrolling is a paint application method that uses a roller after spraying or brushing. The roller presses paint into the surface and helps create an even film. Painters often use backrolling on walls, ceilings, and textured areas where a smooth, consistent finish depends on good contact with the surface.
Also called: Back Rolling
Caulk is a flexible sealing material that fills narrow gaps and joints around a home. It helps block water, air, and dirt where two surfaces meet. Exterior caulk also creates a smoother surface for paint and can move slightly as building materials expand, contract, or shift.
Also called: Caulking
Chalking is a powdery residue that forms when paint binders break down at the surface. The residue can rub off on your hand or a cloth, and it may leave the coating dull or faded. Chalking often appears on exterior walls exposed to sunlight and weather, but surface preparation helps determine the proper repainting approach.
A chemical stripper is a coating-removal product that softens or breaks down old paint, varnish, or other finishes. You spread it over a suitable surface and allow it to react before removing the loosened coating. Chemical strippers help prepare wood, metal, or masonry for later cleaning, sanding, and repainting.
Also called: Paint Stripper
Cutting in is the hand-painted process of creating a clean edge where two painted surfaces meet. Painters use a brush to apply paint along ceilings, trim, corners, windows, doors, and other boundaries. The technique helps separate colors and reduces paint on surfaces that should remain unpainted.
A deck ledger is a board fastened to a building wall that supports one side of a deck frame. The ledger connects deck joists to the structure and helps transfer the deck load to the building. Proper fastening, sound wall material, and careful water protection all affect how the connection performs.
Also called: Ledger Board
Drywall Compound is a smooth building material used to fill joints, cover fasteners, repair dents, and create an even surface on drywall. The compound spreads over damaged areas, dries into a firm layer, and can then be sanded or textured. Painters also use it to prepare ceilings before applying primer and paint.
Also called: Joint Compound
Efflorescence is a white, powdery deposit that forms when water carries dissolved salts to a masonry or concrete surface. As the water evaporates, the salts remain behind. The deposit often appears on brick, concrete, stucco, or mortar and can affect how an exterior paint coating bonds to the surface.
Eggshell finish is a low-sheen paint surface with a soft, slight luster. It reflects more light than flat paint but less than satin paint. This finish helps hide small wall flaws while offering better wipeability than a flat surface. Eggshell paint is commonly chosen for interior walls in living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and dining areas.
Fascia is a horizontal board or trim along a roof edge. It covers the ends of roof rafters, gives the roofline a finished appearance, and often supports gutters. Fascia may be made from wood, fiber cement, vinyl, or metal. Exterior paint helps protect the surface from moisture and weather.
Also called: Fascia Board
Grain Filling is a cabinet preparation process that fills open pores and deep wood texture before painting. The filler creates a smoother surface, so paint leaves less visible grain. Painters apply it to porous wood species, then allow it to dry and sand the surface before primer and finish coats.
Also called: Wood Grain Filling
An HVLP Sprayer is a paint spraying tool that moves a high volume of air at low pressure. The airflow breaks liquid paint into a fine spray and helps control overspray. Painters often use this tool for smooth finishes on cabinets, doors, trim, and other detailed surfaces.
Also called: HVLP Paint Sprayer
A joist hanger is a metal framing connector that supports the end of a floor or deck joist where the joist meets a beam, ledger, or rim board. The hanger wraps around the joist and transfers its load to the supporting frame through approved fasteners. It creates a strong, aligned connection.
Lap siding is a wall cladding made from long, narrow boards or panels that overlap along their horizontal edges. The overlapping layout directs rain away from the wall and creates visible lines across the exterior. Lap siding may be made from wood, fiber cement, engineered wood, vinyl, or other siding materials.
Also called: Clapboard Siding
Lead paint is a coating that contains lead compounds, which were once added to improve durability and color. Older painted surfaces may contain lead paint beneath newer layers. Sanding, scraping, or stripping those layers can spread contaminated dust or chips, so paint removal requires careful planning, controlled work, and proper cleanup.
Also called: Lead-Based Paint
Masking is a paint preparation process that covers or shields surfaces from unwanted paint, primer, dust, or spray. Painters use tape, paper, plastic, or other protective materials around edges, fixtures, floors, windows, and equipment. Good masking creates clean boundaries and helps protect areas that should keep their existing finish.
Also called: Paint Masking
Mildew Resistant Paint is a coating made with additives that help slow mildew growth on painted surfaces. It works best on clean, dry areas with good moisture control. The coating does not remove existing mildew, stop water leaks, or correct poor ventilation. Exterior products are made for outdoor exposure and changing weather.
