A
ACRYLIC/WOOD - The generic name for
wood-plastic-composites utilizing wood impregnated with acrylic monomers and
polymerized within the wood cells by gamma irradiation. Some versions are
cured by heat radiation. (In the case of acrylic/wood parquet, a semi-built-in
finish is developed.)
AIR-DRIED - Dried by exposure to air in
a yard or shed without artificial heat.
ANNUAL GROWTH RING - The layer of wood
growth, including spring and summerwood formed on a tree during a single
growing season.
B
BASE SHOE
- A molding designed to be attached to base molding to cover expansion space.
Similar to quarter round in profile.
BASTARD SAWN - Lumber (primarily
hardwoods) in which the annual rings make angles of 30 Degrees to 60 Degrees
with the surface of the piece. (Also known as Rift Sawn)
BEVELED EDGE- (See Eased Edge)
BOARD- FOOT - A unit of measurement of
lumber represented by a board 1 foot long, 12 inches wide, and 1 inch thick or
its cubic equivalent. In practice, the board foot calculation for lumber 1
inch or more in thickness is based on its nominal thickness and width and the
actual length. Lumber with a nominal thickness of less than 1 inch is
calculated as I inch.
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.
BURL - A swirl or twist of the grain of
the wood which usually occurs near a knot, but does not contain a knot.
C
CHECK - A lengthwise separation of the
wood that usually extends across the rings of annual growth and commonly
results from stress set up in wood during air drying or kiln-drying.
CHIPBOARD - A paperboard used for many
purposes that may or may not have specifications for strength, color, or other
characteristics. It is normally made from paper stock with a relatively low
density in the thickness of 0.006 inch and up.
COMPRESSION SET - Caused when wood
strips or parquet slats absorb excess moisture and expand so much that the
cells along the edges of adjoining pieces in the floor are crushed. This
causes them to loose resiliency and creates cracks when the floor returns to
its normal moisture content.
CONIFEROUS- (See Softwoods)
CROOK - The distortion of a board in
which there is a deviation, in a direction perpendicular to the edge, from a
straight line from end to end of the piece.
CROSS-PULL - A condition occurring at an
end-joint with the ends of flooring strips pulled in opposite directions.
CROWNING
- A "convex" or "crowned" condition or appearance of
individual strips, with the center of the strip higher than the edges.
(Opposite of cupping.)
CUPPING -
A "concave" or "dished" appearance of individual strips,
with the edges raised above the center. (Opposite of crowning.)
CURE - To change the properties of an
adhesive by chemical reaction (which may be condensation, polymer ization, or
vulcanization) and thereby develop maximum strength. Generally accomplished by
the action of heat or a catalyst, with or without pressure.
CUSTOM FLOORS
- Wood floors that are made to order. Complete flexibility is allowed for
design, specie grade, etc.
D
DECAY - The decomposition of wood by
fungi.
- Advanced Decay - The older stage of
decay in which destruction is readily recognized by soft, pitted, or
crumbly areas. Decided discoloration or bleaching of the rotted wood is
often apparent.
- Incipient Decay - The early stage of
decay that has not proceeded far enough to soften or otherwise perceptibly
impair the hardness of the wood. It is usually accompanied by a slight
discoloration or bleaching of the wood.
DELAMINATION - The separation of
layers in a laminate, through failure within the adhesive, or at the bond
between adhesive and laminate.
DECIDUOUS - (See Hardwoods)
DIFFUSE - POROUS WOODS - Certain
Hardwoods in which the pores tend to be uniform in size and distribution
throughout each annual ring or to decrease in size slightly and gradually
toward the outer border of the annual growth ring. (EXAMPLE: Hard Maple)
DIMENSIONAL STABILITY - The ability to
maintain the original intended dimensions when influenced by a foreign
substance. Wood is hygroscopic, and is not dimensional stable with changes in
moisture content below the fiber saturation point.
DISTRESSED - A heavy artificial texture
in which the floor has been scraped, scratched, or gouged to give it a
time-worn antique look. (A common method of distressing is wirebrushing.)
DRY WALL - Interior covering material,
such as gypsum board, hardboard, or plywood, which is applied in large sheets
or panels.
