MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet, SDS stands for Safety Data Sheet. It is a vital read before starting your project to ensure you are carrying out the application in the safest way possible. It includes information such as:

• • Identification of the substance
• • Hazards identification
• • Composition of ingredients
• • First aid measures
• • Handling and storage
• • Accidental release measures
• • Personal protection
• • Safety equipment
• • Chemical properties
• • Reactivity and stability
• • Toxicological information
• • Ecological information
• • Disposal considerations
• • Transport information
• • Regulatory information
• • Emergency contact information
• • Firefighting measures

FD30 and FD60 are often referred to when discussing fire protection for doors. FD30 would suggest a 30-minute fire door or fire door set; in other words, one that offers at least 30 minutes of protection against fires.

SB usually stands for solvent-based. These paints can be hazardous, so be sure to check the Safety Data Sheet before applying.

WB can be short for Water-based or Water-borne. Water-based paints are often less toxic than solvent-based products. Be sure to speak to our Technical Support Team to ensure water-based is right for your project.

CC is often a shortened product name for Cold Cure. These are coatings that can cure at lower temperatures. The exact degrees range from product to product, so be sure to read the description fully.

PU or PUR is a shortening of polyurethane. It is often used as an abbreviation in product names.

HD is an anacronym for Heavy Duty.  These coatings are for areas that demand hard durability and are prone to heavy traffic, abrasion, chemical resistance, and often heavy vehicle use.

Glass Reinforced Plastic is better known as fibreglass. The fibres are randomly arranged to create a laminate, making it an excellent anti-slip component. It is also very strong and very light, a rare and useful combination.

PVC is an acronym for Polyvinyl Chloride. It is a synthetic plastic polymer that can be rigid or flexible. It can be used to make canvas, but is used in its rigid form for a lot of piping and constructions such as windows and doors.

uPVC is unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, the more rigid of the two PVC materials. It is better for the environment than PVC as it has no phthalates or BPA in its composition, but it is less flexible than PVC. uPVC can be painted over, something which we have covered on the Rawlins Paints Blog, and more details can be found here.

BPA is Bisphenol A. You may come across this when reading discussions around the use of plastic in paints and coatings. There are strict Health and Safety regulations around the use of Bisphenol in epoxy resin coatings and polycarbonate plastics, another subject we have covered in depth on our Rawlins Blog. For more information about the regulations surrounding BPA, and in particular, Food Safe Paints, read much more here. 

AVOC is a volatile organic compound (those that have a high vapour pressure at room temperature). VOCs are carbon compounds that can be harmful to the environment and people who come into contact with them. VOC is less prominent in water-based paints, and this will usually be listed as an advantage.

UV stands for ultraviolet and refers to the damage caused by consistent exposure to sunlight. UV rays tend to drain some lesser paints and coatings of their colour leaving a tired, damaged effect. This is why UV protection is so often seen on our website as an advantage. It prevents discolouration.

An FIA is a Foaming Insulation Adhesive. It is a product that complies with fire regulations and is used to bond roofing insulation boards.

Unfortunately Heritage Mushroom is just the colour, we would need to know what paint you had this in specifically to advise. We offer many brands and products so are unable to narrow it down from a colour alone.

Assuming this is for areas of concrete around a fireplace or multi-fuel stove then we can recommend either Tikkurila Muuri or Stonelux Fireplace Authentic Stone Paint.

The standard 'White' in this product is RAL 9010 in Satin and Gloss finish isn't made to a specific RAL for Matt fnish but is closest to RAL 9010. The full RAL and BS colour range is available in the product (except flourescent shades) so you can choose whichever white you would prefer. The best reprsentation of colour accuracy will come from a physical (official) RAL colour fan rather than looking on a screen at digital representations.