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.

Acclimation The act of allowing wood moisture content to become at equilibrium with the environment in which it will perform (See EMC,Equilibrium Moisture Content)

Acid Chemical substance rated below 7 on the PH scale

Acrylic Resin A synthetic resin, white in color, very transparent, and resistant to discoloration,moisture, alcohol acids, alkalies and mineral oils. It is usually made by polymerization of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

Acrylic/Wood The generic name for wood–plastic composites using wood impregnated with acrylic monomers and polymerized within the wood cells by gamma irradiation.Some versions are cured by heat radiation.

Adhesion The property that causes one material to stick to another. Adhesion is affected by the condition of the surface to be coated and by the closeness of contact, as well as by the molecular forces of the unlike substances. Thus, the surface should allow a certain amount of penetration, should be chemically clean and not too smooth,hard or nonporous for good adhesion.

Adsorption A type of adhesion that occurs at the surface of a solid or liquid in contact with another medium, thus allowing an increased number of molecules of the gas or liquid to become attached to the surface of the solid at the point of contact.

Air–Dried Dried by exposure to air in a yard or shed without artificial heat. (Not kiln dried)

Alkalinity A measurement of alkaline rated above 7 on the PH scale.

Alligatoring A finish that exhibits large segmented cracks with the appearance of an alligator hide. May be caused by heavy coating, coating over non-cured coatings, use of fast drying thinners or the application of a finish over another with less elasticity.

Amber A yellowish color change from either the wood or finish. See Color Change.

Aniline Colors Colors made from aniline oils or coal tar derivatives, and used in the manufacture of wood stains. Aniline dyes are made in different grades to be soluble in water, alcohol or hydrocarbons, and accordingly are called water colors, spirit colors and oil colors, respectively.

Annual Growth Ring The layer of wood growth, including spring – and summerwood, formed on a tree during a single growing season.

Applicator Marks or Streaks Associated with partially cured finishes. When an applicator is drawn across the surface of half-set finish, especially when applying a new section of finish, the lapped area is deglossed leaving a streak. Usually caused by thin films which have faster curing tims than the surrounding area. May also be caused by inadequate agitation of satin and semi-gloss finishes which allows “settling”of glossing agents.

Asphalt Saturated Felt Paper A 15lb asphalt felt paper that meets ASTM Standard D4869 or 30/30/30 Asphalt laminated Kraft paper that meets federal specification UU-13-790A commonly used as a moisture retarder.

ASTM American Standard Testing Methods

Base Shoe A molding designed to be attached to baseboard molding to cover expansion space. It is the alternative to a quarter–round in profile. Beveled Edge The chamfered or beveled edge of strip flooring, plank, block and parquet. See Eased Edge.

Bleed Back Most commonly associated with stains but may be caused by a slow drying finish system. Deep stain penetration, especially in spring wood, causes slow curing of the stain due to the absence of air flow and oxygen.When humidity rises or with the application of a finish the cell structure swells causing the stain to be squeezed out forming a small droplet on the surface of the floor or film.Wiping with a dry,white towel normally identifies the presence of the problem which can be prevented by buffing with a red or white pad.

Bleeding When the 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. A non–bleeding color is one that isn’t soluble in materials used over it.

Blistering The formation of bubbles or pimples on the surface of finished work.It is caused by exposure to excessive heat,grease or other volatile material under the finish, by moisture in the wood or by the too frequent application of coats. Anything that causes a gas or vapor to form under the film may cause blistering.

Blushing The formation of a white or grayish cast in a spirit varnish,shellac or lacquer film during the drying period. It is caused by the partial or total precipitation of the solid ingredient as a result of condensed moisture in the film.This may be caused by excessive humidity or by use of an improper solvent.

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 1 inch.

Body Often used to describe the consistency of viscosity of a finishing material. It’s also used to describe the fullness or thickness of film on the work.

Boiling Point The temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the air pressure,or the temperature at which a liquid begins to boil.

Bond The adhesion between two dissimilar materials.

Borders Simple or intricate designs which frame and customize a flooring installation.

