A substance applied to other materials to change the surface properties, such as color, gloss, resistance to wear or chemical attack, or permeability, without changing the bulk properties. Surface coatings include such materials as paints, varnishes, enamels, oils, greases, waxes, concrete, lacquers, powder coatings, metal coatings, and fire-retardant formulations. In general, organic coatings are based on a vehicle, usually a resin, which, after being spread out in a relatively thin film, changes to a solid. This change, called drying, may be due entirely to evaporation (solvent or water), or it may be caused by a chemical reaction, such as oxidation or polymerization. Opaque materials called pigments, dispersed in the vehicle, contribute color, opacity, and increased durability and resistance.
Organic coatings are usually referred to as decorative or protective, depending upon whether the primary reason for their use is to change (or preserve) the appearance or to protect the surface. Often both purposes are involved. See also Drier (paint); Drying oil; Electroplating of metals; Lacquer; Metal coatings; Paint; Primer (surface coating); Shellac; Varnish.
