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.

ALLIGATORING - The appearance of paint, and floor finish film that is cracked into large segments, resembling the hide of an alligator. This is caused by heavy coats, recoating before bottom coats is completely dry, the use of thinners that evaporate too quickly, or by a less elastic material applied over a more elastic one.

AMBER - A yellowish translucent resin formerly used in the manufacture of varnish, but now very scarce and expensive. Also used to refer to the color of a resin or varnish.

ANNUAL GROWTH RING - The layer of wood growth, including spring and summerwood formed on a tree during a single growing season.

B

BEVELED EDGE- (See Eased Edge)

BLEEDING - When to color of a stain or other coating material works up into succeeding coats, imparting to them a certain amount of color, it is said to bleed.

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.

Buffer- A slang term for a buffing machine. Rotary floor machines are sometimes called "swing machines" or "side to side buffers." Buffers are usually between 175 and 300 rpm. Burnishers are usually above 1000 rpm.

BURL - A swirl or twist of the grain of the wood which usually occurs near a knot, but does not contain a knot.

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.

CROSSPULL - 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, polymerization, 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.

Coloring
It is important to distinguish between wood's natural coloring and variations caused by external factors. Each species has its own grain, and thus its own typical coloring. In the same block of wood, color varies according to the density of the fibers. This is what creates wood's unique pattern. Various natural factors can alter wood's coloring, such as exposure to light, air, and humidity. The color can be changed with stains and varnishes. The effect will vary in intensity depending on the density of the fibers and the degree to which they absorb the stains and varnish.

Commercial
A location is considered commercial if it is open to the public or is a place of work. A residential location is one where people live. In commercial locations, floors are subjected to heavier traffic.

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 wire-brushing.)

Dust Free Sanding
A method of refinishing floors where in a powerful vacumm is used to remove all dust. We use a Bona Atomic truck mounted system, shich removes 99.8% of all dust.

Dry Sawn
A method of precision sawing hardwood to the desired strip thickness without having to presoften the wood by soaking.

Engineered
A prefinished hardwood flooring composed of a hardwood layer glued on 5 ply plywood. Mirage These can be installed over concrete, nailed down or stapled down over a wood subfloor. They can also be used in conjuction with an underfloor heating system.

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.

Exotic
Wood imported from countries with climates different from that in North America are considered exotic. For example, Santos Mahogany (Cabreuva), Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) and Sapele are exotic species, whereas Maple and Oak are indigenous.

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 oven dry 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.

FLAG - A heavy dark mineral streak shaped like a banner.

FLAG WORM HOLE - One or more worm holes surrounded by a mineral streak.

FLECKS - The wide irregular conspicuous figure in Quartersawn oak flooring. (Also, See Rays, Wood)

The luster or shine of a surface when light is reflected off it. A glossy surface reflects more light than a matte surface.

Grade
Wood strips are categorized according to variations in their natural coloring. "Grade" refers to visual aspect only and has absolutely no bearing on quality.

Grain
The pattern created by the variations in the density of wood fiber particles as a tree grows. Fiber densities vary from one species to another.

Groove
In wood strips with a tongue and groove joint, a tongue is milled on one edge of the strip and a groove is cut into the opposite edge. The form of the joint is also referred to as male (tongue) or female (groove). When the flooring is installed, the tongue of each strip is inserted into the groove of the adjacent strip.

Hardness
The wood's resistance to impact. Hardness depends on the density of the fibers and is measured in terms of the pressure required for a steel ball to mark the wood to a certain depth. The harder the wood, the higher the pressure required.

Hardwood
This does not refer to the actual hardness of the wood, but is a botanical term that distinguishes the wood of broad-leaved trees from that of conifers, which are considered softwood.

Healthy Knot
A solid wood knot that contains no bark or rot.

Heartwood
Part right below the sapwood, in the core of the three. It is generally darked in color.

HEAVY STREAKS - Spots and streaks of sufficient size and density to severely mar the appearance of the wood.

