Glossary - C
C.I.
Cast Iron; an abbreviation widely used in building.
Cap
The top of any work but especially short term for capital.
Capital
The ornamental mouldings at the top of a column pier or pilaster.
Casement
A window hinged to open along one of its vertical edges.
Cavity wall
Hollow wall, normally consisting of two 4.5 inch brick walls with a 2-inch cavity between, being tied together at intervals with metal ties. It provides better thermal and moisture insulation than the equivalent solid wall of 9" brickwork.
Cellulose paint
Paint in which the binder consists essentially of nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate dissolved in suitable solvent.
Centring
A temporary timber support for an arch during its construction.
Chalking
The disintegration of paint film into a faded powdery substance. Chalking occurs when the binder cannot withstand harsh environmental conditions. Re-painting over a chalky surface is difficult unless a paint has the high adhesion provided by acrylic binders.
Chamfer
An arris edge or angle that has been slightly pared off or bevelled.
Checking
A form of 'cracking' q.v.
Cheesiness
The character of a paint film which, although dry, is still soft and mechanically weak.
Chequer-plate
A patterned steel plate used for flooring.
Chimney breast
The projection formed in a room by the flue and fireplace.
Chipboard
A building board or sheet made from wood chips bonded with resin or plastic.
Chipping
The failure of a paint film whereby the film chips away from the under surface, e.g. paint applied over varnish will chip if knocked leaving the varnish on the surface.
Chlorinated rubber
Superceded in many cases by Acrylated rubber due to the trichloromethane. Natural rubber re-acted with chlorine to produce a hard resin-like substance which forms the basis of binder for a range of specialised paints.
Cissing
The failure of paint to form a continuous film by forming into 'droplets'. Usually caused by grease or other contamination on the surface being painted.
Cistern
Reservoir for storing water, nowadays usually ceramic or plastic.
Cladding
The term used to describe the surface covering of a building particularly in sheeting or boarding.
Clearcole
A mixture of glue-size and whiting used as a primer or undercoat beneath size-bound distemper. Also spelt clairolle and clearcolle.
Coarse stuff
The first coating in plaster work particularly on lathing or rough brickwork.
Coat
Term used generally to describe a single application of any type of paint or varnish.
Colour retention
The ability of paint to keep its original colour and resist fading.
Colourant
A pigment dispersed in a medium which is used for tinting a paint after manufacture.
Column
Long vertical cylinder or shaft supporting a roof beam or entablature, or alone as a monument.
Commercial match
Although paints are matched to a standard there is always some 'tolerance' between batches. It is possible therefore that there may be a variation in shade between different batches although each batch is a good 'commercial match' to standard.
Compatibility
Paints which can be mixed together without adversely affecting any of their properties, or the application of one type of paint over a different type without either being adversely affected.
Complementary colours
Contrasting or opposite colours which accentuate one another when placed side by side.
Concrete
A mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water.
Conduit
A pipe or channel for conveying water; a trough or pipe for containing wires or cables.
Consistency
A term used to describe the thickness of a paint in the can. While paints of thick consistency are usually expected to be difficult to spread, this will not be the case with 'Gel' and 'Thixotropic' paints. Paints can usually be brought to a thinner consistency by thinning.
Consistency
The resistance of a paint to flow. A paint with high consistency flows slowly: with low consistency it flows readily.
Cool colours
p>Any of the hues in which blue predominates. Opposite to 'warm colours'.Copal
A group of natural resins which were formerly used in the manufacture of varnish but which have now been superceded by synthetic resins.
Copolymer
The product obtained when two or more compounds are chemically reacted with each other (co-polymerised) to produce a resinous type material. Copolymers form the basis of many types of paint and plastics.
Corbel
A piece of brick, stone or metal projecting from a wall to support a load or a bracket.
Cornice
A projecting moulding decorating the top of a building or wall, e.g. the moulding between wall and ceiling.
Corrosion
A destructive attack of metal caused by oxidation, e.g., rust on ferrous metals or white deposit forming on aluminium. Corrosion destroys the surface of metal and this process is accelerated in chemical or salt laden atmospheres.
Course
A horizontal layer of bricks or stones in a wall.
Cove
Any kind of concave moulding usually large.
Cover fillit
Any beading small moulding or strip used to cover a joint.
Covering power
This term should not be used as it can be confused between the two qualities of hiding-power or opacity and of spreading power or area covered by a given amount of paint. 'opacity' and 'spreading capacity' are better terms to use.
Cracking/crazing/crocodiling
Fine lines or cracks usually occurring when a hard drying material is applied over a soft material e.g. gloss paints applied over bituminous coatings.
Crackle finish
The application of a top coating designed to 'shrink' and crack exposing a different colour underneath.
Crazing
Similar to 'cracking' but usually referring to overall haphazard cracking rather than continuous or straight splitting. 'Checking' is a similar defect but in smaller scale.
Curing
The chemical process by which paints dry. Most commonly used when referring to the chemical reaction by which two-pack products dry e.g. two-pack epoxies two-pack polyurethane.
Curtaining
See 'sagging'.