Category: Glossary of Terms -W

A waterproof floor is one with very good moisture resistance. In some cases, flooring can be treated or sealed to make it waterproof.

Varies from pale yellow-brown with a pinkish tint. Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast. Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture. Medium bending and crushing strength. Rated as very durable. Low stiffness. Used for cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, boatbuilding, barrels, and veneer.

Typically used as the first coat of a finish. The wash coat is used to change the appearance or porosity of a surface.

Ability to absorb shock with some permanent deformation and more or less injury to a specimen. Work to maximum load is a measure of the combined strength and toughness of wood under bending stresses.

The weight of dry wood depends upon the cellular space, i.e. the proportion of wood substance to air space. Values are given for each species in kg/m3 at 12% MC.

Any distortion of a piece of flooring from its true plane that may occur in seasoning.

The expansion and contraction of wood due to moisture content which must be accounted for during installation.

A way to distress wood flooring by machine for an antique look.

A cost effective finish option, a type of paint that takes a long time to cure.

The wear layer is the top layer of a laminate floor. It is a clear finish designed to protect the floor from marks and stains. It can also make the floor waterproof and can the design on the decorative layer from fading.