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.

Brushability The ease with which a material can be applied with a brush under practical conditions.

Brush Marks Marks of the brush that remain in the dried film of a finishing material.They are caused by working the material after its solvents have evaporated to the point that the flowing power has been lost or by defects in formulation that prevent the material from leveling out after it has been brushed.

Bubbling The appearance of bubbles in the film of finish while a finishing material is being applied. It is caused by any condition that causes air, vapors or gases to be trapped in the film while it’s soft, but after it has hardened sufficiently to prevent the gas from escaping.

Build Coat A finishing material, usually of a transparent nature, used over the sealer or color coats and under the finishing coats to increase the fullness of the finished work.

Burl A swirl or twist of the grain of the wood that usually occurs near a knot, but doesn’t contain a knot, commonly found in the stump of a tree and where limbs branch out from the tree.

Chatter Marks Slight indentations causing a ripple effect on the surface of a wood floor. They are usually caused by sanding machines that have out–of–balance drums, bad drive belts or foreign objects stuck to the wheels . The marks are most noticeable on gloss finishes, in direct–light areas or at eye level.

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 or kiln drying.

Checking Similar to alligatoring, except that the finish is broken into smaller segments. Crowfoot checking is the name given to the defect when the breaks in the film form a definite three–prong pattern with the breaks running outward from a central point of intersection.When the checks are generally arranged in parallel lines, the defect is known as line checking.Irregular checks without a definite pattern are known as irregular checking.

Chipping The condition that occurs when a dried film of finishing material separates from the underneath surface in the form of flakes or chips. It is usually caused by insufficient elasticity or improper adhesion to the base material.

Cleat A barbed fastener commonly used as a mechanical device to fasten hardwood flooring.

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.

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 lose resiliency and create cracks when the floor returns to its normal moisture content.

Conversion Varnish See Swedish Finish .

Crazing The appearance of minute, interlacing cracks or checks on the surface of a dried film of finishing material.

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 Direction Laying of material perpendicular to the material below it.

Cross Pull A condition occurring at an end–joint with the ends of flooring strips pulled in opposite directions.

Crowfooting A species of crystallization (See Checking) wherein the lines come together at a central point. Crowning A convex or crowned condition or appearance of individual strips with the center of the strip higher than the edges. The opposite of cupping.

Cupping A concave or dished appearance of individual strips with the edges raised above the center. The opposite of crowning.

Cure To change the properties of a product by chemical action as opposed to drying when the product has reached its optimum state.

Cut To sand a floor. As a noun,cut refers to one pass over an area of floor with sanding equipment. Usually, a mechanic will make two or more cuts with progressively finer grits of sandpaper.

Deciduous See Hardwoods.

Delamination The separation of layers in an engineered/laminate through failure within the adhesive or at the bond between adhesive and laminate.

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. Hard maple is an example.

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.

Dispersed In reference to finishing materials, finely divided or colloidal in nature.

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.

Drier A catalytic material that improves the drying or hardening properties of oils or varnishes when added in small amounts. They are usually organic salts of lead, cobalt,manganese, zinc and iron, such as naphthenates, resinates and linoleates.

Drying The act of changing from a liquid film to a solid film by the evaporation of solvents, oxidation, polymerization or by a combination of these phenomena.

Dry Tack–Free The stage of solidification of a film of finishing material when it doesn’t feel sticky or tacky when a finger is drawn lightly across it in a quick continuous motion.

Dry to Sand That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when it can be sanded without undue softening, sticking or clogging of the sandpaper.

Dry to Touch That stage of drying of a film of finishing material when it has solidified sufficiently that it can be touched lightly without any of the finishing material adhering to the fingers.

Drywall Interior covering material,such as gypsum board,hardboard or plywood, that is applied in large sheets or panels.

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.

Dust Small particles of solid matter. Also, a grading or size of natural resin.

Dust–Free That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when dust that settles on the coated surface won’t penetrate or stick to the film.

Eased Edge See Beveled Edge.

End Joint The place where two pieces of flooring are joined together end to end.

