|
Terms and Definitions Used on this Site and in the Wood Flooring Industry
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Above-grade
Any part of a structure or site feature that is above the adjacent finished, or intact, ground level.
Abrasion Resistance
That property of a surface that resists being worn away by a rubbing or friction process. Abrasion resistance isn't necessarily related to hardness, as believed by some, but is more closely comparable to, or can be correlated with, toughness.(1)
Adhesive
A material capable of fastening two other materials together by means of surface attachment.
back to top
B
Basket Pattern
Assembly of fingers, blocks or strips placed edge to edge, to make up a square, the side of which is the same length as the finger, block or strip.
Beveled Edge
The chamfered or beveled edge of wood flooring, plank, block and parquet.(1)
Borders
Simple or intricate designs which frame and customize a flooring installation.(1)
Bow
The distortion of lumber in which there is a deviation, in a direction perpendicular to the flat face, from a straight line from end to end of the piece.(1)
Brick Pattern
Parquet made up of pieces of equal length and width, where the end joint is at the centre of the juxtaposed element.
back to top
C
Color Change
Visual changes in the color of the wood species caused by exposure to light, deprivation of light and air, or some chemical reaction.
Combination Base
A molding piece that is used along the outer edges of the floor where the wall meets the floor.
back to top
D
Dimensional Stability
The ability to maintain the original intended dimensions when influenced by a foreign substance. Wood is hygroscopic (readily takes up moisture) and isn't dimensionally stable with changes in moisture content below the fiber saturation point. Engineered wood flooring, however, is more dimensionally stable than solid wood.(1)
Distressed
A heavy artificial texture in which the floor has been scraped, scratched or gouged to give it a time-worn antique look.(1)
DIY (Do it Yourself)
The creation or reparation of somthing without the aid of experts or professionals.
Durability
The ability of the wood species or finish to withstand the conditions or destructive agents with which it comes in contact in actual usage, without an appreciable change in appearance or other important properties.(1)
back to top
E
End Joint
The place where two pieces of flooring are joined together end to end.(1)
Engineered
An assembly made by bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an adhesive so that most adjacent layers have their grains going in perpendicular directions to increase dimensional stability.(1)
Engineered Wood
Layers of hardwood compressed together, like solid wood. It can be sanded and renovated after laying.
back to top
F
Fading
The loss of color due to exposure to light, heat or other destructive agents.(1)
Fire Resistance
The property of a material or assembly to withstand fire or given protection from it. Certain species naturally provide greater fire resistance than others. Classes are I-II-III or A-BC with Class I or A being the most fire resistant.(1)
Fire Retardant
A chemical or preparation of chemicals used to reduce flammability or to retard the spread of a fire over a surface.(1)
Floating Floor
A floor that does not need to be nailed or glued to the subfloor. Typically, the flooring panels are connected together by adhesive or mechanical connectors.(1)
back to top
G
back to top
H
Hardness
That property of the wood species or dried film of finishing material that causes it to withstand denting or being marked when pressure is exerted on its surface by an outside object or force.(1)
Hardwood
Generally, one of the botanical groups of deciduous trees that have broad leaves, in contrast to the conifers or softwoods. The term has no reference to the actual hardness of the wood.(1)
Herringbone
Parquet made up of pieces of the same size, with the ends cut at a right angle, laid perpendicular to one another, at an angle of 45 degrees in relation to the direction of the walls or battens. View Herringbone Patterns.