E
EASED EDGE - The chamfered, or beveled
edge, of strip flooring, plank, block, and parquet at approximately 45 degree
angle. Eased edge is considered to be less of a indentation than beveled edge
flooring.
END-JOINT - The place where two pieces
of flooring are joined together end to end.
END MATCHED - In strip and plank
flooring the ends of individual pieces have a tongue milled on one end and a
groove milled on the opposite end, so that when the individual strips or
planks are butted together, the tongue of one piece engages the groove of the
next piece.
OR
(A male projection milled on one edge of a strip, plank, slat or unit to be
engaged with a female counterpart on an adjoining unit.)
EQUILIBRIUM
MOISTURE CONTENT - The moisture content at which wood neither gains
nor loses moisture when surrounded by air at a given relative humidity and
temperature.
F
FEATURE
STRIP - A molding accessory for parquet floors utilized to separate
squares into patterns larger than the individual parquet units. It is
available in widths from 5/16" to 2", the same thickness as the
parquet, and is available in various lengths. The strip is flat and may have
grooves on both sides to match the tongues of adjacent plank or parquet.
FIBERBOARD - A broad generic term
inclusive of sheet materials of wisely varying densities manufactured of
refined or partially refined wood (or other vegetable) fibers. Bonding agents
and other materials may be added to increase strength, resistance to moisture,
fire, or decay, or to improve some other property.
FIBER SATURATION POINT - The stage in
drying or wetting wood at which the cell walls are saturated with water and
the cell cavities are free from water. It is usually taken as approximately
30% moisture content, based on ovendry weight.
FIGURE - Inherent markings, designs, or
configurations on the surface of the wood produced by the annual growth rings,
rays, knots and deviations from regular grain.
FILLER - In woodworking, any substance
used to fill the holes and irregularities in planed or sanded surfaces to
decrease the porosity of the surface before applying finish coatings.
- Wood Filler - (for Cracks, Knot
Holes, Worm Holes, Etc.) Usually a commercial wood putty, Plastic Wood, or
other materials mixed to the consistency of putty. A wood filler may also
be mixed on the job using sander dust from the final sanding, or other
suitable material, mixed with sealer, or finish.
FIRE RESISTANCE - The property of a
material or assembly, to withstand fire or give protection from it.
FIRE RETARDANT - A chemical or
preparation of chemicals used to reduce flammability or to retard spread of a
fire over the surface.
FLAG - A heavy dark mineral streak
shaped like a banner.
FLAG WORM HOLE - One or more worm holes
surrounded by a mineral streak.
FLAME SPREAD - The propagation of a
flame away from the source of ignition across the surface of a liquid or a
solid, or through the volume of a gaseous mixture.
FLECKS - The wide irregular
conspicuous figure in Quartersawn oak flooring. (Also, See Rays, Wood)
G
H
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.
HEARTWOOD - The wood extending from the
pith of the sapwood, the cells of which no longer participate in the life
processes of the tree. It is usually darker than sapwood.
HEAVY STREAKS - Spots and streaks of
sufficient size and density to severely mar the appearance of the wood.
HONEY COMBING - Checks often not visible
at the surface, that occur in the interior of a piece of wood, usually along
the wood rays.
HYGROSCOPIC - A substance that can
absorb and retain moisture, or lose or throw off moisture. Wood and Wood
Products are hygroscopic. They expand with absorption of moisture, and
dimensions become smaller when moisture is lost or thrown off.
I
INTUMESCE - To expand with heat to
provide a low density film; used in reference to certain fire retardant
coatings.
J
JOINTED FLOORING - Strip flooring,
generally Birch, Beech & Hard Maple or Pecan, manufactured with Square
Edges and no tongue or groove, usually end-matched. Used principally for
factory floors where the square edges make replacement of strips easier.
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.
K
KILN - (Pronounced "Kill") A
chamber having controlled air flow, temperature, and relative humidity, for
drying lumber, veneer and other wood products.
KILN DRIED - Dried in a Kiln with the
use of artificial heat.
KNOT - That portion of a branch or limb
which has been surrounded by subsequent growth of the stem. 'Me 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.
- Small Knot - In hardwood strip flooring not
over 1/2" in diameter.
- Pin Knot - A knot that is not more than 1/2
inch in diameter.