End–Matched In tongue–and–groove strip and plank flooring,the 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 fits into the groove of the next piece. See Side–Matchedand Tongue–and–Grooved.

Engineered An assembly made by bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an adhesive so that the adjacent layers have their grains going in opposite directions to increase dimensional stability.

Epoxy, Epoxy Ester A varnish that,with the addition of epoxy, creates a hybrid with the advantages of both products. Ambers well with quick build and high gloss but can be difficult to repair. Enhanced working characteristics make this finish a preferred choice for athletic surfaces. Dries to tack free in 8-24 hours, reaching full cure in 30 days.

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.

Fading The loss of color due to exposure to light, heat or other destructive agents.

Feather Edge The tapering of the edge of a film of dried material either by the method of application, sanding or rubbing the dried film, resulting in a gradual progression of the film thickness from little or no material at the edge to a normal coating at the center.

Feature Strip A strip of wood used at a threshold or to border a room or to otherwise serve as an accent. Usually of a contrasting color or species.

Fiberboard A broad generic term inclusive of sheet materials of widely 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’s usually taken as approximately 30 percent 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 used for cracks, knotholes, worm holes, etc..., is often a commercial putty, plastic wood or other material 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.

Fillets The small components which comprise parquet.Also called fingers or slats.

Fingers See Fillets.

Finger–block Parquet made from small strips of wood assembled together. See Fillets.

Fire Resistance The property of a material or assembly to withstand fire or give protection from it. Certain species naturally provide greater fire resistance than others. Classes are I–II–III or A–B–C with Class I or A being the most fire resistant.

Fire Retardant A chemical or preparation of chemicals used to reduce flammability or to retard the spread of a fire over a surface.

Fish Eyes Also called cratering, crawling, holes, spots or flow marks. When caused by surface contaminants the finish is applied over areas in which the wetting agents cannot perfo rm their function. The finish then recedes away from this area reforming into the film. This “crawling”creates round or elliptical areas lacking adequate finish. May also be caused by failing to properly agitate a finish prior to application.Without proper agitation properties within the finish may separate.The flattening and wetting agents will therefore not be in proper concentration and cause this appearance.

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 solid, or through the volume of a gaseous mixture.NOTE: Most wood species are Class C Flame Spread unless the wood floor has been treated and marked.

Flatting Agent A material added to a normally glossy coating to reduce luster and produce a flat appearance.

Flecks The wide, irregular, conspicuous figure in quartersawn oak flooring. See Medullary Rays .

Flow The characteristic of a coating that allows it to level or spread into a smooth film of uniform thickness before hardening.

Ford Cup A type of viscosimeter originally used by the Ford Motor Company, but now used extensively in testing laboratories. It consists of a cup with an overflow device to ensure a standardized volume, in the bottom of which is a standardized orifice. The number of seconds required for the cup to empty itself at a standardized temperature gives a numerical expression of the viscosity of the material.

Gloss The luster, shininess or reflecting ability of a surface.

Glossing Up The increase of luster in a rubbed film through friction in use or the increase in luster of a flat varnish in the package through a decrease in the effect of a flattening agent.

Gloss Meter An instrument for measuring the luster or gloss of a finished surface.

Graininess The objectionable appearance of small, grain–like particles in a finishing material or in the dried film thereof.

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.

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 to the sapwood, the cells of which no longer participate in the life processes of a tree.It is usually darker than sapwood. See Pith and Sapwood.

Heavy Streaks Spots and streaks of sufficient size and density to severely mar the appearance of wood.

High Solids A general term used to denote the presence of a higher than average percentage of solid ingredients and thus a lower percentage of solvents.

Honeycombing Checks often not visible at the surface that occur in the interior of a piece of wood, usually along the wood rays.

Humidity The amount of water vapor in the air. See Relative Humidity.

Hygrometer An instrument for measuring the degree of humidity or relative humidity of the atmosphere.

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 their dimensions become smaller when moisture is lost or thrown off.

Impact Test A test for determining the resistance to shattering of a dried film by dropping a weight onto the finish.