Also called: Mildew-Resistant Coating
Paint Adhesion is the bond between a coating and the surface beneath it. Strong adhesion helps paint stay attached through normal use, cleaning, and changes in moisture. The bond depends on surface condition, cleanliness, texture, and product compatibility. Poor adhesion may lead to peeling, flaking, blistering, or early coating failure.
A Paint Primer is a preparatory coating that helps paint bond to a surface and creates a more even base. Primer can seal porous drywall, cover stains, reduce color changes, and improve the final coat’s appearance. The right primer depends on the surface, its condition, and the type of paint selected.
Also called: Primer
A paint sprayer is a powered tool that turns liquid coating into a fine spray for fast, even application. The tool pushes paint through a nozzle with air pressure, pump pressure, or both. Paint sprayers cover broad surfaces well, but they require careful masking and control around edges, openings, and nearby finishes.
Also called: Airless Sprayer
Peeling Paint is a surface failure that occurs when a paint film loses its bond and lifts, cracks, or flakes from siding, trim, or another painted surface. Moisture, weak surface preparation, age, and incompatible coatings can cause the failure. Exterior peeling often exposes the material below to weather and further wear.
Also called: Flaking Paint
Pressure Washing is a surface-cleaning method that uses a focused stream of water to remove dirt, mildew, loose paint, and other buildup from exterior materials. The operator adjusts the water force and spray pattern for the surface. Proper pressure washing prepares siding, trim, decks, and other areas for exterior painting.
Also called: Power Washing
Sanding is a surface preparation process that uses abrasive material to remove loose paint, smooth rough areas, and improve adhesion. The process may expose bare wood, reduce raised edges, or clear residue left after paint stripping. Proper sanding creates an even surface without removing more sound material than the job requires.
Sheen is the level of shine that a dried paint film shows as light reflects from its surface. Paint sheen ranges from flat and low-reflective to glossy and highly reflective. Sheen affects how color appears, how easily a wall cleans, and how clearly surface flaws may show through the finish.
Also called: Paint Sheen
Soffit is the finished underside of a roof’s overhang, where the roof edge meets the exterior wall. It covers the framing and may include vents that let air move through the attic. Soffit can be made from wood, vinyl, aluminum, or fiber cement, and it often matches the siding or trim.
Also called: Soffit Panel
Solar Reflectance is a material’s ability to reflect sunlight from its surface. A surface with higher solar reflectance absorbs less sunlight during daylight. Roof coatings use pigments and finishes that affect this property. Solar reflectance applies to the roof surface itself, not the building’s insulation, ventilation, or indoor temperature.
Also called: Reflectivity
Spackle is a lightweight patching material used to fill small holes, dents, cracks, and surface flaws in drywall or plaster. It spreads with a putty knife, dries into a firm surface, and can be sanded smooth before primer and paint. Spackle suits minor repairs, but larger damaged areas need a stronger compound.
Also called: Patching Compound
A stain conditioner is a wood treatment that helps stain soak into porous areas more evenly. It reduces dark patches and uneven color on soft or absorbent wood. Cabinet painters apply it after sanding and cleaning, then follow with stain once the surface is ready. It does not replace sanding, cleaning, or a finish coat.
Also called: Pre-Stain Conditioner
Surface Preparation is the planned cleaning, repair, and conditioning of a surface before paint application. It removes or controls dust, grease, loose coating, moisture-related residue, and other conditions that can weaken adhesion. The work may include washing, scraping, sanding, patching, caulking, or priming based on the surface and coating.
Also called: Surface Prep
Tannin Bleed is a brown, yellow, or reddish discoloration that moves from wood into paint. The discoloration comes from natural compounds in wood, especially cedar, redwood, oak, and some cabinet materials. It can appear through fresh paint even when the surface looks clean and smooth before painting.
Also called: Tannin Staining
Texture Matching is the process of reproducing a ceiling or wall surface pattern so a repaired area blends with the surrounding finish. A painter studies the existing texture, prepares the damaged section, and applies a similar material with matching pressure and tools. The goal is a consistent surface after painting.
Wood Filler is a paste or putty that fills small holes, cracks, and gaps in wood surfaces. It dries into a sandable patch that can be painted or stained. Painters use it to smooth damage before coating, but it does not replace rotten wood or repair structural weakness.
Also called: Wood Putty
