The Luxury Flooring Dictionary
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1 Strip - Flooring that uses the classic single plank look.
3 Strip - Flooring that uses a 3-in-1 look, where one plank appears to have 3 separate pieces of wood incorporated into it.
A
Acclimatisation - Allowing a natural flooring product to adapt to the humidity of the room.
Adhesive - This is often used to stick the flooring directly down to the sub floor.
Antique - A flooring design which is made to make the flooring look old fashioned and traditional.
B
Beading - Beading is a moulding that runs around the edge of the room where the flooring meets the skirting board or wall.
Bevelled Edge - A groove running around the plank edge often know as a V groove. This allows each plank to stand out individually. 95% of all solid and engineered wood flooring products have a bevelled edge.
Borders - A design which runs around the edge of the flooring.
Bowed - When a flooring product doesn’t lie flat and there is a deviation in direction, bowed flooring can settle into shape once it has acclimatised.
Brand – A specific product manufactured by a specific company, a branded product will always be consistent, no matter where you purchase the product from.
Brushed – A brush has gone over the top of the surface in the manufacturing process, giving the plank a textured surface.
C
Character Grade – A grade of wood - also known as natural grade - that is a step before rustic, so will have a considerable number of knots, colour variations, holes and cracks. Please note some manufacturers use wood coloured filler to cover holes and cracks in this grade of wood.
Classic Grade – Also known as select grade, this is a step above prime, so will have look relatively pure yet still have indicators of it being a natural product. This includes slight knots and natural colour variations.
Click– A joining method that enables you to connect planks of flooring like a simple jigsaw.
Colour Variation – This is the change of colour which is found in natural products such as solid and engineered wood flooring.
Construction – This is what the product is made out of.
D
Delamination – When the laminate or veneer separates from the backing.
Distressed - A process used to create a more damaged rustic look with many scratches and imperfections.
DPM– The definition for DPM is damp proof membrane which is designed to prevent moisture rising through the product.
Durability – How well the product will maintain its appearance.
E
Edge Detail - Determines if the product has a square edge or a V groove.
End Joint - When two pieces of flooring are joined together at the ends.
End Profile - A moulding which is used to elegantly finish off any ends or corners.
Engineered - A layered plywood backing comprising of a solid wood veneered wear layer.
European – The goods are sourced in Europe.
F
Filler – A substance which is sometimes used to fill any natural knots which may appear in rustic wood flooring. You can also use filler if you manage to dint or chip your floor.
Finish – A coating applied to the surface of the flooring which offers colouring and protection.
Fixed Lengths - This is when a flooring product has all its planks the same length. However, you will find starter planks that mean less cutting has to take place.
Floating Floor – A floor which doesn’t need to be glue or nailed directly to the sub floor. Typically, the tongue and groove is bonded using glue or alternatively the flooring just clicks together.
G
Grade – Determines how lively a natural flooring product is in terms of knots and variation.
H
Hand Scraped – A process used to create an uneven surface which adds visual character to the flooring
Hard Wax Oil – A finishing product which offers a protected layer.
HDF – High Density Fibreboard is an extremely hard wearing type of fibreboard which has been highly compressed.
Herringbone – A unique wood flooring pattern of blocks.
High Gloss – An extremely shiny surface applied to the flooring.
Humidity – The amount of water vapour in the surrounding atmosphere.
J
Joint – Two edges come together to create a joining edge.
Joist – Parallel beams which are used for support when constructing a floor or a ceiling.
K
Kiln Dried – When a product is dried in kiln using artificial heat.
Knot – A portion of a branch which has been surrounded by growth. Knots often add character and warmth to a natural product.
L
Laminate Flooring – A hard surface floor with an MDF core and a melamine wear layer. Laminate flooring comes in both wood and tile planks.
Larch – A species of wood which is extremely hard wearing and suitable for wet rooms.
Living Grade – A grade of wood typically used by Parador. It has a lively appearance and earthy character that is a step below their Rustic floors. The knots and natural blemishes are just as prominent on Living grade floors as Rustic ones, but these are less frequent across the planks.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles – Vinyl products which are sold as individual planks or tiles, not rolls of vinyl.