Incompatible Not capable of being mixed together without impairing the original properties of the materials being mixed. Mixing incompatible materials usually results in a separation of solid particles, cloudiness or turbidity.

Intensity The intensity of a color is its purity or degree of hue as seen by the eye.

Intumesce To expand with heat to provide a low–density film.The term is used in reference to certain fire–retardant coatings.

Jointed Flooring Strip flooring, generally birch, beech, hard maple or pecan, manufactured with square edges, not side–matched, but usually end–matched. It is 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.

Kauri–Butanol Valve A measure of the solvent power of petroleum thinners, expressed as the number of milliliters of the product under test required to cause cloudiness or turbidity in 20 grams of a solution of kauri in butyl alcohol that has been prepared under standardized conditions.

Kiln (often 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 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.

Lacquer A finish containing nitrocellulose more often used as a sealer. The fast curing properties of this finish are created by using a solvent with a very low flash point which causes it to be very flammable. Ambers little, cures rapidly, but may water spot and become cloudy when applied in high humidity. Can be incompatible with some types of stains and topcoats. Dries to tack free in 10-30 minutes, reaching full cure in 4-8 hours.

Lap Used as a verb, lap means to lay or place one coat so its edge extends over and covers the edge of a previous coat,causing an increased thickness where the two coats are present,as compared to the single thickness on either side of the lap.As a noun,lap is that portion of a coat of finishing material that extends over the edge of and onto a previous coat.

Leveling The ability of a film to flow out free of ripples, pock marks, brush marks or other surface defects.

Manufacturing Defects Includes all defects or blemishes that are produced in manufacturing,such as chipped grain, torn grain, skips in dressing, hit–and–miss (a series of surfaced areas with skips between them), variation in machining,machine burn, and mismatching.

Mechanic A flooring installer.

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. See Flecks .

Milky Having the appearance of milk or showing some whiteness, as when water is mixed with varnish or when a dried transparent film starts to turn white from moisture.

Mineral Spirits A solvent product used as a thinner and/or cleaner. 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 predominately of wood, but also incorporates other materials, such as slate, stone, ceramic,marble or metal.

Moisture Content The amount of moisture in wood expressed as a percentage of the weight of oven–dried wood. National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association hardwood flooring is manufactured at 6 to 9 percent moisture content, with a 5 percent allowance for pieces up to 12 percent moisture content. Five percent of the flooring may be outside of this range.

Moisture–Cure(d) Urethane As the name implies, this finish cures in the presence of moisture and fails to do so in its absence of strongly ambering or available in non-ambering.Very stain,spot and water resistant, but requires very tight environmental control during application and curing. May cure too rapidly and flatten poorly when applied in very high humidity. Long delays in curing may occur in areas when humidity levels are quite low. The excellent abrasion resistance also makes this finish difficult to recoat.Dries to tack free in 8-24 hours, reaching full cure in 14-30 days.

Mosaic Parquet See Parquet.

Muratic Acid A diluted acid used to neutralize alkalinity of concrete subfloors. Nominal Size As applied to timber or lumber, the size by which it is known and sold in the market; often different from actual size.

Nonvolatile That portion of a material which doesn’t evaporate at ordinary temperatures; the solid substances left behind after the volatiles have evaporated.

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.

Odor That property of a substance which is perceptible by the sense of smell; the smell, scent or fragrance of a material.

Oil–Modified Urethane An oil based varnish enhanced with urethane. This hybrid ambers well and has good abrasion resistance. Curing may be delayed when humidity levels are high, which can lead to inadvertent damage such as scratches. Very stain and abrasion resistant, but has a long curing time. Dries to tack free in 8-36 hours, reaching full cure in 30-60 days.

Open Grain (finish) A failure of finish to form a film over areas of low density, normally associated with the softer spring wood.The finish is absorbed into the softer grain failing to form a film and causing a loss of sheen. While not considered a finish defect it can often be concealed by the application of an additional coat of finish.

