Category: Glossary of Terms

The degree to which a material resists permanent discoloration from exposure to household items, most notably liquids, is termed as stain resistance.

Coloration of flooring other than its natural color.

The edges of the floor boards flush together to decrease the appearance of lines between boards. This creates a uniform, smooth surface that blends the floor together from board to board.

Also known as “slip tongues” these are used to reverse or change the direction when installing tongue and groove hardwood flooring.

Refers to the type of wood, or the kind of tree it was harvested from. Many species are available such as oak, pine, cherry, and hazelnut.

A knot with an exposed section which appears elongated, as a result of a cut parallel to its long axis.

Uses an oil chemical base rather than water in the floor finish.

Solid wood is a type of hardwood flooring made from whole pieces of wood from a hardwood species, unlike engineered hardwoods which use other materials to form the planks. such as oak. It is one of the most durable types of flooring, but also tends to be among the most expensive. Compared to engineered or…

A knot in the wood that is not over 1/2″ in diameter.

Refers to a cutting method used to create a solid hardwood veneer for the top layer of an engineered hardwood floor. It involves boiling the log for a certain amount of time at a certain temperature to prepare the wood. After the wood has been prepared, it is sliced from the end and then pressed…