K

KILN - (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 - That portion of a branch or limb which has been surrounded by subsequent growth of the stem. 'Me 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.

Small Knot - In hardwood strip flooring not over 1/2" in diameter.
Pin Knot - A knot that is not more than 1/2 inch in diameter.
Sound Knot - A knot cut approximately parallel to its long axis so that the exposed section is definitely elongated.
L

LAMINATED WOOD - An assembly made by bonding layers of veneer or lumber with an adhesive. May also refer to edge-glued lumber items such as treads, etc.

M

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

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.

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 predominantly of wood but incorporates other materials such as slate, stone, ceramic, marble, metal and painted finishes (faux).

MOISTURE CONTENT - The amount of moisture in wood expressed as a percentage of the weight of the oven dry wood.

National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association hardwood flooring is manufactured at 6% to 9% moisture content, with a 5% allowance for pieces up to 12% moisture content.

American Parquet Association parquet flooring is to be 7% to 11% moisture content at time of shipment. 5% of the flooring may be outside of this range.

MOSAIC PARQUET - A parquet flooring made up of small solid pieces of wood (slats) assembled in units that may consist of individual squares, units with slats arranged in single or double herringbone design, or units or squares bordered with slats of the same or contrasting species.

N

NOSING - A hardwood molding used to cover the outside comer of a step, milled to meet the hardwood floor in the horizontal plane, to meet the riser in the vertical plane. (Usually used on landings.)

NOMINAL SIZE - As applied to timber or lumber, the size by which it is known and sold in the market; often differs from the actual size.

O

P

PARQUET - A patterned floor.

PARQUET FLOOR SQUARE - Basically a "tile" composed of individual slats held in place by a mechanical fastening (banding) or other means such as paper backing. A square may or may not possess tongues and grooves to interlock, and is not necessarily regular in dimension.

PARQUET FLOOR UNITS - A unit consists of four (sometimes three) or more squares or "tiles" fastened together.

PARTICLEBOARD - A generic term for a material manufactured from wood particles or other lignocellulosic material and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder.

PIN WORM HOLE - In hardwood flooring - a small round hole not over 1/16" 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.

PLAINSAWN - 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 pleasing grain pattern.

PLANER BITE - A groove cut in the surface of the piece deeper than intended by the planer knives.

PLANK- Solid boards, usually 3/4" thick and 3" to 8" wide designed to be installed in parallel rows. Edges may be beveled to simulate the appearance of Colonial American plank floors.

PLUGS - Dowels that simulate the Colonial American plugged, or pegged plank look. Sometimes used to cover counter-sunk screws when installing plank.

PREFINISHED - A completely finished flooring that requires installation only.