Orange Peel A finish that exhibits a surface texture resembling the surface of an orange.Normally caused by rolling a finish that has cured excessively which freezes the roller pattern in the film.May also be caused by excessive air flow, the velocity of which freezes waves in the film when it sets.

OSB Oriented Strand Board commonly used as an underlayment material.

Overwood A flooring condition in which some wood pieces are raised above adjacent pieces leaving a slightly uneven surface.

Parquet A tile composed of individual slats assembled together. A square may or may not possess tongues and grooves to interlock,and isn’t necessarily square or regular in dimension.

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 is a particle panel product composed of flakes. Oriented strand board is a type of particle panel product composed of strand–type flakes that are purposely aligned in directions that make a panel stronger, stiffer and improves dimensional properties in the alignment directions over a panel of random flake orientation. Waferboard is a particle panel product made of wafer–type flakes. It is usually manufactured to possess equal properties in all directions parallel to the plane of the panel.

Peeling A defect in a dried film manifested by large pieces becoming detached from the under surface and coming loose in sheets or large flakes.

Penetrating Stains Stains that penetrate into the surface of the wood.They are usually made of dyes dissolved into liquids that easily penetrate the wood.

Petroleum Spirits Another name for mineral spirits.

pH Value The concentration of the hydrogen ion in a material.A pH value of 7 is considered neutral. Lower values are acidic; higher values are alkaline.

Photo–sensitive The property of some wood species which causes them to lighten or darken when exposed to light. See Color Change.

Pigment The fine, solid particles used for color or other properties in the manufacture of paint and enamel.

Pigment Stains Stains that get their color primarily from pigments mixed with binder and volatile thinners.

Pin Holes, Pin Lines (finish) Normally caused by finish flowing into low lying or less dense areas such as spring wood.This thicker film of finish allows gasses formed during curing to freeze in the film leaving a small crater. The finish fails to form a film in these areas as the finish is in the wood instead of on it.While not considered a finish defect it can often be corrected by the application of an additional coat of finish.

Pin–Worm Hole In hardwood flooring, a small round hole not more than 1/16–inch (1.5626MM) 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.

Plain Sawn 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 pronounced grain pattern.

Planer Bite A deeper than intended groove cut into the surface of a piece of wood by planer knives.

Plank Solid or Engineered/Laminated boards 3”and wider designed to be installed in parallel rows. Edges may be beveled to simulate the appearance of Colonial American plank floors.

Plywood Board or panel made of cross-directional layers of wood for dimensional stability.

Plugs Dowels that simulate the Colonial American plugged or pegged plank look. They are used to cover countersunk screws when installing wood flooring or for decorative purposes in wood flooring.

Polyurethane A large molecule of chemically joined urethane units, having the capacity to solidify or “set”. Irreversible when acted upon by heat, radiation or chemical crosslinking or curing agents. See Urethane.

Prefinished Factory–finished flooring that only requires installation. Puckering The crinkling, shriveling or wrinkling of a coat of finishing material upon drying.

Pure Free of adulteration.

Quantity The amount,bulk,mass, weight or measure of a thing; a measure of its size or numbers.

Quartersawn The annual growth rings of wood form an angle of 45 degrees to 90 degrees 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.

Raised Grain A roughened or fuzzy condition of the face of the flooring in which the dense summerwood is raised above the softer springwood but not torn or separated.

Raw Materials The natural,untreated or unprocessed materials from which varnishes or other coatings are made.

Rays,Wood See Medullary Rays .

Reduce To lower the viscosity of a material or to thin it by the addition of a solvent,thinner, varnish, oil, etc.

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.

Refinish Sanding a previously finished floor to bare wood and applying new finish.

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.

Retarder A slowly evaporating solvent that decreases the evaporation rate or slows up the drying of lacquers and similar materials.

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 Woods 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.

Ring Shank Nail Headed nail for underlayment installation with rings on the shaft (shank) to improve the holding characteristics.

Sapwood The wood near the outside of a tree. It is usually lighter in color than heartwood. Sawn See Plain Sawn, Quartersawn and Rift Sawn.

