Lacquer
Coating based on synthetic thermoplastic film-forming material that is dissolved in organic solvent. Dries by solvent evaporation.
Lap
Area where a coat of paint or other coating extends over an adjacent fresh coat. The painter’s objective is to make this juncture without visible lap marks.
Latex
A milky-white, fine dispersion of a solid resin in an aqueous medium. Also used to describe water-thinned paints, the principal vehicle of which is latex.
Latex Paint
Water-based paint made with a synthetic binder (latex), such as acrylic, vinyl acrylic, or styrene acrylic latex.
Lead
A soft, malleable heavy metal. In the past, compounds of lead were used as a white pigment, and were used in primers to prevent tannin bleed-through.
Leveling (or Flow and Leveling)
The ability of a coating to form a smooth film without brush marks.
Light reflectance Value (LRV)
The amount of light reflected from a painted surface.
Linseed Oil
Drying oil obtained from flaxseed. It is darker and slower drying than most other drying oils. Once widely used in coatings, it now has limited use in oil-based house paint and oil wood finishes.
Liquid Sander, Liquid Sandpaper
Liquid chemical used to degloss a painted surface in order to improve adhesion of an applied coating.