M
Maintenance – How to maintain (look after) the flooring product.
Matt - A finish which has the opposite appearance to shiny.
Multi-ply - This is multiple layers of ply wood which is tightly compressed together to create and engineered wood floor backing.
N
Natural Grade – A grade of wood - also known as character grade - that is a step before rustic, so will have a considerable number of knots, colour variations, holes and cracks. Please note some manufacturers use wood coloured filler to cover holes and cracks in this grade of wood.
Nosing – A moulding which is used to finish of a corner or a step, many nosing products match the colour of the flooring used.
O
Oil – A product used to finish natural wood flooring products. Oils can come in many different colours and shades.
P
Parquet – Is either solid or engineered flooring blocks which can be laid in a variety of patterns for example; Herringbone, broderie etc.
Plywood - Boards made up of layers of wood which offer dimensional stability. Often used to level out any sub floors.
Polyurethane – A finish used as a protection for natural flooring products.
Prefinished – Natural floors which are already lacquered, oiled or stained.
Prime Grade – A clean flooring grade which doesn’t consist of variation and knots.
Profiles – Wood mouldings used to elegantly finish door ways, openings and corners.
Q
Quadrant – A convex piece of wood used to elegantly finish off and hide any expansion gaps.
R
Ramp Profile – A door profile threshold used when there is a height depreciation.
Random Lengths – This is when a flooring product uses various lengths within a pack. Some planks are short and some are long, but the number of short and long planks may not be equal and varies from pack to pack.
Reclaimed – Wood which has been salvaged and previously used to create an aged traditional look.
Rustic Grade – A natural flooring product which consists of natural variation and knots.
S
Sanding – The ability to sand down and refinish a solid or engineered wood flooring product.
Sapwood – The wood near the exterior of the tree, which is often lighter than the core.
Scotia – A half rounded shape of wood used to elegantly finish off and hide any expansion gaps.
Screed – A latex self levelling compound which is used to create a level sub floor.
Secret Nailing – An installation method where you nail through the tongue into a wooden sub floor. This nail will not be visible.
Select Grade – Also known as classic grade, this is a step above prime, so will have look relatively pure yet still have indicators of it being a natural product. This includes slight knots and natural colour variations.
Skirting Boards – A wooden moulding used around the outside of the floor to elegantly complete the floor or to hide any expansion gaps.
Smoked – A process which is used to darken any solid or engineered wood flooring products.
Solid Wood Flooring – A single piece of wood flooring that consist of one species.
Square Edge – Once the flooring is connected together you won’t find a groove; the flooring planks will lie flush against one another.
Stair Nosing – A moulding profile used to connect two flooring products on the stairs, which gives an elegant finish.
Subfloor – The existing floor, the flooring will sit on, this will either be concrete, floorboards, plywood or brick.
T
Textured Surface - The term used to describe the look and feel of the surface on a flooring product.
Threshold - A wooden finishing profile used to elegantly cover up and finish off any openings.
Tongue and Groove – A joining system where the tongue simply slides into groove to create a locking system.
U
Underlay – A cushioned protection layer which is placed between the floor and the sub floor.
Unfinished - A raw natural material which will need finishing to a desired look.
UV Finish – A polyurethane finish which offers protection from natural light.
V
V Groove - A groove running around the plank edge often know as a bevel. This allows each plank to stand out individually. 95% of all solid and engineered wood flooring products have a v groove.
Vapour Barrier - A material which is used to protect against water
Veneer - A solid species of wood bonded on top of another piece of wood to provide a surface of engineered wood flooring.
W
Warping - When flooring doesn’t lie flat and there is a deviation in direction, warped flooring can settle into shape once it has acclimatised.
Wide Plank – A term used to suggest the plank is wider than general products.
Width - The individual width of each flooring plank.
Whitewashed- When the surface of the flooring is stained and finished in a white colour.