Scratches Slight incisions, breaks, tears or indentations on the surface caused by abrasive friction. Screeds Usually a 2–by–4 inch (50MM by 100MM) piece of wood laid flat side down and attached to a concrete subfloor to provide a nailing surface for tongue–and–groove strip flooring or a wood subfloor.

Sealer Any finishing material that is applied with the primary purpose of stopping the absorption of succeeding coats.

Sealer-Wax Finishes A combination of a sealer, generally varnish,with wax.Both the sealer and wax are normally burnished to enhance wear and appearance.Water spots and stains easily, but is simple to repair. Dries to tack free in 6-8 hours, reaching full cure in 7-14 days.

Separation The breaking up or segregation of two or more integral parts of a mixture into its component parts. In a varnish,this may take the form of the resin becoming insoluble in the other ingredients. In a paint or enamel, it may mean that a clear liquid portion forms above the pigmented portion. In liquid,there may be a segregation of layers of component liquids.

S e t t l i n g The separation of a pigment or other solid ingredient from a coating ma t e rial upon standing. Set to Touch See Dry to Touch.

Shade The degree to a color, as a dark green. Also, the act of changing the tone or degree of a color by adding small quantities of other colors to it.

Shake A separation along the grain, the greater part of which occurs between the annual growth rings.

Sheathing The structural covering, usually boards of plywood, placed over exterior studding or rafters of a structure.

Sheen The degree of luster of the dried film of a finishing material.It is usually used to describe the luster of rubbed surfaces or of flat–drying materials.

Shellac A finish produced from a combination of alcohol and resins excreted by the Lac Beetle. Has good ambering,may become tacky when subjected to high humidity and lacks the high abrasion resistance of more modern finishes. Generally low in cost, this finish may water spot but is easy to use.Dries to tack free in 24 hours, reaching full cure in 30 days.

Side–Matched In tongue–and–groove strip and plank flooring,the individual pieces have a tongue milled on one side and a groove milled on the opposite side, so that when the individual strips or planks are placed side by side,the tongue of one piece fits into the groove of the next piece. See End–Matchedand Tongue and Groove.

Skin The film of oxidized or polymerized finishing material that forms on the surface while in a container or tank.

Slats See Fillets.

Sleeper Another name for screeds.

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. It is sometimes used in laying 3/4–inch (19MM) solid tongue–and–groove parquet.

Softwoods General term used to describe lumber produced from needle and/or cone–bearing trees (conifers).

Solid Board Group 1 A designation of a certain species based on density, strength and stiffness. Split Separations of wood fiber running parallel to the grain.

Square–Edge Flooring that isn’t tongue–and–grooved. May also refer to square–edge strip flooring that is face–nailed when installed.

Squares Parquet flooring units, usually composed of an equal number of slats.

Staining The act of changing the color of wood without disturbing the texture or markings, through the application of transparent or semitransparent liquids made from dyes, finely divided pigments or chemicals.

Streaks See Mineral Streaks .

Strip Flooring Solid or laminated boards to be installed in parallel rows, produced in various thicknesses and widths. The strips are side–matched and end–matched (tongue–and–grooved). They are for nail–down installation directly to wood or plywood subfloors, or over wood screeds on concrete slab construction. Some types can also be glued directly to a concrete subfloor.

Stud One of a series of slender wood structural members used as supporting elements in walls and partitions.

Surface The outside or exterior boundary of any substance.One is said to surface the work when it is rubbed or sanded to a smooth, level plane.

Surface Drying When a coating dries on top, but remains relatively soft on the bottom, it’s said to surface dry.

Surface Tension The inherent molecular attraction in liquids that causes them to diminish their surface area and thereby exhibit properties resembling those of a stretched elastic membrane.

Swedish Finish An acid curing conversion varnish that is very stain,water and spot resistant.Ambers little,but during curing may contain fumes that are harmful to plants and pets. Dries to tack free in 8-24 hours, reaching full cure in 14 days. Sometimes inaccurately defined as a urethane finish with wax applied.