Humidity
The amount of water vapor in the air.(1)
Hungarian Pattern
Parquet made up of pieces of the same size, with the ends cut at an angle of 45 and 60 degrees, that are laid end to end at a right angle or at an angle of 120 degrees, forming parallel patterns.
back to top
I
Intensity
The intensity of a color is its purity or degree of hue as seen by the eye.(1)
back to top
J
Joist
One of a series of parallel beams used to support floor or ceiling loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders or bearing walls.(1)
back to top
K
Knot
The portion of a branch or limb that has been surrounded by subsequent growth of the stem. The shape of the knot as it appears on a cut surface depends on the angle of the cut relative to the long axis of the knot. In hardwood strip flooring, small and pin knots aren't more than one-half inch in diameter. A sound knot is a knot cut approximately parallel to its long axis so that the exposed section is definitely elongated.(1)
back to top
L
Laminated
Laminated wood shouldn't be confused with laminated plastic or paper. Some modern laminated flooring uses a photographic representation of wood on plastic or paper that's applied to high density fibreboard or a similar product. This type of laminate doesn't age and usually can't be sanded and renovated like solid wood.
Locations Serviced
Aurora, Basalt, Boulder, Broomfield, Breckenridge, Denver, Eagle, Eastlake, Englewood, Erie, Estes Park, Firestone, Golden, Green Mountain, Gunbarrel, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Louviers, Lyons, Niwot, Northglenn, Superior, Thornton, Westminister, Wheat Ridge, Northern Colorado, Boulder County, Arapahoe County, Jefferson County, Broomfield County, and many more...
back to top
M
Multi-layer Flooring
Wood flooring with a top layer thickness of at least 2.5 millimetres before installation.
back to top
N
Nosing
A hardwood molding used to cover the outside corner of a step, milled to meet the hardwood floor in the horizontal plane, to meet the riser in the vertical plane. It is usually used on landings.(1)
back to top
O
back to top
P
Parquet
Wood flooring with a top layer thickness of at least 2.5 millimetres before installation.
Parquet Panel
Pre-assembled laying unit made up from parquet pieces.
Plank
Solid or Engineered/ boards 3" and wider designed to be installed in parallel rows.(1)
Planking
This is available in various widths, either with tongue and groove in lengths or as plain square-edged planks that simply butt up against one another.
Prefinished
Factory-finished flooring that only requires installation.(1) Read about Prefinished vs. Unfinished.
back to top
Q
Quartersawn
The annual growth rings of wood form an angle of 45° to 90° with the surface of the piece. In quartersawn strips, the medullary rays or pith rays in ring-porous woods are exposed as flecks that are reflective and produce a distinctive grain pattern.(1)
back to top
R
Reducer Strip
A teardrop-shaped molding accessory for hardwood flooring, normally used at doorways, but sometimes at fireplaces and as a room divider. It is grooved on one edge and tapered or feathered on the other edge.(1)
back to top
S
Solid Wood Block Parquet
Uniform brick-like blocks - usually oak - laid in a herringbone, brick, ladder or basket formation.
Solid Wood Parquet
Made up of different coloured hardwood sections to create decorative patterning. This type of floor is usually allowed to acclimatise to the building where it's to be laid, as the timber's moisture content can vary. This causes expansion and contraction so the wood needs time to stabilize.
Strip Pattern
Parquet made up of an assembly of equal width but random length strips.
back to top
T
Trim
The finish materials in a building at the floor of rooms, (baseboard, base shoe, quarter round for example).(1)
back to top
U
Unfinished
A product that must have stain and/or a finish applied after installation.(1) Read about Prefinished vs. Unfinished.
back to top
V
Veneer
A single thin or fine layer of wood that has been glued to a manufactured base. Veneer floors are generally fitted 'floating' - which means they're not fixed to a sub-floor. They lie on a foam or cork underlay and must have a flat, even surface beneath them.
back to top
W
Warping
Any distortion of a piece of flooring from its true plane that may occur in seasoning.(1)
Wood Block
Floors made up from small strips or blocks of wood, around three inches wide and nine inches long, arranged in herringbone, basket-weave and other geometric patterns.
Wood Laminate
Has thin layers of wood that are glued to a manufactured base.
Wood Planks
Come in long lengths with widths of 4 inches (or 10 centimetres) or more.
Wood Strip
Boards are narrower and shorter than planks and have up to three strips of wood per board.
back to top
X
back to top
Y
back to top
Z
back to top
(1) National Wood Flooring Association. Glossary of Wood Flooring Terms. March 2007
|