- Sound Knot - A knot cut approximately
parallel to its long axis so that the exposed section is definitely
elongated.
L
LAMINATED WOOD - An assembly made by
bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an adhesive. May also refer to
edge-glued lumber items such as treads, etc.
M
MANUFACTURING DEFECTS - Includes all
defects or blemishes that are produced in manufacturing, such as chipped
grain, tom grain, skips in dressing, hit and miss (a series of surfaced areas
with skips between them), variation in machining, machine burn, mismatching.
MEDULLARY RAYS - Strips of cells
extending radially within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in
some species to four or more inches in oak. The rays serve primarily to store
food and transport it horizontally in the tree. On quartersawn oak, the rays
form a conspicuous figure, sometimes referred to as Flecks.
MINERAL STREAK - Wood containing an
accumulation of mineral matter introduced by sap flow, causing an unnatural
color ranging from greenish brown to black.
MIXED MEDIA
- A wood floor that is predominantly of wood but incorporates other materials
such as slate, stone, ceramic, marble, metal and painted finishes (faux).
MOISTURE
CONTENT - The amount of moisture in wood expressed as a percentage of
the weight of the oven dry wood.
National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association
hardwood flooring is manufactured at 6% to 9% moisture content, with a 5%
allowance for pieces up to 12% moisture content.
American Parquet Association parquet flooring
is to be 7% to 11% moisture content at time of shipment. 5% of the flooring
may be outside of this range.
MOSAIC PARQUET - A parquet flooring made
up of small solid pieces of wood (slats) assembled in units that may consist
of individual squares, units with slats arranged in single or double
herringbone design, or units or squares bordered with slats of the same or
contrasting species.
N
NOSING
- A hardwood molding used to cover the outside comer of a step, milled to meet
the hardwood floor in the horizontal plane, to meet the riser in the vertical
plane. (Usually used on landings.)
NOMINAL SIZE - As applied to timber or
lumber, the size by which it is known and sold in the market; often differs
from the actual size.
O
P
PARQUET - A patterned floor.
PARQUET FLOOR SQUARE - Basically a
"tile" composed of individual slats held in place by a mechanical
fastening (banding) or other means such as paper backing. A square may or may
not possess tongues and grooves to interlock, and is not necessarily regular
in dimension.
PARQUET FLOOR UNITS - A unit consists of
four (sometimes three) or more squares or "tiles" fastened together.
PARTICLEBOARD - A generic term for a
material manufactured from wood particles or other lignocellulosic material
and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder.
- Flakeboard - A particle panel product
composed of flakes.
- Oriented Strand Board - A type of
particle panel product composed of strand-type flakes which are
purposefully aligned in directions which make a panel stronger, stiffer,
and with improved dimensional properties in the alignment directions than
a panel with random flake orientation.
- Waferboard - A particle panel product
made of wafer-type flakes. Usually manufactured to possess equal
properties in all directions parallel to the plane of the panel.
PIN WORM HOLE - In hardwood flooring - a
small round hole not over 1/16" in diameter, made by a small wood boring
insect.
PITH- The small, soft core occurring
near the center of a tree trunk, branch, twig, or log.
PLAINSAWN
- The annual growth rings make an angle of less than 45 Degrees with the
surface of the piece. This exposes the pores of the springwood and dense
summerwood of the annual growth ring in ring porous woods to produce a
pleasing grain pattern.
PLANER BITE - A groove cut in the
surface of the piece deeper than intended by the planer knives.
PLANK- Solid boards, usually
3/4" thick and 3" to 8" wide designed to be installed in
parallel rows. Edges may be beveled to simulate the appearance of Colonial
American plank floors.
PLUGS - Dowels that simulate the
Colonial American plugged, or pegged plank look. Sometimes used to cover
counter-sunk screws when installing plank.
PREFINISHED
- A completely finished flooring that requires installation only.
Q
QUARTERSAWED
- The annual growth rings form an angle of 45 Degrees - 90 Degrees with
the surface of the piece. In Quartersawed strips the medullary rays or pith
rays in ring porous woods are exposed as flecks which are reflective and
produce a distinctive grain pattern.
R
RAISED GRAIN - A roughened or fuzzy
condition on the face of the flooring in which the dense summer- wood in
raised above the softer springwood, but not torn or separated.