Tack–Free That condition when a film of finishing material has reached the point that the surface can be touched lightly without a sensation of stickiness.

Tack Rag Used to remove dust after sanding or screening.May be used dry or with an appropriate liquid compatible with the finish to be used.

Tensile Strength The ability of a film to withstand pulling stresses.

Thermoplastic The property of softening when heated and hardening upon cooling.

Thickness of Film The body on the work after the film of finishing material has thoroughly dried.

Tint A color produced by the addition of another color to white paint or enamel.The act of adding the color to the white material is known as tinting.

Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) A white pigment used in paints and enamels primarily to increase hiding power and give greater brightness. It has a specific gravity of 3.9 and a relatively high oil absorption, which usually ranges from 20 to 26.The particle size is usually very small.

Tongue and Groove In strip, plank and parquet flooring, a tongue is milled on one edge and a groove cut on the opposite edge. As the flooring is installed, the tongue of each strip or unit is engaged with the groove of the adjacent strip or unit. See End–Matchedand Side–Matched.

Trim The finish materials in a building at the floor of rooms (baseboard,base shoe,quarter round for example).

Trowel Fill Method to fill an entire floor or large area.

Truss Engineered or solid floor joist system.

TSP Tri Sodium Phosphate commonly used to remove surface contaminates from flooring.

Ultraviolet Light rays that are outside the visible spectrum at its violet end.These rays have a chemical effect upon the dried film of finishing materials. Ultraviolet light is commonly used in curing finishes at the factory for prefinished flooring. Ultraviolet light also causes woods to lighten or darken. See Color Change.

Undercoats Coats that are applied prior to the finishing or final coats.

Unfinished A product that must 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–inch (19MM), usually made from tongue and groove strip flooring combined into a parquet unit.

Urethane A synthetic chemical structure formed by one of three specific chemical reactions. See Polyurethane.

UV–Cured Polyurethane A special type of polyurethane that is cured by subjecting it to a specific dosage of radiation in the form of ultraviolet light.See Polyurethane and Ultraviolet.

V–Joint See Beveled Edge.

Vapor Barrier A material, such as foil, plastic film or specially coated paper, with a high resistance to vapor movement,used to control condensation or prevent migration of moisture.

Varnish A finish that contains either natural or synthetic oils that are refined by boiling and cooking with the addition of dryers. Slow to cure, but can be accelerated by the addition of heat. When used as a sealer, it is often burnished with a buffer and pads, the friction of hich accelerates the curing process.Ambers well,somewhat stain and spot resistant,but may be scratched easiy when new due to slow curing time. Dries to tack free in 24-48 hours, reaching full cure in 30-60 days.

Viscosity A property of fluids, either liquid or gaseous, that can briefly be described as causing resistance to flow.Viscosity is the measure of the combined effects of cohesion and adhesion. It is one of the most important physical properties of an oil, varnish or lacquer.Viscosity is usually measured with the Gardner–Holdt Bubble Viscometer.

Warping Any distortion of a piece of flooring from its true plane that may occur in seasoning. Water–Base Urethane A waterborne urethane that is fully cured and dries by water evaporation. See Polyurethane.

Water-Based, Water Borne Finishes This large family of finishes has a common trait of having the solids suspended in water which is used as the solvent. A clear, color free finish available as a one part,cross linked or as a two-part.Products using a cross-linker (catalyst) may have enhanced stain and abrasion resistance.Easy to apply with low odor and good stain resistance,but may raise grain during first and second coat. Fast drying and easy to recoat. Dries to tack free in 2-4 hours, reaching full cure in 14 days.

Wax Any of a number of resinous, pliable substances of plant or animal origin that are insoluble in water, partially soluble in alcohol,ether, etc.and miscible in all proportions with oils. It is used for making polishes and other products.

Wiping Stains Those stains, usually pigmented, that are applied and then wiped with a cloth to remove excess.

Wire Brushed A method for imparting an artificial texture or distressed appearance to the surface of hardwood flooring.

Wood Filler See Filler .

Yellowing See Ambering.