Which term is used to describe surface defects that appear as small circular craters in paint finish due to contamination?

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Fisheyes describe surface defects in a paint film that look like tiny circular craters. This happens when the surface is contaminated with something like silicone oils, wax, or oils that prevent the paint from wetting properly. The contaminant repels the coating, so the paint pulls away around it and you get those round crater-like spots.

Prepping the surface to prevent fisheyes is about thorough, silicone-free cleaning and decontamination: use proper degreasers or wax-and-grease removers, wipe with clean lint-free towels, and ensure tools, solvents, and the spray booth environment are free of silicone contamination. Also, avoid silicone-containing products in prep and in the booth air supply.

The other options don’t describe a defect pattern like this. A primer surfacer is a coating layer, not a defect manifestation; ventilation affects environment, not the appearance of crater-like defects; machine sanding is a process step that can cause other issues, but not the crater-like contamination defect described.