Herringbone
An arrangement of wood strips creating repetitive symmetrical patterns.

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.

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.

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.

Laminate
Material manufactured by pressing resin-impregnated fibers or sheets, then applying a top layer of a higher quality product. May also refer to edge-glued lumber items such as treads, etc.

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.

Micro-V
The edge of a wood strip is originally cut at a right angle (90°). Just before the final sanding, the edge is cut at a 45° angle. When two strips are placed side-by-side, a small "V" shape is formed.

Milling
This refers to all the shaping operations required before a strip is ready to sand and finish.

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.

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.

OSB
Oriented strand board.

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 ligno-cellulosic 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.

PITH- The small, soft core occurring near the center of a tree trunk, branch, twig, or log.

PLAINSAWED - 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.

Plywood
A board or panel made of multiple layers of wood glued cross-directionally for greater dimensional stability.

Polyurethanet
A large molecule of chemically joined urethane units. Can be irreversibly solidified or "cured" using heat, light, or other techniques.

Prefinished
Ready-to-install factory-finished flooring, compared to unfinished flooring, which requires on-site finishing.

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 radialy 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.

Refinishing
The process of sanding a previously finished floor and applying a new finish.

Relative Humidity
The ratio between the amount of water vapor in the air and the air's absorption capacity at a given temperature.

Resanding
Sanding a floor in order to remove the finish and restore the wood to its raw form.

Residential
A location is considered commercial if it is open to the public or is a place of work. A residential location is one where people live. In residential locations, floors wear more slowly.

Rotary Cut
A log peeled in ultra-thin layers using a rotary saw (method generally used to make veneers). This cutting method requires soaking the wood in a solution to soften it before peeling, which can alter its natural color and open the wood grain, causing it to splinter.

Sanding
Polishing the surface of the wood.

Sapwood
Part of the three right under the bark, it is generally lighter in color.

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.

Sliced Cut
A wood block cut into thin sheets using a knife. This cutting method requires a presoaking process to soften the wood, which can alter its natural color and open the wood grain, causing it to splinter.

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)
Solid
Strips made entirely of natural wood.
Species
A specific variety of wood, like maple or oak. Some varieties include multiple species, such as red oak and white oak. The characteristics of a single species of wood can vary depending on the region. Oak grown in Nordic regions is harder than oak from the South.

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.

Stability
Characteristic of a material that does not react, or reacts only very slightly, to ambient variations such as relative humidity.

STAIN
A substance used to give wood a specific color. 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.

Strips
Flooring boards to be installed in parallel rows, manufactured in various thicknesses and widths. Strips are connected with a tongue and groove joint.

Subfloor
A floor base on which the floor covering is installed.

T - Z

Tongue
In wood strips with a tongue and groove joint, a tongue is milled on one edge of the strip and a groove is cut into the opposite edge. The form of the joint is also referred to as male (tongue) or female (groove). When the flooring is installed, the tongue of each strip is inserted into the groove of the adjacent strip.

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)

Ultraviolet-cured polyurethane
A special kind of polyurethane cured using ultraviolet light.

UNFINISHED - A product which must be sanded and have stain and/or a finish applied after installation.

Underfloor Heating

A form of central heating which utilizes heat conduction and radiant heat for indoor climate control, rather than forced air heating which relies on convection. Heat can be provided by circulating heated water or by electric cable, mesh, or film heaters.

Urethane
An ingredient in varnish.

UV Protection
For some natural wood species, a protectant that slows and reduces the sunshading phenomenon that causes wood to darken and yellow over time.

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.
Varnish
A solution that leaves a thin layer of protection on the wood after curing.
WARPING - Any distortion of a piece of flooring from its true plane that may occur in seasoning.

Wear layer
The surface of a wood strip, which can be resanded after wear to restore the floor's original appearance. Wear is generally very superficial. A 5/32" (4 mm) thick wear layer is thick enough for many resandings.

WIRE BRUSHING - A method for imparting an artificial texture or distressed appearance to the surface of hardwood flooring.