RAYS, WOOD - Strips of cells extending
radially within a tree and varying in height from a few cells in some species
to 4 inches or more in oak. The rays serve primarily to store food and
transport it horizontally in the tree. On Quartersawn oak flooring, the rays
form a conspicuous figure, sometimes referred to as Flecks.
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. Various lengths are
available.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY - Ratio of the amount
of water vapor present in the air to that which the air would hold at
saturation at the same temperature. It is usually considered on the basis of
the weight of the vapor but, for accuracy, should be considered on the basis
of vapor pressures.
RIFT SAWN -
Lumber (primarily hardwoods) in which the annual rings make angles of 30
Degrees to 60 Degrees with the surface of the piece. (Also known as Bastard
Sawn)
RING POROUS - A group of hardwoods in
which the pores are comparatively large at the beginning of each annual growth
ring and decrease in size, more or less abruptly, toward the outer portion of
the annual growth ring. The large pores are springwood and the smaller pores
are summerwood.
S
SAPWOOD - The wood near the outside of
the tree. Usually lighter in color than heartwood.
SAWN - (See Plainsawed, Quartersawed,
Bastardsawn)
SCREEDS - Usually a 2" X 4"
laid flat side down and attached to a concrete subfloor to provide a nailing
surface for tongued and grooved strip flooring or a wood subfloor.
SLEEPER - Another name for SCREEDS.
SHAKE - A separation along the grain,
the greater part of which occurs between the annual growth rings.
SHEATHING - The structural covering,
usually boards or plywood, placed over exterior studding or rafters of a
structure.
SLATS - The small solid hardwood pieces
which form Mosaic Parquet Squares.
SLIP-TONGUE - A spline or small strip of
wood or metal used to reverse or change direction in installing standard
tongue and groove strip flooring. Sometimes used in laying 3/4" solid
tongue and groove parquet.
SOFTWOOD - General term used to describe
lumber produced from needle and/or cone bearing trees (Conifers)
SPLIT - Separations of wood fiber
running parallel to the grain.
SQUARES - Usually composed of an equal
number of Slats.
SQUARE EDGE - A flooring that is NOT
Tongue & Grooved. Square edged strip flooring is face nailed when
installed. (Also See Jointed Flooring.)
SQUARE JOINT - Tongue & Grooved
strip or plank flooring with edges that are not eased or beveled.
STAIN - A discoloration occurring in or
on flooring of any color other than the natural color of the species. For
instance, blue stain, brown stain.
STREAKS - (See Mineral Streaks)
STRIP FLOORING - Solid boards to be
installed in parallel rows now produced in these thicknesses 1/2",
3/4", 33/32" and these widths 1 1/2", 2", 2 1/4", and
occasionally 3 1/4". The strips are tongue and grooved and end matched.
They are for nail down installation directly to wood or plywood subfloors; or
over wood screeds on concrete slab construction.
STUD - One of a series of slender wood
structural members used as supporting elements in walls and partitions.
T
TONGUE & GROOVE (T&G) - In
strip, plank, and parquet flooring made from strip, and some mosaic parquet; a
tongue is milled one edge and a groove on the opposite edge. As the flooring
is installed the tongue of each strip, slat, or unit, is engaged with the
groove of the adjacent strip or unit.
TRIM - The finish materials in a
building, such as moldings, applied around openings (window trim, door trim)
or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, shoemold, cornice, and other
moldings)
U
UNFINISHED - A product which must be
sanded and have stain and/or a finish applied after installation.
UNITS - Four or more basic Mosaic Parquet
Squares; or four or more slats in 3/4" parquet, usually made from T&G
strip flooring combined into a parquet unit.
V
V-JOINT - A term used in plank flooring
to indicate that edges are eased or beveled to simulate cracks in floors of
early Colonial American homes.
VAPOR BARRIER - A material with a high
resistance to vapor movement, such as foil, plastic film, or specially coated
paper, that is used to control condensation or prevent migration of moisture.
W
WARPING
- Any distortion of a piece of flooring from its true plane that may occur in
seasoning.
WIRE BRUSHING - A method for imparting
an artificial texture or distressed appearance to the surface of hardwood
flooring.
X Y Z
