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.