Category: Glossary of Terms -R

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 means to add a new coat of finish to the top of a hardwood floor. The goal of refinishing is to minimize the appearance of scratches, scuff marks and other signs of damage.

Hardwood flooring made from the prized, reclaimed wood of old barns and wooden structures.

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.

Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with a reddish cast. Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture. Medium bending strength. High crushing strength. Red oak does not have the level of decay and rot resistance that white oak possesses. Used for cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, and veneer.

Redwood

Veneer which was cut from a log in one long sheet. Rotary cut veneer is cut from a log like a roll of paper towels.

A cut made parallel to the grain of a board.

An organic material that has an indefinite and often high molecular weight, exhibits a tendency to flow when subjected to stress.

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. This is known as relative humidity.